Jazz for aficionados

Alex:

Blues Blues Blues

Nothing but the Tonic:
Enjoyed it. The guitar player was good, but the Piano player was the class of this group. They stayed true to the genre.

Blues in the Closet:
To my ear, not as good as the first clip. The organ, combined with the bass, sort of overpowered the tune. Things got sort of jumbled. Should have stayed with the piano. Is that a standard? If not, the whole thing sounded derivative.

Thanks for the clips.

Cheers

O-10, liked the Jean Luc clip. I have always liked some of his stuff. It's always well crafted from a compositional standpoint and very good playing WITHIN THAT FUSION STYLE. I disagree with Rok's take on the improvisation. Very atmospheric and pleasant. The disco clips? Well, I'm tempted to say you're joking, and I won't bother commenting on the bane of 70s music.

Leads me to something that I think happens often. There is some blurring between liking something because one likes the style, regardless of the level of the execution, and liking something, even if it's not ones favorite style, because the level of execution is extremely high. If the playing is on an extremely high level, I always find much to like; regardless of style. If the playing is poor or average, I don't care if it's my favorite style; no thanks.

Alex, I really liked the Buster Williams clip. Beautiful play ing on a very high level all the way around from pedigreed jazz players; and a wonderful composition. Thanks for that. The Sudao Wada clips may be blues which is, style wise, as we all like it, but the playing is simply not very good by the standards of the great jazz players. There is usually (not always) a reason that one can't find much info on certain players. The playing simply doesn't swing on the level that the music demands and the improvisation is no better than is heard in many a practice room in jazz schools. The interaction between the bass player and drummer is almost a mess at times. I guess I didn't like it; and I like the blues.

Rok, Blues In The Closet has been recorded by many jazz greats; I guess one could say it's a "standard", although the term is usually reserved for a more developed composition not simply a jazz "head".

Duke Ellington -- THE AFRO-EURASIAN ECLIPSE - 1971

Gong:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M86dxZcuPhU

Acht O'Clock Rock:
Et Tu Duke??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_W0a_wPSgM

I think everyone was affected / infected by the scourge. I like "Gong". Both actually. Hell, I like the entire CD. WTF, It's The Duke!!

I guess he had been recording for around 45 years when he did this. The Band sounds more 'modern'.

Cheers

Rok, I never could dance, but I like to go to a "juke joint", put some quarters in the box and watch em git down, There was a guy that could do some moves to this one you would not believe;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO91BtMIciU&list=PL5364D1FBFE077590

Enjoy the music.