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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More from the Good Stuff File. Houston person / Let's Stay Together https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNJmzyxwYOI&t=23s Billy Bang / Chan Chan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVJMOpIHBgc Billy Bang / All Blues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5nGbpSPtaU Lester Young / Lester Leaps In https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgbCjn5hsuY Cheers |
I cannot resist to post this link to Tom Harrell, "Time’s mirror" album... A big band album done right... I have already said that, for me trumpet lover, i put him among the great magicians in my own trumpet temple...Our friend and one of our ultime musician mentor here, frogman, had not contradicted me on that.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiY5f_7ISYU |
Trumpet magician indeed! Thanks for that. I was about to comment on Rok’s clips when I noticed that the trumpet player on Billy Bang’s “Chan Chan” also appears in Tom Harrell’s big band trumpet section (5th trumpet? Yes, 5 trumpets in the section ☺️). Anyway, great style and attitude by James Zollar with a funky and idiomatic trumpet solo on “Chan Chan”. Nice feel from the rhythm section on this rendition of the Cuban “son” classic, even if I had the same reaction that I always have to Billy Bang’s playing. I just can never get next to his playing even if I enjoy his records conceptually. Just me. Awesome Prez and Person. Great clips. Thanks. It’s practically impossible to separate Cuban music from Cuban dance: https://youtu.be/O76h3NOnoVM |
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@orpheus10 Great photo, thanks! It led me to this one, which isn't quite as perfect. The two must have been taken a few seconds apart (don't forget how cumbersome camera flash "bulbs" were in those days). Monk's expression is the same in both. https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3rEFukltUes/TDJh_LcXfQI/AAAAAAAABdo/9GMBGkhMMfA/s1600/rol0-023.jpg |
One of the best things I’ve heard on YouTube recently. Amazing quartet with a unique vibe. I hear a certain honesty and warmth in Art Farmer’s playing that I like very much. Jim Hall was an incredibly elegant player and the perfect guitarist for Farmer. mahgister, if you don’t know Art Farmer I think you might like him. https://youtu.be/Bj81FvlsYy4 The entire concert. Worth watching in its entirety: https://youtu.be/9LpMyKQqZro |
Waiting for my first Art Farmer set....Fingers crossed.... I was listening for the last 5 hours to some magnificent improvisation in Bengla desh "Jazz " at the sitar... A truly great female musician living in the Us....Alif Laila whose name means : One thousands and one nights ....No joke here.... Ok it is not pure " jazz" ... But anyway i will not create a sitar improvisation thread for the time being but it would be a great idea... Sitar is one of the most difficult instrument to play right... And one of the most mesmerizing one...I love dearly all lute, setar,tar, sitar, veena, guitar, oud, rudra veena,vichitra veena, name them....Just beside piano and trumpet.... By the way indians, muslims or hindouist, had used violin, guitar, or harmonium for example, all native occidental instrument and they incorporated them in a unique way in their playing transforming completely the instrument sound.... Incredible... I listened sitar even before even thinking about jazz in my teen years with Ravi Shankar between Bach and Josquin Des Prez and some french poet singers...... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_Uzv9eI3BY |
More Good Stuff The Dude https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7K7WfjP7SM Rise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TqyGMjeIpA Ai No Corrida https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVTVheyDY4s Brazil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HtHEgINHO0 Cheers |
The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz CBS Records 1987 Great 5CD Box Set. Best Booklet ever! These are the actual recordings that are in the Smithsonian set. The Recorded dates match. CD #1 Jelly Roll Morton, piano solo: (JOPLIN) "Maple Leaf Rag" (1938) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz9AMJ5f2yM recorded 6/38 Washington D.C. Dead Man Blues -- Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqgqK3DYLa8 recorded 9/21/26 Chicago Potato Head Blues -- Louis Armstrong and His Hot Seven https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7ccXJ0Y-CI recorded 5/10/27 Chicago West End Blues -- Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2anSPJAg3uw recorded 6/28/28 Chicago Black Bottom Stomp -- Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJtG9VXU4_0 recorded 9/15/26 Chicago St. Louis Blues -- Bessie Smith ( Armstrong on Coronet ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MldyhUapKFs recorded 1/14/25 Dippermouth Blues -- King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQTNO_WQ3ck recorded 4/6/23 Richmond, IN Cheers |
👍 rok. Prompted me to pull out original vinyl set of the Smithsonian Collection. Still in pristine condition. Stuff like this is good reason for keeping a “quality” TT system if your own vintage leaves you with a good collection of vinyl e.g. “Jazz and the Abstract Truth” and so many of the titles that have popped up on this string. thx |
Another great Art Farmer concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODZA7WSA3xk Gotta wonder why the flugelhorn didn't figure more prominently in the jazz world, as did the tenor sax among the woodwinds. Richer, deeper tone - sexier than the trumpet and cornet. I guess there just weren't many flugelhorns laying around back in the day? |
Stuff like this is good reason for keeping a “quality” TT system if your own vintage leaves you with a good collection of vinyl My Jazz collection on LP does not justify me getting back into vinyl. I have a lot of nice Classical stuff on LP, but I have already obtained the CD versions. I guess I'm just lazy. CD was a fantasy of mine before they ever appeared. Glad I lived to see it happen. Cheers |
mahgister the LuteMarvellous album.... I already own it but others here may not know it... The video is interesting , she is very expressive, this lute like many others in the lute family is a work of art in itself, even mute suspended on a wall... Bach waves are like waves in the sea... How comforting!.... I wait for my jazz ordered last album but this is jazz in the german way centuries ago... After all , all the best in music is jazz....Improvising Musician....And what is an interpretation: a micro dynamically controlled improvisation around one note or one chord, each one at a time.... 😁😊😊😊 With a continuity here nearer of the Glenn Miller style than of Sun Ra though .... If we listen carefully enough, this woman is "Jazzing" .... Anyway i own all albums of Jacques Loussier...My first Bach ectasy was out of the pharmacy window at 12 years old , listening Jacques Loussier jazzing Bach.... It introduce me so to speak..... |
Frogman , you see the music as a musician , I see Music as what it does for me to be a better person . A hard job . As a Christian, if only a fair one, if Bach and Monteverdi were the only music in the Universe I would thank God for his greatest gift, save his Son, to me and mankind each and every day . And I know you are both Musician and Christian . |
The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz CBS Records 1987 CD #2 Moten Swing -- Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f2YIl-IpPg recorded 12/13/32, Camden N.J. Ben Webster(ts), Count Basie(p) Dinah - Red Nichols & His Five Pennies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZLgQg76NWE recorded 4/18/29 Benny Goodman(cl), Jack Teagarden(tb), Gene Krupa(d) THE MAN I LOVE Jazz by Coleman Hawkins Swing Four https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SxkDBEYWOY recorded 12/23/43 Oscar Pettiford(b), Shelly Manne(d) Art Tatum, piano solo: "Willow Weep For Me" (1949) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyDTtmlbeaY recorded 7/13/49, Los Angeles Ella Fitzgerald -- You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUxA0P4Z_Y8 recorded 7/64, Antibes, France Benny Goodman And His Sextet - Breakfast Feud https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDgHLcx9oGg Cooti Williams (tp) Benny Goodman (cl) Georgie Auld (ts) Count Basie(p) Charlie Christian (el-g) Artie Bernstein (b) Jo Jones (d) recorded 1/15/41 & 12/19/40 LESTER LEAPS IN Count Basie Kansas City 7 FEATURING LESTER YOUNG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f60JYoHdfVM&list=RDf60JYoHdfVM&start_radio=1 recorded 9/5/39 Cheers |
Schubert, yes, as a musician…..in large part, but still only part. That part of the mix is but one piece of the pie; not the least of which is to be a better person. The two ways of “seeing” music don’t have to be mutually exclusive and each feeds the other. One could put all modesty aside and make a case for why there are few better ways to be a better person than to give the joy of music. I would say that all normal human flaws aside, the gift that Bach and Monteverdi gave the world made them pretty darn good persons. |
@schubert and @frogman Nice philosophical exchange on the meaning of music, thanks. Schubert - my POV is that frogman doesn't "see" the music, he hears it and feels it. If music is "seeable" for you, you may be stuck in the European sheet music convention. That's how I was trained: read the music and play it. But the best stuff comes from the soul, not sheet music. That's why we're all here on JFA. |
One of the greatest pianist i ever heard was Ervin Nyiregyhazi... One of my gods...With some others like Vladimir Sofronitsky, and Hans Moravec... He says after someone made to him the remark that in his playing he did not reproduce what it is written sometimes, he answer that the music is under his hands and in his heart not on a paper sheet mechanically activated by the brain ... i cannot retrieve the link for the exact citation....But these words of mine reproduce what he said.... These words convey this idea, if not at least converge to this idea that, in spite of what separate Jazz and classical music, they manifest the same spiritual phenomenon because music is ultimately the focus where interpretation and improvization converge/diverge and even unite..... |
Writing my last post give me another idea about Ervin Nyiregyhazi... Something new about his style of playing... He plays like was playing Lizst itself....And Liszt is the first pianist who become famous "interpretating" the music of other pianist live and "possessed" on the scene.... Before Liszt all concert was with a pianist playing his own composition in a very intimate way and with a more intimate public generally, like Chopin did because the piano was a recently invented new instrument...... E.N was pupil of Frederic Lamond a pupil of Liszt itself.... Then something of the FAUSTIAN Liszt playing has crossed through Lamond into E.N. And this something is the total freedom for the WILL to create or recreate any works and any cosmos.... The great philosopher of the WILL is Schopenhauer after Nietzche... This is the style of playing i will describe associated with the playing so powerful and more telluric than only refined of Ervin Nyiregyhazi... I apologize here because i realize my post is in the jazz section... Sorry for that mistake..... |
I have to say that ‘Moanin’ by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers is my favorite jazz song of all time. The whole album is a fantastic piece of art. The album is over sixty years old, but sounds better as a high resolution 24 bit/192 KHz download than anything I’ve heard recently. I say the same for many older jazz albums from the later 1940s through the 1970s. Along comes the advent of digital CDs. It was like an overnight hit to good sounding, well engineered music. Digital is distant and cold. All hope is not lost because things are changing. Now that there are DACs as separate components or factory installed in decent gear, digital sounds a whole lot better. I predict this is the decade where high resolution digital streaming and downloads kick CDs to the curb. Well recorded, amazing sounding jazz albums may not be dead after all. |
Wow, so many posts, I am lost. Come to think of it, I am lost always. Never mind, Louis for you guys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqhCQZaH4Vs |
Joshua Redman ~ Hide and Seek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwMjv8MfLy8&list=OLAK5uy_nLuPgNLxGeEAOpid9ZJNB0nkDV73GUicA *** If you weren't a musician, what do you think you would be doing now? Joshua: Wishing I were a musician. |
PatsyOh! Thanks for that.... I remember my first transistor radio with battery in 1963 and one of the song that move me in my bed, not a man at all at 13 years old, was this song among few others that i could remember only by stumbling on them a second time... My deepest respect to you indeed.... |
The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz CBS Records 1987 CD # 3 Cotton Tail - Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6HV88uRdFo Ben Webster, soloist recorded 5/4/40 Ko-Ko - Charlie Parker's Re-Boppers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wGJpbPKbz8 Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, soloist recorded 11/26/45 Embraceable You -- Charlie Parker Quintet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYUT4UPfiJ8 recorded 10/28/47 A Night in Tunisia -- Bud Powell Trio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MypynwS6NzM recorded 5/1/51 Crazeology (Take 1) -- Charlie Parker Sextet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtQZTS2H7ho Miles Davis, trumpet recorded 12/17/47 Blue Serge - Duke Ellington and his Famous Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF_KnbOTr40 recorded 2/15/41, Hollywood Cheers |
Thanks for sharing that link Alek. I have long known about Miles infatuation with Jimi Hendrix. The 2 had planned on making an album at some point but Jimi died. Miles once left Jimi alone with one of his girlfriends in his NYC house and told Jimi to read some new music he was working on. Jimi, who could not read sheet music, got close to Miles' GF instead..... |
Frogman that Art Farmer 64 Jazz Icon series is one that I did not have. I just picked it up. Thank for posting. Here is an obscure session(s) I think you may like: Red Norvo —The Red Norvo Trios - YouTube No Moon At All - YouTube |
The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz CBS Records 1987 CD # 4 Boplicity -- Miles Davis and his Orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGSUUQFTf_I recorded 4/22/49 Haitian Fight Song -- Charles Mingus Quintet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7CoJEyiSfE recorded 3/12/57 Django -- Modern Jazz Quartet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdmi7lfIZ3Y recorded 4/12/60, Sweden Pent-Up House -- Sonny Rollins Plus 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIlpEnsa2d8 recorded 3/22/56 Moon rays -- Horace Silver Quintet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BF91tyfNZY recorded 1/13/58 Cheers |
...some 'chinese' music... https://www.bluenote.com/listen-to-a-night-in-tunisia-from-art-blakeys-previously-unreleased-live-al... |
The Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz CBS Records 1987 CD # 5 West Coast Blues -- Wes Montgomery Quartet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvf2e6hm9lU recorded 1/26/60 or 1/28/60 So What -- Miles Davis Sextet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s1ppJoPkOzU recorded 3/2/59 Blue in Green -- Bill Evans Trio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDdGxsRhLyQ recorded 12/28/59 Alabama -- John Coltrane Quartet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH6lQxfv3OY recorded 11/18/63 Lonely Woman -- Ornette Coleman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIIyCOAByDU recorded 5/22/59 1959 was a good year. Cheers |