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
Re George Russell:

****I never heard of him....****

Actually, George Russell has been mentioned at least twice on this thread. A while back I posted a clip of the TV show "The Subject Is Jazz" from the '50's and which featured a band led by Billy Taylor. The episode I posted included an interview with George Russell in which he discussed his Lydian chromatic concept. Imagine a TT show that discussed jazz theory! How the public has been dumbed down re the arts.

The other time the actual mention was not by me, but by Phil Woods. In the clip that I posted of a Phil Woods master class, he talks about the origin of the rumor that he had and played Charlie Parker's horn. Apparently, George Russell erroneously mentioned in a book that he wrote that Woods had Bird's alto. Woods used to tell a very funny story about being fed up of setting the record straight, and finally when his wife Chan (Bird's widow) sold the horn to a museum for $140,000, when asked he would respond: "I only have a couple left...would you like to buy one?" :)

Frogman, this is the cut Rok spoke of, it's pretty good. Is there anything academic on this record you would care to point out? The recording quality is exceptional, all things considered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yGof9LU73c

This is what you posted on another thread, I like it; this connects with something in the back of my mind that I'll have to catch up with; the bottom line is we never got real Cuban music over here, just some kind of filtered jive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUjpFi9NRNM&app=desktop

I'm thinking about going into the best jazz bass player next. This came to me when I was listening to the reel, and thought "that guy on bass is out of sight" and I still don't know who it was. As I explained before, I listen to my PC play list, and reel a lot, therefore I don't have who I'm listening to in front of me. It seems I'm stymied by bass players more than on any other instrument. Best composer who plays bass, might not translate into best bass payer; Just a thought.

Enjoy the music.

Modal Jazz:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modal_jazz

This is what George Russell is known for. As usual, it seems as if no one person is solely responsible for innovations. Started in Puerto Rico??

Frogman, Where is 'Modal Jazz' in today's Jazz scene ?

Cheers
Will have more to say shortly, but with little time now. But, did anyone recognize the tenor soloist on the George Russell clip (no cheating!); and how that might relate to the general topic?