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
keegiam
731 posts
 
@pjw81563

Just looked up my post from last March re: Stan Kenton and the Towson University Jazz Ensemble's 1978 recording.  Here ya go...

<<Woody Herman always reminds me of Stan Kenton, who used to come to my area every summer to visit his close friend Hank Levy (who had previously played sax in Kenton's band). Most summers, Kenton would put on "Kenton Clinics" with various college jazz bands. Hank Levy led his Towson University Jazz Ensemble (big band all the way) at an outdoor concert every year. So I just looked him up, and the first hit has a link to the album I bought at the 1978 concert. I had no idea this existed digitally.

Pretty rare stuff, and not bad for a bunch of college kids. I'm not urging anyone listen to this... just a background story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJ0AXmfxU54>>


frogman
7,532 posts
 
I had forgotten that Tim Hagans played with Kenton in the 70’s.  Wonderful player with an exceptionally inventive modern concept.  I still have to chuckle at how much energy and debate has been spent here over the supposed death of “real” Jazz when we keep getting players like Tim Hagans.  

https://youtu.be/o3RI8844JEU

Very interesting composer/arranger with unique voice as well.  Odd title for this “Best Jazz Composition” Grammy nominated chart, but killer writing if one just lets go of preconceived notions of what big band writing “should” be about:

https://youtu.be/9-ChtUF5o7g
acman3
4,331 posts
 
https://timhagans.bandcamp.com/album/the-moon-is-waiting
pjw81563
1,834 posts
 
Happy Labor Day weekend to all!

Keegiam I like big bands and That Towson State big band is very good indeed.

Frogman and acman great Tom Hagen. Another great trumpet player that is relatively unknown except to us aficionados.

The recently discussed Tom Harrell, along with Kenny Wheeler are two really great trumpet players as well as composers who never achieved widespread recognition like Satchmo, Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan and Maynard.....well you aficionados know the rest of this list.

I had heard of Hagen but was not aware of his exceptional talent as a trumpet player/composer/arranger until today and I will be purchasing some of his discs to add to my collection.

Tom Hagen is right up there with Harrell and Wheeler in the "greatest unknown trumpet players" list.


pjw81563
1,834 posts
 
I’ve been looking for a few Tim Hagans discs online and came across quite a few. His discography lists 12 as a leader and much more as a sideman.

Great trumpet duo:

(1) Norrbotten Big Band Randy Brecker Tim Hagans plays Boooo - YouTube

A disc I found with Hagans and drummer extraordinaire Peter Erskine along with the big band on the video I posted:

ERSKINE,PETER & TIM HAGANS & THE NORRBOTTEN BIG BAND - Worth the Wait - Amazon.com Music


More to discover