2. music
  3. 1361722327

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
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
Merry Christmas To All, and To All, A Good Night!
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
3,718 posts
 
Merry Christmas to you Rok.  

BTW - I was thinking about you, Orpheus and the other regulars that post to this thread.  Wanted to recommend to all that haven't heard it yet, Allen Toussaint's "The Bright Mississippi".  It is a really wonderful recording.  Called jazz by some (though to my ear, not in the same way as something by Miles or Coltrane...the songs date from an earlier time). At any rate, it's a 2009 release and, as usual, I'm late to the party having just discovered it.  So if this is old news, apologies for that...nevertheless might be a good reminder and something worth dusting off to listen to again.  Happy New Year to you all.   
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
Ghosthouse:

"The Bright Mississippi" has been talked about and praised on more than one occasion on this thread.  Is it Jazz?  It would be more accurate and informative to call it, music of New Orleans.  Without which, there would be no Jazz.

As it happens I was reading the interview of Toussaint in 'DownBeat' this morning.   If you don't have DownBeat's "The Great Jazz Interviews", I can highly recommend it.  $25 on Amazon.

It's one of the few CDs I keep on my desk in easy reach.  I play it often.   I always visualize this music  as being played is a fairly large and sparsely furnished room, with a floor of wooden planks. Southern comes to mind.

Cheers
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
3,718 posts
 
Glad you enjoy it too, Rok.  I actually did search on Bright Mississippi and saw a number of old posts about it but didn't quickly find any that were specific to Jazz Aficionados.  Would have been surprising had it not been discussed (and gotten some love) in this thread.  

I'm a lot more a blues/rock "aficionado" than jazz so what surprises me about this recording is how much it holds my interest.  It isn't music I'd have predicted liking, but it absolutely swings.

"...music of New Orleans. Without which, there would be no Jazz."  - very true.  
  
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

"The Bright Mississippi"; the interesting thing about that glistening muddy river from St. Louis to "Nawlins" is that the culture of the people along the river, and the music are so connected. "Board plank floors and Juke Joints", are another interesting aspect of the music, the river, the culture, and the people; I suppose when you put them all together, you got "The Bright Mississippi".






Enjoy the music.
More to discover