Jazz for aficionados

Today’s Listen:

Lee Morgan -- LEEWAY

With what can only be called an all-star group. If you have ever wondered if a tune can survive a Bass and a Drum solo, here’s your answer.

Notes:
"... refused to go in the Miles Davis - Art Farmer direction of essentially lyrical, understated, economical trumpet playing. Lee can be lyrical, but his musical temperament is basically in the exuberant, joyous, extroverted tradition of Dizzy Gillespie and Clifford Brown." Nat Hentoff

For which we can all be thankful.

Morgan was 21 at this time, so I guess he was still being introduced to the Jazz audience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIIlQ3Uf-aw

ever notice how whenever the word ’blues’ is in the title, it be mo better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FE6XcsUxos

Cheers

note the cigarette in his hand while playing.   yep, 21.

Fro, nope, I just assume that it sees differently. And nope, the creator does not see it automatically, since obviously a level of education is required. I referred not to the non-deliberate or deliberate choice, I just wanted to emphasize the difference between the picture they have in general. I did wrote that both do have magic but of different kind.

Knowledge is never a curse; when kept in its proper place.

The point is in "proper place" I agree and this can be interpreted in many ways. Obviously I wasn’t trying to say that knowledge by itself is a curse. Of course that it is not. But in the light of from what I am saying, it could be. I would NOT underestimate the power of rose glasses in art in particular, you know, ’cause that is what moves the fan (admirer). And having fan who is moved is what all is about, right?

Mr. Audiogon, I am truly grateful to you for giving me chance to edit my post within the 30 min. No need to prolong it, I am fully able to follow my stream of thoughts within the given deadline. :--)

frogman

Thanks for all your insightful posts this morning. You must have a few days off for the holidays (I don’t recall you ever posting this much material in such a short span of time).

Some reflections of mine.

Herbie Hancock was, and still is, a boundary stretcher who dove seamlessly, barely missing a step, into the world of electronic keyboards.
Chick Corea as well. Both of them started out in the "old school jazz" rooted in blues, as our OP likes to call jazz in the period from 1920 - 1965. I think it was the 65 - 75 period when a lot of jazz musicians started to stretch the boundary’s of "old school" into Avant Guard, Fusion, and whatever one considers the "correct terminology" for these relatively new genres.

Art Blakey was a bebop/hardbop drummer (much more of the latter) and would stay in his driving lane. I love the way he propels his bandmates in his "school of hard bop", which is the title of an Art Blakey book I read. I have over 50 Blakey discs both live and studio (almost his complete catalogue with him as a leader) and I love them all. The only time Art would change lanes were his African themed albums. Art was Art and that is what made him special to me. He had so much enthusiasm and energy and it rubbed off on all of his "students" of which all of them wrote the majority of his songs.

Tony Williams, a drummer you have mentioned in many of your posts, along with Billy Cobham, were the 2 drummers (that I can think of right now) who were able to change lanes in and out of genres seamlessly and both, as well as Blakey, should be in the drummer hall of fame if there was such a thing.

BTW, when Tony Williams was 17 years old he played his first studio gigs on the Blue Note label first with Herbie Hancock on his "My Point Of View" recording (19 March 63), and then with Kenny Dorham less then 2 weeks later (1 April) on the Uno Mas recording

By listening to these albums you can already hear Tony Williams unique style of playing which evolved rapidly. 17 years old!! SMH!!

With Herbie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ERBkTeTeQ4

With Kenny:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dxoLesUB5M

Meanwhile...

After the Rain · Kenny Garrett
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chOmND_R8oA

Johnny Griffin - When We Were One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ex0Ah7L0t0

~~
Johnny Griffin & Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis - Save your Love for Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6rabp9V2vk

~~
Grant Green – Iron City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXPMeJWxoBA

Mundell Lowe – Guitar Moods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHjHlxRY0Zk