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
You crack me up, Rok. There is so much incongruity and contradiction in many of your views that I sometimes wonder if it's all a joke. Here we have a person who is staunchly "conservative" with his opinions on jazz, but is eager to credit "the masses" for knowing what excels and what does not.

****Once again you miss the point. I thought it was composed as a Ballet?****

Really? Given the above, who do you think is really missing the point. The person who makes clear and factual commentary about the piece, or the person who doesn't even know that the piece was not a ballet, nor can notice all of the mentioned problems with a performance of it. You cut yourself way too much slack.

****Ravel: Of course he wrote other pieces of music. They appear as FILLER, on every copy of BOLERO I own. And if you don't understand how ONE piece can make a career, well you have not been paying attention to the music business.****

I don't know what to say. However, I will say that I am still waiting for a cogent explanation about how the masses are who decide what is good when it is the masses who deem the likes of Kenny G, Madonna, etc. as worthy of their support.

****Public ignores all his 'serious' stuff****

You really do to get out more often.

****Paris: I read that report in one of the British Magazines that did a spread on either Bolero or Ravel. I am almost sure of that. Can't remember which one. I have tooo many to try and find it. I stand by the qoute. I remember it well.****

I believe you have the premiers of Bolero and Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" mixed up. It was the notorious premier of "Rite" that caused the well documented "riot", not Bolero. Oh, that's right...it's another case of "don't bother me with the facts, I will just create my own private reality".

****Pictures!! One of my favorites. Orchestrating other folks compositions, is not the same as writing your own. I have made my point, so I will concede he did do other things. Like a lot of one hit wonders.****

It really must be a joke. "one hit wonder"? Incredible!

BTW, Did you listen to the Muti Bolero? How about some commentary
about that performance?
Re the Africa thing and your last post. Please reread what has been said about this. You have blinders on because the idea that your long-held views could be off base is apparently difficult to digest. No one (O-10) said anything about drums in the US; rather, the Caribbean. You obviously did not read my explanation on "influence" vs creation, nor the comment about the instruments being simply a means to an end.

Frogman, I was just joking about the drum, but seriously, how long did it take for African slaves to cease their "Africanity" (new word) and simply become their own people. Even "genetically", some African Americans are more European than African. Remember, one drop of African blood constitutes being an African American; some African Americans have blue eyes and straight hair, they can pass for white. There is nothing that can be traced back to present day African Americans, and that is what makes "Bird" so unique, when you listen to "Bird" as intently as I do, a whole new music was born, I call it "Bird Bop".

Now when you use the word INFLUENCE, almost nothing can be invalidated; however, I can separate Bird from Trane, when Trane is blowing; there was more of Bird in early Trane, but before he died, there was pure "Trane", without any Bird.

Enjoy the music.

Frogman, we've been into the evolution of jazz in relation to Africa, from slavery to the present; I wonder how it would go if we went in reverse; I mean what music in Africa that has been influenced by jazz from here.

Acman could lead this parade, I believe he has been into African oriented jazz from Africa.

Enjoy the music.
Frogman, why do you waste your time and effort to even bother with such a complete fool ?