Jazz for aficionados
Jazz for aficionados
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.
Enjoy the music.
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.
Enjoy the music.
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Why not! One of the greatest Jazz records of all time, IMO; and if I’m not mistaken, the very first record that I mentioned on this thread. Amazing lineup. What is interesting about the lineup is not only that each of the players was one of very greatest on his instrument (some might argue the greatest), but just how varied their respective styles were. The quiet introspection of BILL Evans to the fiery hard bop of Hubbard to the wild abstractions (😉) of Dolphy. And it works! Add to that the writing of Oliver Nelson, one of the greatest composer/arrangers of the music and you have something really special. Of particular note for me is the reminder of just how good a saxophone player Nelson was. His playing on the record gives a wonderful peek into the mind of a composer. The logic in his solos beautifully reflects how a composer thinks; with solos which are a model of motivic development. Classic compositional and improvisation approach: take a simple musical idea (motif) and build an entire solo using and developing that idea: https://youtu.be/SlkkQiZ-gV4 Oh, and the record features what I feel is one of the very best solos by my favorite Jazz trumpet player. Perhaps the Nelson influence, but another great example of motivic development: https://youtu.be/44DfWE0gatQ Did I say I really like the record? 😊 |
What can I say. Her reputation extends into the world of Blues. You always cheer me up. :-* <3 :--) |
OK, since I nudged everyone, I gotta weigh in. Would that I had frogman's perspective and experience, but, as Popeye used to say, I yam what I yam. Things that blow me away: Stolen Moments - possibly the best jazz recording of all time Baritone sax - why did they disappear? too difficult to haul around? sad... The tightest arrangements everThe tightest execution of the tightest arrangements ever - phenomenal musicianship Amazing ppp to fff dynamics (in a heartbeat) by the combo - was that Nelson's leadership? Things that don't really blow me away: Freddie Hubbard - I love me a lot of Freddie, but I'd much rather listen to Miles' introspective moodiness than Freddie showing off his amazing talent Eric Dolphy - amazing soul-to-sound player, but he didn't have to always go screechy on us every time out Hoe Down - not for me, it just doesn't work for some reason (an advantage of being an amateur - I don't really have to explain) ;) |
Hal Galper, With very good band, but didn't he always have a badass band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc2x_WEUUKo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dQAfCUF7vM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJlRe1R025A |
Another mid-seventies record I really like from Hal Galper. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ2IjSljrVU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi4TXvliMRw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCVd36gR414 |
Two new records by the great William Parker. Always a fun ride! This I have listened to and highly recommend. https://williamparker.bandcamp.com/album/painters-winter I have not listened to this but will later. ( when my wife leaves ) https://williamparker.bandcamp.com/album/mayan-space-station |
One of the greatest Jazz records of all time, IMO; and if I’m not mistaken, the very first record that I mentioned on this thread.Thanks for frogman contribution to the happiness of all here and to me in particular... His warm recommendation about Oliver Nelson make me very happy indeed.... Not only this cd is one of the greatest jazz recording but all his 6cd big band series is astonishingly good.... My heartful thanks.... |
@mahgister Well said re: frogman's heartfelt views on a priceless jazz treasure. On a few occasions I've enjoyed reversing the order of the 26,000+ posts here on JFA in order to read the oldest contributions (from 2013). I think you'd enjoy it too. That's how Nelson's BATAT became a topic again, and it's been rewarding. Let us know what you find, please! |
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Keegiam, On which song are you saying Cedar Walton had issues? I haven’t had time to go back and listen to his parts, but don’t remember any glaring problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXjJTaF6yxQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nusqoLMkNQ0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SS9kohch2iY |
In fairness to Cedar Walton, “Glass Beads GAMES” (😉) is Jordan’s tune. It is a tune with rather obtuse chord changes without a typical “logic” to them and hence are difficult to improvise over. It would make sense that the composer (Jordan) would feel much more at home navigating those changes than a sideman would, even one as accomplished as Walton and who may have seen the tune for the first time at the recording session. Having said all that, while Walton doesn’t exactly burn through the changes, I wouldn’t say it is a glaring problem. In fairness to acman3 (absolutely exceptional recent posts, btw), “Glass Beads GAMES” (😉) is the title of the album and also the title of the tune in question. Since there are twelve tunes on the album, I had the same initial reaction in wondering which tune on the album was the one Walton supposedly had trouble with. Speaking of piano players being thrown off guard by unfamiliar obtuse chord changes, this is the “classic” and often cited example. After stumbling through the first few measures, he literally gives up (“fuc# it”) and barely manages to finish the chorus by simply comping the changes: https://youtu.be/30FTr6G53VU |
@frogman @acman3 Great explanation of what "poor Cedar Walton" was doing and why. I tend to zero in on the message I'm hearing from the musician's soul, so the compositional challenges they face escape me. Thanks! Pianos aren't saxes, and vice versa. I should know that by now. One of the most rewarding things about JFA is exploring the links you all post. Acman3 is probably the most prolific, but it's all appreciated! |
I think there can be agreement that, when all is said and done, the most important component of Jazz is the improvisation. A beautifully stylized melody, or beautifully crafted arrangement are wonderful in their own right, but it is the improvisation that gets to the heart of the matter. As great as many of the musicians that have been featured here are, few of them can, or could tilt the balance of all of those components to the side of pure improvisation and still hold the listener’s interest. To do it in the context of a piano-less (no harmony instrument) context in which the melody instrument is solely responsible for clearly defining the harmony of the tune, all the while improvising is even more of a challenge. Lee Konitz was one of those that could, IMO; although I admit I have to be in the mood for such a bare-bones approach to Jazz. Even the melodies of the tunes are presented in only snippets and hints interspersed within the improvisations. The presence of Elvin Jones on this record is particularly interesting. Not a drummer one usually associates with the rhythm section of a horn player who clearly has a “cool” tone approach like that of Konitz; even if his harmonic sense was clearly very modern. I love this record……when in the mood…..maybe it’s the endless rain up here in the North East ☺️ https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLh_UKQFKe9Fe056ZVtEo6aD_cf18c_3H |
i think improvisation in a general sense, and not only in the jazz context, but linked to what we call an "interpretation" in classical music is the "gist" of music experience.... A pure objective rendition of a classical written piece never was possible and never existed.... I then concur with frogman... A real concert, jazz or classical, is always an "improvised" one....And would never be the same again....It is the writing phenomenon and the recording technological phenomenon that erased this fact from our consciousness... Music is never completely written but always played then improvised... For sure music without improvisation and without interpretation exist but is not for my usual taste.... I discovered lately in life that music is the musician first....Not a piece of paper.... |
I own many, many albums of Tom Harrell... I am in love with the trumpet... It is one of my 10 best artist at this instrument and not the 10th by far......He is a musical genius not for his virtuosity only but mainly his poetic creativity and his particular phrasing with the trumpet... here it is only an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2oh8cD7SWY I will add this to my opinion because i am in no way a musician but Phil Woods is...: « “Tom Harrell is the best musician I’ve encountered in 40 years of playing music,” says saxophonist Phil Woods, in whose quintet Harrell has played trumpet for the past five years. “I’ve played with some great musicians and I’ve never played with anyone better than Tom Harrell. I think the whole group sounds better because of him.”» And if someone here object that this description is not "objective" by Woods describing his partner craftmanship...Freddie Hubbard put Harrell over Wynton Marsalis...And he knows something about trumpet playing... 😊 Anyway all the opinions in the world speak less than a listening session... I will dedicated my post recommendation to the generous mary_jo |
Thanks for your concern, mary_jo. Pretty wet around here. Really amazing amount of rain the last few days. A lot of flooding in NYC, but thankfully my home has stayed dry…mostly. https://youtu.be/9jDpI5-NzXI https://youtu.be/V_25vU4Rdeg |
mahgister, I could not agree more, Tom Harrell is a genius. I’ve been a fan of his playing for many years. The comparison to Marsalis is almost irrelevant; two entirely different types of players. Harrell is not the instrumental virtuoso that Marsalis is, but Harrell is a remarkable creativity virtuoso. Knowing a little about what you admire in a musician, I can understand why Harrell appeals to you. There is a warmth in his sound that is reminiscent of Chet Baker; the expression of humanity. His playing is very lyrical, like Baker’s, but with a more advanced (modern) harmonic concept. This is not intended as a criticism of Baker; two players representative of two different periods in the evolution of the music. One of the many remarkable things about Harrell is that his musical spirit is so strong in spite of the fact that he suffers from the mental illness, paranoid schizophrenia. When he plays is the only time he shows no signs of the illness. Remarkable human being. |
Knowing a little about what you admire in a musician, I can understand why Harrell appeals to you. There is a warmth in his sound that is reminiscent of Chet Baker; the expression of humanity. His playing is very lyrical, like Baker’s, but with a more advanced (modern) harmonic concept. This is not intended as a criticism of Baker; two players representative of two different periods in the evolution of the music.Thanks for these remarks spot on about me and these 2 artists... My deepest regards and appreciation... |
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To my hears this guy is the most interesting in style and originality on the trumpet . https://youtu.be/Bzb-A3Xb_0U P.S. frogman , the water I saw was largely going to come from the Atlantic about 2040-50 without Climate change. Means only one thing , too late . |
@mahgister <<I discovered lately in life that music is the musician first....Not a piece of paper.... >> Well put. As amazing as those (European-style) pieces of paper may be, it's improvisational music that best gets through to our souls, isn't it? Up to age 8 or so, I had mainly experienced mainstream American Swing (via my parents), which, as I see it now, was part of European-Americans' gradual embrace of African-based music. That's when I started "music lessons" in school. Back to reading and playing every note, exactly as written on the pieces of paper (with "feeling," of course). Loved it, and always will. That said, I regret the loss of those formative years to "paper-centric" study. Mahgister, I'm sure you get that. |
In keeping with the current big band motif here is the great arranger/composer/pianist who seems to never get mentioned enough here on JFA - Stan Kenton. Stan's 10 minute introduction of his big band members is the who's who of jazz greats. Prologue (This Is An Orchestra!) - YouTube And one of his big bands in London: Stan Kenton In Concert - London 1972 - YouTube |