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
The Philadelphia Expeiment featuring Christian McBride. You old heads need to give it up for these cats. A great tribute to Mr. Grover Washington Jr.

https://youtu.be/75g7bSJ_JVE

Cheers
The original “Sugar” IS smoking. One of my favorites in the CTI catalog. I haven’t always been a fan of CTI’s sometimes overproduced studio sound, but that one is a classic. Here’s one by some young guys with a couple of the “old heads” onboard. Bobby Malach has one of the nicest modern tenor sounds of all the young (ish) post-Coltrane tenor guys, but for me it’s trumpeter Brian Lynch that really tears it up on this one:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qSXAamw5Fc4

bluesy, I liked the Philadelphia Project clip, especially “Just The Two Of Us”; McBride sounds great. Had a little trouble finding the magic in “Mr. Magic”. Nice, but for me “Mr. Magic” is so much about the rhythmic groove of the original that the tune kinda gets lost when playing with in such loose way; I kept thinking it was a very long introduction to the tune that never came. Boy does this bring back memories for this old head:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jvdy6khEmA


Grover was an underrated saxophone player, imo.  Often lumped in with the “smooth jazz” saxophone crowd who typically don’t get much respect as “serious” players, he was actually a really good player who could play very sensitively and delicately when he needed to; unlike a lot of the obnoxious (to me) sounding smooth jazz saxophone guys.  This is a beautiful and interesting record.  His take on some of the most beautiful operatic songs or arias ever written.  Very sweet soprano saxophone sound:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DBTao1tRkis

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wdav76y0asY

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FI3of1s4ed4

"Desmond Blue" is one of the most beautiful tunes ever recorded, and that includes the cover;  that girl very closely resembles my high school honey, including the scarf.


Paul Desmond – alto saxophone
Albert Richman – French horn (tracks 1-4, 8 & 9)
Phil Bodner (tracks 5-7), Robert Doty (track 1), George Marge (track 1), Romeo Penque (tracks 2-9), Stan Webb (tracks 2-4, 8 & 9) – woodwinds
Gloria Agostini (tracks 2-9), Eugene Bianco (track 1) – harp
Jim Hall – guitar
Gene Cherico (track 1), Milt Hinton (tracks 2-9) – bass
Connie Kay (track 1), Bobby Thomas (tracks 2-9) – drums
Unidentified string section conducted by Bob Prince



Jim hall is especially outstanding on this album.



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT5zGYaUN_Q

Frogman, my collection is full of Grover; even the pictures of him on the cover of his LP’s are highly significant; his dress was the casual epitome of style for whatever time they appear, and similar articles of clothing could be found in my own wardrobe.