Jazz for aficionados

Today's Listen:

Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington --
THE COMPLETE LOUIS ARMSTRONG & DUKE ELLINGTON SESSIONS

Armstrong(vocal, trumpet),Ellington(p),Bigard(c)Trummy Young(tb), Mort Herbert(b), Danny barcelona(d)

This is amazing. 17 tunes. All written by Ellington and ALL are now, instantly recognizable standards. What other musician could even attempt this?

When you listen to this CD it makes all other players seem just a little bit lesser. Now we are really hearing musical greatest. Closer to the holy grail.

Seems as if the closer you get to the source, the less clutter. Everything just seems clearer and simpler. It seems as if Duke's music was made, to be sung by Armstrong.
What a voice!

Armstrong sings and plays on almost all of the tunes. Starts with a swinging 'Duke's Place' and ends with a beautiful 'Azalea'. Nothing but magic in between.

Curiously, no saxophone appears.

Ain't got it? Why Not?? Go to your room!!!

Cheers

Rok, "Nica's Dream", has been my favorite tune for ages, my favorite jazz musician died in "Nica's" apartment, and until recently, I didn't know any more about her than you or Frogman.

Although she was disowned by the family, she got her share of the money. Nica traded a long Rolls in for the sport Bentley in order not to lose any races down 5th Avenue around midnight. Picture a long cigarette holder, a mink coat, a sport convertible Bentley, and you got Nica.

I was trying to present Nica's point of view, but you made me realize, I'm still quite "animalistic". The fact that the only person she was alone with was Monk's 9 year old son, when he was with her on mercy missions to help other jazz musicians; rent, food, and she even nursed Coleman Hawkins when he refused to go to the hospital; might account for her lack of intimacy.

The lady soaked in a tub with only a cigarette in that long cigarette holder to keep her company, while she listened to some of the very same musicians we just acquired on "The 100 best tunes of the 50's", having a jam session downstairs. (They always gave "The Baroness" the respect they felt she was entitled to, whatever she did)

Nica lived for the moment, and her life after she became "The Jazz Baroness" was one continues set. She told one of her nieces to meet her at a club: "How will I recognize the club"?

"Look for the car" was Nica's response. The niece instantly recognized the club, it was the the one with the badly parked Bentley in front, that had two winos lolling around on the leather seats. "They keep anyone from stealing the car", she was told after finding Nica. This was in a tiny basement club, where Nica was the only white person in the joint.

"Smoking a cigarette in a long black filter, her fur coat draped over the back of a spindly chair, Nica gestured to an empty seat, and picking up a teapot from the table, poured something into two chipped china cups. We toasted each other silently. I'd been expecting tea. Whisky bit into my throat; I choked and my eyes watered. Nica threw back her head and laughed."

"Thanks", I croaked. She put her finger to her lips, and nodding at the pianist on stage, said "Sssh, just listen to the music Hannah, just listen", as she swayed to the sounds.

Now you know why I'm so fascinated by Nica.

Enjoy the music.

O-10:

Before you posted, I was listening to R&B you-tubes and ran across Horace Silver playing 'Nica's Dream'. Thought you might also find this interesting. Apparently Monk died at a house she owned also. This woman was on pace to wipe out be-bop!! :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pannonica_de_Koenigswarter

So to recap, within the last several post we have:
Battle, von Stade and Marsalis making magic at Carnegie Hall, and just down the street we have a future Fed Chairman running around a hotel lobby naked, and around the block we have two winos lolling around inside a Sport Bently 'Guarding it'. What a place! Reminds me of the Last Poets' 'New York, New York, the BIGGG Apple.

hahahh all in jest, of course.

Cheers

Rok, there was one odd pea in the patch in that compilation we got, and his name is "Django Reinhardt". The book says 'Nuages' reflects his interest in bebop; I can't hear it. While I like Django's music, it's certainly vastly different from the rest of the 99 tunes.

“The Quintet of the Hot Club of France” was a jazz group founded in France in 1934 by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli, and active in one form or another until 1948.

One of the earliest and most significant continental jazz groups in Europe, the Quintette was described by critic Thom Jurek[1] as "one of the most original bands in the history of recorded jazz." Their most famous lineup featured Reinhardt, Grappelli, bassist Louis Vola, and rhythm guitarists Roger Chaput and Joseph Reinhardt (Django's brother) who filled out the ensemble's sound and added occasional percussive effects.

Maybe Frogman and Leersfool can chime in on "Django". While I could listen to his music all night, it's different from "American jazz", that's my only point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY0FF4iR9Cw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCJ5E8AnlWk

Enjoy the music.

****there was one odd pea in the patch in that compilation we got, and his name is "Django Reinhardt". The book says 'Nuages' reflects his interest in bebop; I can't hear it. While I like Django's music, it's certainly vastly different from the rest of the 99 tunes.******

The reason for this is because the music he played was not Jazz as we know it. He was a Gypsy musician. Played the guitar.

I think he was considered a JAZZ player in early 20th century Europe, because they didn't know what else to call it. It didn't sound French, and he didn't look French.

In many places the word Jazz has has meanings, usually negative, much different from what we now think of Jazz. Often it was just a catch-all for music out side of the norm. Esp it it was fast and sounded exotic.

Raed the Wiki thingy, and you will see what I mean.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Django_Reinhardt

As the Germans always said "If you can't goose step to it, it must be Jazz" :)

Cheers