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

Ghosthouse, I go back to the time when I bought the album, and I'm surrounded by the memories of that time when "Mahavishnu" was hot. No, I don't have it on my "playlist"; that's reserved for some of the cuts off the best 100 jazz LP's or similar.

Fusion sounds good once in a blue moon but not on a consistent basis. The title "Cosmic Messenger" says it all; we're in outer stellar space or someplace only your imagination can take you.

Most good "jazz" is about human beings and things you can relate to; while good fusion is for exercising your tweeters, and imagination. Personally I prefer to get into one zone at a time.


Rok, knew cotton fields, juke joints, and the people who made the blues, while others wrote and observed from afar; especially when you're talking about the "Delta Blues". I could always read between the lines of what Rok wrote and that's where the foundation of the blues lies. That's why I proposed a work shop of sorts, to define what the "Blues" is to us individually; otherwise it's quite ambiguous.









I worked quite a bit on the Gulf but never lived there (nor up in the Delta area of MS).  I respect and appreciate what that first hand exposure would have given to Rok.  I'll use that to segue into something I'd been thinking about relative to your blues discussion: that is, making a distinction between "blues originals" and "blues interpreters".  Blues originals being just that ... the early musicians that heard that stuff and learned it as part of their culture (from the oral tradition) or even composed the music out of their own experience.  Blues interpreters being the modern, later musicians that "inherited" this music and didn't have much if anything to do with its origins...composing or experiencing the conditions that gave rise to it.  I don't have a problem enjoying blues interpreters but I suspect they don't get respect from all quarters.  

I understand what you are saying about "jazz jazz" vs fusion.  I don't think it HAS to be that way but fusion does too often seem to be about technical prowess and an intellectual exercise with little "heart".  I'm tempted to start a thread along the lines of "Fusion tracks with soul."  I really am curious about possible exceptions; i.e., fusion with soul.


Ciao