Jazz for aficionados

Generations of music lovers have already determined what is and what is not, not me; that's why all of a sudden I feel foolish engaging in this foolish debate.

That's a very good description Pryso; I had forgotten the Swingle Singers.

That was nice Acman, I'll be sure and listen to it again.

Inna, I'm surprised at you! You have actually submitted a legitimate jazz artist, and one that I admire (along with the rest of the world); plus I really like the music. Yes, this is great for a Sunday morning.

Many people don't take into account the human beings who create the music we call "jazz"; they just consider them musicians. That's OK in the beginning, but after someone has been listening long enough to consider himself an "aficionado", he realizes that each one of those musicians has a story that usually remains untold.

The desire to express deep inner feelings and emotions that can not be put into words is what motivates so many musicians into choosing jazz. Time and again when R&B was more lucrative, musicians chose jazz. Tina Brooks was such a musician; while he had the talent, his sensitive reserved personality was not for the music world.

Teena Brooks star shined so briefly that many are unaware of his talents. I want to share with you what I have.


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4DyLxCfBrU&list=PLUJ7V33M1wR2LFXWAuYXpR8DCwwNvBtrA


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFm8eiykx3Q



      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVn1dDqIlPk



We have been blessed with the sensitivity to hear this beautiful music, let's listen.

Many times an artist's best talents are displayed as a sideman; that's when he enhances another artist's music, such is the case of "The Sermon" by that great organist Jimmy Smith.

As fantastic as Jimmy Smith is, what would "The Sermon" be without the soloist. This is absolutely one of the best jams ever. Every jazz lover can recall the first time he heard "The Sermon", all 20 minutes of it.

The lead off of Jimmy's organ followed by Burrell on his  jazzy guitar, with Jimmy in the background; next we have Tina Brooks soulful tenor, he's followed by Lee Morgan on trumpet. Last, but not least, Mr. Lou Donaldson; just to think that you get all of those stars on one cut on this album; the longest and the best cut, which is why it's the title cut.


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3X5J_wGHrw&t=64s


It's difficult to tell after the passage of so much time whether or not this music stands on it's own with new listeners, or is it only fantastic to those who were there when it was new; only you can answer that.

Acman, I want to thank you very much for that link.

I personally knew two Blue Note musicians who had drug problems, and they both suffered the same fate as Tina Brooks in regard to their best work not being released until after they were dead.

Did Blue Note recruit drug addicts because they could easily be taken advantage of?

I am not God, therefore I can not be a judge of men. I don't know what demons caused them to seek relief through drugs, but I do know that once hooked, they needed money to buy drugs because they could not function without them. That causes a catch 22; they could not make money because they needed enough drugs to function on the set. While too much as in the case of "Bird", caused him not to be able to function at times on the set.

Although I'm not God, I am a student of sociology and psychiatry; and I'm aware of the fact that mental anguish can hurt more than physical pain. I don't pretend to know what drove those musicians to use drugs; life is complicated; but that problem opened them up to exploitation.

They said the sets would be limited, and I didn't heed their warning, now the sets I want are out of print; but maybe if enough people want them, they'll start the presses up again.

I thought I had Mingus pretty well covered, not realizing that like Monk, he could play one of his songs so many different ways, that you could never have him covered.

Mosaic, has box sets of the masters of jazz; I mean people who had the "inner soul" to produce the original masterpieces. Now that the people who produced that music are dead, it's not available with new jazz for me. After seeking new jazz, it seems that I will have to go back to the old jazz that Mosaic offers to get what I want.


        http://www.mosaicrecords.com/outofprint.asp


The fact that I have two out of print box sets is not enough consolation, I want more. Although they have sufficient CD's, they don't mention much on records. Hopefully enough people will request records to start the presses back up, but if CD's are your thing Mosaic has them.


            http://www.mosaicrecords.com/lastchance.asp


Just passing along information that's important to me, which might be important to you.

Following your lead, I'm going to present another Bobby McFerrin;


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o2RS8WfcbY

Somehow, I have been neglecting one of my favorite artists, yes, one I like better than Miles. Gene Ammons is most certainly one of my favorite jazz artists, we are "simpatico"; it seems that all of his music reaches me, and I'm quite comfortable listening to it.

I'll present to you a few of my favorites, beginning with "The Happy Blues";


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdvienyK758


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If77_P8v7iE


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vl4_f8Emtw

pjw, I am overjoyed that you share my enthusiasm for Gene Ammons. Here are two of my favorites that you have;


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ3ERhE0KWo


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9CxF7qxYqc


Enjoy the music.

This was popular in Chicago lounges in 69;


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uuv5gNRVbQ

Custom 3 way, with crossover designed by a crossover engineer. It utilizes the large Heil Air motion Transformer for a tweeter, 6 inch Vifa midrange, 12 inch Pioneer woofer. It's so neutral that you can audition wire. 92 DB efficient, with 8 ohm impedence.

Alex, my favorite Freddie Roach appears on this album along with Ike Quebec, one of my favorite tenors.


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5X14isHGqg


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mjXTAelpuw

Inna, considering your credentials, I have disregarded your critique of Bobby McFerrin; however, here are two more that I like;


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yni7krzhww


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

As I stated before Inna, you don't have the credentials to critique Bobby McFerrin.

People who live in glass houses should never throw rocks.

Those were some outstanding clips Frogman; I found it amazing how that music at that time has withstood the passage of time and is still fresh; Tony Scott was superb.

Alex, Roach said that he composed this piece for his close friend Ike Quebec. They had planned to record it, but never got around to it. Quebec died on 16 January 1963, so Roach said that he he performed it thereafter as a tribute to his friend.

Him and Ike worked well together.



            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzIdzG1J9zc

Frogman, you come through every now and then; I suppose that made up for past short comings.

Gene Ammons changed to more serious music in his last years, like a person with a different outlook; I'm glad I have this music.


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-g_UKAU4Vs

Rok, I need help in perusing these "Mosaic Box Sets". I know you have a lot of Mingus, and so do I; but here again, as in the case of Monk, tunes with the same title are very much different, plus those sets might contain live recordings that were made in Europe.


      http://www.mosaicrecords.com/outofprint.asp


          http://www.mosaicrecords.com/lastchance.asp



There is a lot to go through, but you can get music that's not available on the regular market.

Thanks a lot for that information Rok. Let me know if you discover any odd ball Mingus; I'm talking about something like a different version of "Good Bye Pork Pie Hat" or one of those live European recordings. Is Mingus and Dolphy available?

I use to get a "Mosaic" magazine that gave detailed information on the box sets; even then you received more than you wanted, but it was OK.

Just not enough detailed information to make a decision; I think I'll pass.

What is an aficionado? According to this: a person who is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about an activity, subject, or pastime; aficionados of the finest wines.
Synonyms: connoisseur, expert, authority, specialist, pundit, cognoscente.

As jazz enthusiasts, we primarily focus on instruments: trumpet, sax, guitar, piano, etc; consequently, we may not know about what I call a "jazz stylist" as opposed to a vocalist, that's because he imitates musical instruments.

Although we don't know everything there is to know, as "aficionados", it's our duty to learn.

After "Don't Worry, Be Happy", it's possible that Bobby McFerrin was taken as a joke by many of the masses, but as aficionados, we should know better.


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


Here is a man who worked harder than most musicians honing his craft, and becoming a superb musician;  he has earned this aficionados highest respect.

pjw, while you have all the trombones that I enjoy and love, you left out my favorite, "Benny Green";


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZyFKfPyi6Q

     

That is one cool piano intro;


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


As many quarters as I put in the jukeboxes over the years in many cities while traveling, plus all the times I have played this jam at home, I had the thought "That's one cool piano intro", but I never delved into it.

His name is "Richard Wyands"; who the devil is Richard Wyands?


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


My collection is full of Richard Wyands, but as a sideman; these are the things you find out when you listen and focus on what you're listening to without any distractions or distracting thoughts; the jazz life is beautiful.

For over 20 years, my vinyl collection did no more than occupy space. That's because CD's sounded so much better.

After perusing the "Analog" forum, and reading about how inferior CD's are to my old fashioned records, I decided to investigate; it takes "money", and quite a bit of it for a record player to sound better than CD; that's what they don't tell you.

After a few years and more time and money than I care to talk about, I'm really into vinyl. Beyond this "audiophile stuff", I keep discovering records I didn't even know that I had; this is one of them;


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO0-mfey2BM


How about my main man Grant Green; ain't he funky;


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLBTSrD42QY

Why do I have to get into these things whether I want to or not?

Frogman, someone else drew you into this "nothing" that occurs when someone doesn't know when to quit.

Rather than write a post on this calamity, I'll state that Rok's sounds pretty good to me, and further more, brother Ray Charles made some applicable remarks on the subject for anyone that the shoe fits; while his statements are subject to gross misinterpretation, so be it; take this with a grain of salt and as much humor as you can muster.


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Tiz6INF7I


       

Pryso, that's exactly what I'm talking about; I don't have it, but I will get it.

Absolutely nsp; listen to that piano opening by Richard Wyands, it's boss, so is his comping all the way through the jam.


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

nsp, is this something similar to what you were talking about? This is different from any Mingus I've heard; Jaki Byard on piano makes it so.


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kilr601kki0

pjw, I want to thank you for that very informative link; it's just the kind of information I'm looking for.

Frogman, since you recommended it, I will get it if I don't have it.

Thank you much.

The first Mingus album I purchased was in 59, or 60; it was the one with the modern artwork; as a matter of fact, that's why I purchased it, I don't recall knowing who Charles Mingus was.

After I took it back to the barracks and played it for my "jazz crew", none of us knew quite what to make of Mingus, but we kept playing that album noting unique and different things each time we played it.

Since that time, the same experience has been repeated over and over; each time I play a new Mingus album, I hear unique and different things.

This thread is going better than it ever has gone; we have acquired connoisseurs of this music who are at that advanced stage where they evaluate the sidemen on the greatest jazz records. Sidemen were the artists who contributed to those great records, and in many cases were forgotten.

I'm going to go through this process to illustrate what I'm talking about. "The Sidewinder" by Lee Morgan was a great jazz record by any standard; it was even declared a great record by the masses. First, we have to know the artists on this record:


Lee Morgan – trumpet
Joe Henderson – tenor saxophone
Barry Harris – piano
Bob Cranshaw – bass
Billy Higgins – drums


Next we listen to the record;


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJi03NqXfk8


Now I'm not going to evaluate, I'm going to allow you to pick which sideman you think contributed the most to this great record.

"You think we be stupid??"


I seem to have heard that, or something similar somewhere before; give me time and maybe I can place it.

Rok, you might be right; it's for sure he is at the beginning.

Joe Henderson has a mean solo at about 3:58; he's followed by Barry Harris on piano. Bob Cranshaw is slammin on the bass, that can not be denied.

Once you put this jam under a microscope, it's like a diamond with many facets; that's what we're doing with the best jams in jazz, like that 100 best you have.


Enjoy the music.

Rok, I want you to know that you are not talking to the wind; I hear you loud and clear,  "Maybe I should have gone to Mexico".

The jazz musicians who I knew up close and personal, were driven ((unfortunately, not to make money) they were driven to create.

A musician I had not seen or heard for a few years (we were friends) came back with a new sound that I was totally unfamiliar with, that was spectacular; he was hard bop improvisational. When we see or hear Jimmy Smith do his thing, he makes it look easy; all pros make their thing look easy, maybe it is for them.

The only thing I know about hard bop improvisational jazz is how to listen to it, and I claim to be able to qualify how good it is. On our first outing (I say "Our", because we renewed our friendship, and he moved into my apartment) at "Helens Black Eagle", a club that cherished "improvisational hard bop" we wowed the crowd; they were mesmerized.

During that Summer, we had a lot of fun and repeatedly wowed crowds. That was in 69, and the only verification I recall was a write up about his performance on center stage at the VP Fair we have here in St. Louis.

Many years later, I was talking to a musician telling him how good my friend was, and he responded; "He was good, but he wasn't that good". The musician I was talking to, was on par with Horace Silver, not one easily impressed.

Maybe he didn't hear him after he got that good, I thought to myself. That was when I searched for every note my friend had recorded, and I only verified that "He was good, but not that good".

The music he was playing that Summer was new, plus it had not, nor was it ever recorded; consequently, I have nothing to prove he was "That good".

While I can not judge all "improvisational hard bop jazz musicians" by my friend, being on center stage, and mesmerizing a crowd of people is what drove him.

Frogman, I wont be back "in depth"; just making a comment here and there. Since partially explaining something is worse than not trying to explain it at all, my return will be more limited than I thought.

I'm glad to see that we have the most responsive group than I've seen in some time; they are all knowledgeable "aficionados", that means you are going to be very active.

Only time will tell how active I'll be; have fun.

This song and the album it is on, Cafe Blue, is often used by hi-fi enthusiasts to test out their sound systems . None of her songs on Youtube are in HD quality, so I'd thought I would upload a true representation of this album using the best song. Musically, it is very good as well!



        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zi3i-HqDNFI&list=RDZi3i-HqDNFI