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strange sounds on rvg recordings/ or i'm crazy

I just recently have discovered jazz. having a great time.something i just noticed on two newly purchased cd's, both bluenote, i hear someone vocalizing during the songs. the first one is art blakey "free for all" and the other is Bud Powell "the scene changes". Am i crazy does any else hear this. I was attracted to jazz, blue note and Rudy van gelder after a discussion between engineers about gelder's secrecy surrounding his recording techniques(mic choice and placement) and that he went so far as to put up different mics for photographs. As i recording hobbyist and i thought that was a cool story even if not true.
thunderbroom
6 responses Add your response
rja's avatar
rja
2,370 posts
 
One the most famous for this, although not jazz, was Glenn Gould humming along with Bach. I like the live jazz Cds with the humming and grunting, bystanders gabbing, glasses and icecubes clinking along. Makes you feel like you're there. Wasn't one of Blakey's albums called Moan'n?
I have several instrumental Cds where performers breathing is distinctly audible. Definitely miked too closely and is very annoying.
danlib1
819 posts
 
You're not crazy. Art Blakey seemed to grunt/moan/scat as he hit every lick sometimes.

But man, listen to Caravan. What a phenomenal record. I can overlook the noises!
bianchi27
189 posts
 
although not on the rvg's i find the most amount of mumbling i have come across is from erroll garner. since i upgraded my equipment i find it difficult to listen to. they should put on the credits that he plays piano and mumbles.
bignerd100
515 posts
 
Most of the RVG remasters are great. If you want to hear some first rate mumbling on a jazz recording try most anything from Charles Mingus. Oscar Peterson sings along almost like a scat-man sometimes. I think it is really cool and find it much more involving to hear these guys bop-be-dee-ba-bop.
jond's avatar
jond
5,798 posts
 
Vocalizing, especially by piano players is quite common. Oscar Peterson in particular does this on almost all of his recordings. I think that as recording and our stereo systems improve we are simply better able to hear things like this, like it or not. Not uncommon though.
herman
2,253 posts
 
I don't have those recordings, but it is not unusual for an instrumentalist to vocalize while playing. They hum or sing along as they play. It gets picked up a lot on close miked piano recordings where the microphone is hung above the strings. Keith Jarrett is a prime example. He gets so loud and annoying that despite some wonderful playing I can't listen for long. He sounds like a wounded cow to me.
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