Thom Rotella
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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I haven’t bought anything from a local dealer in about 20 years. They went out of business not that long afterwards. I bought a system from them that sounded good in the showroom but proved unlistenably bright at home. I decided from then on to not buy anything I couldn’t audition at home with a return policy. I’ve stuck to that with two exceptions, my Silverline standmounts and Jay’s cd transport. Fortunately, both have turned out to be "keepers". There was another dealer in town but as they didn’t allow home demos, they got no business from me. They subsequently shifted their focus to home theater installations. I did buy gear from a guy who ran his business from home. He lived close by and would bring gear to my house to hear. Sadly, he couldn’t make a go of it and ultimately closed down. I’ve subsequently bought gear from brick and mortar stores that also sell online and offer returns: Alma in San Diego and Listen Up! in Denver. Where are you?
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Yes sir. The thought occurred to me that it might be a good way to audition one, as the restock fee based upon the used price is less it would be to try out and return a new unit. However, if you're in the enviable position of being able to buy a Wavedream Reference, then such minor financial considerations would appear to be a moot point! ;o) |
@stuartk , yes, of course, I am aware. They have some great albums and some not so great. Have you listened the Unreleased half note? On previous editions,the sound (recording) was an issue
Curiousjim, another one for you...Ivan Bogaloo Joe Jones |
I suspect you know that Resonance Records has not only released "Smokin’ in Seattle" , but they’ve also a half dozen or so additional Wes titles as well as previously unreleased recordings by other major Jazz artists. Wes and Bill Evans appear to be most generously represented in their catalogue. BTW, one of their Wes releases is "Maximum Swing:The Unreleased Half Note Recordings". For those who are unfamiliar with this label, here is a link:
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@curiousjim , @stuartk , other than obvious ones, this album and recoding is good too , Wes and Wynton Kelly 'Live in Seattle'... https://youtu.be/3rdw02Lkfq8?feature=shared
...and for some energy, perhaps this one...Mel Brown 'Chicken Fat' https://youtu.be/nHaKJjBNhvo?feature=shared
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If you liked "Out of the Woods" try "Roots in the Sky". Also the live-in-Europe "1974" and the earlier "In Concert" R. Towner has recorded many titles on ECM, both solo and with various groups. Try "Solstice" and "Diary". I was fortunate to see Oregon at UCSB in ’77 . One of the best live music experiences of my life! |
I am older (69) and totally relate... if you ask me, "modern times" are growing progressively more primitive.
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@curiousjim , I must admit that I have very few jazz albums that are not recorded at least 50 or more years ago, but Pelt is great player. In fact, its on these pages I have heard of him first. I do not use streamers and I try to buy every album that I like. Needles to say, the ones I am still looking for to fill my collection are getting harder to find are more expensive, even on cd’s. If I waned to have them on vinyl I would need a small fortune for that. There is one rare Chet Baker album that I am looking right now and its 100eur, for cd. Its just that ’owning’ music ’on cloud’ is something that I cant grasp, for whatever reason that might be. Its same with the books, I guess, I go to library, but there are many that I just like to have at home. I am not ’old’, I guess (52) but perhaps some of my habits are not in the tune with modern times. Anyway...song from an great album that I bought recently... Sonny Stitt ’Last Sessions’ from 1984 https://youtu.be/JYZlVltPAMM?feature=shared
Does anybody else thinks that is funny to see so many jazz recommendations when ever some other thread about it shows up and yet, none of those people posts here?
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@curiousjim Try these albums two, by Pelt https://youtu.be/gpWB4kvFgYI?feature=shared https://youtu.be/SN_-jwnxRiw?feature=shared
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Thanks @acman3 I will check out more of his catalog. |
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Nice little record. Great Bob Stewart on Tuba! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNvBsAgVZk4&list=PLOIN53xDgv1whz6wEQoFXCq-Hk29Ua1z2 |
From what I’ve read, the idea that heroin could improve one’s playing was largely based upon a seemingly "mythological" interpretation of the life of Charlie Parker. By the way, "Celebrating Bird" by Gary Giddins is an excellent biography of Parker. I can’t imagine being blind and trying to shoot up... maybe Brother Ray had help...
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Ah, OK. No vinyl? I guess you're not a "serious" audiophile, then! ;o) Yes; my best friend was a very talented artist who eventually OD'd on meth. He'd started out smoking pot, like so many of us in the early 70's for whom experimenting with drugs was just a passing phase. The list of Jazz musicians affected by drug use is quite long.
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Thanks @stuartk, but I got rid of two turntables and probably 90% of my vinyl maybe fifteen years ago. I do still have two other turntables, but I haven’t spun a disk in more than a decade. It’s so sad how much talent is lost to hard drugs every day.😢 |
Yes. Heroin, I believe.... Don't know if this is of interest to you: https://www.udiscovermusic.com/news/leo-parker-rollin-with-leo-blue-note-tone-poet-reissue/ |