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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
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
Body and Soul:

The Lester Young performance  seemed to be more for dancing.  If fact, you can imagined a dance floor while listening to it.    This is what I call Swing.  The transition from Sax to piano and back again was smooth and the tempo was maintained.  Great playing.  Another hipster from Mississippi.

Bird was faster, and he played the entire tune.  The tempo did changed during the performance.  Not as dance friendly as Prez.   More like, listen to Bird express himself.

My take away.   Bebop is for listening.   Swing is for dancing.

Ad Lib Blues / Cool Blues:

Both great playing.  I have the Prez CD.   Again, the Lester tune is for dancing, the Bird tune for Listening to Bird.
 

I think it was during this period in Jazz, that Pops felt it necessary to declare, "if you can't dance to it, it ain't Jazz"   A not too subtle swipe at Be-Bop.

Cheers


frogman
7,516 posts
 
Actually, he did worse (better?) than that. He referred to bebop as “Chinese music”. Talk about politically incorrect. I know exactly what he meant.

Good catch on the tempo relaxing toward the end. 2:00 AM, last take of the night, rough night the day before, way too much sugar in way too much coffee (or who knows what), Chan was pissed off that day; even those guys got tired sometimes 😊

Actually it was the drummer’s fault.  Again.  It’s always the drummer (not!).  Those damn drummers.

” Two musicians and a drummer walk into a bar......”
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
OP, I just realized the Blakey you posted is from the newly discovered CD everyone is going ga-ga over.  I will have to get it.  Hey, Lee Morgan.

Cheers
frogman
7,516 posts
 
Worth getting if only for the players on it (Morgan). Some pretty good reaction, but I’m not aware of “everyone going gaga over it” at all. For whatever it may be worth to anyone, my post on a recent and different thread about this release:

Always a treat to find new material by a great artist. However, there’s usually a reason that release of a recording is held back. I know it’s in vogue to slam critics, but I think Fremer’s review nails it.

It’s hard to find an Art Blakey recordings that is not at least enjoyable to listen to, but compared to the classics this one, while still enjoyable, doesn’t rise to the same level of band cohesion and level of swing. The material was unfamiliar to the players and it sounds like it. As Fremer points out, four of the tunes were recorded live just a few weeks later for the “At The Jazz Corner Of The World” release and the band (same lineup) sounds more energetic and precise. On the title tune of the earlier studio version we hear a rarity, Morgan ‘fracks” (misses) a note early on in the reading of the “head”; a common result of unfamiliarity with the material.

https://youtu.be/RQcfoXbGtq8

A few weeks later:

https://youtu.be/S5GONJ_ozTc
pjw81563
1,829 posts
 
I though this was the new Art Blakey album:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084WKR24S/?coliid=I3FX2JVT7YSKHN&colid=2MJEFFF7AFXNS&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it_im
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