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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
 

This was recorded at the Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in June 1969. Both the Eddie Harris Quartet, and the Les McCann Trio performed with great success at the Festival. Later in the week, Eddie and Les felt like playing together. Benny Bailey, the great American trumpet player, who was living in Europe, was also there; he was asked by Eddie and Les to join them; the rest is history.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCDMQqDUtv4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8YOLY4Tats


Les McCann and Eddie Harris spoke the same language; both those tunes were hits on the jukeboxes and the radio, something rare for jazz tunes.


1969 was also the most fantastic Summer of my life; when I went to lawn parties, I always brought plenty of Cold Duck Wine, and I inquired when I arrived, "What time is it?" always, the hearty response was "Its Cold Duck Time!".

Those were the days my friend, why did they have to end?







pjw81563
258 posts
 
More from Ginger Baker. This is his trio sessions with Bill Frisell on guitar and Charlie Haden on bass. These 3 videos are from the same concert at the jazz festival in Frankfurt Germany. On the 3rd video Baker solo’s from 9 minute mark to 12:30, showing why he was such a highly regarded drummer of multiple genres of music. Circa 1995.

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql6iGLZL14w

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVF50PI3db4

Would other members like to share video's of other jazz drummers playing a kit with 2 bass drums as Baker does here as the majority of jazz drummers use a kit with one bass drum. In the first minute of the solo you can see both of Bakers legs pounding the pedals!...It was said that on some occasions his bass drums were nailed or screwed into the floor!
pjw81563
258 posts
 
Ginger Baker in a drum solo duet with one of his idols Art Blakey. As I mentioned in an earlier post his top 3 influences on the drums were Blakey, Max Roach and Elvin Jones. Of course, being influenced by, and playing in style firmly rooted in jazz, he was an extraordinary drummer and far better then much of his contemporaries in the rock and roll genre.

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

This video is slightly more focused then the above. And I do mean SLIGHTLY! I wish I could have been there. 
frogman
4,637 posts
 
Nah!  Not “hung up” at all, O-10.  I could just as easily point out that you get “hung up” on the “feeling” without taking into account that our feelings about things are always influenced by more than the reality of it.  Some even let cover art influence how they “feel” about music.  As usual, you mistakenly think that understanding the technical means that there is no appreciation of the feeling.  I have a different take on what is at the root of the disagreement, O-10 and it doesn’t have much to do with what is actually heard or not heard.  Best to leave it at that and not argue about it.  Personally, I don’t think you dig deep enough when you try and discuss these things and paint things with way too broad a brush.  I think that to “go only by what I hear” is a great thing....when it’s accompanied by a modicum of respect for the fact that none of us understand all that there is to understand.  Peace.
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

I have been very close to a few jazz persons. I refer to them as "persons" as opposed to musicians, because that’s a different relationship. While I idolized what they did on the bandstand, they were just friends of mine off the bandstand. I never understood how they did what they did, and they never discussed it.

From my observations, it took a lifetime for them to do what they did, and I don’t think they could explain it; it’s for sure I wouldn’t understand if they did; I understand very little about "improvisational jazz", but I like it.
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