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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
 

Frogman, no one could have made a better comparison. I like both of them for the reasons you gave.

When I was a child, one of mothers cousins who became moderately wealthy, figured that since she had the money, she should acquire the image of a "cultured person", and that included opera. She decided my mother should accompany her to the opera, and since my mother couldn't find a baby sitter, I had to accompany the both of them to the opera.

Maybe that memory of people in strange costumes strutting around on a stage screeching in some unfathomable language scarred my appreciation for any thing "operatic"; Frogman, not everyone can appreciate caviar, and many of the other finer things in life; like "opera", for example.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Frogman, picture "Calvin", as in "Calvin and Hobbes" at the opera.

Enjoy the music.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Florence Quivar is pretty too, not as pretty as Kathleen Battle, but thank God, less "operatic"; even so, neither one of them can compare to Mahalia Jackson when it comes to spirituals; however, here's one I liked by Florence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uuh5BvQ9QI

Enjoy the music.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

It's time for something different; how about many different versions of "Summer Time". These versions will span a wide genre of styles and music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm4--XgFk8s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM_Nb6dpnys

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alrBe2XF0IA

One of those versions swept me away, I bet no one will guess which one it was.

Enjoy the music.
frogman
7,478 posts
 
Ah, The Lobotomy Award lives! Well, knowing how you feel about Nina Simone, that would appear to be the obvious answer; but, I don't think so. Simone's version is great, interesting and definitely sets a mood, but not the kind of mood that I think one can be "swept away" by. The fact that there are two operatic versions is, I think, a decoy ;-) If I had to choose which one of the two sweeps ME away, it is easily the Maria Callas. Both versions are good and both use the exact same, and original, Gershwin orchestration. The Price is ordinary with bland orchestral playing and uneven singing (the intonation on "fish": ouch!). On the Callas, the clarinet solo at the end of the introduction tells us right away that this will be the better "caviar" with beautiful phrasing and expression compared to the one on the Price which is very straight with zero rubato. Callas is wonderful. That leaves the Janis Joplin: I love Joplin, but not the kind of thing that comes to mind (at first) as your kind of thing. But, as Duke said..... This one is raw, but is pure emotion; that's the one that I think "swept O-10 away".
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