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; I reported what I knew about, and I only knew about his practice habits for that one Summer. If I said he never practiced, I was reporting what I saw.

Brubeck: I still have this memory of him coming up that long winding road to the top of the hill where the shrine amphitheater is, in a long limousine (is there any other kind). He was a distinguished looking gentleman with white hair, as opposed to the pictures I'm accustomed to seeing on albums (much younger)

I don't recall any other musicians, just him on solo piano. Since the troupe of modern dancers, danced to the music, it certainly wasn't the jazz we're familiar with, or maybe it wasn't even jazz; Mr. Brubeck has a wide repertoire.

Paul Desmond: A disc jockey who came on at midnight, used Desmond's "Desmond Blue" for his intro tune, and I was cruisin with my girl at about that time; consequently, even today, I love "Desmond Blue", I even love the album cover; Paul Desmond has the most romantic tone of all the saxes.



            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT5zGYaUN_Q



I will in the future make every effort to prevent misinterpretation.




Enjoy the music.
Spring will be here soon. What are your fave Jazz albums/cds to kick off
the new season?  Happy Listening!
Marcia Ball:  Not everyone can sing the blues.  It helps a lot if you have lived the Blues.

Paul Desmond & Dry martini:
Mission accomplished.

The Frogman Posting Shemekia Copeland:
WTF!!!   oops   She's  from NYC.   Never Mind.
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Cheers
Range, Rok, range! 😔 As always, "there’s only two kinds of music.....(you know the rest).

Actually, being the daughter of Johnny Copeland (Texas) means that she’s probably more from Texas than anything else; as far as her music genes go, anyway.

Story that I think you’ll appreciate:

So, I’m riding the subway last night on my way home after a job and, as often happens here in NYC, this alto saxophone player gets on the train and starts to play. I’ve seen/heard him about half a dozen times before on my train; late middle age, not quite down and out, real character. He plays the same tune EVERYTIME; Nat Cole’s "Nature Boy". The guy can sort of play; not too bad as is often the case and as one would expect on the subway. But, he plays the same wrong note everytime and it’s been driving me crazy. If you know the tune and the lyric it’s where it goes: "There was a boy, a very strange, enchanted boy. They say he wandered very far, very far..." Well, the note on the first "far" is supposed to be a half step below the note before it on (ve)"ry". It’s almost like a melodic hook and is one of the tune’s most identifiable melodic traits. Well, this guy plays it a whole step lower which sounds clearly wrong. When he finished playing one chorus of the tune he went up and down the crowded subway car with his hat in his outstretched hand. I always give him a few bucks and bite my tongue. This time, as I hand him a five, I said "it sounds really good, but you know you’re playing a wrong note". He responds in a funky gravelly voice: "yeah man, I know, its supposed to be a half step. You know, I started to play that tune before I learned to read music and get me my books and I learned it with that wrong note. The weird thing is that when I play it with the wrong note I make more money than when I play it with the right note". Cracked me (and others on the train) up.

http://youtu.be/Iq0XJCJ1Srw