Jazz for aficionados

Thanks for those different versions of one of my favorite tunes. I liked the Paul Gonzalves version the best; it captured the mood of a bridge on a misty night, but all of them were good.

While we have differences, it's amazing how much we have in common; who would have thought we had so much in common regarding this one tune, "Chelsea Bridge".

Some of us have been wandering why we don't have more regular posters; there are more reasons than we can think of, and many that we never thought of. I communicated with someone a short time ago who told me he had been following this thread since it's beginning. I asked him why he never posted, since he was apparently a jazz "aficionado". He never gave me a straight answer, but reading between the lines, he lacked confidence in his ability to communicate in writing.

That's another reason why we had so many more hit's than posts; people are naturally lazy, and it takes some effort to communicate in writing. Whatever the reason, let me know when yall find out. In the meantime, I'm doing just fine with what we got.


Enjoy the music.

Learsfool,  do you come out depending on the phases of the moon, or is it the full moon; you always come out so unexpectedly, just like the wolfman in those horror movies.  You scare the daylights out of me popping out like that.  Give me a little warning next time.


Enjoy the music.

Has the final obituary been read for "fusion", or is it coming back again?

I wish I had something good to say about fusion. If somebody can find something good to say about my bright yellow double knit low waist bell bottomed trousers, I'll find something good to say about fusion. They both were current at about the same time.

Somehow, I'm slightly disoriented, and I think It's a result of too much fusion; that art work on the album covers is so discombobulating, plus all that space music; where do you think "Hymn To The Seventh Galaxy" came from?

Fusion is surrealistic art, put to music, and when combined with intoxicants, is designed to send one to the farthest reaches of the seventh galaxy, all the way out past Orion number 9.; that's what it was good for.

Now that we're back down to earth, where do we go from here?



Enjoy the music.

I'm in a "Don Cherry" mood; his music is transitional, it's the stop over you have to make before getting back to solid terra firma, down to earth jazz.


                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRqxQhF4LX8


                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNXePvT5H0s


              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp5mZxkeV1c




Enjoy the music.

Since everyone seems to be in a Chick Corea mood; how about "My Spanish Heart".


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLR1Un97Myg


Enjoy the music.

Yeah Rok, I liked that impersonation of Monk, it brought back memories of him in Nica's book.

Right now I'm listening to Chick Corea's "My Spanish Heart"; that was some beautiful music; once he dumped that fusion, he never went back, and I'm going to follow in his footsteps. I can see no difference in "fusion" and my bright yellow double knit, low waist, 2 inch thick cuffs, bell bottom trousers. (they would be nice if you were to form a group called "The Clown Posse")

Apparently the final obituary has not been read for this fusion beast, although this is the only place it's still alive; what does it take to kill it. Do you know where we can get some silver bullets?



Enjoy the music.

Ditto on that Rok; you noticed how hard he's been working to keep this beast alive. It ain't dead until he gives it the final rites.


Enjoy the music

Acman, I still have that LP, bought it new when it came out; that music is related to Tibetan Buddhism. I liked the LP so much that I put it on my computer play list and never bought the CD.


Enjoy the music.

Acman, you can not add or subtract anything from your past. In regard to music, I never make a conscious decision; what I'm saying is, I hear with my inner ear, my soul; and if the music resonates, I buy it; if it doesn't, I leave it be; it's just that simple.

I don't view music the same way I view food, like this is healthy and that's not. I don't make any conscious decision at all; it's yes or no made by my inner ear.



Enjoy the music.

Now we're listening at a deeper level and the same music doesn't sound the same anymore, it sounds better.

Frogman, why didn't you put my bright yellow doubled knit bell bottomed slacks with the low waist and 2 inch cuffs in your post; I'm sure they fit somewhere.

As I stated before, I no longer make conscious decisions in regard to music, I trust that to my inner soul, so if it doesn't like the music, don't blame me, blame my inner soul. It also told me that "My Spanish Heart" is not the fusion that you have been presenting. The word "fusion" can be used to represent so many different combinations that it's meaning is abstract, vague, and non definitive. Fusion in regard to "My Spanish Heart" could be the fusion of jazz and Spanish music. Fusion that we have been listening to is electronic space music.

Since I owned those bright yellow double knit bell bottomed trousers with (correction) the 3 inch cuffs, I'm sure I had a good reason for buying them, just as I own all these fusion LP's, I'm sure I had a good reason for buying them as well; but at the moment whatever that reason was, it eludes me.

I can not separate those trouser and "Romantic Warrior" they both belong to a time in the past that I can no longer relate to. Those fusion records have not been converted to CD's, nor were they down loaded to the play list like all my favorite records.

The facts speak for themselves, now do you want me to lie and tell how much I like fusion in order to agree with your obsession with fusion?



Enjoy the music.  

Rok, the most rewarding foray into new music was Mary Lou Willliams, and to think, I did not have one single record of hers in my collection; that would have been a tragic oversight of mine, if we had not gone exploring.

I always "assumed"; there's that word that makes an ass out of you and me; that her music was old, and related to a genre of jazz that (may the jazz Gods forgive me) I could live without; but the truth was so far removed from my assumption, that I enjoy her music more than anyone else in my collection.

Her music is so down to earth and easy to listen to. I don't think we're ever going to be so fortunate again, but we can't go anywhere until Frogman performs the final rites over the "Fusion beast". Although it wouldn't hurt to think about where we go next.

What happened after "Fusion"? Grover Washington was hot, so was "Spyro Gyro". here's "Morning Dance" in case you've forgotten.


              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVDZ5UY_oDw



Just speculating on what's next.




Enjoy the music.

This is a tune that really impressed me;


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dnIBKw4d84


Maybe we start at a given point in time, (past fusion) and everybody select favorite tunes for that year, just a thought.



Enjoy the music.

Maybe this will help to establish the 77 time frame


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrzxW0rsD1Q


Enjoy the music

This is a record that's on my play list right today. I bought it new and never got the CD, don't even know if it's on CD. I never got enough of this record. It came out in 77.


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buFUP2LvK2s




Enjoy the music.

Frogman, as far as I am concerned; and I don't mean for it to be offensive, but it's real. I preface this statement with the big "I", meaning one person, and one person only.

With all the musical knowledge you and Learsfool have combined, if you can not put it together to make a sound equivalent to this, it's moot.



            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzgyO6ndjo


Now I know Learsfool is going to tell me he's got students who can produce music equivalent to this, so I'll excuse him.

The bottom line is the music, not the nuts and bolts.



Enjoy the music.

I retract my last post because that would be equivalent to telling a scientist, that if he can not come up with something equivalent to Einstein's famous formulas, he's a flop.


Enjoy the music.

Randy Weston (born April 6, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American jazz pianist and composer of Jamaican parentage. He was described by Marian McPartland as "one of the world's great visionary pianists and composers".

Since this is the description Marian McPartland gave Randy Weston, I think his music is a good place to start in my search for new music. I'm going to begin with "Da Blues"


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vinm6KMlFkA


I don't mean the Delta Blues, but that hip New York kind of blues; that's the kind Mary Lou liked; sounds so good to me. Now we go to "African Cookbook".

Music Review by Scott Yanow
When African Cookbook was recorded in 1964, pianist Randy Weston had no luck interesting any label to release the music, so he came out with it independently on his tiny Bakton company. In 1972, Atlantic released the performances. It is surprising that no company in the mid-'60s signed Weston, because "Willie's Tune," from this set, had the potential to catch on, and "Berkshire Blues" is somewhat well-known and the mixture of accessible bop with African rhythms overall is appealing. Trumpeter Ray Copeland was responsible for the arrangements while Weston contributed all but one of the songs. Copeland and the great tenor Booker Ervin have their share of solo space, bassist Vishnu Wood and drummer Lenny McBrowne are fine in support, and on three numbers the percussion of Big Black and Sir Harold Murray are added; Big Black also sings on "Congolese Children." An excellent outing.

Now it's apparent why I know so little about this great artist; he couldn't get anybody to record his music. We gonna see what "African Cookbook" sounds like.


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sda6b_0Kiak


It's getting off to a real good start. "Music soothes the savage beast", and calm's the restless mind. Rok, are you ready to explore Randy?


Enjoy the music.

I have this one, and I wore it out a long time ago. Hugh Masekela straight from the jungle, "Tell em About The Sorcerer". I like his visions of Africa; he tells about crossing the Sahara by camel caravan, and I can visualize humping across the desert on a camel (with a beautiful lady of course) that's the only way to travel if you're going to cross the Sahara.


                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Opez_G-VG_w


Here's another one from long ago that he's famous for, "Stimela"; this is supposed to be the best version.


                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyFFCAEWY4w


Enjoy the music.

Rok, so called "bashers" of Wynton Marsalis never said he couldn't blow the trumpet; he could arguably be the best, but when he's confronted with a blank sheet of paper, and he has to write some jazz notes on it, that's where his weakness shows up.

Although that's never been my favorite genre of jazz, I'm positive Wynton is one of the best.


Enjoy the music.

Duke Ellington "Thanks For The Beautiful Land On The Delta" certainly had the spirit of "Nawlins" and the Duke. I went through basic training with a guy named "Petre" from "Nawlins"; he taught me the proper pronunciation of his city; he was quite a character.  I'm sure he would have enjoyed everything you've posted immensely.


Enjoy the music.

There are so many versions of "Stimela", I lost count. I just posted that for the newbies. Based on the cover art; how did you ever buy any fusion?

I'm going to pursue Randy Weston until I get to the end of the line. Post your favorites by him.


Enjoy the music.

Alex, these times have brought about an epidemic of rough personal problems; so common they are with me, it's how I know I'm alive.

Right now I'm listening to Randy Weston and Cecil Payne; they're so down to earth, this music is smooth and easy, the kind I could spend hours listening to.

The most interesting thing about music is how it takes on a life of it's own each time a different person hears it. While the original creator intended for it to take on a particular meaning, when someone else hears it, the music can take on a different even more interesting meaning than the original creator intended.


Enjoy the music.

Rok, this is my kind of jazz, it resonates with me totally. Frogman never understood how important my bright yellow double knit trousers with the low waist and very wide cuffs were in relation to the music at that same time. I thought those trousers were hot stuff at "that time", and there is a possibility he could have thought the same thing at "that time". I'm certain I thought the fusion he presented was hot stuff at "that time", because I bought it; but now his fusion and my bright yellow, double knit trousers with the low waist and wide cuffs, occupy the same place in my opinion WTF. (maybe his fusion rates higher than my trousers)




Enjoy the music.

Rok, I was going to a class in Chicago with a guy from Bedford Stuyvesant, and when we rode past some of the worst slums in Chicago, he said they looked like the high rent district compared to Bed Sty as he called it. I'm sure he was exaggerating, but we wont know for sure until the Frogman weighs in.


Enjoy the music.

Rok, I can certainly understand why you have so many CD's by Randy Weston. I can also understand how so much jazz has bypassed me in St. Louis. The only time I was really up to date was in the 50's when all those jazz giants were still alive and the record stores had all their music.

As time went by New York was one of the few places that kept up with the top jazz musicians; St. Louis was a blues town.

Now that we have so many different ways of discovering the top jazz musicians that we missed, I don't have the money or the time to spend on fusion; nothing personal Frogman.



Enjoy the music.

Acman, I own that one plus quite a few others by Al Di Meola; I don't know why, but they sounded better when a very good friend of mine came over with medicinal herbs for my bad back, although when I get in a nostalgic mood, they still sound pretty good.

This was "Da bomb"; "Visions of The Emerald Green Beyond"


                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CQJd7Y6sO8


You have to listen to this one all the way through, I guarantee it will alter your mood.



Enjoy the music.

Rok, I got Lee Morgan, this collection had many tunes by Lee Morgan that I never heard before, he had jazz in his bones; I've seen one other musician like this, I'm talking about when they play their instrument, jazz comes out, that's the way Lee Morgan is, no matter what he plays, it's quite listenable. I think we both suspected this. If you're looking for all his best tunes, you can bypass this collection.


Enjoy the music.

Jzzmusician, I have no problem with that, but I'm curious to hear what Frogman has to say about you stealing his word "Fusion".

I'LL have to add that one to my collection.


Enjoy the music.

Rok, this is the ultimate "Miriam Makeba". I have LP, don't think it's available in CD, but I haven't searched. It was recorded in 1960 when her voice was young and fresh.


        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miriam_Makeba_(album)


Enjoy the music

Frogman, as sure as the Sun rises in the East and sets in the West, I was just that sure you're post would be "contrary" to mine. The word "fusion" as you have been using it, has absolutely nothing to do with "Machito and Diz" and you know it. Everybody who has been following your posts on fusion, knows precisely what the word "fusion" means according to the Frogman.

Great clip jzzmusician; and your commentary is exactly right. Machito and his orchestra were one of the greatest of the Latin bands; and, of course, Dizzy is a great fit. (a fit to "Frogman's" fusion?) Frogman, your fusion is a "shape shifter".

Call him out Rok, you know and I know Diz got zip to do with Frogman's fusion.

Frogman, this post and every post you write lately is Orpheus "Contrarian". Notice how carefully worded this post in regard to Hugh Masekela is; Rok has already mentioned the fluglehorn. Now notice how Frogman throws in "Greatest ever", when I was referring to Masekela's versions of his own tune "Stimela".
That's not even my comment, it's someone else's comment in regard to Masekela's different versions of "Stimela". What the holy smoly does Barry White have to do with "Stimela", I don't get that one Frogman, could you expound, or expand, whichever you choose.

Last, but not at all least, you always jump in on my post meant for someone else, and misinterpret the post. How can you expect to understand a post, that's not even meant for you, and complain because I didn't write the post in a fashion, that you "Frogman" could understand.



Enjoy the music.

Pryso, here's some more "Old School" for you; 'Coleman Hawkins and Friends', including Ella Fitzgerald.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73wpo2Mn_7Y&list=PL170BB52D98FBAD8B


That's Sonny Rollins picture you see there.


That might not be the album I'm looking for, but it's for sure I'm looking for "The Hawk", let's just enjoy his music;


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut2r5bv21YE


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta_UByyi4Z0

Alex, you're bringing some fantastic musicians to my attention that I never heard of. West Coast musicians can make a living without leaving LA, but they discover late in life when they're broke, that wasn't a good idea. A musician has to make all the money he can when he's hot, and going to New York seems to be a necessity.

I liked all three records. Was Bobby Hutcherson on vibes on two of the records? Dupree Bolton was original, and he blew as well as any trumpet I've heard; that's why so many people took an interest in him. He was a mysterious person. I've witnessed "Dupree Boltens"; incredible musicians with short musical lives as a result of drugs. There is an uninformed rumor that drugs help jazz musicians play better; it helps jazz musicians not to show up. It's amazing how lies about jazz musicians can become truth as a result of repetition.

Although most of the musicians were unknown to me, I still liked the music. Are those records available on CD? Keep up the good work.





Enjoy the music.

Rok, I've been running into records that I'm sure you had in your collection because we used the same reviewer for buying, "Stereo Review".

"Shadowfax Too Far to Whisper" was one of them that I think is a really good alternative to  "Straight ahead Jazz". I've also got 3 "Cadona" albums that I'm not too sure of, plus "Old And New Dreams" with some of the same people. Just curious to know if you remember any of those albums? "Shadowfax too far to Whisper" is definitely a 4 thumbs up, while one recorded in 75 is 4 thumbs down, but all of "Shadowfax" on Windam Hill are very well recorded.


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yhr5j9a5L0A


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FESYij5cfKQ


I found all the cuts on that album to be consistently good music worth listening to.


Enjoy the music.


               

Frogman, I just found a new copy of "Desmond Blue", including cover, in my collection, and I thought I only had an old copy; the Saints are looking down and smiling on me today. Not only that, but I'm in the process of down loading vinyl. You gave me good luck.


Enjoy the music.

I bought this ages ago, I even remember the store; now it's all scratched, I must have partied a lot back then; maybe I can buy it again.


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU3KI3L2t4g


Sometimes we just kind of wander in different directions, but that's OK. I hope everybody knows buy now what it means when I don't comment; I just have nothing to add or subtract from that subject.

Just hang loose, and we'll get back together when it happens.



        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvGBsaUfWEk

Mongo Santamaria is always good for what ails my rhythm needs, and that flute is really boss.


Another oldie


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWK_Josc0Og


               

Pryso, there's a lot that's confusing on 'you tube'; for example, "Stereophile" shows "Coleman Hawkins" and Friends' as one of his best albums, but 'you tube' shows several albums that could fit that description; maybe it's all of them?

For sure this is some good music that I don't have enough of in my collection; Buddy Rich is a real showman, that's with Bird and Coleman Hawkins.

Charley Parker was one cool dude; Miles said that even when he was shabby and broke, he had that look that said he had it, and he knew he had it; the music and the sound.


                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqorVLscxRI

"Old School" is sure sounding good this evening; it makes me feel better just listening to it;


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzkfSx4Wgk0

Frogman, you made a very good case, and I am of the same opinion; even more so.

My most popular "George Benson" LP's that I bought in the "disco days", I could live without. Presently I like the self expressive guitar of Wess Montgomery, especially the trio recordings. They have the feeling of being in an intimate club, and hearing it live, plus you can sense that the music is coming from the heart.

Sometime musicians play for themselves, and this is when they sound the best; for example, when Grant Green played those spiritual recordings that are posted here somewhere, he was playing for Grant Green, and you could feel it.


Enjoy the music.

Rok, shed no tears for those LP's you left in Germany and Korea because 'Stereo Review' must have hit a long dry spell about that time. Every time I down load one of those LP's, I change my mind and delete it.

I liked this from the first note; I could hear Wes;


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGuCEJOm5DU

Thank you Frogman, that's the exact information I was looking for; Mel Rhyne on organ adds so much to this project, that it's like Wes was on high overlooking it.

For my money, no other instrument can express so many nuances of emotion than the guitar, and when you add organ, all is complete.

Rok, I've discovered something that's extremely relevant to all of our "off thread" conversations; something I hope isn't true. It centers around the word "Kibuki" or to be correct "Kabuki Theater".

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabuki

This centers around what the election drama has been alleged to be, and believe me, it is very important.

My apologies Rok, it has absolutely nothing to do with "Japanese" theater, that's just a nickname they gave it, for being as phony as Japanese theater. I considered it to be a joke, but now I'm not so sure; there is a lot of theater, and it's for sure that's nothing to laugh about.

I bounced around on a lot of other threads to discover how many people on this forum were politically aware (informed), and I discovered next to zero. When you think about an "upper class" educated population of people who know next to nothing about what's going on in their own country, that's not good.

If there was anything "normal" about these times, I never would have brought these subjects up. I say "these" subjects, because there are many of them, and all relating to Washington DC. "All great empires crumbled from within". While that's not 100% true, it will be in this case.

You and I might be the only two people on this forum, that are even aware of the fact that at the very least, the citizens have to be concerned about what's going on in a Democracy, or it will cease to be a Democracy. When the attitude is "That's somebody else's job, not mine; my job is VTF, VTA and all that other "audiophile stuff". Well my job is "Jazz aficionado" but it also includes being an informed citizen, and when I know for a fact that something is drastically wrong, I wouldn't be a very good citizen if I didn't try to alert someone.

Actually Rok, "Saturday Night Raslin" would be a closer description than "Kabuki"; that's when they made all that noise in the ring, and went out for a drink together after the fight. Everybody has to pay more attention to what's going on.


On the subject of jazz, I liked that Freddie Hubbard; especially Hancock on piano. Most of the "offensive albums" were on the ECM label; they were the very good artists who decided to change drastically.


Enjoy the music.

I was on the right road, but I was going the wrong way.
I was in the right place, but it was the wrong time.


Whatever, that Blakey album is boss, a must have for me.

Rok, you and Frogman both go get lost in the coalmine 

"O-10, cut it out" Frogman, you have gotten so ridiculous it's absurd with this one word "Fusion" except when you thought I was referring to "Santana" as being fusion, then you corrected me, when the post was directed at Rok, and then you got it all wrong, and corrected me again because you didn't think I worded it right. That's 3 times you have intercepted a post meant for someone else, and complained about the way I worded a post not even meant for you. You've got an "Orpheus Complex" Frogman, I think you seek professional help before it gets worse.


Enjoy the music.