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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
7,561 posts
 
****Can a solo performer compete at creating musical emotion and expression cpmpared to a group?****

Of course it can.  Apples and oranges.  Is Horowits playing a Beethoven piano sonata less capable of musical and expression than the Berlin Phil playing "Eroica"?  Is it lesser music?  Of course not.  The symphony may be on a grander scale, but is the sonata lesser music?  In fact, the solo artist in jazz or classical faces a bigger challenge; that is one of the things that makes Mehldau's performance so amazing. 
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
I did watch 'The Drummer'.   As The Frogman said, it's a tough life.  I enjoyed it.   I wish it had been developed more and lasted longer.

I really liked the mature chick on the dance floor.

Cheers
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
***** Of course it can*****

Well Brad Mehldau didn't.  And I didn't say a solo performance was less music.

Example:   I have Evgeny Kissin playing Pictures at an Exhibition.   Solo piano.  The first time I had heard it done like this.   Blew my mind.   Fantastic.

I also have Reiner / Chicago doing 'Pictures'.   No comparison.   The Great gate at Kiev?   You can see/feel it opening on the Chicago disc.

Both were very good, but the piece is better realized with a full orchestra.

***** In fact, the solo artist in jazz or classical faces a bigger challenge; *****

He does indeed, and sometimes the challenge cannot be met.  Take the short film we just saw.

Cheers
frogman
7,561 posts
 
Some people prefer restaurants where the portions are big; everything else is secondary.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Musicians and none musicians have very different perspectives on jazz, or should I say music in general. Musicians can appreciate technical virtuosity, while to my ears it might sound like bombastic noise. In the case of our most recent comparisons, it was apples and oranges, plus comparing a solo artist to a group that played as one was a lose no win situation. I've heard that same identical cut of MFT no less than two zillion times, and this time I heard it new; no one can top that.

Although Mehldau was very good, who and what was chosen to compare him with was a bad idea. Now that we have two fantastic musicians, I'm looking forward to fresh new music they have discovered on this thread. Maybe we should accept new musicians for what they are, and what they have to offer without comparing them to the old.




Enjoy the music.




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