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
o10, not that it will matter to most here, but yes, I do listen to a wide variety of music, including classic rock, blues, string band (blue grass), classical (mainly symphonic), World Music (that catch-all for other than American or European), and selected soundtracks.  I have around 3,000 LPs, 300+ CDs, and even still at least 100 cassettes (self recorded, I didn't care for commercial, hi-speed duped offerings).  However between recordings I own and (fortunately) a great local college jazz FM station, I listen to more jazz than any other music.

Then I assume the four tracks for comment were in your 8/26 post.  So here are my quick impressions.

- Shadowfax: never really listened to them, nothing offensive there but only a step away from "light jazz" which holds no interest for me at all.

- Jazz Crusaders: yes, I enjoyed them, even after they went for a larger, main-stream market when they dropped Jazz from their name.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OahE2GGaGq4

- Silver:  I've not heard them all but never listened to a Horace Silver album I didn't enjoy.  As a footnote, over the first couple of years in college I attempted to play with friends in a trio or quartet.  The pianist was self-taught and heavily influenced by Silver so that was the groove we attempted to play in.  "Filthy McNasty"!! I don't have any real musical talent but was able to find a cheap upright bass and learned some basic "walking bass" patterns after being shown them on the piano.  It was great fun, even if we were not very good, other than my friend on piano.

Charles & Bags:  good stuff, I like Brother Ray whether vocal or instrumental.

Pryso, the factors that determine what music we like are many, and incredibly diverse. It's easy to understand how someone steeped in jazz, would not care for anything "New Age".

As far as "The Crusaders" go, I liked them better when they were "The Jazz Crusaders".

One of the local musicians who was a pianist, could play as well as Silvers, and I questioned him as to why he stayed local. To make sure that I understood that staying local was a personal choice, and that he could have gone on the road with ease; when he saw me come in, he began to play Silver's most popular tunes.

I sat there with eyes closed enjoying the music, and for that time, it could have been Horace Silver himself there on the piano.

Since then, I have learned going on the road and becoming a famous jazz musician is not all it's cracked up to be; I thought that rich automatically went along with famous, but it ain't necessarily so.



I had to go back and listen to "A Thousand Teardrops" to make sure I still liked it; yes, better than ever.

Sorry O-10, didn't mean to be rude.

I liked the Jazz Crusaders better than the Crusaders, but still listen to all till about Live in Japan. I am a big fan of the Jazz Crusaders as you guessed.


Dave is still in a hurricane aftermath, so he may be a little busy for a while.