Jazz for aficionados
Rok, "Besame Mucho" has special meaning for me, it brings back memories of Victoria Gomez in the 6th grade. I sat at the desk behind her, and those long braids that sometimes flowed across my desk. When I heard that song, it caused me to fantasize kissing Victoria Gomez. Although I had never kissed a girl at that time, the lady who wrote the song had never been kissed either when she wrote it; little did I know, we had a lot in common. Enjoy the music. |
Today's Listen: Dianne Reeves -- THE GRAND ENCOUNTER I have always felt that backing is everything when it comes to Jazz singing. Well if that is true, check this out. Miss Reeves is backed by: Clark Terry(trumpet), Harry 'sweets' Edison(trumpet), Phil Woods(alto sax), Bobby Watson(alto sax), James Moody(tenor sax), Al Grey(trombone), Kenny Barron(piano), Toots Thielemans(harmonica), Rodney Whittaker(bass) and Herlin Riley(drums) You would think with this lineup, Dianne would get lost in the preceedings. You would be wrong. She is up front and center, and the focus of the entire set. The recording is excellent. Great dept to the soundstage. The performance? Wow!! What a voice and what a talent. If she had come along back in the heyday of Jazz she would have been up there with the Ella's and Sarah's of Jazz divas. Great song selection. 'Besame Mucho', made me smile. I just knew she was in front of me, singing just for me. She does a duet with Joe Willaims on 'Tenderly' and another with Germaine Bazzle on 'Side by Side'. Both are exceptional. The band gives great support. They never overpower her. Professionals! Like Jazz singing? If you don't have this one, you don't. Cheers |
Although I'm not a religious person, I can feel the sadness, and the faith in this young lady's voice when she took the problem without a solution to "Jesus". Once she told Jesus, she knew everything was going to be all right. Every time I hear her sing, "I told Jesus, he said everything was going to be all right now"; I can feel her heavy heart, and her faith in Jesus at the same time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSkqfm73HxQ "Salt Song" is the title of the album, and there's a picture of Stanley, facing the ocean in front of huge breaking waves. This is a fast paced number that captures the intensity of those waves breaking on the shore. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVlGVZQFAEQ "Gibralter" has a fascinating rhythm that floats my boat; Eric Gale's guitar never sounded better, and Stan is blowing his ass off. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTBRiyB4KpU Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite albums. Enjoy the music. |
Rok, I can't think of a time that I heard something by Sonny Rollins that I didn't like. "+3" is one of his best. Sonny is one of the greatest and most influential of the modern tenor players. Miles considered him to be the greatest tenor player ever (!!!). He has a very distinctive style and an extraordinarily powerful musical persona; particularly when it comes to rhythmic feel. His sense of rhythm and projection of it is so powerful that, unlike most players who play with or to the rhythm section's groove, the rhythm section often seems to be playing to HIS groove; he is a very commanding musical force. Of special note on this record is the unusual (for him) use of fast vibrato on the ballads like "They Say Its Wonderful". You are absolutely correct in your observation that he sounds like he knew what he was going to play ahead of time. While I doubt that is the case (strictly speaking), I think what you sense is his incredible sense of confidence while still being spontaneous. While Cranshaw is a great player and, as you said, if Sonny wants electric bass who are we to argue, I am with you about electric bass in jazz in general; have never liked it. But, let's hear (read) the reasons why from the horse's mouth (so to speak): http://jazztimes.com/articles/20314-bob-cranshaw-shop-talk |
Today's Gem Sonny Rollins -- +3 tracks 3 & 5: Rollins(tenor sax), Stephen Scott(piano), Bob Crenshaw(electric bass) YIKES!!! WTF!! Jack DeJohnette(drums) all other tracks: Tommy Flanagan(piano), Cranshaw(electric bass), Al Foster(drums). 7 Tunes. Mostly standards, but two by Rollins, 'H.S.', a tribute to Horace Silver, and 'BiJi'. I liked the Rollins tunes the best. This is the most enjoyable sax playing I have heard in a long time. It's as if he knew every note he would play, on every tune, before the session ever started. When it did start, he just played! Why the electric bass? I don't know, but, if Rollins wants an electric bass, who am I to disagree. I didn't hear where it added anything to the perforance. The playing? Fluid, no stops and starts, and 'what next' moments. Sound quality is top notch. Both groups give excellent suppot. I think we need The Frogman or O-10 to weigh in on this one. I don't think I can do it justice. Wanna know what a Jazz tenor sax player is supposed to look like? Check out the pics of Rollins on the front and back of the CD cover. Esp the back. The coolest and most distinguished looking player in Jazz. The pic on the back is classic / priceless. I cannot understand why any Jazz aficionado would not already have this one, but if you ain't got it, git it!! Cheers |
Frogman, Stan Getz "Voyage" is so consistent, not a bad cut. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k036P1jsdq4 Here's a cut from "Focus", which is another one of my favorite Getz LP's. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAyrdlUcZIw Getz had a long stellar career. Enjoy the music. |
Fabulous! One of the great pairings in jazz. Thanks for sharing. This old thread might be of interest: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&1302841452&openmine&zzFrogman&4&5#Frogman |
Desert Island Disc....... Stan Getz,Kenny Barron- People Time Getz was dying; the music touches my soul http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdiXmO-tO_o |
Today's Pick: Randy Weston / Melba Liston -- VOLCANO BLUES Randy Weston is a Jazz pianist who has had a long collaboration with Trombonist and Jazz Arranger, Melba Liston. She (Liston) arranged all the tunes on this set. Weston is very much into African and Caribbean music. He has tried to merge that music with Jazz / Blues. Of all the atempts of this sort of thing, Weston actually gets it right. This entire CD is just great. Even Johnny Copeland appears to sing a little Blues. He is also into merging african rhythms with American Blues. Weston gets the mix correct. Jazz and Blues fans will be happy as well as unapologetic 'progressive internationalists', like O-10 and The Frogman. If you don't have this CD, better get it now! Some of his stuff is offered for $100 from 'these sellers'. for you youtubies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjg9S1BUNkw A Must Have! Cheers |
Frogman, you brought up a very interesting point; as long as that LP has been in my collection, I didn't know who was on sax. While each time I heard it, I was quite impressed by the sax, I never bothered to find out who he was. Now that my entire vinyl collection has been transposed to computer, and I can never find an LP in order to discover the personnel, I'm really lost; but that tenor sax belonged to Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, so "Google" told me. Enjoy the music. |
Rok, that one along with this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRi273CRTdg That "deuce" could be identified as the car with a "rooster tail" of dust behind it as it cruised from one "juke joint" to the next on them dusty Mississippi gravel roads. Enjoy the music. |
Today's Listen: Hampton Hawes -- THIS IS HAMPTON HAWES VOL.2 THE TRIO hawes(piano), Red Mitchell(bass), Chuck Thompson(drums) Hawes is one of my favorite Jazz pianist. According to the liner notes, he says he was most influenced by Charlie Parker. Good guy to be influenced by. Hawes' fingers are like Fred Astaire's feet, fast and light. 9 tunes. Mostly standards, but, because he puts his own unique spin on them, you are not aware you have heard the tunes before. Excellent sound quality. In a word, this performance is 'delightful'. Recorded 1955/56. Cheers |
When I clicked on the 'midnight sun' by Carmen, off to the side were links to the same song performed by Ella and Nancy. I listened to all three, with the intention of ranking them. I gave up. I'm just thankful we have these treasures to treasure! If someone said I had to choose, or all my Kenny G CDs would be confiscated, It's Ella in a squeaker! Great singing by all. Cheers |
Acman3, thanks for the Kurt Elling clip. He is fabulous and the best male jazz singer on the scene today as far as I am concerned. Ernie Watts is a wonderful player, but while I admit this is strictly a personal bias, he always sounds to me like Michael Brecker with a cold. Because of this I find his alto playing more to my liking. Since we are talking about singers (especially female), this is from one of my favorite Sarah Vaughn records with one of my favorite Ernie Watts solos. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TW1Vcd5uXYg |
"Nancy Wilson with Cannonball" is an absolute gem. I am biased since she is probably my favorite female vocalist (non-classical) and Cannonball is (was) one of my very favorite alto players. Her repertoire is unusual for a jazz singer since it covers many "torch" songs and songs from the musical-theater and cabaret genres; but, it's so great to hear that material sung with a jazz singer's sensibility and sophistication instead of the "over the top" approach of many cabaret singers. While I disagree with Rok's lack of enthusiasm for the record, I get where he is coming from. As he points out that was probably Cannonball's best band and it's in top form. Nat was probably one of Jazz's most inconsistent players and he is killing on this record. Rok, give it another listen :-) This clip of Nancy Wilson kills me every time. As far as I am concerned, it doesn't get much better than this for sheer class and emotion by a singer; not to mention flawless vocal skill. And if I write what this clip does to the male in me, this post would probably be deleted by the Agon censors. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QBmrDS2Zhaw |
I ran across this music while looking for some Kurt Elling to post. Not great Elling , but Ernie Watts is awesome!!!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JTu05Iys48 |
Rok, I THINK I disagree with your take on the Cannonball/Nancy Wilson, but cannot, after an hour of searching, find it on LP or CD. What color is the end of the CD? I remember talking with my daughter about her talent on this recording compared to American Idol talents. I'm sure my daughter enjoyed me "Helping" her. LOL. |
Now I'm going "deep in the pocket", this is for aficionados only. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_kCtoidtmA Enjoy the music. |
Today's diaappointment: Nancy Wilson / Cannonball Adderley -- NANCY WILSON & CANNONBALL ADDERLEY 12 Songs. 7 Vocals and 5 instrumentals. Wilson does a good job on 'Save Your Love for Me' and 'The Masquerade is Over'. The others are very forgettable. I am not sure this is even a Jazz recording. Her voice is superb, but the songs don't say anything. I can't even imagine when or where a person would have to go to hear this type of music live. Surely not a Jazz night club or concert hall. Sometimes music can be a little too uptown, hip, cool, New York-ish and sophisticated. This is one of those times. Cannonball and the quintet are great as usual. This is considered his best group. Only Lateef is absent. I would take, over the hill Carmen McRae, any day over the music on this CD. Recorded in 1960. This is the only Nancy Wilson I have on CD. I remember her from the song, 'Guess Who I Saw Today'. I think that was one of her best efforts. It's not on this CD. Too bad. Cheers |
If Rok wants Carmen McRae, Rok gets Carmen; a sexier, more alluring Carmen with the seductive voice I have on many LP's in my collection. To me she's one of the most attractive, of not only female vocalists, but females period; and she will always look the same as she looks on one of my favorite LP's. Carmen Mcrae the midninight sun http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVzPqyAW4N0 Carmen McRae "Yesterdays" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYRrcCjLiGA Carmen "Skylark" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41uQvy1mO94 Carmen "I'll be seeing you" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrBDRaRG1ME Enjoy the music. |
Dissing an artist because of her age!?!?!?! As 'Fats' Waller might say "Why, I never heard of such a thing!!" hahahahahha I was so upset I had to reach for Wynton and Clapton and a little 'layla' and some 'a closer walk with thee' to regain my composure. sine you be the OP, I guess we can't fire you! hahahhaah How about some prime Nancy Wilson? Coming up. Cheers |
If this is Thursday, it must be change of pace night. Enjoy! You know you like them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0oFadjx-is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFIOu2sYxoc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCTN0cmFTQo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0XMn0U9b2Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu9RVPTpDyA Cheers |
Rok, although Carmen is one of my most favorite female vocalists, the years were not as kind to her voice, as they were to Ella's. If you could find a song at the time when Carmen looked as seductive as she sounded, I can chime in. Just as athletes peak, so it is with female vocalists, and what you've chosen is past her "peak". When you find a song where she looks as seductive as she sounded, I will chime in. Enjoy the music. |
Todays's Dose: Carmen McRae & Betty Carter -- THE CARMEN MCRAE - BETTY CARTER DUETS Recorded before a live audience in San Franciso. Very enjoyable set. A lot of 'carryin' on' between Carmen and Betty. The audience loves it. 9 tracks. All very good. My favorites were the Ellington tunes 'Sophisticated Lady' and It don't mean a Thing'. Also, 'But Beautiful' and 'Sometimes I'm Happy. Great scatting duel on the latter. Great recording. DDD. No tape hiss!! Thank the Lord for Digital. Everyone had a good time on this one, and it showed. Wish I had been there. Try it. I guarantee you will love it.. Cheers |
Rok, the very first time I heard "Ode To Billy Joe", I was crossing a bridge going into Hattiesburg, MS, in my brand new "deuce and a quarter", and I wrongly assumed it was the "Talahatchie Bridge" in Chickasaw county. That song also spoke of towns I had just passed through coming from St. Louis, consequently, I identified with it immediately; it was an instant hit with me. I never stopped liking the song, and I have the CD. Bobby Gentry is one of the most authentic singer songwriters to come along. Her songs brought Mississippi to life, although they left out the ugliest aspects of that culture, which was most certainly best. After I entered the state, I had the feeling I was in "The Twilight Zone", and had gone back in time without knowing it. Everything looked the same as it had in some long ago past; filling stations, farm houses, country stores, you name it. Enjoy the music. |
****Charley Parker had many better recordings than strings!**** True; no one is arguing that point. Still, great to hear Bird in that setting. This brings up an issue that has always been interesting to me. Obviously, a listener's personal taste has to be respected, but when a great artist says, unequivocally, that he/she likes a particular work of theirs (Bird said BWS was his favorite) or a particular sideman, IMO the most productive attitude is that even if we don't agree at first (or ever!), an attempt should be made to understand why it is that the artist himself that we so admire feels that way. Seems to me that is the best way to fully understand the artist or a particular work and grow as a listener. In this case Bird was saying: "Look, I can be more than just the relentless bebopper that I am known to be; I can play with more delicacy than what most of my records demonstrate". Who am I to argue with that. |
O-10: ****How about the real deal?****** *** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDHpkYI5_FY *** When this record was released, it created quite a stir in the state of Mississippi. First of all, people assumed she threw a baby off the bridge. This was back in a time when there was such a thing as shame. Secondly, and most importantly, for a spell, people did not know if she was black or white. So they didn't know whether they could show that they liked the song or not. In public that is. Lest you think this is silly, when I worked in the movie theater, the Rock & Roll movie 'Rock Around the Clock', was shown at a special showing at midnight on a saturday night, "Adults Only"!!!! I was the only young person in town that got to see it. hahahhahahah I think back and can't believe it. It is a great song. Mississippi has always punched above it's weight when it comes to musicians and writers. Cheers |
Hi Orpheus - I am back online now, and I have heard the Bennie Green clip you posted, from Glidin Along. I do like the music, however it unfortunately brings up one of my pet peeves in the recording of the brass instruments on many of these jazz albums. For some reason, they are very often recorded with the mike WAY too close - often they are playing with it just a few inches from the bell of the horn. This creates obnoxious feedback, and pretty much destroys their sound, as much of the extraneous noise that is made while playing is audible, when it would normally not be, even up quite close to them live. There are some Miles Davis albums I have where he is recorded this way, but the rest of the group sounds great. I just don't get it - it really makes no sense at all, either from a musical or a technical standpoint. It's not like these guys can't make a decent sound and NEED the help of the mike, like so many pop singers do. OK, rant over. |
Today's Listen The Three Sounds -- EIGHT CLASSIC ALBUMS Gene Harris(piano), Andrew Simpkins(bass), Bill Dowdy(drums) Nat Adderley and Stanley Turrentine appear on some of the CDs. Four Cds containing eight albums. One of the great bargins in Jazz. Great sound quality, flat piano on one track notwithstanding. Check it out. I think I paid 10 dollars on Amazon. Cheers |
****The recording shows Bird playing with a warmer, less aggressive tone in deference to the musical setting***** Exactly. Now the question becomes, how much aggression can you take away, and how much can he defer, and still be Bird? I guess that was what I was trying to say. I knew that if I read your post enough times, you would state my point better than I could. Cheers |
et tu, Frogman? :) I listened again and I will agree it's beautiful music. And great sax playing. Must have been the reason I purchased it. I just think there are many(several?) competent professional reedmen, like the Frogman perhaps, who could have played Bird's part. It's a great CD, just not what I expected. I will say, that from a technical standpoint, it's the best recorded music I have of Bird. It's just not on my 'goto' list when I want to hear Jazz. And lastly, my mama didn't raise no fools. When I am opposed by The Frogman, a pro, and O-10, a man who has seen Trane himself, it's time to throw in the towel. :) Cheers |
I am with Orpheus re "Bird With Strings". I love the record. It was possibly the first recording of a major jazz star with a string section. At one point, Bird considered it his favorite recording. Kinda hard to argue with that, when it comes to judging its worth. The recording shows Bird playing with a warmer, less aggressive tone in deference to the musical setting. As Rok points out Mitch Miller appears on the record, and I have an interesting (for me) story about that. Back in the mid 90's I played a classical/pops concert with Mitch Miller conducting the orchestra, and of course used the opportunity to ask him about the Bird WS recording. He had many stories to tell, and of special note was the fact that the addition of the oboe to the arrangements was a last minute decision made right in the recording studio and the oboe parts were entirely improvised by him; pretty impressive for a "legit" dude. Rok, re Horace Silver and the "Eastern tinge". No, you are not hearing things; you are exactly right. Here is an interesting article that speaks to the general subject: http://sessionville.com/articles/the-influence-of-indian-music-on-jazz |
Rok, that "Summertime" was so awesome I played it twice, and I'm still sweating, no AC at that time. "Song For My Father" is one of my favorites by Horace. In regard to the east, here's something that leaves no doubt. "Calcutta Cutie" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LM9opF6kOw Enjoy the music. |
