Jazz for aficionados

Recent listen:

Paquito D'Rivera -- Portraits of Cuba (arranged and conducted by Carlos Franzetti)

This is the most disappointing CD I have heard in years. The Cover art is great. Shows a very young Paquito in white tails and white shoes in the middle of a crowded Pre-Castro night club. He is front and center in the classic sax players stance. Head back, looking at the ceiling, blowing!! You just know this is gonna be some good stuff. Wrong!

There is no music here. At least no Cuban or Afro-Cuban music. The musicians are professionals. They don't play out of tune or time. They just don't say anything. So I thought maybe it's just me. So I go to Amazon for other points of view.. A few cheerleaders gave it five stars. But the following review I copied because it addresses the problem.

*************A nice mellow sound for background music, but nothing with salsa to make you want to samba or such. No Latin or African influences are audible.
Published on October 23, 1999"**************

And this won the Grammy for best Latin Jazz record in 1997! hahahahahha That shows how much a Grammy is worth. I think that arranger is the problem! I know it's not Paquito!! Just like old Siegfried and Wolfgang on 'Soul to Jazz'. And Bill Potts on 'The Jazz Soul of Porgy and Bess'. They always wanna make it mo' better.

This is a lousy example of truth in advertising! The cover art and the pictures inside say one thing, the music is all together different. What was Paquito thinking! He didn't even use Latin musicians.

Defender La Musica
Antes de que sea Demasiado Tarde!!


Cheers

Today's Playlist:

Dorothy Donegan -- Dorothy Romps (a piano retrospective 1953-1979)

Frogman, check out this left hand playing!
She lives up to the name on the CD. She Romps!! She does it all, Boogie-Woogie, Stride, Blues and Bop. The booklet that came with the CD is excellent reading.
She was quite an independent woman / player, which didn't set well with the Jazz old guard. She being a woman and all.
George Shearing refused to share a billing with her. Oscar Peterson would, only if she used his trio. But interestingly, both Ellington and Basie INVITED her to play with them. I guess class does always tell. Did I mention she plays boogie-woogie? I love it.


Hampton Hawes -- Hampton Hawes Trio Vol. 1

with / Red Mitchell on bass, Chuck Thompson on drums
Very fine piano playing. Hawes is supposed to be a West Coast guy, in the coast wars. A coolster? I think he is just a fabulous piano player.

His music is intricate, but accessible, the ideal situation in Jazz. His playing is a joy to listen to and follow. OJC recording so you know it's good.


Lena Horne -- Being Myself

Lena was 81 when this was recorded. Her voice shows her age in any objective, technical evaluation. But, in an emotional sense, she is right on target.
All the tunes are standards. If you want her at her best, get her much younger. But if you can visualize her, or know anything about her, this is just fine.

I read a story about her once. She was at a Military base performing during World War ll. The audience consisted of Black G.I.s and German prisoners of war. Of course, due to the prevailing 'conditions', the Germans were seated up front. Lena promptly left the stage, walked back to the first row of Black soldiers, and began to sing! With the uber alles boys at her back.
In the 1940's that took guts. Esp for a woman. A black woman. In show business. Where her livelihood, depended on the whims of others.

This is her last recording. It's important to me, because she was
Such a beauty! Such a talent!! And a Great and Brave American! I am glad she did this CD. Glad it's on Blue Note. And I'm glad to have it.

BTW,
She looks 35 on the CD cover!

Cheers

While Paquito wasn't "Afro Cuban", it was still music that had a Cuban flair, and I'm thinking about ordering it.

Dorothy Donegan's "Boogie Woogie" was historic and interesting as well.

Say "Lena Horne", and I think "Stormy Weather"; yes she was very beautiful. Sunday must be a good day for nostalgia, because I've enjoyed this trip down memory lane.

Enjoy the music.

"A Night In Tunisia", from the LP, "The Cooker" by Lee Morgan, has to be the most fantastic version of that jam ever. It features Lee Morgan on trumpet; Pepper Adams, Baritone sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; and Philly Joe Jones, drums.

Pepper Adams is to the baritone sax what Lee Morgan is to the trumpet; the best ever, according to aficionados. Pepper blew on this jam like there would be no tomorrow, and he had to get every last note in that he was going to ever blow, on this jam.

Although it was headed by Lee Morgan, everybody gave Pepper the floor cause "He wanna blow now". Even Gabriel and the angels had to stop and listen. "Blow your horn, Blow your horn", that's what Gabriel said. "I can't wait to get some more Pepper Adams and Lee Morgan", that's what Orpheus said.

Enjoy the music.

Jacques Loussier Trio "Bach The Brandenburgs"
A Jazz interpretation