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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
 
Today's Listen:

Dee Dee Bridgewater -- LIVE AT YOSHI'S

Bridgewater(v), Thomas Bramerie(b), Ali Jackson(d), Thierry Eliez(p)

Recorded Live at Yoshi's in Oakland,CA 1998. This would have been Ella Fitzgerald's 80th Birthday.

9 Songs. 8 Standards. She did a, mercifully short, fun take on James Brown's 'sex machine'. She even tried to sing it as she thought Ella would have sung it!! Some things are best left to Brown!

This was a probably a great show to see in person. There was just too much going on that had to be seen to be appreciated. Too much talk and attempts at humor.

All the listener gets is the audience's reaction, with no idea of what is being done on stage. Ok, the first time around, a little tedious with repeated listening.

A great version of 'Midnight Sun'. The rest were good but not 'must haves'.

The group backing her was very good. Esp the Bass player.

Quite a bit of scatting. Not up to Ella's standard, but she has spoiled us all. Dee Dee has a good voice but she cannot do it as effortless as Ella. But who could?

Bridgewater just might be the best of the Jazz Divas still performing. She does love her work!

Very Good, but not great CD. Make sure you have her 'tribute to horace silver: Love and Peace' first.

Cheers
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
Acman3: Very nice clip. I am not familiar with them. Must mean they are still alive:)
Thanks for sharing.
acman3
4,337 posts
 
Rok, O-10, Greg Porter was a football player who got hurt and started singing. Great story. Read up on it. I think he has one major recording. On Blue Note.

A little more Soul/Gospel than Jazz, but he is young. I like him.
frogman
7,561 posts
 
O-10, thanks for the Shadowfax link. I like it; it's not the kind of thing that I would go out of my way to listen to, but I like it. I am not a big fan of music with that "New Age/World Music" vibe; just a personal preference. It's a pretty melody and the playing is good; but..... the tune needs a good "bridge" to break up the sense of too much repetition. I can imagine, after the melody is repeated once, a variation on the melody in a double-time feel. Notice how the drums and bass play in a half-time feel throughout while the keyboards suggest a double-time feel. It would have been very effective if after the first repetition of the melody, all the instruments would break into a double-time feel playing the variation and then return to the original feel and melody to the end.

The tune made me think of this other tune which, for me, pushes similar buttons, but is "kicked up quite a few notches":

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sF9kW-8NPqs&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DsF9kW-8NPqs
chazro's avatar
chazro
635 posts
 
'Mambo Kings' was a wonderful book made into a so-so movie. The book, while being fiction, was centered on the very real NY 'Mambo King' era of the '50's and actually had a scene were the book's characters went to Hollywood to be featured on 'I Love Lucy', she was married to one of the true Mambo Kings, Desi Arnaz. Loved the book. RIP Oscar!
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