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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
7,859 posts
 

*****The majority of jazz aficionados like I said up thread are "stuck" in the old days listening to the greats of the 1940 -1970 era.*****


I plead guilty. I am also STUCK in the past when I listen to The Blues and Classical Music. Still stuck in the Mississippi delta with Muddy Waters and B.B. King et al. And for some reason I just can’t get past Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and folks like that. Hell, I still listen, by choice, to Motown and doo-wop. I wonder why that is?


****Name ONE trumpet player? ONE piano player? ONE bass player? ONE drummer?*****

I think you are confusing, mastering the ability to play an instrument, with making a contribution to the art form called Jazz. Current day players are better ’schooled’ in playing music and mastering their instrument.


*****Likewise Stanley Clarke could hold his own with Charles Mingus on bass to name a modern bass representative.*****

No one thinks ’Bass player’ when Mingus’ name is mentioned.. He was so much more than that. Ellington: Piano player?


*****Jeremy Pelt and Roy Hargrove come very close to Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Kenny Dorham and Donald Byrd on trumpet*****

Surely you jest!! No one, and I mean No one, can touch Wynton Marsalis playing the Trumpet. Greatest Jazz trumpet players? The list would have to be very long for him to be on it. But, he is so much more to Jazz than a trumpet player.


It’s not about how well you can play the instrument, it’s about what contribution did you make to the art form.

Miles once said, there is nothing a person can do on trumpet that Louis Armstrong has not done already. This means, making a significant contribution gets harder as time goes on.


No one is stuck.  We are there by choice.

Cheers





pryso
1,933 posts
 
frog, and others in this discussion, what qualifies as a "newbie"?  Some of this seems like anyone still alive! ;^)

One of those Lovano links was 23 years old!  He was born in 1952!!

For me, and this is arbitrary, I'd say someone not yet past their 20s and who has not been on the national stage for more than about five years.


frogman
7,457 posts
 
Good question and I personally agree with your criteria.  However, as concerns this particular discussion, since it was pjw who first used the term and who suggested that aficionados were stuck with players from the 1940-1970 era ........

**** many jazz aficionados seem to get "stuck" in the 1940-1970 era sax players and never give the up and coming modern players a listen. Sure I agree that Coltrane, Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Sonny Stitt et al were masters of their profession but besides a handful like Lou Donaldson (who I have seen 7 times), Wayne Shorter (2 times) they are all gone now and I don’t think Rollins can play live anymore. Give the newbies a listen you may be impressed. ****
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pjw81563
1,829 posts
 
"No one thinks ’Bass player’ when Mingus’ name is mentioned.. He was so much more than that. Ellington: Piano player?"

Now if you include the word influential when describing great jazz artist I see your point. Ellington, Mingus, and Thelonious Monk, who you left out (surely you jest) were highly creative and influential composers in which you cannot say that about all jazz musicians. Bird played mostly standards but he was  one of the greatest all time with that alto. Duke Ellington had to be creative and influential. He had a club to run and shows to put on every night. Again, different eras. So yes, I understand what you mean but only a small percentage of the "old school" jazz artists were unique, creative, influential, ect. The ratio of standards/originals that most of the older jazz artists had on their albums was the same back then as it is today. As far as jazz artists post 1970 - Do they sell a lot or records? No. They love what they do and keep jazz alive for those few of us that still know what it takes to be jazz artist. They also do way more session work as hired guns then the old timers. It helps them get by.

The most influential musician of all time,with just 4 released studio albums, who was also the best on his instrument was Jimi Hendrix IMHO. But your point was made and taken.
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