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
Nice clips, O-10.

More record release mystery/confusion. I have to assume that there are contractual issues by way of transfer of ownership of the masters that allows this sort of thing; or, perhaps in our age of streaming, simple hanky-panky that goes under the radar of the lawyers.

The YouTube clip suggests that “Four Altos” was a Sahib Shihab session; it wasn’t. The leader (and arranger) of the session was Phil Woods with Sahib Shihab (this time playing alto) one of three additional alto players; hence the title “Four Altos”.  The second clip “Whisper Not” is not from the album “Four Altos” at all, but from a Benny Golson record that Shihab played on.  Even the artwork was copied (sort of). This is the original lp cover which I’ve owned for many years; notice the order of the names as shown on the cover:

http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/albums/four-altos/

Regardless, interesting record featuring four Charlie Parker disciples, the most notable being Phil Woods and Gene Quill. Sahib Shihab also sounds very good, although I think his voice on baritone is more distinctive. Gene Quill is one of the unsung heroes of the alto. He and Phil Woods co-led a quintet which recorded a few sessions (this one with the addition of Sol Schindler, another popular baritonist of that era):

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Id5WQ0D9jdA
"Wikipedia" doesn't even show 'Whisper Not' on the album; you're right once again.

I heard Gene Quill on an album that does not show up in is discography; it might have been just a solo on this one cut, but it was memorable.