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.
Tamba Trio - Tempo - 1964 - Full Album On the Tamba Trio - Tempo 1964 - Full Album I could not find separate songs of this particular album on YouTube, only a full rip, so anyway, please enjoy!
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Wow -- lucky you! I grew up in the lower Hudson Valley (Middletown) but was too young to drive at that point.
I don’t think this comes easily for anyone.
I’d suggest this requirement is not limited to Jazz.
I heartily concur.
I don’t view a tendency to reserve one’s deepest admiration for the class of artists you describe as purely an expression of romanticism, but it’s possible I’m a romantic, too, and as such simply don’t recognize the associated bias in my own perceptions. There have been, of course, many excellent artists in all genres who’ve hewed to tradition -- both in terms of aesthetics, conception and ways of working. Who’s to say that "renegades" are objectively superior to "academic" artists? Well, I do. . . so it would seem we’re in the same camp! ;o)
@ezywind
Fair enough. I’m not a deadhead and don’t pretend to understand that world or the "ragged but right" aesthetic/ethos. I value more mainstream conceptions of musicianship -- playing in time, in tune, etc. More to the point, you’d be mistaken if you’re assuming I’m not aware that audiences can and do significantly contribute to such "elevated" interludes during live musical performances! |
"The Grateful Dead coined the phrase "the music plays the band" to refer to this phenomena and it seems as good as any. Once experienced, it’s unmistakable and when musicians access this state, there’s no way the audience won’t be swept along." As a veteran of nearly 100 Dead shows, I can attest that it was more than just the audience being "swept along." Members of the Dead have acknowledged many times that it was a two way street and that they fed off the energy of the audience, without which the music would not have been the same. Of course, the Dead may have been somewhat unique in that regard. I've attended countless shows by other bands and performers from various genres, and similar experiences have been rare, at least from my perspective as an audience member. The Allman Brothers had something like that going on with their audiences, but I can't think of any others. |
Im thinking my days of buying of physical media might be over. I only bought one CD this year and only listened to it maybe twice. I have close to two thousand CD’s and about triple that ripped on a NAS. We have Qobuz and Amazon HD, so I can listen to most anything I want and if the album isn’t on either service, then I’ll buy a copy. And Happy Happy-Merry Merry to you and yours. |
Chet Baker's album, Chet, was recommended to me as truly stunning by a few members of this forum, and I wholeheartedly agree. I don't have anything close to the depth of jazz knowledge that many of you have, but I love this album and it's now part of my regular rotation. Thanks for all the new recommendations! |
619 pages of aficionados’ jazz about jazz recordings with a pleasant overlap with psychological and physical links that exhibit between performers and their audience....👍 Please, carry on....I just fell in the door, and it’s easy to continue to call it a day.... Or night....*L* Or just over ’n out.... ) ( No, I haven't read it all....) |
Great post! i concur with your analysis according to Buber... Between musicians and the public there is a mystery space, where the musicians do not enter nor the public but the 2 are transformed by the felt space of meaning, spontaneously created, by those playing and by those listening, a space from which their consciousness is excluded .
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@stuartk If we consider an art as a form of expression (that later becomes 'validated' as such thru different reasons, standards, morals and time) and by looking in many forms of it, it seems to me that there many possible conclusions, as well as there are many different men, (artists) why and how people choose to express themself .(thru some art form). Every art form at some point in time was considered as a 'modern' art and not necessarily excepted, neither by public or by critics, so I think that it would be interesting to know what inner forces exactly drove some of the great artist that made them endure in their work despite all odds. As we all know, there are many of them who failed to gain any recognition during their life and still they did not change the way they create. Of course, there are many others who are or were the opposite example. I admit, I am always more intrigued by the ones who lived and created things following their own rules or mindset, but thats probably because of my romanticism. Blame it on my youth. |
@mahgister. Your comment that between musician and audience is very often not related I suppose could apply to any creative work! And I would agree. The in between time-space that Martin Buber speaks to in “I Thou” and his I It I think convincingly expresses that mysterious experience where both participants are changed as a result, but not in any preconceived way. Being unrelated is in my opinion not only true oftentimes but also irrelevant. |
@stuartk Thanks again for your insights from a musician’s perspective! BTW I was at the live Allman Brothers Fillmore East concert and from my memory it was like walking into an alternate reality that I didn’t want to end and which is a great example of what I was trying to communicate in my rather awkward choice of words. At least for me trying to put words to non-verbal experiences is challenging and in my comments it was hurriedly written. So thank you very much again for taking your time to respond. |
Hmm. . . I’m not so sure, now that I’ve had more time to reflect. I found performing equally rewarding and frustrating and for me, that phase was short-lived. However, I’ve known guys who would most likely not play at all were they not able to gig! Performing is where most of the enjoyment lies, for them. On the other hand, one must garner sufficient enjoyment from playing alone in order to accrue the skills necessary to play out and not be laughed off the stage. So this brings us back around to pleasing one’s self. |
Any artist listen to his inspiration and is moved or motivated sometimes by other artists but not the public. Save small artist in need of recognition. But when he create any artist must be oblivious of anything else, even of fellow artist work. But improvising jazz with fellow musician is a collective work. The musician must listen the other one or the result will be unbalanced.
Thanks for the Blake anecdote by Huxley... I admire Blake beyond almost anyone... I think he was a prophetizing archangel raging to walk without wings.
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There is a story, I believe written by A.Huxley, where he writes that at one point in time W.Blake met young Constable who was just finishing one of his paintings. Blake, very impressed seeing it, said that painting is a pure inspiration, on which Constable replied that he ment it to be a landscape. I would dare to say that relation between artist, or his work and audience is often not related |
Sorry for my careless sentence construction. I meant the greatest reward/top goal for some players, including me, in playing in a group is accessing that state wherein "the music plays the band". There’s a sense of being propelled along by a powerful force or "riding a wave" that’s incredibly exhilarating/intoxicating. It cannot be made to happen but when all the right conditions are met, magic can occur. |
Thanks for the clarification. Now I understand! I’m not sure that all artists would agree that moving the listener is their top priority, though. We creatives tend to be extremely critical of our work so I’d venture that most artists aim to please themselves first and foremost. In terms of playing music in a group situation, the highest reward may vary from player to player but for many (including me), those moments when everyone is locked in together and the music becomes a channel for a mysterious power that "appears out of nowhere" and dramatically ups the intensity level is something familiar to many players although they may not be able to name it. The Grateful Dead coined the phrase "the music plays the band" to refer to this phenomena and it seems as good as any. Once experienced, it’s unmistakable and when musicians access this state, there’s no way the audience won’t be swept along. I don’t know your musical tastes, but my first exposure to this as a listener was when I was in high school, courtesy of the Allman Brothers Live at Fillmore East album, particularly Whipping Post and Elisabeth Reed. There are, of course, many many other examples. I’ve certainly experienced this with live Jazz, especially with the Dave Holland Quintet. I’m not much of a Classical fan, so I can’t speak about how this might manifest in this genre. As a listener, my top priority is emotional engagement, so I can relate to the value you place on this. |
Re the interesting topic discussed by jaym759 and stuartk and not meaning to disappoint listeners’ expectations or put too fine a point on things, but while I agree with most of what I think jaym759 is trying to say this comment is not accurate: ” I would strongly suggest that for a musician their ultimate goal is to truly move the audience.” The ultimate, first and foremost goal of musicians is to move, and by doing so, gain the respect and admiration of the peers/colleagues that they are playing with. By doing so, the performance achieves the highest level possible. There is no disrespect intended to the listener; quite the contrary.
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thanks for taking time to respond to my comments…sorry to add any confusion. So let me try it this way. I would strongly suggest that for a musician their ultimate goal is to truly move the audience. My point is that for me the music I am familiar with has been the non-verbal emotional quality of a specific piece and not comparisons with other works. When I imply that a particular piece is fit (which I can see how this was not clear to you) is my way of saying that if the listener is truly moved than that is doing justice to what I assume to be the ultimate goal of a musician. |
Not sure I follow you. Yes; we all have our favorites and these may differ substantially from one person to another. As an example, in your case, you mention the particular affection you harbor for Coltrane’s "My Favorite Things". Clear enough, so far. But you lose me here:
How does individual preference "do justice to" musicians? And what do you mean by "fit to" ? Compared to what? Which criterion would be "unfit" ? I’m not arguing semantics, here. I honestly don’t understand what you are intending to communicate.
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When I am reviewing all of these comments I can’t help but returning to a conclusion of how subjective opinions are about “favorite” albums. Back in my day it was possible to go into a record store or a store that sold records, and be able to audition before purchasing. And at the ripe old age of 16 or thereabouts I was entranced with Coltrane’s version of My Favorite Things; a work so beautifully performed that my adolescent sturm und strung floated away. My love of jazz started then, and many albums since Coltrane have moved me but like not My Favorite Things…mystically onomatopoeia…Until listening to Yusuf Lateef’s Eastern Sounds on Love Theme from Spartacus, a track that for me fortifies and conveys the beauty of tragic love without a word to convey it. Which brings me to this conclusion: any music that moves you to feeling deeply is the only criterion that is fit to do justice to the incredible musicians who move us like no other and right in our listening rooms. IMHO |
https://forum.audiogon.com/users/stuartk
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Lou Donaldson - Blues Walk (One night with Blue Note) [HQ] @frogman Will do! This is the place I come to get ’new’ music. Sometimes I’m overwhelmed by the amount of outstanding and high quality sound of music that’s posted here as I’m always playing catchup to the marvelous music posted here. @curiousjim You are so right! ++++ on Consummation! @acman3 You are killing it, with all those glorious posts here. Keep it up!
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I enjoy Abraham Burton’s version of Laura. His interpretation is a bit slower and probably a bit heavier on the sax. Very nice sound to my ears. Laura
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Thanks, @tyray ! Don’t be a stranger. |
Ronnie Scott’s Presents: Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio Livestream I found this, this weekend and wanted to share with you all even if it has already been posted? Please enjoy!
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Great stuff, @acman3 , thanks. My favorite big band and one of my favorite arrangers. Right back at you: |
Listening to Miles Davis, Miles 54, The Prestige Recordings. (2024) Below is the synopsis from Qobuz.
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