I'm going to review records in my collection, and you'll be able to decide if they're worthy of your collection. These records are what I consider "must haves" for any jazz aficionado, and would be found in their collections. I wont review any record that's not on CD, nor will I review any record if the CD is markedly inferior. Fortunately, I only found 1 case where the CD was markedly inferior to the record.
Our first album is "Moanin" by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers. We have Lee Morgan , trumpet; Benney Golson, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Jymie merrit, bass; Art Blakey, drums.
The title tune "Moanin" is by Bobby Timmons, it conveys the emotion of the title like no other tune I've ever heard, even better than any words could ever convey. This music pictures a person whose down to his last nickel, and all he can do is "moan".
"Along Came Betty" is a tune by Benny Golson, it reminds me of a Betty I once knew. She was gorgeous with a jazzy personality, and she moved smooth and easy, just like this tune. Somebody find me a time machine! Maybe you knew a Betty.
While the rest of the music is just fine, those are my favorite tunes. Why don't you share your, "must have" jazz albums with us.
Gotta love YouTube!!! I’ll get back to Cannonball. Not sure if this has been posted before. If not, it should have been. My favorite quintet of all time. Incredibly free and spontaneous playing:
Tony Williams looks like he’s ten years old (with a mustache). Look at the size of Ron Carter’s fingers! The man was made for the bass. Oh, and the playing kills.
Rok, I enjoyed all of those Cannonball and Nat Adderley links, they brought back many fantastic memories. My listening room at that time was which ever nightclub I happened to be in, and the dance was the "Philly Dog".
Cannonball getting all the attention and he deserves it.
Changing the subject for just 1 post.
rok posted the Cannonball Live at the Lighthouse which is an outstanding album. Lee Morgan also visited the Lighthouse at Hermosa Beach California in 1970 with a great band and played 12 sets in 3 nights.
I have the original first release, a 3 CD set which I have had a while but apparently 12 sets were recorded and in less then 2 months, on 30 July 2021 all 12 sets in there entirety are being released in a box set from Blue Note records. 8 discs or 12 LP's or a deluxe box with both formats.
The deluxe set is on Blue Notes website for 350.00 dollars. I don't have a vinyl set up so I'll be getting the 8 CD box set for 75.00 on Amazon.
Here is more about the release with some really cool photos of Lee Morgan on the beach relaxing.
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley Quintet Cannonball(alto), Nat(cornet), Bobby Timmons(piano), Sam Jones(bass), Louis Hayes(drums)
THE CANNONBALL ADDERLEY QUINTET IN SAN FRANCISCO
Recorded at The Jazz Workshop Riverside / OJC 1959 / 1989
Notes: "When Dmitri Shostakovich, the Russian composer, went to hear his first authentic American Jazz, he went to the Jazz workshop and sat for an hour attentively listening to Cannonball's group. He made no comment whatsoever, which is in itself a comment of sorts. But he dug. He smiled appreciatively several times, applauded vigorously on occasion, and leaned forward intently to watch a Louis Hayes drum solo."
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley Sextet Cannonball(alto), Nat(cornet), Yusef Lateef(tenor, flute, oboe), Joe Zawinul(piano), Sam Jones(bass), Louis Hayes(drums)
JAZZ WORKSHOP REVISITED
Notes by Orrin Keepnews in 1963 and again in 1989. Interesting story of how both dates came about. Changes to group and label etc.... Riverside / Capitol / Landmark 1962 /1989 / 2001
Wow, I have to check at least 5 pages or more...:--)))
Where are my earbuds?
Oh, in my ears...
Night is still young, almost ten in the evening. It is warm outside, but I still feel and see the light breeze playing with curtains on my window. Lights are off, only the mobile shines, I don't think on anything now so it is just the right time for the music to start...
Frogman, thanks for the Miles Davis in Milan link. Never have seen or heard that video before. Ron Carter does look like a giant next to Miles and the rest of the group. Someone should have pitched in and bought the kid a couple more drums for his kit too. What sublime. and beautiful music to close out the day with.
Notice the pseudonym “Buckshot la Funke” on the album jacket which he used when recording outside his label 😊. The man had a sense of humor (clearly also heard in his playing):
I was lucky enough to know Vic Juris. Although he passed away at the end of 2019, his music lives on. His Steeplechase recordings are wonderful. Vic was actually a student of Pat Martino, but he developed his own style and he can shred a jazz guitar with the best of them.
Julian "Cannonball" Adderley Cannonball(alto), Miles Davis(trumpet), Hank Jones(piano), Sam Jones(bass), Art Blakey(Drums)
SOMETHIN' ELSE
Blue Note 1958 / 1986
Notes: Just routine comments about each tune and other chatter, from Miles mostly. I expected more from an album of this importance. I got the feeling they did not know what a quintessential album it would be.
I first encountered Vic Juris' playing on Charlie Mariano's "Savannah Samurai". I love the guitarist's contributions to that session but disappointingly, haven't found recordings featuring him as a leader nearly as stimulating.
Clifford Jordan and Booker Ervin are two other great tenor players...
Booker Ervin is perhaps best known for the "Book" series-- particularly "The Space Book" and "The Freedom Book", with Jacki Byard, Alan Dawson and Richard Davis. I'm not a big fan of Byard's piano playing and so, prefer the following;
There's something very bracing/refreshing about Green's relatively cool tone. Kenny Burrell is great but he and most other Jazz guitarists of that era utilized such a bass-heavy tone. To me, that somewhat dull, thick sound becomes monotonous rather quickly but I don't find that's true with Green-- there's a vibrant, singing quality to every note that I find very appealing.
Of course, Green (for much of his Blue Note work, at least) played an ES330 -- which is a considerable thinner-bodied instrument than the bigger Jazz boxes commonly used by Burrell, Montgomery, J. Smith, Ellis, etc., so that's also a factor.
"Just hope that you will not decide next to post all J.S. Bach's albums you've got"
Too late. I have already done that on another thread. FYI, my next 'survey' will be my 10 CD set of Spike Jones Greatest Hits. All come highly recommended by The Frogman, so you know it will be good stuff.
There’s something very bracing/refreshing about Green’s relatively cool tone. Kenny Burrell is great but he and most other Jazz guitarists of that era utilized such a bass-heavy tone. To me, that somewhat dull, thick sound becomes monotonous rather quickly but I don’t find that’s true with Green-- there’s a vibrant, singing quality to every note that I find very appealing.
Of course, Green (for much of his Blue Note work, at least) played an ES330 -- which is a considerable thinner-bodied instrument than the bigger Jazz boxes commonly used by Burrell, Montgomery, J. Smith, Ellis, etc., so that’s also a factor.
You put it the way i would have wanted to say it....Thanks....
With Joe Pass speaking intimate tone, i enjoy Green simple singing qualities very much...
Among my 2 favorites in guitar jazz.... There is many more others to enjoy for sure.... But love love with reason or without....
So much for my theory about Green's tone in respect to the depth of guitar dimesnions-- even on this deeper guitar, he achieves a very articulate tone! Well, they do say "tone is in the hands".
Cannonball(alto), Nat(cornet), Lateef(flute, oboe, tenor), Joe Zawinul(piano), Sam Jones(bass), Louis Hayes(drums)
Milestone 1962-63 / 1992
Notes: "Like Dizzy Gillespie, alto saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley was one of the select few to be taken seriously as an artist while unfailingly conveying a tremendous sense of fun. Adderley (1928-1975) spread the good news with a pungent and inviting blend of bebop (both chordal and modal), blues, and gospel. The performances herein, recorded live in San Francisco and Tokyo in 1962 and '63 are all prime cuts by the powerful sextet..."
Cannonball(alto), Milt Jackson(vibes), Wynton Kelly(Piano), Percy heath(bass), Art Blakey(drums)
Riverside / Original Jazz Classics 1958 / 1988
Notes: "Bags and Cannonball belong together for several reasons--not the least of which is that both eagerly welcomed the opportunity to get together. There is also the fact that both are firmly "modern traditionalists": musicians with An awareness of Jazz roots and with, in both cases, a strong rhythmic sense and an emphasis on the beat as a basic part of their playing pattern." Above all...both are, deservedly, highly regarded as practitioners of the Blues."
From the, Ain’t got it, git it, shelf. Captivating!!!
Macy Gray
STRIPPED
Macy Gray (vocals), Ari Hoenig(drums), Daryl Johns(bass), Russell Malone(guitar), Wallace Roney(trumpet) Chesky Records Binaural Series 2016
Notes: "Special thanks to Professor Edgar Choueiri of the 3D Audio and Applied Acoustics (3D3A) lab of Princeton University, for his technical assistance on the 3D audio aspects of this binaural recording."
If you don’t have the Sennheiser HD660s headphones, this CD is the perfect reason to do so.
Rok2kid, speaking of Miles and Blue Note, the Miles Davis, under his own name, Complete Blue Note1952-54 Studio Sessions is terrific too. It's well worth seeking out if any of you don't have it in your collection.
SWINGIN' IN SEATTLE (Live at the Penthouse: 1966-1967)
Cannonball(alto), Nat(cornet), Joe Zawinul(piano), Victor Gaskin(bass), Roy McCurdy(Drums)
Recorded from live radio broadcasts at the Penthouse Jazz Club in Seattle, WA on June 15 & 22, 1967 and October 6 & 13, 1966. Reel to Real Label
19 tracks listed, 11 of which are spoken intros and outros. There was some music.
Excellent booklet with interviews and pictures and LARGE print!
Cannonball(alto), Wynton kelly(piano), Paul Chambers(bass), Percy heath(bass), Jimmy Cobb(drums), Albert "Tootie" Heath(drums) Riverside / Capitol Jazz 1959 / 2002
Notes: Recorded in the spring of 1959, this was only the third of some 15 albums featuring cannon that I produced for the Riverside label. ....I think of this era as Early Cannonball. Early means the period before stardom. Before he put together his notable quintet (with his brother Nat on cornet and the funky composer Bobby Timmons on piano) and convinced me to record them in performance at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco late in '59, thereby turning himself into a full-scale major attraction and Jazz household name, and almost single-handedly launching the 1960s phenomenon known as "Soul Jazz." -- Orrin Keepnews
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