2. music
  3. 1361722327

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
 
Ok, Rok, if you insist:

From the obit:

**** Tommy Flanagan, a jazz pianist who with a classic trio set a high standard for elegance in mainstream postwar jazz, ****

Obit, The Guardian:

**** Inventive and elegant jazz pianist as fluent as the stars he accompanied ****

From Wiki:

**** After leaving Fitzgerald again, Flanagan attracted praise for the elegance of his playing ****

Jazzhouse.org:

**** Tommy Flanagan was as lucid, refined and swinging a pianist as any in the history of jazz and emerged as one of the most elegant and fully rounded interpreters in jazz . ****

Concord Music Group:

**** and, perhaps above all, an impeccable, imperturbable, and unerringly elegant sense of ...****

Let me know if you need more.



rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
Elegant:   Of a high grade or quality.  
Merriam-Webster


Given that definition, every Jazz player of any reputation at all, could be considered 'elegant'.   In Flanagan's case, They probably meant he played in an unobtrusive manner.   Didn't disrupt their conversations, as they sipped their cocktails

As Fats Waller said, "They like Jazz, but in small doses".   He was speaking of the good folks of the NYC 'elites'.   You be one???

Let me know if you need me to 'explain' anything else for you.

Cheers
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
Killer Joe:

I first heard this on the 'Walking in Space' LP by Quincy Jones.   I always thought it was his tune.

Reminds me of the time when I didn't know the word Jazz, but I heard artist such as Sarah Vaughan, Cannonball Adderley, Jimmie Smith, Quincy Jones, Dinah Washington and Ramsey Lewis etc..... on the Jukebox in the local bar.

Loved the pictures of the musical instruments on 'Along Came Betty'.   What's more beautiful than a closeup of a new Tenor sax.

The Jazztet sure dressed 'funny'.   I guess they didn't have time to get their cutout jeans and tank tops out of the cleaners.

Great Clips.

Cheers


frogman
4,637 posts
 
It boggles the mind how someone who professes to be such a "protector" of jazz is blind to the fact that he lets his own need to be "right", not only abandon all logic and reason, but lets that need undermine the very thing that he claims to love so much. To dismiss or, at minimum, downplay the accolades directed at one of the greatest practitioners of the art form (Flanagan) in order to somehow gain some personal validation is pathetic. Not to mention the harm that is done when interacting in this way, instead of keeping things positive and forward looking, with other listeners and especially with eager and thoughtful new explorers of the music. I am sorry to say that, as far as I am concerned, the only "protecting" that jazz needs is from "fans" like you, Rok.

Cheers, indeed.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
We are not talking about Flanagan.   We are talking about the meaning of the word 'elegant' as used to describe a musician's style of playing.   The word as it would be used in a music review.

I bet no one ever 'accused' Art Tatum of being 'elegant'.  Mingus?  But I'm sure you will find a NYT's article from 1940s that does just that.

Please try to stay focused and stop it with the Straw man stuff.   I speak English.   If I want to say something, I will say it in plain English.  No?

Cheers


More to discover