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.
orpheus10
cleeds:

***** I think the French horn is, hands down, the most difficult to play of all of the brass instruments. That's because the same valve fingering can produce multiple, often closely spaced, notes. *****

That's what I thought also.   That's why I could not imagine anyone playing it as a solo instrument in Jazz.   At least any 'cookin' Jazz.

Thanks for the post

Our Classical oracle will speak soon.

Cheers
DEXTER GORDON: IMO, the most-under appreciated tenor in all of jazz. Faithful, prolific yet always pushing the Bebop envelope. My favorites

Doin' Allright (1961), Blue Note
Dexter Calling... (1961), Blue Note
Go! (1962), Blue Note
A Swingin' Affair (1962), Blue Note
Our Man in Paris (Paris 1963), Blue Note – with Bud Powell
One Flight Up (Paris, 1964) – Blue Note
Dexter Gordon with Junior Mance at Montreux (Prestige, 1970) – with Junior Mance
Generation (1972) with Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton and others – Prestige
Swiss Nights Vol. 1 (SteepleChase, 1975 [1976])
Swiss Nights Vol. 2 (SteepleChase, 1975 [1978])
Swiss Nights Vol. 3 (SteepleChase, 1975 [1979])
Something Different (SteepleChase, 1975)
Bouncin' with Dex (SteepleChase, 1975)
Homecoming: Live at the Village Vanguard (Columbia, 1976)
Sophisticated Giant (1977) with 11-piece big-band including Woody Shaw, Slide Hampton, Bobby Hutcherson – Columbia Records
Gettin' Around (New York, 1965)
The Squirrel: Live at Montmartre (1967)
Both Sides of Midnight (Black Lion, recorded on July 20, 1967, released in 1988)
Take The "A" Train (1967)
A Day in Copenhagen (MPS, 1969) – with Slide Hampton
The Tower of Power! (Prestige, 1969) – with James Moody
Round Midnight (1986), Columbia Records
The Other Side of Round Midnight (1986) Blue Note Records
Awakenings (1990)
Live at Carnegie Hall (1998), Columbia Records – Recorded in 1978


HERBIE HANCOCK: a virtuoso musician, an innovator and a link to so many evolutionary changes in jazz. These are my favorites:
 
Maiden Voyage 1965 Blue Note
The Prisoner 1969 Blue Note
Fat Albert Rotunda 1969 Warner Bros.
Herbie Hancock Trio 1977 Columbia
VSOP: The Quintet (Live album)   1977 Columbia
VSOP: Tempest in the Colosseum (Live album)
An Evening with Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert (Live album with Chick Corea) 1978 Columbia
Feets, Don't Fail Me Now 1979 Columbia
VSOP: Live Under the Sky (Live album) 1979 Columbia
CoreaHancock (Live album with Chick Corea) 1979 Polydor
Herbie Hancock Trio 1981 Columbia
A Tribute to Miles 1994   Qwest/Warner Bros.
1 + 1 (with Wayne Shorter) 1997 Verve
Gershwin's World 1998   Verve
River: The Joni Letters 2007 Verve


Pirius, I have a number of those same albums you have by Dexter Gordon and Herbie Hancock. I noticed you didn't mention Herbie's fusion albums, and I'm curious about them; albums like "Head Hunter" for example?


Enjoy the music

Rok, here's another local jazz vocalist I saw a lot. The reason I'm looking up all these St. Louis musicians, is because I can't remember the name of the pianist I've mentioned so many times, who could play Silver's tunes as good as the man himself.

The last time I saw him, he was at a lounge where all the "Peacocks" went; the men were as vain as the women, and were always meticulously dressed in the most expensive attire. Everyone came to see, and be seen, almost no one was listening to the music. When I came in, I was alone and I came to hear him play. He knew I liked Horace Silver, and that's when he would jam "Nica's Dream", or "Senor Blues".

Most of the time I came in before he started playing so we could rap. I've already mentioned his photographic portfolio that had him playing with the musicians we have discussed so much when they came to St. Louis and needed keyboards. (watch Frogman chime in and say "You told us that before")

When everybody you knew is dead, that's a scary feeling, but that's the price one pays for getting old. I'm glad Jeanne Trevor is still around.

Here's the link for Mae Wheeler, I really had some good times at the places she entertained.



                    http://www.riverfronttimes.com/musicblog/2011/06/19/jazz-singer-mae-wheeler-passes-away-updated-with...




Enjoy the music.