Jazz for aficionados

O-10:

Pithecanthropus Erectus: With a title like that, and coming from our OP, I thought it best to define terms!:) Walking upright. Got it!

For those of you that want to listen to modern, progressive and cutting edge Jazz, you need go no further than Mingus. He can go to the far reaches, and NEVER LEAVE JAZZ. To me, that is his greatest. No hypen needed or required.

The liner notes on this CD are great. Again the music and it's intentions are explained by Mingus himself. Nat Hentoff gives his thoughts also, but who better than Mingus himself to expalin his music.

The title track is my favorite. There is something about it that rises above the usual Jazz tune. I wish I had the words to explain it, but I am glad I have the ears to hear it.

I recall the CD 'Art Pepper meets the Rhythm section'. A great set. Pepper playing with the Miles Davis rhythm section. They never rehearsed! Met for the first time the day they cut the record. You just know that would not and could not, ever happen with a Mingus set. He demanded more than just blowing, and he got more.

I remember when I was in college, a friend, who introduced me to Mingus' music, made a comment about the strict and high standards he set for his players. How true. That is the hallmark of his records, Playing at the highest level. No blowing sessions.

Calling him a Jazz player, is like calling Einstein a Physicist. It's true, but totally inadequate.

O-10 thanks for reminding us.

Cheers

The Frogman:

Chick Corea -- LIGHT AS A FEATHER

The album from which your clip of 'Spain' was taken.

Corea is a lot of things, but noise maker is not one of them. We are in agreement already. And I hope we can agree that the singer should be banned from ever recording again.

'Spain' is for sure the best track on the CD. I just don't get the need for the electronic stuff. It takes some getting used to, and I don't see the improvement or advantage over the acoustic stuff. Farrell was a welcomed presence.

Visualize for a moment: All the well known great piano players in the history of Jazz. Now, visualze them sitting in front of some electonic thing with several keyboards in front of them. The Duke? Bud Powell?

Now visualize all the great Bass players. Now try to see them with a bass guitar around their necks! Mingus? Really!

The very thought of such a thing is absurd!

But Corea is a great musician. After all, I bought this one, and several more.

The main problem with electronic instruments is that you can get close and actually cross the line between music and 'sound effects'. Note the 'wah-wah' at the end of 'Spain', and in the title track also.

Good album. Would have been better with Steinway and upright acoustic bass.

Cheers

Now that we have thoroughly covered the 50's and 60's, it's time to move into the 70's. Miles ushered in the 70's with "Bitches Brew". I saw him live with that same group before the album came out, and fortunately I was with some guys from New York (they seem to know everything about new music) because the experience was the same as turning up a bottle of whiskey, and tasting wine; this was not the Miles I expected to hear.

Head Hunters, and Weather Report were two groups that impressed me with this new music. Although we try to communicate music with words, it's impossible; the only thing that can be communicated is how this music affected or impressed "you", and that's the only person you can speak with any authority for. "Sextant" was the Herbie Hancock album that impressed me, it really blew me away; I even liked the cover art.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk0L3RXYxS0

Weather Report, "I Sing The Body Electric" was the first album I acquired by that group, it took me to another world; the music was not of this universe, it took me someplace I've never been before, and I liked it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBMLhDw1xOw

Frogman, both "Oregon" and Chick Corea are well represented in my collection.

Enjoy the music.

Since I listen to music all over the place every day, covering two time periods in jazz is no problem.

Enjoy the music.

Some thoughts about electric instruments: one may prefer the sound of acoustic instruments, but players choose to use electric or acoustic piano and bass not because one kind is intrinsically superior to the other. They are different animals altogether with not only different sounds but different response and feel which place different demands on the player; which, in turn, opens different avenues of expression. The player makes a judgment call as to which is more appropriate for the style of music. It's not a coincidence that Herbie Hancock. Chick Corea, Deodato and many others chose the Fender Rhodes piano. That sound in a way defined the 70's and I disagree that the music would be better served with an acoustic piano. It's almost like saying "I prefer the sound of the bass clarinet to that of the tenor saxophone, why didn't Coltrane use the bass clarinet instead?" ; after all, they are both single reed woodwinds in Bb and have the same range.

O-10 mentioned Weather Report one of the greatest bands from this period. Joe Zawinul was a founder and key member, and later formed his "Syndicate". Check out the electric bass sound on this clip; can't do this on the acoustic bass. The rhythm section is on fire.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q6SbaYPU2LA