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
**** How can we understand how the use of "blue" notes or polymetric rhythms in African music influenced the blues and jazz if we don't know what a blue note is? Do we?******

Of course!! Everyone knows what a blue note is.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_note

next question. :)

O-10: we better be careful. I think The Frogman is about to go professorial on us.

Cheers

Rok, there's enough stuff that left Africa permanently during the slave trade to fill a library and a museum. While researching Cuba, I came across a master voodoo drummer who lives in Haiti. He has a chart of types of "exclusively voodoo drumming"", and what country that type of drumming came from. As ancient as it is, to pass history down from one person to another without writing, this is still being used in regard to voodoo. While he has all of the rhythms, he pointed out that many types can no longer be found in Africa, but reside in various countries in the Caribbean, and Bahia, where many types of voodoo drumming can still be found that are no longer in Africa. My ears told me that a long time ago. People in Africa are trying to move forward, and survive economically, while those over here who are steeped in Voodoo (which goes by many names) are leaning on that ancient religion which originated in Africa.

I'm not trying to diverge from the main subject, just pointing out something that's related.

Enjoy the music.

I'll go into my shallow awareness of Cuba before Castro while I'm waiting for your contributions.

Since my awareness of Cuba was formed by movies and television, almost everybody in Cuba was white. Were there any Black members in Ricky Ricardo's band on "I Love Lucy"?

I know everybody has seen the movie "The Godfather"; Meyer Lansky's hotel suite is still preserved.

I didn't know Black people were prominent in Cuba, Until Fidel Castro came rolling into Havana with his Black Generals. He sent Batista packing, but not before Batista could fill his suitcases with 400 million dollars of Cuba's money.

By the way, Batista was a light skinned Mulato, he would have been considered a Black man in the United States. I mention this because he pushed racist policies in Cuba.

I'll tie all your contributions together when they come in.

Enjoy the music.

Rok, you done went and gone "Hi Hat" on me and "The Wolfman", AKA Howling Wolf.