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
Well that is the most serious :Lullaby I ever heard  0-10 .
In my mind I thought of a day in the sugar cane fields with the engines
running back and forth and the peons enduring hell on earth .
I’ve listened to that Jesse Davis clip about ten times. Fantastic clip and I love great alto playing! Acman3 is right; “depends on what one is looking for in a solo”. Jesse Davis is a fantastic player, but to be compared to a giant like Phil Woods is a pretty tall order. Schubert makes a great observation. While I wouldn’t say that Davis is more melodic than the others, he does have a certain clarity in his sense of melody. He likes to take a short melodic snippet, transpose and repeat it and turn it upside down.

Acman3 brings up another interesting point re the solo order. What I find fascinating about that solo order is that listening to those four players is like following the development of jazz from the post-Bird period to the present. Woods’ playing screams Bird while bringing his own somewhat more modern harmonic language and tone. His playing projects an amazing sense of confidence and maturity. McPherson takes it a step further into the future in overall approach. Bartz’ playing shows why Miles chose him for one of his electric bands. Davis takes things the farthest outside the harmonies of the tune and one can hear some obvious ”Coltranisms” in his solo. All great soloists. From the standpoint of technical command Woods couldn’t be touched. IMO.

Thanks again for a fantastic clip, Schubert.

https://youtu.be/448rUZ7BnjA
Of the at least 10,0000  covers that have passed through my
hands this is the most beautiful .Decades later he looked at high school players the same way .,.https://youtu.be/448rUZ7BnjA
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IMO Davis has the most soul . Just me .