2. music
  3. 1361722327

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
mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,806 posts
 
I own many, many albums of Tom Harrell...

I am in love with the trumpet...

It is one of my 10 best artist at this instrument and not the 10th by far......He is a musical genius not for his virtuosity only but mainly his poetic creativity and his particular phrasing with the trumpet...

here it is only an example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2oh8cD7SWY

I will add this to my opinion because i am in no way a musician but Phil Woods is...:

« “Tom Harrell is the best musician I’ve encountered in 40 years of playing music,” says saxophonist Phil Woods, in whose quintet Harrell has played trumpet for the past five years. “I’ve played with some great musicians and I’ve never played with anyone better than Tom Harrell. I think the whole group sounds better because of him.”»

And if someone here object that this description is not "objective" by Woods describing his partner craftmanship...Freddie Hubbard put Harrell over Wynton Marsalis...And he knows something about trumpet playing... 😊

Anyway all the opinions in the world speak less than a listening session...


I will dedicated my post recommendation to the generous mary_jo
frogman
7,562 posts
 
Thanks for your concern, mary_jo.  Pretty wet around here.  Really amazing amount of rain the last few days.  A lot of flooding in NYC, but thankfully my home has stayed dry…mostly. 

https://youtu.be/9jDpI5-NzXI

https://youtu.be/V_25vU4Rdeg

frogman
7,562 posts
 
mahgister, I could not agree more, Tom Harrell is a genius.  I’ve been a fan of his playing for many years.  The comparison to Marsalis is almost irrelevant; two entirely different types of players.  Harrell is not the instrumental virtuoso that Marsalis is, but Harrell is a remarkable creativity virtuoso.  
Knowing a little about what you admire in a musician, I can understand why Harrell appeals to you.  There is a warmth in his sound that is reminiscent of Chet Baker; the expression of humanity. His playing is very lyrical, like Baker’s, but with a more advanced (modern) harmonic concept.  This is not intended as a criticism of Baker; two players representative of two different periods in the evolution of the music.  

One of the many remarkable things about Harrell is that his musical spirit is so strong in spite of the fact that he suffers from the mental illness, paranoid schizophrenia.  When he plays is the only time he shows no signs of the illness. Remarkable human being.

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,806 posts
 
Knowing a little about what you admire in a musician, I can understand why Harrell appeals to you.  There is a warmth in his sound that is reminiscent of Chet Baker; the expression of humanity. His playing is very lyrical, like Baker’s, but with a more advanced (modern) harmonic concept.  This is not intended as a criticism of Baker; two players representative of two different periods in the evolution of the music.  
Thanks for these remarks spot on about me and these 2 artists...

My deepest regards and appreciation...


acman3
4,337 posts
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWjnst3hyeQ
More to discover