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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
 

Rok I'm enjoying Mary Louise Williams music more than any other musician I ever encountered, and to think we almost missed her.

Although I had heard the name, I thought her music was too old for me, that's because I had set a before "Bird" and after "Bird" time line for the music I liked, and it worked for me, but Mary Lou Williams never got old. No one told me that.

When I'm listening to my playlist her music is not easy to identify because it varies so much. I'll hear some really pretty music, and wonder "Who's that"? and I have to go to the playlist to find out. She can come out of so many different bags, that I'm glad I got everything I could find. She was a musician among musicians.


Enjoy the music.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
***** and to think we almost missed her.*****

The good thing about 'missing' players, is that you have a nice surprise and place to go in this current era of quasi-Jazz.  It's good we didn't hear them all back in the day.  If we had, what would we have to look forward to today?

Stereo Review turned me on to Williams.  I bought lots of stuff while I was in the Army and never found the time to listen to all of it.   Now I have that time.   It's all 'New' to me.

Cheers
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

original article, a part of Smithsonian Folkways Magazine



The music poured from the piano. On a large platform inside the oval mahogany bar at New York’s Hickory House, the last surviving establishment offering jazz on West 52nd Street, “Swing Street,” an authoritative African American woman in early middle-age sat at the piano, eyes mostly closed, her face registering every nuance in the music she was creating, back straight, her hands lying flat as they moved on the keys. She was wearing a royal blue chiffon gown of cocktail length, softly gathered at the shoulders. Her arms were bare. She had a beautiful throat and neck, good collarbones, and a dark brown face rising up from a strong chin to high cheekbones. Her mouth was well shaped and soft, and at times broke into a brief radiant smile when she achieved a particular musical passage. The smile never interfered with the concentration. There was nothing theatrical about her. You simply knew that you were in the presence of someone of the highest magnitude. Her name was Mary Lou Williams.



Rok, the reason we didn't know anything about the lady is because "There was nothing theatrical about her presence". I could go on and on about that, but I'm not.



Enjoy the music.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
This is the first Williams CD I purchased.  The cover picture was a large reason why.  So Classy.   Has "1940's" written all over it.  I can remember when women dressed like that.

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

Cheers
orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

Rok, that is one classy lady, and her picture is also in Nica's book. I remember that hair style; she was one classy lady her entire life, that's why we didn't hear about her.


Enjoy the music.
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