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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
frogman
7,472 posts
 
Actually Rok, the Youtube link of Alfredo Rodiguez that I posted above perfectly illustrates what I am talking about. The rhythmic structure is clearly rooted in "clave" (Africa), the form of the composition and the improvisation around it is clearly rooted in European (Spanish) tradition, and the harmonic flavor of the piece is derived primarily from the use of the harmonic minor scale (Arab). A perfect hybrid: Latin stuff.

Regards.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
Senor Rodiguez is quite the virtuoso. Jazz? If you insist. It could have come from a practice book. The Goldberg variations of the Jazz world?

The point is this. If someone wants to play a Jazz number with a 'spanish' or 'arabic' or middle eastern motif, that does not mean those types of music are the building blocks of Jazz. A lot of Jazz has been played with spanish and middle eastern motifs. Written and played by people in the USA. Even in New Orleans! if means nothing. Like Dvorak and his 9th. American themes, indian and black. Does that mean Indians and Blacks or Americans are components of the essance of european classical music?

I can sing the Star Spangled Banner in German. Means nothing. It does not make it German music.

Nice try.

Cheers
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
"Ok, take away the Spanish, and Arab components and what is left? Drumming?"

You might want to reconsider this.

Cheers
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Chazro, with the exception of Paquito, whose more into jazz, the other Cuban musicians play very beautiful Cuban music. They have followed a historic lineage, and they've done it very well. That's not to say they're imitating the past, but improvising on it, and incorporating new music of their own. That new music is still distinctly Cuban.

This is not a matter of "old versus new", but what sounds beautiful and sensual according to my musical sensibilities. Those are two traits the new musicians retained, as they must for authentic Cuban music. I liked them very much, and they will be added to my collection.

Enjoy the music.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Rok, we're discovering the same thing at the same time, and it's so absurd. Everything with an African origin is changed to something else. If you recall the soundtracks to old movies with a Brazilian or Mexican settings, that was "Afro Cuban music". Some people have a "photographic" memory, I have a "phonographic" memory. I recall when I was in my early teens, seeing a movie titled "In Brazil" with Glen Ford, and there were several dance scenes, and the music was the same as what I heard on this CD titled "Cuban All stars", that's what I'm talking about. They never gave the people who created the music credit for it.

Enjoy the music.
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