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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
frogman
7,478 posts
 
ghosthouse, nice clip. Mintzer is one of the most talented musicians around today. Great composer/arranger/ big band leader as well as player.

Bass clarinet: For me the bass clarinet, like all instruments really, is most effective when all its unique qualities are used to their fullest and is played as more than just like another “saxophone” with a different type of tone. Dolphy was, of course, the master and standard bearer. Benny Maupin is a very soulful and underrated player who deserves more coverage here. Funky as hell on saxophones he is one of those who, IMO, also found the bass clarinet’s “soul”. Charter member of Herbie Hancock’s “Headhunters” he has been involved in many interesting projects including his own:

https://youtu.be/Mad5PBuGrw0

Very different approach to the same tune:

https://youtu.be/0Zlo2mkEo5U

https://youtu.be/Gcqr63Q5mEs

https://youtu.be/WtORTuLJw7o

https://youtu.be/mZy7v_-ss74

orpheus10 OP
8,668 posts
 

pjw, this Bud's for you;


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WANNqr-vcx0
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,319 posts
 
Thanks for all those links, Frogman.  Lots to consider.

re Eric Dolphy and the bass clarinet.  I wish I could appreciate him more.  There is something there, no doubt, but he is beyond me at this point in time. 

You might recall, a while back, Rok posted a B&W video of the Chas. Mingus sextet doing take the A-Train live somewhere in Scandinavia.  In addition to a great Jaki Byard solo on piano, ED solo'd at length on bass clarinet (you characterized it as "wonderfully eccentric", which it was).  Mingus walked off stage in the middle of it...to use the restroom I suppose.  That is a fascinating clip that bears repeated watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xObINuHiMGI       
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
I’m sorry, but you can’t call yourself a Jazz aficionado if you can’t even list artists from this century. Jazz is a living, breathing art form.

Wow!!   On his very first post on Audiogon,  he defines Jazz and gives the criteria for being considered an 'aficionado'.  Which apparently, we ain't.  Save The Frogman, of course.

Some folks seem to think Jazz is something akin to the old teenage music listed on the 'top forty' or 'hit parade'.   Everyone was famous for a while, measured in weeks.

Jazz is more like Classical Music.   It does not get old.   It's timeless.   Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Mingus, etc.......   will be listened to, and talked about for centuries after those noise makers you listed (McBride excepted) are  completely forgotten.   In fact, most are forgotten already.   The Frogman's First Law.

You need to check out the Dick Clark thread.   See what's 'new'.

Cheers
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
It seems as if the thread has become victim to the noise pandemic.

Fortunately, I have a vaccine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Hbh_-IRs8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LHMNxk8DqA

Listen to these twice a day until noise subsides.

Cheers
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