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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
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

Herbie Hancock's solo on "Cantaloupe Island" is among the best piano solos I've ever heard. The other one is Horace Silver's solo on "Senor Blues" at Newport.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8jFGFwOm7k

These solos are a one time thing; they never even attempt to duplicate them. "Hard Bop" jazz musicians only have a "general" idea of what they are going to play when they perform live; Monk never played "Round Midnight" the same way twice, when that was his own composition.

Someone on sax asked Monk how to play something on a set, and Monk replied, "You a jazz musician aint cha"? Meaning if you're a jazz musician, you just put the horn to your mouth and blow, the right thing is going to automatically come out.

That's the difference between a "Hard Bop" jazz musician, and say a classical musician; an improvising jazz musician has to have incredible talent and feel; they are very special and unique.

When "jazz" musicians get on the stage, they rely on one another; Miles said what he played depended on what was played before him.

This is a beautiful live performance; all these guys are stars, but the guy on piano steals the show.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynZDm50EgBY


Enjoy the music.
inna
5,245 posts
 
And before what was played before Miles was also Miles. I think, he needed no-one in a usual sense. Everything that was played with Miles and everyone who played with Miles were also in essence him. He simply couldn't play all the instruments required to play what he wanted to be played, nor could he do it at the same time. Milie's bands were one man bands. And yet he managed to bring out the best in everyone he played with. He was a unique musician and a very unusual person with special abilities.
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
3,718 posts
 
Inna - with all due respect, I don't agree completely with your statement about Miles' bands being one man bands.  Sure, his influence must have been enormous but I do believe he gave his musicians (I almost wrote, "magicians") space to express their own individual voices.    
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

Correction to my last post: a classical musician has to have incredible talent and feel as well; except there is no music written down, and no repetition with an improvising jazz musician, and that's the primary distinction.

Any time a man can get on a stage and wow an audience of critical "hard bop" fans, playing extemporaneously, he has a talent beyond my comprehension.

No put down of classical musicians meant.


Enjoy the music.
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
3,718 posts
 
Wanted to share a new music suggestion from Spotify’s Browse/ Discover function: Jazz Pistols.

Fusion from Germany (those madcap Germans, you know :-). Guitar, Bass, Drums. Instrumental (my preference). Latest album (on Spotify): Superstring (2010).  Haven't made up my mind about the music on it. Like the guitar tone (always a soft spot for a hollow body’s sound) and the bass player’s work in particular. Musicianship seems first rate. Not sure how "deep" the musical ideas are, however.  Will it bear up to repeat listening?

Here are a couple of studio live tracks: "Penguin" & "Twenty" (don’t judge the bass player by what he does on "Twenty", however!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN74GozqjBg&ab_channel=JazzPistols

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUOgGR78xA4&ab_channel=JazzPistols

More to discover