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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
frogman
4,637 posts
 
Nice Lou Rawls,  All around agreement re Lou Rawls.  What a voice and what style! I'm sure Rok would approve of the impression that whatever he sings has the feeling of the blues.  Great singer. 

I love Stanley Turrentine and have posted quite a bit of his stuff.  I'm afraid that "The Man WTSF" doesn't do it for me.  Beautiful and very distinctive tenor playing style; sexiest tenor sound ever.  I'm afraid that "The Man With The Sad Face" just doesn't do it for me.  IMO, this was the  low point in his recording career and the reason that there was so much criticism around that time of the move by him, Benson and others to that style of over-produced "disco-jazz"; in a word, saccharine.  Everything that I don't like about much of the CTI stuff,  on steroids.  Might there be some hidden meaning in that title? 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v-rtDIbCZTk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GLP9osh3Z1g

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2HWKdQEnfcI



Post removed 
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

That was certainly not Stanley's best, but it had a few good cuts, and once I'm through down loading, the TT goes back in "mothballs"; no more vinyl, only what's in the PC Library.

As far as the title; there was a "love and lost" quality to the music, which could result in a sad face, but at the same time the music was reminiscing about the kind of love that comes once in a lifetime, and can never be forgotten; the kind of love Carly Simon sings about.


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0wta3xkqJo&list=PLhdtRc6oo2tH-CLPL8onHcKSeGAsxFxuU


Stanley had a long and very productive career, and there were later dramatic changes in his life that was reflected in his music, but it wasn't nearly as "disco" influenced, as Benson's music.

I think the music on this album reflected the title, and how he was feeling at that time; no one is perpetually "upbeat".


Enjoy the music.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
Today's Listen:

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers -- ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Two tunes written by the OP's favorite Jazz players.  Parker and Timmons.

Such a beautiful cover art photo.   Why are my copies always different, and look like crap.   Well at least on my CD it says "Featuring Wynton Marsalis" :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opfLwlbT4lo   

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

Cheers
frogman
4,637 posts
 
Great example of why many have said that young Wynton, and to quote Miles, "ain’t saying shit". To be fair, the same can be said of all the horn players on these cuts. Also to be fair, and to give some credit where credit is due, 1981 was a time when many wondered where jazz was headed and whether it was dead, and a lot of the young lions’ brand of "retro" jazz was welcomed by the jazz traditionalists as a sign that there was still hope. The problem was that the real hope was in the new directions that jazz was taking. Blakey’s band was always a training ground for young players and here it sounds just like that; a training ground. Beautiful and impressive trumpet playing with lots of fireworks by Wynton, but where’s the jazz? Where’s the story? Don’t want to just blindly bash, but I don’t hear it. I will say that his jazz playing has grown more convincing over the years, but still not on the level of his many other talents. I have always felt Bobby Watson was a very overrated player. "Album of the year"? Really? Compared to this from the same year?::

https://youtu.be/zJplKSrRbxQ
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