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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
mitch4t's avatar
mitch4t
1,486 posts
 

Check out "I Called Him Morgan" on Netflix streaming.

It is a documentary about the the life of the great jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan and the circumstances of his death.

Great footage of Lee performing and outstanding photographs by Francis Wolf of Blue Note Records.
Fantastic viewing.

Also, check out "Afraid Of The Dark", a documentary about Nat King Cole...also excellent viewing.


alexatpos
500 posts
 
Nat King Cole and his trio, ’After Midnight’ session from 1956.
His last jazz oriented album, joined with several guest soloists...

https://youtu.be/vHZJP2pfv6I

https://youtu.be/Y8Jhb8dUbxc

https://youtu.be/4tTd0HiGIpY



frogman
4,637 posts
 
Fabulous clips, Alex; thanks! Like some of the great arrangers like Oliver Nelson and Thad Jones whose skill and fame as orchestrators causes one to almost forget what wonderful instrumentalists they also were, Nat Cole’s stature as a pianist and stylist is sometimes overlooked because he was such a great singer. Fantastic piano player:

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

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-1PNCak8mAI

The great Ray Charles (another great piano player known mainly as a singer) talks about Nat Cole the piano player (at 7:10):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=716GbRD--IU

fourwnds's avatar
fourwnds
261 posts
 
Does anyone else feel like John Abercrombie's last record title Up and Coming was a wryly humorous wink and wave goodbye. Maybe I'm reading too much into it. Anyway great record. 
frogman
4,637 posts
 
Very possibly. He was known, as you suggest, for his wry sense of humor. Great player and great loss. I’ll never forget the first time I heard his playing. I was a sophomore in high school (1975) and just starting to discover jazz and jazz saxophone in particular. In this case it was "fusion". My band director said to me "You got to hear this guy" and played me this record. It was Michael Brecker on Billy Cobham’s "Crosswinds". On that record the guitarist was John Abercrombie:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z2tNB-tQjiE

The tune that introduced me to Michael Brecker:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l-b_h8i9eWU
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