Jazz for aficionados

We made a wrong turn, I hope we can acknowledge that fact, drop it 100% and move on. Otherwise we all lose.

Never before have I been in a conversation with so many astute jazz aficionados. They can contribute to the most important aspect of an audiophile's enjoyment, and that is "good" new music. "New" in this case being music you haven't heard before.

Frogman demonstrated his expertise in two musical genres. I mentioned a movie by the wrong title, and made a comment about the music. He came back with the movie by it's correct title, who wrote the soundtrack, and why the music was Cuban as opposed to Brazilian. Next, he posted on "Tina Brooks", who was an under appreciated tenor sax player, that only the most astute aficionados are aware of. Lately, I've been able to "hear" Tina Brooks. Only when, and if, you're on the resonant frequency of the music being played can you "hear" it, otherwise it's just noise.

When musical treasures are out in the open, and people are walking right past them, no one considers them a treasure, especially after this has occurred over a period of many years. If this treasure was so special, some one would have pointed it out after all this time, they say; not necessarily so.

Nina Simone was an accomplished classical pianist, who had been rooted in the church; she was playing piano at a lounge to fund the continuation of her education as a classical pianist when the owner told her to sing. Before this, the thought of singing for a living never entered her mind. Of course you know the rest, but now I'm going to tell you what this aficionado knows, that most don't know.

Nina's piano is a combination of gospel, jazz, and classical. It's one of the most unique jazz pianos I've ever heard. If she hadn't sang, she would be famous as a jazz or classical pianist. This musical treasure will soon disappear. Each new compilation only includes the vocals, I don't know what happens to the instrumentals, and before long, no one else will either. They only appear on the original LP's or CD copies of those LP's and not on the compilations, that's why they're disappearing. Fortunately you can enjoy them on "You tube". Here's the list: Nina's Blues, Flo Me La, Blues On Purpose, African Mailman, and Good Bait.

All past contributions to this thread have been much appreciated, and your future contributions will be appreciated even more.

Enjoy the music.

Tired of all this 'serious' discussion? Don't really care what Coltrane was trying to say? Who the hell is Sun Ra? Think 'Free jazz' is a little 'too free'?

I have the cure for what ails ya!

Louis Jordan -- Five Guys Named Moe (vol 2)

I remember hearing this music when I was pre-school age. I remember hearing my parents talk about Jordan. This is just music to be happy. As a bonus, there is a duet with Louis Armstrong. Pops plays a little trumpet also.
On the tune 'Open the Door Richard' I remember hearing the line "I know he's in there, cause I got the clothes on" hahahaha That is as funny today as it was back in the days of the 78rpm records. Get this and forget all your troubles.

Cheers

Stanley Turrentine -- Hustlin'
with/ Shirley Scott, Kenny Burrell, Bob Cranshaw, Otis Finch.

This is what they call 'Soul Jazz'. This Cds is very smooth. Music to think by. No fireworks here, but things really move along. Had a hard day, wanna unwind and just meditate and think? This is the type Jazz you need. Scott (stanley's wife), is very effective on organ.

This is not Jazz for a club or a concert hall. It's Jazz for the home. With someone, it's even better.
They even dip into Dvorak's New World. Dvorak and Lloyd Price? That's covering the waterfront.

Alberta Hunter, Lucille Hegamin, Victoria Spivey -- 'Songs We Taught Your Mother'

Well, we have a Tuba, A clarinet, J.C. Higginbotham and Willie 'The lion' Smith. We know what this means. This is old school music, even by my standards. But, I love it. The word that flashes in my mind when I hear it is, 'Home'. These ladies are up in age, but they sound so natural. All the tracks seem to be the blues, but since it was in the Jazz section of my rack, it will be Jazz for today. Good sound. Recorded in 1961. Very slight tape hiss on some tapes. Not objectionable.

Cheers

Charlie Mariano, my favorite alto player, and one who slips under the radar way too often. Clearly a bebopper, he covered a lot of stylistic ground including Middle Eastern (we won't go there again, Rok) in his later recordings. But, his recordings from the fifties are straight-ahead and beautiful. One can hear the Bird influence in the shape of his lines, but unique in the choice of notes within those shapes. A beautiful player:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=56m5Vre5h6U

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RheQyi5KuRA

Another overlooked great, and one of the most interesting and unusual (in sound and concept) tenor players was Warne Marsh. A West Coast player who was one of the main exponents of the Cool School and a protege of the great Lennie Tristano. His use of the piano-less rhythm section was a testament to the great command of harmony that he had. One of the true tests for a jazz player, and considered by the players themselves one of the things that separates the "men from the boys" is the ability to improvise over a tune without the "crutch" of the piano's harmonic underpinnings.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y_8UYtd2K4