Jazz for aficionados

The 70s decade was the worst by far when it concerned jazz music/artists.

Michael Brecker was 21 in 1970 so I can see how people can look back on his first 10 years of preforming as pretty crappy. Especially jazz people (listeners and artists).

In contrast, even though the 80s was still a bad decade for jazz as a whole the jazz purists of old and the upcoming artists like the Marsalis brothers and Jeff "Tain" Watts, among many, were slowly getting back to the roots of swing and blues instead of funk and disco.

Even the great Sonny Rollins tried infusing "disco influenced grooves" into  his 70s albums and they were pretty bad.

Jeff "Tain" Watts never released a "cheesy" album. The same can be said of the Marsalis brothers. Those 3 artists have some really great recordings with each other and with others. Look at this 1982 example of how the Marsalis brothers "made their bones"

Keystone 3 - Wikipedia

Jeff "Tain" Watts'1991 debut album, Megawatts, a trio, is one of my favorite trio sessions.

Megawatts 1991 featuring "Tain" with bassist Charles Fambrough and pianist Kenny Kirkland. Fambrough also played bass on the Art Blakey session I used as an example for the Marsalis brothers. This IMO, is what a straight ahead jazz trio that swings as a whole along with excellent comping and soloing sound like.

Black Nile - YouTube

Branford Marsalis 1986 album Royal Garden Blues

Branford Marsalis - Royal Garden Blues - YouTube

Wynton Marsalis 1983 album Think of One

Knozz-Moe-King - YouTube

An outstanding Jeff "Tain" Watts album with Wynton and Branford Marsalis, as well as altoist Kenny Garrett contributing. Watts composed "The Impaler" which he also played in a trio setting on his Megawatts album. 

Jeff "Tain" Watts - The Impaler - YouTube

Trio version

The Impaler - YouTube

Michael Brecker has a great rendition of Watts' "The Impaler" on his 1998 album Two Blocks from The Edge but I cannot find it on You Tube but I found Brecker playing "The Impaler" with none other than John McLaughlin. 

Michael Brecker with John McLaughlin - One Night in Monte Carlo - The Impaler - YouTube

One last addition (I could not resist!), Branford and Wynton Marsalis with Art Blakey playing live in 1981 at 7th Ave South, a jazz club owned by Michael and Randy Brecker.

@frogman Did you ever hang out at 7th Ave South?

Oh crap,

 I just reread the list the 110 was just the A-B part of the list! 
 

Can we say prolific??

So I just got 6 John Zorn CD’s from the library. I tried to listen to them. Really I did! I guess I just don’t like that kind of jazz.

Oh well.

On the thirty two albums of Zorn it seems i cannot love more than 4 or 5 ...

The rest may be interesting but not enough for me to keep them in my love list...

The Album with Jamie Saft throw me toward him , and i discovered few albums of Saft as true gems... ( 6 albums)

I prefer classical jazz, sometimes i venture out of it but it is way more difficult for me to fall in love then ...

Zorn is really interesting... But interesting is not falling in love...

After the 6 albums of Saft i love , i now explore Brecker who really is a sax master ... Evident at first listening ... I will not fall in love with many Brecker albums in fusion or piop for sure... But his jazz albums will probably hit me at the heart it seems already with 2 listenings...

So I just got 6 John Zorn CD’s from the library. I tried to listen to them. Really I did! I guess I just don’t like that kind of jazz.

Oh well.

I would not ,at my age, force myself to listen to music I don't like. In the past I  have listened to music til I got it. Not anymore. 

When  I  said I  liked Zorn, I  only had 10 or so recordings I have collected over the years on CD. They have now released everything he has put out. Over 200 records.  I doubt I love everything he has done, especially with him being so adventurous. Good on y'all for giving him a chance.  

My brother wants me to go with him to see Jr. Brown. I'm not going.  I 've seen him and for some reason he wears on me. It Happens.