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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
 
O-10:
One last VERMONT comment. I feel you and The Frogman might be putting too much emphasis on the name of the tune. I don't think of Vermont at all. You gotta name it something. Something people can easily remember and relate to.

Which brings up the question: Why and How are Jazz tunes named?

Cheers
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 
Rok, there's a vocalist who's more current than Ella, who likes to scat a lot, and inflect her own vocal gymnastics into a song like a horn player. She's a marvelous jazz singer, but she doesn't respect the classics, which is something Ella always did. She would never scat on a classic song when the object is to deliver the emotion of the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swnwW6QdP9A

Ella made my point for me.

Enjoy the music.
frogman
7,489 posts
 
Rok, at first I was confused by your post.

****I feel you and The Frogman might be putting too much emphasis on the name of the tune. I don't think of Vermont at all.****

Huh!? The tune IS about Vermont. You can't remove the lyrics from the equation. A great song is a marriage of melody and lyrics, and the message can be sent by the lyrics, the tune, or both. In Moolight In Vermont, while I don't know what Vermont is supposed to sound like, I think the tune, by itself, conveys a feeling that is similar to (and definitely compliments) the lyrics. It's a beautiful song, and interestingly, has no rhymes.

****You gotta name it something. Something people can easily remember and relate to.****

The name usually relates to the lyrics. Usually, a composer is inspired by an event, person, or place to convey the feeling in song, and the name is part of the lyrics. You may find this interesting, with Herbie Hancock speaking about the creation and naming of his tune "Watermelon Man":

http://bluespianorevealed.com/herbie-hancock-and-the-origin-of-the-watermelon-man/
frogman
7,489 posts
 
Orpheus, my next music contribution was going to be Ella doing Billie's Bounce. I completely agree with your comments about the appropriateness of scatting some times and not others, and this relates in key ways to the earlier discussion about Moonlight In Vermont. Ella was not only respectful of the song (as you point out), but was (IMO) the only only singer that could scat a solo that doesn't leave me saying "that was pretty good; for a singer". She could scat a solo very bit as swinging and in control of the MUSICAL vocabulary as a good instrumentalist.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cLep2fmY6sw
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
The Frogman & O-10:
It usually takes me a few tries for me to clearly get my thoughts together.

Vermont: you are right about the lyrics being vital to the song being about vermont. My point was, if we had never heard of Moonlight, and just heard the music without the words, would we think of Vermont? I don't see why we should.

Ella is singing the song so she HAS to do the words and interpet with mental images and concepts of Vermont in mind.

Houston Person was under no such restrictions. The only thing that he had to consider was the music / melody. He had a free hand to blow as he saw fit or felt.

I.E. the song HAS TO BE about vermont only when you sing the words. Otherwise it's just a very nice tune in the category of Autumn Leaves etc..... that Jazz guys like to improvise over.

All of the above could be, and probably is, BS. But that is what I meant in my post about putting too much emphasis on the Name / lyrics of the tune, in relation to the Houston person effort.

BTW,
Sun Ra: I have since learned that he had recently suffered a stroke before they made the Billy Bang recording. Probably accounted for his lack luster playing. Sad.

Cheers
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