Jazz for aficionados

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.

Hey there O - Funny you should make that comment about Portuguese.  Learned a little Spanish.  Grew up around Italian.  For various reasons been exposed in the last few years to (Brazilian) Portuguese from native speakers.  I expect there's a difference from that spoken in Portugual proper, never the less, it has struck me as the most beautiful sounding language - and like you, I understand none of it.    

"...jazz in general is a language that doesn't speak to you."  - broadly speaking, that might be the case, but I'll continue to look for the exceptions that do.  

Turning the tables a bit, what's your reaction to Brecker's African Skies?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCOAvvumyWg

@orpheus10 Based on your post above, I recommend you listen to the song, "Sing in Portuguese" by Randy Stonehill on the "Wonderama" album (1992). It is a song for his grandmother, who was Portuguese, and it is hard not to like--although nothing close to jazz.
Regarding "Somethin' Else" I would add my voice to those that thoroughly enjoy this record. I own it as both a redbook CD (RBCD) and SACD. It is one of the few SACDs that I find rewardingly worth the SACD price paid for the difference between the RBCD and the SACD. There is absolutely nothing wrong with my RBCD version; the Analogue Productions SACD on my system simply sounds better to me. I consider Adderley's version of "Autumn Leaves" my favorite rendition of that jazz standard, which many artists have covered. "Alison's Uncle aka Bangoon" is also contained on my SACD (might be on others' RBCDs too). It is a terrific tune. According to Michael Cuscuna in the SACD liner notes, "In the early '80s, when I discovered an unissued tune from Cannonball Adderley's "Somethin' Else" album, I contacted the woman who handled publishing for Cannonball and Nat Adderley. She couldn't find a trace of music for the piece, but assumed that it must have been written by Nat Adderley since Cannonball didn't write very much. Because Nat's daughter was born on the exact day of the recording session, she gave it the title, "Alison's Uncle" (meaning Cannonball). And that is how it initially came out. Years later someone with keen ears pulled our coats to the fact that it was actually "Bangoon" written by Hank Jones and previously recorded by both Donald Byrd and Gigi Gryce." I guess that explains the absence of the music in the Adderley publishing archives....    

The Beatles- Sgt Pepper 50th edition.