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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 accompanists don’t necessarily make consistently great soloists and great soloists don’t necessarily make great accompanyists. "The JB’s", as good and as funky as they were, were still usually "somebody else’s band"; and not just James Brown’s. Not a put down at all. Backing up a singer, especially one as imposing as James Brown is an art unto itself. I like the record and there are some real gems, and eventhough I may not make it to track eleven there’s some fun stuff........but I never feel like turning off James Brown. Imo, "The JB’s" seldom reach the level of tightness and funkiness that they do with James Brown up front. James Brown truly was a rhythm machine; the kind of soloist that could really propel the rhythm of the band and raise the overall level. At the same time, as good as the horn players in the band were at playing the usually sparse horn arrangements used when backing Brown with an amazing amount of tightness and "feel good" rawness, they just aren’t (even Maceo and he’s great) the kind of player that can sustain interest when playing extended solos instead of the short funky little statements that sound so good in James Brown’s arrangements. Also, as far as I’m concerned, if Clyde Stubblefiend is not the drummer it’s just not the same.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8L4gITE3nUc

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AoQ4AtsFWVM

I liked the concept behind Kuroda’s music. Nice player and band, but I generally liked the concept more so than the execution of it sometimes wishing for a little less politeness in the playing; especially from the leader himself. I liked the dreamy and mellower tracks much better than the ones which tried to bring some funkiness in. Those did not have enough groove for me; ironically, especially when Kuroda played. One of my favorite "new jazz" trumpet players:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yMCdXT2p5Mk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PgwSZzsh1_I

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yYJ7Trh81Z8

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8tH4vayjWcA

Thanks for the clips; good stuff.


bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 

Great points frogman. Dave Tough was a big band drummer who was adored by bandleaders and fellow musicians for his ability to make a band swing harder than any other drummer around, but whose ability to play a solo was rather limited. Some musicians, in their pursuit of technical prowess, lose sight of the ultimate object, the big picture---making great music. The legendary guitarist Danny Gatton had just hired a new drummer, and after their first set on a live gig, had a talk with him. Danny said to the drummer "You know that fancy sh*t you play? Don't."

Jazz is a music that requires and benefits from players possessing advanced technical ability, and by the late 1960's that ability was becoming more valued amongst Rock players as well. My peers and I had become quite enamored by drummers Mitch Mitchell (Hendrix), Ginger Baker (Cream), and Carmen Appice (Vanilla Fudge), all players with Jazz-level chops. But pure technique for it's own sake was not universally admired or valued. In 1969 I saw The New Buffalo (led by the sole remaining member of The Buffalo Springfield, drummer Dewey Martin) live, and as they played their first few songs I found myself mystified. None of the four band members were playing anything particularly noteworthy (no pun intended ;-), but the band sounded SOOO good. I suddenly, in a flash, came to understand the principle of ensemble playing. Playing for the greater good of the whole---the band, and the song, rather than to simply display technical prowess.

frogman
4,637 posts
 
Great example, Dave Tough; legendary swing drummer for the reasons you mention.  Some players have "the thing".  Hard to explain, but they somehow take things to a higher level just by their presence.  

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ygX_pt_aceM

Gotta love YouTube!  In looking for a clip with Dave Tough I noticed that the tenor player on that clip was the also legendary West Coast player Ted Nash, uncle and namesake of Ted Nash Jr. of Wynton's Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, one of the hottest and most talented young jazz players around.  That led to this clip of Ted jr.'s  father Dick Nash, brother of Ted sr.  Amazing trombone player and LA studio legend with an incredibly beautiful trombone sound.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GO0i3xCtEtM

Which led to this:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g2BDlwb-uVY

ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
3,718 posts
 
Alex - you know how to pick 'em.  Thanks for those Maceo links.  

Frogman - Another very insightful post from you.  Ever think about doing record reviews?  Better than a lot of the stuff I read.  I should have realized who the JBs were.  Recognized the "sound/style" but thought their name was homage.  Didn't look up personnel.  The trombone threw me a bit too.  I didn't recall one backing him...but it's been a long time and I don't know much of his full career.  Yes, a couple of gems though, as you wrote, not as strong as the package with JB's vocals.  Your comments about Takuya Kuroda very perceptive...I can hear what you critique.

O - were you keeping your silence regarding something I wrote?
alexatpos
500 posts
 
In some other time, this was called 'funky'.
Gene Ammons jam session, album simply called 'Funky' from 1957. with great line up of Burrell, J.McLean, Art Farmer,Mal Waldron, Watkins, Taylor

https://youtu.be/TXxFCCXXdDs?list=RDTXxFCCXXdDs
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