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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
 
The tune as the composer himself played it:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7-jQ9lFiV7U

The classic version:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xN16JMNb2Yw

Unfortunately, not a complete version, but sublime tenor from Paul Gonzalves:

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

One of my favorite more modern versions:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7L_DFGhqW0




orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

Thanks for those different versions of one of my favorite tunes. I liked the Paul Gonzalves version the best; it captured the mood of a bridge on a misty night, but all of them were good.
acman3
2,267 posts
 
Thanks Frogman! So many great versions.  I was listening to this the other night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgsgfsha9jI
frogman
4,637 posts
 
Great one, Acman3! I actually had that in my post after the Joe Henderson version, but deleted it because there is so much to say about that cut and wanted to keep the post concise (for a change 😉). Interesting version of this great tune on several counts. It’s on one of Phil’s less known (but very interesting) records featuring his fantastic talent as an arranger. He overdubs/multitracks himself to create a great sounding saxophone "section" led by his own soprano and goes on to play a swinging soprano solo which itself is a bit of a rarity since he recorded mostly on alto. Nice string writing, too. Great record, and what a loss his recent passing was. Thanks!
frogman
4,637 posts
 
A couple more unique takes on this great tune.  

Not as a ballad, but at a medium tempo.  Beautiful brush work by Elvin Jones:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9I4dLLA2lk8

Someone who has gotten conspicuously little attention on this thread.  Slow tempos separate the (wo)men from the boys:

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







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