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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
 
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

pryso
1,501 posts
 
o10, thanks for the kind words.  It can be frustrating to read responses from folks who only seem to want to be argumentative, or at the least didn't bother to carefully read something posted before jumping in with inappropriate comments.

frogman, thanks for that link.  I have that Monk Ellington album among my collection of his recordings but have not played it in years.  Now I need to dig it out so I can "dig it" again. ;^)

In general I do differentiate between a title or general reference, typically by the media, such as "King of Swing" or "Queen of the blues" and a moniker or nickname assumed by a musician to the point they use it to refer to themselves.  And while I'm not a sociologist or expert in this area, I always assumed that many black musicians appropriated "royalty" first names as a way to both demand respect for their talents and to honor the tradition started back in the very early 1900s, possibly by "King" Oliver. 
schubert
4,867 posts
 
Thanks all for the threads and links to "Caravan"
It was written one year after I was born and for years after hardly a day
went by when I didn't hear it on the radio and be enchanted by it !
I'll wager 90% of the American public was familiar with "Caravan" by 
the start of WW 11 as it was in every big bands rep .  
I'd also guess that not 1% are today. Progress ?

There is a very smoky jazz club type of it on You Tube by Cassandra Wilson with a quintet . The great percussionist Lelank Babaalula alone is worth watching it for . She's not Ella but a good horse for that course .
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

Pryso, again you hit the nail dead on the head; "Lady Day" for example in reference to Billie Holiday.

As you know, the daughters of dukes, marquesses and earls are by courtesy "ladies"; as well as the woman they marry; hence, "Lady Day" has to be a lady of aristocratic bearing.


Schubert, here's Casandra Wilson "Caravan"


          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfW7l5mjpZk
pryso
1,501 posts
 
o10, more about "actually going on a caravan".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5u3VVX-6Mo&list=PLC53r5P0vCHKn3dzVT8bRH3eOcPWJi7z0

But consider the whole album.  Is that close enough to jazz? ;^)
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