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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
jafant's avatar
jafant
20,534 posts
 
Second,

Roy Hargrove- Cristol.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
Roy Hargrove:

I think I lost 10 pounds just watching it.  I loved it in spite of myself.   Some familiar faces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5HSKRzNKzk&list=RDp5HSKRzNKzk#t=5 

Sherman Irby on alto.   He's with Wynton at JALC now.   Featured on their Christmas CD.

Chucho (the pulverizer) Valdes on piano.   I wonder how many pianos does he go through in a year.  You won't go to sleep on him.

All in all, very entertaining high energy Jazz.   I loved Hargrove's playing on the opening number.  I noticed that mic was inside the bell of his trumpet.  Wondered how that sounded to the audience.

I was about to say, it's good to see young folks today playing Jazz, then I realized this was 20 years ago.  Where does the time go?  Where have I been?

I never thought Hargrove was as big as he should / could have been.
I always thought of him as the next Morgan.   But, it could have been just the decline in the popularity of Jazz in general.  He should have been at BN in the 50/60s.

Thanks for the tip.

Cheers




rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
Donald Byrd:

'Rising Sun' and 'Black jack' were good.  This guy does seem to stray off the Jazz reservation quite often.  'Black jack' may have been one of his  last Jazz efforts

Since I don't buy CDs based on one or two tracks anymore, I think I'll stick with the complete BN CD.   All his good stuff is there.    I think he quit Jazz and went into Funk.  Pulled a Miles on us.

Thanks for the clips.

Cheers
frogman
7,562 posts
 
A good attempt at a Donald Byrd retrospective recently. His most creative period was conspicuously given short shrift, imo. As Rok points out, he strayed off the jazz reservation quite often.  Most of his work during his more "commercial" period doesn’t do it for me, and the stuff bordering on "disco" I find to be kinda lame and was considered at the time and by many hardcore jazz fans to be "selling out". I will leave the validity of that criticism to others as this was a crticism directed at many of the players that went in that direction (think CTI) and the period did produce some interesting projects. I do think that this thread’s "jazz police" is showing a kinder, gentler side 😌; a good thing, I think. What is interesting about that period of Byrd’s, as O-10 points out, is the apparent influence he had on Herbie Hancock; something that wasn’t clear to me previously. I do think that Herbie went on to do far more interesting and sophisticated things in the jazz/funk vein (Headhunters). For me, the very best work by Byrd was connected to his affiliation to the great Pepper Adams; and this work was squarely in a more traditional or straight-ahead bag; both as sideman and as leader:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=HCPv54Js3ak

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YKyMVrIvKfE

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xNk3qtzNM_s

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y23YPy-8o7c

This last clip relates to Roy Hargrove. The best test of a jazz player’s mettle is the ballad or the slow blues; iow, music in which "high energy" can’t be used to hide behind and the player’s ability and creativity is laid bare. I like Hargrove and think he is a very good player. He has been discussed before and my contention has always been that his place in the pantheon is pretty much where it belongs; he is very good, but not of the caliber of a Donald Byrd. The second tune in the Hargrove video is a ballad and the contrast between what he and Byrd can do is, for me, pretty obvious. Even more obvious is how the young tenor player Sanchez sounds good when he plays fast and furious, but falls flat when he tries and play simple figures. Perhaps time and maturity will help.

Byrd and "Stardust":

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cdrypHFVq8A
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Donald Byrd: there is one cut that's an absolute must, and that's "Here Am I".


        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CewhwrPi044

Maybe you already have it.


Speaking of Miles; a long time ago when Miles was still alive, I ran into someone who loved him like a brother, and I asked him if he had Miles latest, he looked me straight in the eyes and asked "Have you" I had to laugh because he knew what I thought about the electrifying new Miles.

I don't think Byrd went as far off the reservation as Miles.



Enjoy the music
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