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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
20,476 posts
 
Ahmad Jamal- At the Pershing.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 
As good as that is jafant, I think it's been posted on this thread too many times, but I'll submit "What's New" anyway,


             https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQvIvb1S1EM
frogman
7,557 posts
 
Pryso, listened to the Previn "Wes Side Story".  Fantastic!  What an amazing musician he is and I sometimes forget what a great piano player he is as I usually think of him and know his work, first and foremost, as a conductor and composer.  One of the most impressive resumes out there.  Fitting that he should take on the music of Leonard Bernstein, another musician who was extremely successful as composer/conductor (although less so as pianist).  

I really like what what he did with that music in a piano trio setting.  The trio sounds fantastic and swings like crazy.  Very different in attitude from the Oscar Peterson recording, however.  I like both recordings very much, but if a choice had to be made, I would say the Peterson gets closer to the intended feeling of the original music.  While Bernstein's WSS is remarkable for being able to so successfully blend the elements of Classical, Jazz and pop, it is ultimately music written for musical theater and, as such, has a certain stylistic tradition to live up to.  Not a negative at all, but that stylistic tradition includes, as is to be expected, a certain amount of....theatricality; combined with a typically very upbeat quality.  For me, and all other considerations aside, the Peterson gets closer to that feeling.  The Previn, as great as it is, is a little "cool" by comparison and without as much of the up-beat and wide-eyed quality that characterizes a lot of music for the theater.  Both are great!  Thanks for mentioning that recording.
pryso
1,986 posts
 
frogman, you're welcome, and thanks for the additional comments.  You conveyed many of my own impressions, including a little preference for Peterson's emotion, while still appreciating Previn's approach.

Also orpheus, I'll come back to listing recommendations I took away from my dad's music.  I tried twice yesterday but lost what I'd written before completing it so gave up in frustration. :^(


schubert
7,386 posts
 
Amen on Previn. One of my pet peeves is the "dis he gets as a Classical Conductor.

Many of his recordings of the English rep. with LSO are still the best available .
Most stick wavers won’t even touch the difficult  Walton 1st Symphony , with its jazz syncopated rhythms and chromatic notes .
Previn nailed it in a perfect performance that has yet to be equaled !
IMO a very great Conductor and all-around Musician .
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