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.
Bob Mintzer is a remarkably talented musician. Great tenor player and equally great composer/orchestrator. His playing style is similar to Breckerās, but more measured and restrained with less fire than Brecker. Very logical, the way that his writing is. He was a fixture in the NY scene around the same time as Brecker where he led and recorded his big band for many years. He moved to LA around the time that international demand as arranger took off. He writes and conducts regularly for the great WDR big band in Cologne, Germany as well as leading his LA big band. Ā |
"Spectrum" album seems very good to me...Thanks ... More easy listening than the magic Brecker...I love Brecker .... I will like Mintzer it seems ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhKcML1Lpsc&list=OLAK5uy_mZB0UKS1f3KHax1t6v_9DurQPc9l8TJ90 i cannot listen Brecker albums when reading on the net , but i can listen relaxing big band this way... i listen music 6 hours each day.... š i listen half of the time more attentively known favorites, the other half is devoted to new one in a more relaxed ways... 2,160 hoursĀ in one year.. 1080 hours for new albums... it takes roughly 1000 new albums a year for my novelties appetite and explorations... Guess why i am not interesting by most useless gear upgrades ? Guess why i came in this thread ? š |
Dont be envious! I exagerated the numbers as i wish them to be ... š And anyway listen to frogman advices, he is a musician and he knows what he talk about ... Me i just begun to understand jazz a bit... i am retired and i had anything else to do...š Ā
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Amazing good jazz : "The truth" with Elvin Jones and Michael Brecker and Eubanks on trombone ,Darren Barrett trumpet and another sax with Brecker... Ā A sax god exactly as frogman said... It is not a Brecker album mostlyĀ even if he plays a part but the album is more than just interesting... So.... I am doubly amazed by Brecker andĀ this Jones album... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxC7EhPnsuo&list=PLaw8u3Tc5UT6oi_-M6FiuHvmIAEz-u_th Ā Ā Ā |
Fabulous! Canāt thank you enough, mahgister, as I was not aware of this recording. My favorite drummer (well, maybe Tony Williamsā¦maybe not). Darnett Garrett!!!! No point in commenting on Brecker, Gene Perla on bass caused me to think of the recordings of the great Elvin Jones, Gene Perla, piano-less band with a front line of two tenor players. Two great post-Coltrane tenor players, Dave Liebman and Steve Grossman. Not always āeasyā stuff to listen to, but very earthy, raw and soulful. https://youtu.be/zz4DTvGgpT0?si=4zgrv5WWOc3_sduT Ā Ā Ā |
I am happy if i repaid you for your enlightened recommendations that impacted me a lot , among others Pat Martino and Micharl Brecker... Sometimes it takes an explanation to understand why we must listen a musician in particular... You are able to do soĀ because of your musician experience to explain why we must hear someone twice more than once ... It help us all... Thanks ...
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I had an opportunity to see M.Brecker quartet live in 1998, on jazz festival in my hometown. Funny thing is that he started to play in 2 am (yes, 2 hours after midnight) in local theater house. I am quite certain that it was filmed by national tv house, but other than seeing it on tv news after the show, never saw the material on ytube or elsewhere. However, next year, among others, Zawinul and Weather Report played there too and some of that footage is on ytube. Here it is, if anyone is interested... https://youtu.be/DUPBq4tyxfM?feature=shared https://youtu.be/vNOnWbSj4_E?feature=shared https://youtu.be/JQvvWQEX0IM?feature=shared Jean Paul Bourelly from the same occason and on the same stage,,,the footage is quite raw... https://youtu.be/SLo6GjVxaQk?feature=shared Ā Also, saw McCoy Tyner, Abbey Lincoln, Randy Weston, Ray Charles among others, all in my hometown (remeber pinching myself few times just to be sure that I am not dreaming) Believe that all those concerts were filmed by national tv and those tapes are probably somewhere in some basement... |
In the meantime...album that i got just recently...'This release contains the complete recordings made by a unique quintet led by Milt Jackson and Ray Brown, on vibes and bass respectively, and featuring Monty Alexander on piano, Teddy Edwards on tenor sax, and Dick Berk on drums. The session was taped live at the celebrated club Shellyās Manne- Hole in August of 1969 'Thats the way it is' |
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When asked how he got that distinctive sound, Paul Desmond replied that he ātried to sound like a dry martiniā. Amazing relaxed lyricism with none of the urgency of Brecker. Jim Hall !!! https://youtu.be/DS51jwmqpO4?si=pXv_bwonhgkVL-pB (3:21 always puts a smile on my face. Ā Check out the dialogue between Desmond and Hall at 6:02 to the end): |
@alexatposĀ Watched all of the Zawinul clips. Very creative and engaging music. If I remember correctly you really don't care for this type of music anymore and much prefer the Milt Jackson recording subsequently posted. I wonder have you had the chance to hear this recording, and if so, how is the sound quality? Ā |
@frogmanĀ That Desmond/Hall duo is really good. And that "dry martini" tone will always be recognizable in just a few notes. This Evans/Hall session gets repeated listening's in my desert island rotation. Great dialog here as well. Telepathy in motion. Ā |
I already had many albums of Desmond with Hall and it is amazing indeed .... I love him because it remind me of the human singing voice and stay always minimalistic to be such as a speaking or singing voice and sound nothing as the Brecker super human mastery of the instrument....It remind me of the complete different way Chet Baker sing or speak only most of the times with absolute minimalistic voicingĀ versus Miles masterful exploratory playing ...
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Allso saw and was wowed by Brecker Brothrrs.Ā āLive from Brooklyn Bowlā by The Headhunters is s nice jaxz funk one from today. Donald Harrison Jr! |
@pjw81563 , Paul, have not heard that album. In fact, very few of Weather Report or Zawinul I listened at all, since very early I recognised the āfusion soundā as something that does not suit me. Of course I went to see that concert that I have posted as I appreciate the ācraftmanshipā even with things that I am not fond of (and they were playing in my hometown) But, if I may say, that music makes me nervous. On the other hand, I really like Desmond, his sound or his music is just beautiful... Couple of albums where he plays that I have posted recently, perhaps not often mentioned... Desmond and Brubeck āDuetsā from 1975 https://youtu.be/5QK5Nm6Xjys?feature=shared Paul Desmond Quartet live in Canada 1975. https://youtu.be/ftkFUNpmrIc?feature=shared I guess I am more into lyricsm...it must be because of my gentle soul,ha,ha... Ā @curiousjim As I remeber reading somewhere, you had some big Kefās? Something new or differnet you have ordered? |
@curiousjimĀ Those KEF R5 look like great speakers. I noticed they have 2 rear firing ports. Did they come with foam inserts to close one or both ports as/if needed. How far away from the wall do they sound best? Just asking because rear firing ports sound better when not right against the wall. |
Excellent Miles Davis article about his terrific "comeback" performance at the 1955 Newport Jazz Festival. After the show, George Avakian, of Columbia Records, signed Davis to a huge contract. Avakian had to sit down with Bob Weinstock, of Prestige Records, who had already signed Davis to a recording contract. Davis still owed Weinstock and Prestige more recordings for the monetary advances they gave him. In just 6 months, from May through October 1956 Miles and his first great quintet recorded enough material to complete his contractual obligations with Weinstock and Prestige. The material recorded was enough for 4 albums Cookin', Relaxin', Steamin', and workin'. From 1951 through 1954 Miles was addicted to heroin and tried many times to quit before he was finally able to and then appeared at Newport. His muted trumpet playing, using less notes with more space in between notes, a style and tone he had already been using with great success for a decade, rewarded him with the lucrative Columbia contract. The article also has a You Tube clip of the Newport concert. Miles Davis, Newport 1955: the day of a sensational comeback | Jazz | The Guardian IMHO, Davis' rendition of the Rodgers (composer/arranger) and Hart's (song writer) is the best instrumental recording of the piece. Miles' hauntingly, seductive, beautiful ballad playing is on full display and Red Garland's piano intro is simply beautiful... Miles Davis Quintet - It Never Entered My Mind - YouTube From 1956 onward, Miles' career and legacy, steadily grew into the "Legend of Miles Davis" Ā |
@curiousjimĀ Ā
All that matters is thatĀ you are satisfiedĀ with the way they sound. I have found that speakers and room placement and acoustical room treatments matter more then any other part in the audio system chain. |
The Miles Davis Quintet's first album for Columbia Records, Round About Midnight, sold more copies then all of his Prestige sessions combined! The Sony 2001 24 bit remaster of Round About Midnight has really good sonics. I also have the 2005 Legacy Edition with bonus live tracks. The sonics on the live tracks are as good as could be expected from live recordings in the 50s. Included is 1 track from the sensational 1955 Newport Jazz Concert, Thelonious Monk's "Round Midnight" and 6 tracks from the 1956 Pasadena Civic Auditorium including "It Never Entered My Mind" Again, Red Garland's piano intro is as beautiful live as it is in the studio. All of the Prestige studio sessions Miles recorded have a "live sound" as the majority of them were recorded in 1 take which demonstrates the telepathy between the musicians. It Never Entered My Mind (Live at Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Pasadena, CA - February 1956) - YouTube Ā Ā |
Here is the complete Miles Davis Quintet set at the 1956 Pasadena Civic Auditorium CA. Miles Davis- February 18, 1956 Civic Auditorium, Pasadena - YouTube |
Sorry if I didnāt make myself clear. In January I lost a tweeter. Ā KEF made me send them the whole speaker (on my nickel!). They replaced the Uniq driver and they sent it back (on their nickel). There was a crack in the finish when the speaker came back and some weird discoloration at the bottom also.when all was said and done, the remade both speakers and I got them yesterday, after over 10 months of back and forthā¦Thereās a bunch more to the story, but now I have new speakers to break in and enjoy. |
I'm happy that KEF fixed both of your speakers or gave you two brand new speakers (I'm still confused). Enjoy your new speakers. I have never had the pleasure of listening to the KEF UNI Q tweeter/midrange driver but a couple guys over at the Audio Science Review forum (ASR) have pairs of the KEF LS50 bookshelf UNI-Q mid woofer/tweeter on speaker stands with a subwoofer and rave about this setup. You have the towers so no sub needed. Enjoy! |
Thanks @acman3Ā itās been a long trip, since January! |
Between two Michael Brecker exploration ...š I discovered this album and an interesting trio of European jazz : Rein De Graaff piano trio This De Graaf plays a lot with sax players ...baritone sax here by Ronnie Cuber is outstanding ... I will search other De Graaff albums ...And Ronnie Cuber too ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6sPN93jf5Q&list=OLAK5uy_kVeaGHKfd6e4ggi9GKlGlNKLK111hIqXg |
@mahgisterĀ Here is a couple more with multiple baritones |
Thanks i will check for sure...š I am in love with trombone and sax baritone ...š Ā
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