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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
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Pryso, interesting you should fault "Cry Me A River"; I got distracted and this is what I was intending to post;


            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1INhj10CiCE
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Frogman, in 59, the circle I traveled in barely considered KOB, an also ran.
orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

"Somethin Else" was definitely boss in 59, because it was popular before KOB had been released; it came out in 58, while KOB came out in 59; that's why KOB wasn't even considered until later.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 

Who, pray tell, decided that either of them was the best Jazz album ever?

Smells like those interlopers at Juilliard.  If you can't play it, redefine it.

I wonder what the folks in New Orleans thought / think.  Kansas City?

Just one Frenchman's opinion.

Cheers

frogman
7,528 posts
 
O-10, this is a little like the “what is West Coast Jazz and what is East Coast Jazz” issue in that there is a lot more nuance to the situation than is taken into account when discussing it.

Miles was already someone of tremendous stature (and tremendous ego). Already twenty four records as leader. Cannonball was a newcomer and SIDEMAN in MILES’ band. Then there are the facts presented by pryso re the particulars of the material. Add to all this the fact that the producer has a tremendous influence in how it all goes down and it is easy to see that, at most, it was a collaboration. I would bet anything (and many others agree) that this power dynamic (which exists in all projects like this one) was much more slanted toward Miles than anyone else. “Leader”, “boss”, “sideman”, whatever; Miles had much more than the typical sideman influence on that record. And much of the feeling of the music reflects this.

As far as the merits of SE vs KOB goes, I won’t get into a debate about that again. There is so much written about the importance of KOB in the history and evolution of jazz that it seems silly to debate it.  SE was a great record. KOB was a game changer. I am not surprised that in some “circles KOB was barely considered an also ran”; time stands still for some listeners.
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