2. music
  3. 1361722327

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
 
**** I want to trace African music from slavery to the present, beginning with music from Brazil.****

So far, I don't think we have dug deeply enough, and skipped a few rungs on the ladder. It all began with something like this:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nKgCJCvY5Vo

Around 1450, the Portuguse brought African slaves to Brazil. Their music mixed with the indigenous music and resulted in something like this (notice the typically African "call and response" nature of the music, and the name "Macumba"):

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2YiMtWFfydo

Add the Portuguese/European melodic and harmonic tradition to the Afro/Brazilian approach to rhythm and you get something like this; the "choro", the first popular Brazilian style:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=46M-Eor8D08
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
Gentlemen, Gentlemen,

Let's not move so fast of this 'African" stuff. It's not as simple as you are making out.

The most important and significant thing said so far, is that there is no African, in African-American music. It is unquely American. This includes Jazz.

Cultural forces don't move that fast. More like glaciers. The only possible African influence would have been from people arriving here directly from Africa during the slave trade. Importation of slaves into this country ended in 1810, if I recall correctly.

Once here, the influences were Euro-American. Primarily music inspired by The King James version of the Holy Bible.

Please don't make me have to fight off VooDoo!!! And to think, someone once chastised me for saying you have to DEFEND the music! :)

And finally, O-10, this drum nonsense, is just that.

Cheers

orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Rok, I've always liked the "Voodoo music", just as much as I liked "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White". (No one could have been in taller cotton) And I put as much religious connotation on Voodoo music as I put on "Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White". There are elements of the Voodoo drums in much of African music, that's why I want to strip the music from the religion as much as possible.

This is an "audible" excursion, we are judging everything by ear.

Enjoy the music.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Frogman, I definitely agree on the beginning, and although that music came from Africa, it may longer exist in Africa in it's truest form, but only in Brazil.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Rok, if this drum nonsense is "nonsense", explain why it was retained everywhere slaves were imported except here. Remember, all arguments must be supported "audibly".

Enjoy the music.
More to discover