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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
jafant
10,525 posts
 
2nd,

Vanessa Mae
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

Alex, here lately, every time you post it adds to the albums I don't have, but must have; the sidemen alone tell the story, Junior Cook, Tina Brooks, and Bobby Timmons are artists I never tire of, and don't have enough of. Each solo on this Kenny Burrell album is a revelation.

It's amazing how many different ways "Caravan" has been worked, from the quirky "Monk", to the straight ahead "Ella".




orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

Frogman, as you so stated "Ella" set the standard for Caravan.

Although Monk was a little "quirky" as you would expect, it was different and I liked it.

I think your submissions demonstrated all the different ways Caravan could be worked and still sound good.
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

This is not an attempt to change the direction, I just felt like honoring "Sgt Pepper".


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ooeMXnPuIg
frogman
4,637 posts
 
Great clips, Alex. Thanks.  Since our OP doesn't want to change direction:

What makes any kind of "fusion" music special is ultimately a kind of limitation as well. The tune "Caravan" is really a Latin tune more than anything. Co-penned by a Latin trombonist that idea should not be surprising. The co-composer was a jazz giant so when the two personalities combined you got Latin-Jazz fusion. We usually hear the tune performed by jazz artists and, as we know, we have some pretty fantastic versions of the tune. While clearly influenced by the Latin, because they are jazz players, the feel of the music will still be mostly grounded in the feel of jazz. It is interesting to hear how a group (especially the rhythm section) of Latin musicians play the tune and how they bring a completely different feel to it. My point about how all this could be a limitation of sorts is that, ultimately, neither the jazz element nor the Latin element get expressed as completely. I think this version gets closest to home in many ways:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gPex4QuaQwU

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