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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
 
So I'm curious, how many of you would identify Oscar Peterson as a bebop artist?


He was a great pianists.  A great Jazz pianists.   Bebop?   That's what they called what  Bird and Dizzy did that changed the direction of Jazz.  Demonstrated and opened everyone's eyes as to how Jazz could be played.  An example of what was possible.  It became the pervasive influence.

As Jelly Roll Morton said, "Jazz is a way of playing music."   Not so sure about all the labels.   Think of Miles and 'Kind of Blue'.  Don't exactly bring to mind Bird and Dizzy.

Also, as The Frogman once pointed out, Louis Armstrong called Bebop "Chinese" music.  :)   I am sure he had Bird, Dizzy and maybe Monk in mind.

Peterson was not  known as a Jazz composer or innovator, he just played other folks music mo better than anyone else could.  I put Peterson and Gene Harris together right up with the all time greats on piano. Their music is ALWAYS very enjoyable to hear, and you can't say that about many.

Cheers
pryso
1,986 posts
 
Thanks acman, that fits. ;^)
frogman
7,562 posts
 
Pryso asks an interesting question.  I agree with all that Rok wrote, but I think that there is, in fact, an answer to the question……in my book, anyway.

OP was an amazing piano player and, to my ears, he definitely had a style.  He was a master of just about every Jazz piano style and I think that his personal style can be said to have been heavily informed by all those styles; not the least of which was his early training in Classical piano.  Still, I think the most prominent influence in his playing was that of Art Tatum.  I agree with Pryso, he never really sounded like a bebop player to me.  If I were to get analytical, I would say that, harmonically, he was more of a traditionalist and, in the same spirit, he played more on the front side of the beat than most bebop and certainly hard bop players.

OP demonstrating different Jazz piano styles:

https://youtu.be/ec-FrnaU0rs
acman3
4,337 posts
 
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dSzGoJcVVg0
frogman
7,562 posts
 
Nice Nat Cole!  Underrated as a piano player.

More Oscar Peterson.  A more analytical look:

https://youtu.be/3cQ1zFMHVXM

https://youtu.be/2bcVy9HL9-E
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