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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
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
One of my favorites. Love the period instruments / instrumentation. Nice history lesson. Seems as if every country is proud of their history, except us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q27aV-IiQWo

Cheers
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
4,494 posts
 
Never heard the chorus / soloists like this on any LP / CD I have ever heard. Quite a contrast in style between Barenboim, and the French conductor on the Handel pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJQ32q2k8Uo

Recommend everyone check out all The 'Proms' youtubes.

Cheers
learsfool
1,206 posts
 
Hi guys - I would like your opinions on this, especially Frogman's. I don't agree with everything in it, but it is definitely food for thought.

http://dyske.com/paper/778
mitch4t's avatar
mitch4t
1,486 posts
 
.
Lears...very interesting piece. Thank you for sharing. I'm a jazz lover, but I was guilty as hell regarding the Rothko-Monet example...excellent analogy.

Amazingly, I don't listen to very much vocal music because it gets in the way of, or distracts from the instrumental content. Easily 95% of my jazz collection is instrumental.

The next time I see a piece of abstract art, I won't be so dismissive of it. I will be more open and try to look a little deeper. However, It's going to take me another two or three decades to try to figure out Cecil Taylor and Jackson Pollock.
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orpheus10 OP
5,988 posts
 

Learsfool, that was a very thought provoking article. Most people prefer words with their music, we're the ones who are different; however, in the case of jazz, musicians feed off of other musicians, there were many more jazz musicians in the 50's and 60's than now. I'll give you an example; I just picked out two of my favorite albums: Benny Green, "Soul Stirring", consisting of highly prominent sidemen who are stars in their own right: Gene Ammons, Sonny Clark, and Alvin Jones were jazz stars who also led groups. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers consisted of so many stars down through the years to even include Wynton Marsalis, that the jazz had to be top quality. The album "Moanin", consisted of Lee Morgan, trumpet; Benny Golson, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; and of course Art Blakey on drums. When just two LP's are loaded with so many greats, the music couldn't go wrong. Back then, people who were into popular vocal music, had a few jazz LP's because they liked the music.

Although these tunes came into my collection without vocals, here are some with vocals on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CA81pRYtEXc

Here's the same tune by Andre Previn;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZKzTMr1M5E

Now for Horace Silver, "Senor Blues";

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRdlvzIEz-g

This is a vocal version;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpPXgjsjgAw

While I enjoy both versions of my favorite jazz tunes, the bottom line is the original as it was first composed.

Enjoy the music.
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