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

Lee Morgan recorded prolifically from 1956 until a day before his death in February 1972. His primary stylistic influence was Clifford Brown, with whom he took a few lessons as a teenager. He began recording for Blue Note Records in 1956, eventually recording 25 albums as a leader. In 1958 he joined the Messengers, and was the featured trumpet on "Moanin", their best selling album.

After his commercial success of "The Sidewinder", Blue Note encouraged it's other artist to emulate it's "Boogaloo" beat. According to drummer Billy Hart, Morgan said he had recorded "The Sidewinder" as filler for the album, and was bemused that it had turned into his biggest hit. He felt that his playing was much more advanced on Grachan Moncur III's essentially avant-garde Evolution album, recorded a month earlier, on November 21, 1963.

In my opinion, formula and jazz don't mix, you're heading for a jazzwreck. Fortunately Morgan didn't listen too well, because he recorded "Search For The New Land" in 64 which is definitely not formula, but some of the finest jazz in my collection.

Lee Morgan recorded so prolifically that I don't have a large portion of his works; normally I would scrutinize each individual album before purchase, but this time I'm going to see what I ain't got and get it. There are two things I'm concerned about, that's recording quality and music; his large box set has so much music that I can't go wrong there, and if the recording quality is not the best, I can re-purchase the one's I like most.

Here is a link that will prove invaluable in helping you to fill in the gaps in your Lee Morgan collection.



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




Enjoy the music.


Lee Morgan is a player I would be very interested in discussing and learning more about.  I only have a few of the albums he is on, and I don't think I have any that he is the leader on.  I would love to hear what everyone's favorite albums of his are.  
Loving the discussion of classical.  When I invite a friend over for serious listening we always start with jazz.  I play a cut, he plays a cut, etc.  Then we find the blues, a little r&b and then classical.  Sometimes opera and then make our way back to jazz.

I've been fortunate enough to have had friends that teach jazz at the college level and very often they will ask their student in a jazz band to "sing their part."  This is done for a variety of reasons I won't go into here.

Bobby McFerrin takes this to a whole new level.  This is a fun clip.

Bob

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klc6nH8E_Qw

And for those that are curious; some of my favorite classical composers are Steve Reich, George Rochberg, Schoenberg and Frank Zappa.

Learsfool, Lee Morgan is so fantastic, that I can't think of a bad cut, when I've heard bad cuts by Charley Parker. Picking out the best is quite a job, but I pick the album, "Search For The New Land", every cut on that album is boss.


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDfkkRa1VA8



Enjoy the music.