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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
acman3
4,229 posts
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRHlceEfWmY
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Acman, thank you for "Detroit"; it's a city where so many great jazz musicians came from, Gerald Wilson graduated from Cass Technical High School (one of his classmates was saxophonist Wardell Gray).

His composition was elegant and beautiful, like so many of the people in Detroit when I visited the city.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

The vast majority of African Americans were descendants of slaves who were not permitted to even learn how to read and write; the Japanese, the Chinese, the Jews, and most of the Europeans came to this country with education, and Entrepreneurial Skills; while African Americans only knew how to earn a living by the sweat of their brows.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyBZnLuNJ7k


When this country pulled the plug for jobs in this country, African Americans were stranded wherever they were, and if Detroit was that place, that's the way it was.

Thank God for America, it throws people in a hole in the ground, (over a period of 100 years), and tells them to pull them selves up by their boot straps.


nsp
653 posts
 
frogman
I agreed with your observations on the East Coast/West Coast discussion but have a question concerning your example of Art Pepper as a poor sight reader. Having read his autobiography ,and  numerous articles over the years I never saw anything alluding to this fact. Since he performed in Kenton's BB and also Buddy Rich's band in the 60's I would think he would have to be a good sight reader, Just wondering where you read this.
I  am listening to versions of "Everything Happens To Me" and will get back to you with observations.
pjw81563
1,829 posts
 
nsp, I agree about Art Pepper, By the way I’m also a completist when it comes to Art Pepper recordings and exchanged emails with his widow Laurie about 6-7 years ago when she started the "Unreleased Art" project to get out as much of his post heroin addiction years in the mid to late 70’s and early 80’s. I have read "Straight Life" myself and it is a wonderful book.


Stan Getz was not only a wonderful reader of sheet music but also had a photographic memory. I read his autobiography many years ago and IIRC Jack Teagarden took him out on the road when he was 16 or 17, much to the chagrin of his school truancy officer who paid a visit to his family. After Jack auditioned him, He liked his command of the tenor sax and his ability to read  music. Stan played a few of the regulars Jack was playing during his concerts and the first show Stan played when the songbook was put in front of him he flipped it aside!!



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