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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
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

When I saw Miles it was right after he had made drastic changes, not only in his music, but in his personal life as well. Betty Mabry, who was more or less "a hippy", was a big influence in his personal life and his music; hence Miles in a fringed raw hide vest.

This was in Chicago, but fortunately I was at that set with a guy from New York (New Yorker's are always hip to everything). He explained that this was Miles new music, but that didn't make it any easier on my ears; of course that would not have mattered to Miles, he knew what he was doing; this was the music of "Bitches Brew" before it was recorded.

That's what happens when you pour wine from a bottle of whiskey. If you taste wine when you expect whiskey, you spit it out. If you taste whiskey when you expect wine, you spit it out. I expected to see the Miles I had come to know and love, not some hippy playing this very different music.

Enjoy the music.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
O-10:

What is the cause or motivation for this 'elvolution' in musical style? Is it something within the player to move in a different direction, or is it some deliberate effort to stay relevant/ popular with the current generation.

Cheers
chazro's avatar
chazro
635 posts
 
While it could never be denied that Miles was trying to 'cash in' when he went Electric, it was still creatively important music. And as usual, the members of his band were the best of the best, most of whom went on to great success (relatively speaking within Jazz that is). After this creatively fertile time of his career he 'retired' for awhile. When he came back with 'The Man With The Horn', 'Decoy', & 'You're Under Arrest' was when I felt he was truly playin' for the buck$. But Even than he still made some music to be respected like 'Star People', 'Siesta', & 'Aura'. With a career as legendary as Miles had, it's a mistake to attribute it solely to his sidemen. I've read extensively about him and those same bandmates universally felt (and I agree) that Miles was, to put it in Milesian(!) terms, a muthafka on trumpet!;)
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,252 posts
 
I think it's safe to say that Miles Davis was envious of the success of Sly Stone and Jimi Hendrix. They were being hailed as creative geniuses and were seen as pushing the limits of popular music. Jazz had been forgotten. Miles Davis redefined jazz by basically having jazz musicians not play jazz. To this day it's still not exactly clear what to call the music those bands played. Take a listen to "Tribute to Jack Johnson" for a fairly accessible example. Listen to "Agharta/Pangaea" for something more challenging. It's amazing music.
frogman
7,476 posts
 
I disagree with the opinion that Miles was trying to "cash in" on the trend to go electric; or, that he was envious of their success of artists such as Sly or Hendrix. First of all, by the time that he released "Bitches Brew" he was a wealthy man and he also knew that his place in music history was well established. He admired and respected Sly and Hendrix and saw "going electric" as a new and different outlet for his creativity and not simply a commercial opportunity. I think that, in spite of his star status, the depth of Miles's genius is still underestimated. IMO, as music lovers, we would do well to always give an artist of the stature of Miles (there aren't that many) the benefit of the doubt; it can only serve to help us grow as music lovers and we should judge with a sense of humility. IOW, when the artist moves in a direction that may not be to our liking, we should ask ourselves "what am I not hearing?", instead of being quick to dismiss it as a move in the interest of financial success without real artistic merit.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dc7qiosq4m4
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