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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
20,038 posts
 
Boz Scaggs
frogman
7,489 posts
 
Alex, you probably know this, if not, check this out.  Stan Getz was known for having been a very complex and difficult individual.  Often, that complexity is expressed by deeply interesting and emotional playing that tells a story that doesn't necessarily have a happy ending:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mkrzDFCSuP8
alexatpos
1,228 posts
 
Well, I guess that could be said for a quite few jazzmen or even artists in general. However,speaking of Getz and difficult personalitys, there is one 'relationship' (and album) that comes on my mind immediately.

It is 'Stockholm concerts' of Getz and Chet Baker, from 1983.(3 cd's album)
https://youtu.be/tLgkoERdI90


For reasons that are known only to them, they did not like each other, and that animosity lasted more than 30 years
(its been said, that Getz at a time was a heavy drinker, while Chet had othere prefrences, so maybe even their 'poisons' were not complementary, which is pity, as their music sounds as it is).
They recorded together only on three albums (as far as I know)
frogman
7,489 posts
 
One my favorite jazz quotes is Zoot Sims’ response when asked what he thought of Stan Getz: "Stan, he’s a great bunch of guys". Baker was known to be a nut; volatile pairing. The way that Stan Getz leaves the stage on your clip is very telling of how he felt about Baker. However, if I had to put my money on who I thought was the main cause of the problem I would put it on Baker. Getz leaves the stage abruptly for whatever personal reason.  But, Baker then goes on to express his dissatisfaction to the audience; a big no-no in my book. You may find this interesting:

https://books.google.com/books?id=dm9kOiIEFAwC&pg=PA258&lpg=PA258&dq=stan+getz+chet+bake...

They did have a stylistic "simpatico", but I consider Getz the superior artist.

Some more music from Getz’s "Voyage". After Getz, the star of the album is Kenny Barron; incredible player who matches Getz’s ability to be poetic with his playing. The rhythm section sounds amazing:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mkrzDFCSuP8

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kowHSx8CXgg
alexatpos
1,228 posts
 
I have mix feelings towards biography books. On one side I am curious, on the other I know that much of the events are personal interpretations of the author, even if he was the witness of some events in other people lives.
Since almost all the jazzmen we have mentioned had endured all kind of different hardships in their life, reading about it makes it more demanding in sense that one should restrain himself of making judgemental conclusions, or else man could fall in trap of dislaking some work of art for a sake of dislaking artists personality. Even more, because we can never be certain are the written words realy true or not.
However, some things are often repeated, from different sources, so there must be some truth about it, speaking of Baker or Getz.
But, the fact that provacate me the most and it could be related to discussion that we had here recently is that you can read and understand that in 70's, such names as Baker and others, could not sell their music in the US.
At least, not in music form that they used to do. So, I dont know what came first, the so called creativity that led to different styles (read fusion) or perhaps the audience and market that realy did not care any more for stuff that we all like, here and now?
Answers, or better, questions about it could probbably lead us to another long discussion, but in any case I find such circumstances, and general public attitude towrds jazz or art to be very sad.
Regarding Getz or Baker, probably the Getz was more verstile, but I have more Chets albums.
Maybe because there are much more sax players with great sound (of course there are lot of great trumpet players as well) but Baker had that 'something' that was perhaps not even conected with jazz per se, kind of fame or aura that transcedent his playing into something more than pure music, in hearts and minds of many people.
So, if I was objective, I would agree with you, but on the other hand, as 'Statler' or was it 'Waldorf' would say, music (sometimes) is matter of emotions and there Baker wins it, for me, of course
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