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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
7,441 posts
 
Loved the Garth Fagan clip. Thanks.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Frogman, that came out in 58, and from that time forward I collected many LP's with Bill Evans as a sideman. My young life was fast and frenetic, consequently I only noticed the most famous players I recognized on an LP. Not too long ago, I was wandering "Who is Bill Evans"? Not realizing how many LP's I owned with him as a sideman. My point in mentioning this is that Bill never called attention to himself, he simply made everyone else's music sound better.

Beyond any shadow of a doubt, Miles greatest talent, was recognizing talent in new musicians.

Enjoy the music.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
******* Miles greatest talent, was recognizing talent in new musicians********

I always thought that title went to Blakey. Just glancing at the Miles CDs I have on the desk, 'Milestones' and 'Round About Midnight', the lineups read like a who's who of the Jazz world.

Coltrane, Adderley, Monk, Mulligan, Garland, Chambers etc... I think Miles got the best to play with him because if was mutually beneficial to all. A win / win situation. He was a star, so everyone wanted to play with him, and they made him a bigger star, while gaining a rep for themselves.

Just one man's uninformed opinion. :)

Cheers
frogman
7,441 posts
 
In spite of Miles' well-known ego (some would say arrogance), he was a true artist; the music always came first. I don't think he thought much about who would be able to make him a bigger star by virtue of that player's presence in the band. He was extremely forward-looking musically and was able to understand how a sideman's style would enhance and help shape "the whole" of his music's sound; even when a player was not fully developed yet. When Trane first played with Miles, Trane was still at the stage of his career when a lot of people were still saying "what the hell is that?"; his approach was so different, and many thought is was bullshit. How wrong they were.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Rok, initially, Miles played with Monk. Coltrane was unknown when he began with Miles. Mulligan and Miles were equals, while Miles was before Adderly, it's for sure Garland had been around when he played with Miles, but Paul Chambers was young and new. Although this is in regard to what you mentioned, I was referring to groups much later in his career, like with young Tony Williams, and even later when he had very talented musicians who were unknown to me; but at the time you are referring to, all the names you mentioned were jazz giants.

Enjoy the music.
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