Jazz for aficionados

Ghosthouse, I was listening to "Something Else" by Cannonball Adderley, released on Blue Note Records in 1958. Also on the session is trumpeter Miles Davis in one of his handful of recording dates for Blue Note.

Cannonball Adderley – alto saxophone
Miles Davis – trumpet
Hank Jones – piano
Sam Jones – bass
Art Blakey – drums


                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLPW93VIVgs


This is the complete album, and I would like to know your honest opinion of this album, as well as all the rest of the aficionados out there?

"Somethin Else" has been one of my favorite albums since it came out. I would like to point out one small detail that's easily overlooked; that's the fact that "Something" on that album is spelled "Somethin" minus the "G"; but however you spell it, it still sounds good.

The music ranges from beautiful ballads to the hardest of "hard-bop", and all the musicians are in fine form. The tunes are: "Autumn Leaves", "Love for Sale", "Somethin Else", "One for Daddy-O" and "Dancing In The Dark"; don't forget to give me your review and rating of this album.




Enjoy this music.

O-10 makes some be very good points that one could say really go without saying.  When listening to music one doesn't have to please anyone but ourselves.  We sometimes "grow into" a genre and jazz being an evolving art form we sometimes have to grow into the different periods of the music.  Sometimes it takes time and more exposure to "get it".  And all that goes to a personal choice which is probably heavily influenced by our respective personalities and the place that each of us has for music in our lives; the relationship.  Some listeners approach the experience with an open mind to all the possibilities and with the firm knowledge that what there is to "get" is not always understood right away as the backdrop.  Or, is the backdrop that the scale is always firmly tipped to the side of what we currently like?  Iow, do we demand that challenging music always prove itself to us right away?  Or, are we comfortable with the idea that sometimes we have to prove ourselves to it as listeners?  It is, after all, the musician who is the artist.  Just some ruminations on what I find is a very rich subject.

Ghosthouse, I must say that I am surprised that you found so little to like in "Pilgrimage".  "undifferentiated mass of noodling"?  Wow!  Structure and blowing that is admittedly much more abstract than in things like "Three Quartets", but still very rich in those regards.  In fact, widely considered Brecker's best writing and most inspired blowing.  You do well to want to come back to it at some point later on and I have a strong feeling that you will come to appreciate it.  After all, in keeping with O-10's comment about "strong concensus", there aren't that many records that receive such strong positive concensus as that one.  

This was Brecker's first solo record; might put some things in context and in some ways my favorite of his solo recordings.  Great lineup too:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLloUaOFZpOhcaevThkk-rW70srfO6LwYI&params=OAFIAVgC&v=sm-CSR...

O - listened to "Somethin’ Else". Interesting feel to it. Overall, more laid back than expected. Seemed more akin to some of that West Coast Jazz you posted. A classic album I’m sure. Liked the arrangements and playing. I enjoy Miles’ muted trumpet sound. It almost sounds like he’s playing two notes at once when he first comes in on Autumn Leaves. Overall though, it isn’t something I feel compelled to own. Not enough there to hold my interest - for whatever reason. That isn’t by any means a comment about the quality of the music.  Regret not to being able to respond to your suggestion with greater enthusiasm.  Do appreciate your patience, interest and sharing.

Frogman - I probably could have been a little more diplomatic and less dismissive by choosing another word than "noodling". I absolutely DO appreciate some music requires more effort to enter. But for me, with that sort of music, it seems to leave a little seed behind that draws me back. No sense of that with the first 3 tracks on Pilgrimage. They just had me wondering "Why? What’s the point?" Maybe I was tired during that audition. Anyway, as mentioned, I’ll try going back. Tumbleweed did seem to be more accessible.

I’m playing that S/T Michael Brecker you posted a link to. "Choices" is up now...3/7 from The Cult of Michael Brecker playlist. This track I am liking. However the opening of Syzygy induced that same "What the heck?!" reaction as Pilgrimage. "Dude, I know you can play! Do you have to beat me over the head with it?" Less would be more, I think. My Bro in Law has talked about "musician’s music". In fact I remember him bringing over a Brecker Bros. LP way way long time ago. Think that’s the way he referred to that LP. Maybe that’s the case for Pilgrimage. I acknowledge Brecker’s technical excellence (even though I’m not adequately trained to fully understand it).  Don’t always connect emotionally with what he is doing. On the other hand Tales from the Hudson works very well and this S/T debut has promise.  Pretty certain I’ll revisit his debut sooner rather than later.  Thanks to you too for the patience and sharing.

We are the music we like; as I stated previously, it began when we first wiggled our little buns to the music we liked; blues, rock, pop, or even Blue Grass.

Jazz is a language that speaks to some and not to others; Portuguese is the only language that seems to speak to me, even though I don't understand a single solitary word, but I like the sound of the words. Maybe jazz in general is a language that doesn't speak to you.

Now that you have sampled several different categories of jazz, you can choose which turns you on the most.


Enjoy the music.