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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
 
O-10:

These will bring you on board for sure!

Three great clips of Gergiev with the LSO and Vienna. Note the change in his appearance from each performance.

On the 'Scheherazade, he looked as if he had slept in his suit. Needed a haircut / shave, and forgot his baton. Someone should have pulled him aside. :) On Bolero he just looks weird and on Romeo & Juliet he plays it safe and goes Nehru.

BOLERO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODeNHRtVNO4

Scheherarade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQNymNaTr-Y

Romeo & Juliet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxj8vSS2ELU

Outstanding Camera work on all three!! Outstanding playing!! I love to watch these folks play. Great shots of the Sax player on Bolero. The LSO wins the BABE battle hands down!! I think the LSO performances were taken at the PROMS. Great stuff!!

Cheers
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,634 posts
 
Dinah Washington = sheer perfection!
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
**** What are your favorite tunes by Dinah Washington?***

As of this minute, Stardust is!!! Wow, that was really a compelling rendition. I don't recall hearing her singing such 'sophisticated' arrangements before. I always had her pegged as an down-home R&B singer. 'Invitation' was good, 'Stardust' was on a differnt level. You could hear her.

You are good at finding gems that are hidden in plain sight! Thanks for the clips.

Cheers
acman3
4,284 posts
 
Learsfool, so Jaap Van Sweden is an anomaly?
learsfool
1,215 posts
 
Acman3, I don't really understand your question? Van Sweden was a former concertmaster of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam, one of the best in the world, so he was a world class violinist who put it down and took up the baton. In a very real sense, he was better prepared to be a conductor than most who went to school specifically for it. It is always better if one actually has orchestral performance experience, and almost all of the really great conductors did have at least some. Jaap is exceptional in that he was actually a world class performer on the violin. Another example would be Anshel Brusilow, who, interestingly, also was music director of the Dallas Symphony early in his conducting career. There are also a few famous pianists who became decent conductors, like Ashkenazy, but that is more rare. Very rare indeed are conductors who didn't really play any instrument, and even these can pick at the piano a little.
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