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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
alexatpos
1,228 posts
 
Frogman, I believe that Green’s playing can not be chronologically divided on jazz (ante ’soul’) and post ’jazz’ period. I have just checked some of the dates where he played in that style on others people albums, like with Lou Donaldson, and its obvius that while on his solo projects he was in ’jazz’ , on other occasions he was already in ’soul jazz’ or what ever we should call it, and those albums were recorded as early as 1962. like ’Natural Soul’.

https://youtu.be/o4tIhsfcxyM

Probably the ’jazz scene’ was never so pure, or it was bigger than the audience, so there was no big enough market to sustain all that. I guess that is one of the reasons that contributed to change in styles (for worst,imho) in years to come.
As for George Benson, I was never his fan. This would be my pick. If I have not mentioned him before, this is a must opportunity. Here is the link

Ivan Joe Jones

https://youtu.be/kUVNIJl6h38

https://youtu.be/8PleEvRgGOc

https://youtu.be/sOiPlxCqXUA



alexatpos
1,228 posts
 
As for jazz ’purists’ among us, (meaning Rok this time) I am posting this two next clips, of two (in fact three ) great albums that everyone should have.

First is called ’Best Coast Jazz’ from 1954.with Clifford Brown and all star group. Here is the link

https://youtu.be/YCwPup7mmJA

From the same session, it can be found one single edition now, because of length they were cut on two lp’s.

https://youtu.be/w5BGbjqUWns

And if that is not enough for this jazzy Sunday, here is another album.
It is Johnny Griffins ’Studio Jazz Party’ from 1960.
Hope you will like it.
Frogman, before you look who plays the trumpet, tell me how do you like it

https://youtu.be/Wu0qnePU3Os

https://youtu.be/cpYIQZtMlNE

https://youtu.be/2XhNT9YaEsc




frogman
7,489 posts
 
O-10, I expected a contentious rebuttal to my comments from you; or, at least, one with an "edge".  I will not get into another pointless and unpleasant dispute about a player that you obviously have a personal affinity for and, as a result, cannot deal with anything other than glowing commentary.  You missed the thrust of my comments which have everything to do with Blue Note and the comments by Rok about the business interests of record labels and how they make decisions on what to release and when.  The obvious rebuttal to your comment "that record has absolutely nothing to do with BN" is: then why did you, after talking about that record and quoting it's liner notes, go on a rant about BN?  Once again, I wished that instead of knee jerk reactions there would be discussion about the SUBSTANCE of comments.  Bottom line for me is stated very well by the very liner notes you quote, no conspiracy theory and no "getting screwed" by a record label:

****(Grant Green was) Overshadowed by such virtuosos as, first, Wes Montgomery, and later George Benson, ****

End of story.

acman3
4,279 posts
 
Don't let one man's opinion from 5 years ago worry you. Today has it's own worries.

The Grant Green Mosaic box set with Sonny Clark is one of the releases that mostly came from Japan. It is highly regarded.

There will always be people with a different opinion than you. Some are just haters and others just get off on different music. I love some music that others don't even consider music. So what? 🙃
frogman
7,489 posts
 
Alex, I don't disagree with anything you wrote; except the implication that I was saying otherwise about chronology.  I know you are not a fan of Benson, but he was not "my pick" as concerns this discussion; he was mentioned by the writer in the liner notes that O-10 quoted as one of the players that "overshadowed" Green.  

"Bugaloo Jones": New to me.  VERY NICE!  Love his sound and feel.  Very funky.  Fabulous!  Thanks for those clips; and they make my point about players' ability to play in a certain style.  This is definitely his musical home turf and he does it on a level that, imo, Grant Green does not.  What I hear in Jones' playing is an understanding of the feel of "rock and roll" which was, obviously, a force to contend with at the time and something that would have an impact on a player's appeal.  I don't know much about his playing, but I also don't hear much that tells me he could play in other styles (straight ahead jazz) as well.

What made Benson special was his rare ability to play credibly in any style, his virtuosity, he can sing; and, as concerns "marketability" and whether we like or not, he looks good.  We can criticize the reasons that record labels have for promoting certain artists more than others all we want, but I think we should always remember that if a label does not succeed NO ONE benefits.

****Probably the ’jazz scene’ was never so pure, or it was bigger than the audience, so there was no big enough market to sustain all that. I guess that is one of the reasons that contributed to change in styles (for worst,imho) in years to come.****

Very true.  Except, imho, the "for worst" part; but, only inasmuch as it is, as always, an inevitable change.  This is the part that I think is often missed about the changes in jazz, music in general, and art as a whole.  It HAS to change and it WILL change.  As always, it all reflects the changing cultural climate; and how we each feel about that change is a reflection of who we are as individuals.  This is true for artists as well as listeners.  That is why artists seldom do their best work late in their careers; they have a voice or style that often does not stay as relevant in a changing social climate.  It is the rare artist who can ride that wave of change with consistently high quality music.  
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