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
frog, I like this one better (but again I can blame it on my youth) -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcZUPDMXzJ8

Speaking of which, this is admittedly not PC, but as a youngster it was my favorite song in the movie and I loved it -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v2exWrsGOc
We love music and it makes no difference the era. I love Mingus, Ron Carter, Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel that my brother Christian McBride isnt the greatest upright bass player I’ve ever heard. Pay homage and respect for our legends but give love to the new musician who have to fight like hell to keep this dying art form alive. And I agree Stanley Clarke is a musical savant and got to see him at the legendary Jazz Alley in Seattle and he absolutely brought the house down on the upright bass. If you get a chance check out a new young lion Mr. Ben Williams. 

Cheers 
nsp- "I second your recommendation of Art Pepper's "Straight Life" autobiography"

His drug addiction antics, although they seem funny when reading the book, were actually very sad. Stan Getz' autobiography also is filled with dope antics. Getz never did any significant jail time like Pepper did. San Quentin and hanging out with gangsters while serving years all in Art Peppers book!

frogman- "Music reflects the time of its creation and in many ways it was a simpler time back then"

Just quoting your last sentence that was an overall excellent post frogman. 

pryso- "
My interest in jazz developed during the late '50s and '60s, so no surprise that is what I still love best.  At the same time, I try to be open to what fallowed, right up to the present

I did not start listening to jazz until 2002-3, when I turned 40 but of course my first few years I collected the material of all the "old school greats" then started hitting the jazz clubs in NYC and really digged most of the bands I saw so I like the old and new equally.

bluesy41-"but that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel that my brother Christian McBride isnt the greatest upright bass player I’ve ever heard.

I saw McBride once I believe he was playing bass at a Jeff tain Watts show I saw about 8 years ago. It would be hard to choose either him or Stanley Clarke over one or the other. I saw Esperanza Spalding at the Apollo Theater and she plays electric and upright bass awesome. She is almost at the same level as some of the male greats plus she can sing really well. And don't forget about Jaco Pastorious or Victor Wooten when talking about bass players!! 



Jafant

I was curious about your impressions of the new Miles Davis/John Coltrane The Final Tour. How are the solos and what about production/ sound quality. It seems that I have read Coltrane had already left Miles but agreed to stay on for this tour. I was wondering did Coltranes style already evolve tothe point where he didn't fit Miles concept ?Was the music taken from various dates or from one concert? I have a 2 fer lp set from Stockholm in 1960 and do not know if this latest lp is just a rehash of that concert. Anyone else h ave any impressions/thoughts?
nsp-
Coltrane left halfway through the tour and was replace by Sonny Stitt. I have all of these concerts on separate cd's already so I have no need for the new "bootleg" set. The Coltrane interview is from the Stockholm cd here. 
https://www.amazon.com/Stockholm-1960-Complete-Miles-Davis/dp/B00000AW2R/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=U...

This 4 disc set is awesome you get The March 1960 concert with Coltrane on tenor. Sometime later he left the European tour to get started with his new band which, after some changes in musician personnel, was settled by 1961 with the famous Impulse Recording production lineup of Elvin Jones on percussion, McCoy Tyner on piano, and Reggie Workman, shortly replaced Permanently by Jimmy Garrison on bass. The return  October 1960 concert at Stockholm had Sonny Stitt on both tenor and alto. Miles was not to happy with this arrangement.