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

"Sahib Shihab" is a name that jumps out at me, and I don't know why; but I will let you know in this post.

The first place I go to is "Wikipedia", when I'm looking for the answer to a question. Right off the bat, I discover he's African American, and not East Indian. I think it was a baritone solo, that I'm very impressed with, and every time I hear it, I think it's Pepper Adams, but it turns out to be Sahib Shihab.

There are so many names on that photograph that I'm lost, but I found this, and I know I had it, but I don't think I still got it.


      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vskG_v2g6Zg&list=PL4ypuAMic-GjG6SOzEIjTz2C7cCEozORh


Maybe I wont find out on this post.



For those who never saw it, and others like myself who would enjoy seeing it again, here is the nearly one hour documentary on the creation of "A Great Day In Harlem".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwP1g0zEHDw

I was just learning to appreciate jazz about this time and these are my people!  ;^)

The absolutely most amazing thing about that picture is a statement someone made about that picture; he said those artists were the most amazing in "that era". I don't know when he made that statement, but they are still the most amazing artists in this era.

I walked out of the record store with a number of records, and a friend of mine peeped in the bag: "old Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, you still into them?" That was the question he asked 20 years ago. It's for certain I thought I would be out of those artists by now, but we are discussing those same artists more than ever now.

I have always wanted, and attempted to get the latest and newest, in order to stay in style, or be in fashion. I guess 10 years ago I was still buying the latest, and what was in fashion; just recently I noticed those CD's were collecting dust and taking up space, while I was still listening to old CD's.

Now I go into my "inner sanctum" and you tube to select what to buy. Too bad many of those guys in that picture didn't reap the profits their sales are making now.






Few singers can draw the listener in with such a tremendous sense of conviction to the story in the lyric combined with absence of pretense. I can forgive Tony Bennett’s dalliances with contemporary pop "stars" who aren’t worthy of shining his shoes because in his prime he was simply amazing. One of the most inspired singer/accompanist pairings on record, this song is from their second recording together. Bill Evans’ playing on this can only be described as genius, imo:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7lYIoYENbjI

Speaking of Bill Evans and those pop "stars", heard this on WBGO yesterday.  This is one of Evans’ most beautiful compositions sung by someone who should be a star...there truly are some. I’d like to hear any of the current pop divas even attempt a song like this which has such an unusual melodic shape and difficult note intervals; never mind with musical purpose:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oM8aXmIzAVY