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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
bluesy41
211 posts
 

@nsp - I 100 percent agree with all of your points. I love Miles, Dizzy, Trane, Monk, Nina, Ella, Cannonball, Jimmy Smith, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, Bird, Art Pepper, Ben Webster, Ray Brown, Chet Baker, Stan Getz, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Oscar Peterson to name a few.  I also think some of best part of jazz music during that era was that they all recycled certain songs, songs today we call standards and each one of them gave us their own interpretations of it. But I also love today's music as well. Cats like Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, Marcus Miller, Ben Williams Esperanza Spaulding, Charlie Hunter, Roy Hargrove, Kenny Garrett also to name a few. All I believe has made songs that I believe will be jazz standards one day. I'm a big George Benson fan, but I notice he doesn't get the same run as some other guitarist on this thread. Why, because he crossed over? All nonsense to me because he has made some of the greatest contributions to this art form. The same of the late great George Duke. I love jazz music as it's a part of my everyday life. Music is personal, if it moves you, grooves you, makes your head nod, foot tap, fingers snap or inspires you that artist has completed his goal. Judging eras in music is as silly as judging athletes you can't. Simply because we can't speak to ones music connection or motivation. I thank God for our legends of the past and for those today that were inspired by them. I ask the question, what is life without music? God gave us these fabulous artist to satisfy us all from within, why must we spend our time trying to decide who is better. Enjoy the music and accept our blessing.


Cheers

acman3
4,263 posts
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhTiJEYqqY8
acman3
4,263 posts
 
I sometimes forget how awesome Bob Berg could be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI6JJRHK6xI
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

nsp, these are some of my speculations in regard to why new jazz just doesn't "wig" me.

I spoke of "origination", which is where the musician, and the listener came from. When they both came from one of the major cities, they were on the same frequency, and communicated. Now that so much, meaning a large part of our major cities no longer exist, it complicates things. Music does not exist in a vacuum.

Clubs in our major cities were where so many jazz artists honed the art of making jazz. Presently, the jazz environment is in a flux. If you look to somebody from the country to produce good jazz after going to a good music school, you might be disappointed.

So many times I hear about how good the artists in the past are compared to today. I've also noticed how today's artists can excel at playing classical, but not jazz, or they can play jazz as long as it's written down. That tells me artists of today, are as good as artists of yesterday, when it comes to their instrument, but they haven't mastered the jazz vocabulary or feel.

The improvising skills required to play good jazz are honed in night clubs with other jazz musicians. If these clubs, and that environment don't exist, the music has to come up short.

In the meantime, while the new jazz musicians work out the kinks, I'll be listening to the old jazz.
pjw81563
1,829 posts
 
pryso-

Quite correct you are about "Birth Of The Cool" That whole affair, although it started around 1949 I believe, so it must be said that was miles first foray outside the bebop stuff, was kind of strange. The nonet, which had revolving musicians and was recorded in over a year I believe, with just a few songs being released as singles until the album was released by Capital Records (11 tracks) in 1957. Not one of my favorites but you are correct in that it was his first "alternate direction"
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