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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
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,331 posts
 
@frogman 

Back atcha' on the Herbie Hancock.  I have spent little time listening to HH's jazz funk.  When it first came out I wrote it off as him cashing in.  Amazing how much I knew in my 20s.  

Listened to Actual Proof via the link you supplied.  Enjoyed it.  The music is much more complex and substantial than my younger self thought. Quite a few commented there about Mike Clark's drumming...and rightly so, I think.  Quick quick quick and light handed (if that's even possible in a funk setting).   

Just recently stumbled onto HH's "VSOP Quintet" on the live double album, VSOP (1977).  Was amazed at the performance of Maiden Voyage that opens things.  Freddie Hubbard in particular lights it up! in his soloing.  But circling back to jazz funk, side 4 contains two HH jazz funk compositions...Hang Up your Hang Ups (from Man-Child) and Spider from Secrets.  

Here's Spider from the VSOP Live.  Kind of a slow build so patience required.  The drummer is James Levi (not Mike Clark).  Nice work from Herbie at around the midway point. 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2J2w9enLZ0


orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

Herbie Hancock sailed through all sub jazz genres with flying colors; he is probably the most innovative keyboardist ever. That is some boss "Funk".
alexatpos
1,249 posts
 
Refarding the article about the RVG, if that is of any significance to anyone, the author is mostly correct, but he forgot one very important thing to add. It is the mastering of those tapes and later work done by different people, that makes the ’recording’ as such and that is what we finally listen as a product in a form of cd or lp. There are very big differences between same albums that are mastered by different people and again, differences between formats (lp. sacd or cd) So, I guess, only the lucky ones who listened original tapes or their copies prior their mastering, are the ones who can really know how good or not RVG’ s work was


pryso
1,986 posts
 
o10, " they know full well that if you don't have a big buck high end rig, CD's sound better."

Well, that's one opinion.  I don't happen to agree.  If you have some basic mechanical knowledge you could buy an AR-XA table and arm for example for maybe $200 and do a basic restoration (clean up, re-lube, new belt, adjust the arm) and install a new Grado or Audio Technica cartridge for $300 (tops).  I don't think $500 is "big buck" but with that and any number of original release jazz LPs in decent condition (may require a little time in a thrift store if you don't already have any) one could get very good sonics and deep enjoyment from the music.  Some would argue with more depth and body to the music than a CD system for 3-4 X that.  I say that because I've done it a couple of times for friends.

But this is not the Analog forum so maybe not the place to discuss such things.  So to each their own. ;^)
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