Jazz for aficionados

Like wine, jazz has it's better years, and 62 was most certainly one of them, and by one of the masters of that form of musical communication.

"Jazz Jazz" was still in vogue in 62, consequently, that master's musical language reaches me on a deep internal level. Someone else with that same ability to communicate with me was "Ike Quebec" with his album "Heavy Soul", that was also released about the same time as Dexter's "Go!".


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3zQXxTwugA&list=PLjSczc1oDTLB9mk9FD6ucHOQurfqRYePp


Here we have the entire album; although not one weak cut, "Heavy Soul" is my favorite. Ike died in 63, which was at the same time "Heavy Soul" had become my favorite LP. I was told that the band members knew that Ike was terminal when they cut that album; you can hear it in the music, especially on Freddy Roach's organ, listen.

To the club members: (Dave, you can become one if you like; it's because we have been communicating so long, that I refer to them as members) I've returned to focusing on this period in jazz because it gives me more enjoyment than any other period.

Frogman, both Dexter and Stanley were boss.


Enjoy the music.


           

Some periods of time in jazz are the more fertile than others, and there will always be debate in which times they were. I recall times that stand out for me in different musicians lives; for example let's take Wes Montgomery; I liked him better before he became famous. When he had his trio in "Naptown", they played for themselves, and the fan club in his "hometown". One of the tunes is "Around Midnight"; Wes Montgomery Trio.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Xozvcf0FA


Enjoy this music.

Well, Orpheus, guess we can all say that 'Things aint what they used to be'

https://youtu.be/rRK0AQX9rho

https://youtu.be/9ux3HxLcEjI

Mel Rhyne, organ player on many Wes Montgomery albums, from 1960. album 'Organ-izing', together with Blue Mitchell, Johnny Griffin, Gene Harris, Albert Heath and Andy Simpkins

Its possible that I have posted that abum before...

Mel Rhyne's music has a similar feel as Wes Montgomery's at that time; it hit's the sweet spot for me. Alex, do you know whether or not that CD or record is available? I could listen to music like that all day long.


I'm enjoying your music.

Did I ever tell yall about the time I was a "sideman"; I was a "sideman" at a musician's brother's party.

We were at a small party, having a good time drinking fine liquor and enjoying good music, when the host suggested that we all had some kind of musical talent. (I know this story would sound better, if I said I was at a musicians party, but that ain't the way it happened)

I can drink fine (free) liquor and enjoy good music all night long (at least I could at that time, which was a long time ago) but I can still enjoy good music, as long as it's not all night.

Our host had a variety of very basic musical instruments hanging on the wall and laying around: a tambourine, bongos, harmonica, whistle, flute, plus others I don't remember. He gave me the whistle, my lady friend the tambourine, and passed around what was left to guests who wanted to participate, then he put a record with background music on the turntable, and gave us direction on what to play, and when.

The music was a little rough in the beginning, but I got the feel of the rhythm from the drums and tambourine, and tooted my whistle like I imagined "Bird" or "Trane" would toot their horns. Once we got the feel from his direction, and the background music, we continued on after the record quit playing, and it began to sound like music.

I simply felt the music others were playing, and made sounds that corresponded to what I felt, from the music they made; believe it or not, we made credible music.

We had a lot of fun, and he proved his point that everybody has "some" musical talent.

That made me think about "Sidemen"; they can sound ever so good, until they decide to make a record as leader. I had been listening to one of my favorite sidemen for years, and wondered when he was going to make a record as "Leader". Finally he made a record; I couldn't wait to get to the record store, it seemed like the car was going too slow, I wanted to fly. After I got the record back home, there was the anticipation of finally hearing a record where he was the leader.

I hate to use the word "disappointed", but that's the only one I can find at the moment. My expectations were not quite met would be a better way to put it. This has been repeated many times down through the years; so much so, that I've come to the conclusion that there are sidemen, and there are leaders; if I had been a musician, I believe I would have been a sideman, not everybody is cut out to be "leader man".


Enjoy the music.