Jazz for aficionados

Frogman - Cool video of Irakere. My one caveat would be that by 1986 D'Rivera & Sandoval had already defected and by this time the band, while by no means abandoning their Jazz roots, had largely become a dance band. They became one of the pioneers of what was later to be known as 'Timba' (Cuban 'Salsa' music would be the easiest and quickest way to describe it). The album I referred to was released in 1979. Here's an interesting track from it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ma59D5iBoQ

And here's the entire record. Warning! - this is NOT easy-listening! A total antithesis of the Poncho Sanchez gringo-friendly sound! But there was a reason there was such a heavy buzz about them at the time. Dizzy Gillespie in particular championed their cause! Recorded at the Montreux fests in NY & Europe. If you listen to the audience, they're really into it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7KMJ_dTawI

It was always a real treat to catch Bob Parlocha's show on my morning drive to the gym. Not only did he have vast knowledge of jazz, but we was also humble and teachable ... especially when it came to sharing music from young up-and-comers. Definitely a sad day when we lost him.

Chazro, thanks for the nice post. The links don't seem to work on my IPad, but I know that 1979 American debut album well. I posted that post-defection clip to stay with the 80s theme. I became aware of Irakere even before that 1979 Columbia release, when the year before a relative in Cuba sent me copies of "Grupo Irakere" and "Brouwer/Irakere" on the Cuban label "Areito". I was knocked out when I heard that band. To me one of the great poetic ironies about the history of that band is that the musical project created by the Cuban government, the "Orquesta Cubana De Musica Moderna", in order to show the world that jazz was not forbidden in Cuba (anymore) and which spawned "Irakere", would eventually lead to the defection of two of its highest profile players.

Rok, I know you're out there! I want you and other aficionados to know that I'm "studiously" adding to my collection, and economy of purchases is of the utmost importance.

Before, when I tried to stay current, it turned out to be a big waste; current musicians seem to capable of only one very good cut per album; this meant the rest of the album was a waste.

Acquiring almost everything by any one musician also proved to be uneconomical; that's because even the greatest had some flops; however, I've discovered one musician this might not apply to, Lee Morgan is his name.

Not until I began adding his albums did I discover that maybe it is possible for a musician not to have a bad album; I'm not talking about anything he was a sideman on, but the albums he put out and led.

In the past there was no way of sampling every cut on an album before you bought it, but now, thanks to "you tube", it's possible to sample other cuts beside the one that made you decide to purchase this particular album.

While in Lee Morgan's case, this only goes for the genre "Hard Bop", that still covers a lot of territory, and adds a lot of music without waste. This aficionado is on his way to Nirvana; that's Heaven to the uninitiated.

Enjoy the music.

O-10, as I said recently, I sense that this thread is at a milestone of sorts; perhaps, and more accurately, a crossroad (for me, at least). I preface my comments out of respect for you and the interesting and positive contribution you have made as OP, and so that my opposing view does not come across as gratuitous or disingenuous; it is not and is sincere. As always, comments in a thread such as this are obviously subject to and invite opposing as well as supporting views. Having said all that, it is I who would be disingenuous if I didn't respond to this:

****Before, when I tried to stay current, it turned out to be a big waste; current musicians seem to capable of only onte very good cut per album; this meant the rest of the album was a waste.****

Please clarify: Are you saying that "before" (previous search?), you didn't find any current recordings that had more than one good cut, but now you do? Or, are you saying that you just don't find (now or before) any current recordings with more than one good cut? If the latter, it is precisely comments like that, that I hoped that this thread could move beyond. Clearly, we are all entitled to our opinions and to express them; but, for me, the seemingly endless cycle of talk about jazz from the past as the end-all, to proposals to explore more modern jazz (sometimes by the decade) without real follow-through, to the inevitable return to negativity about current jazz gets really old. My view, if it isn't clear already, is that if important comments like that are made they should be accompanied by something more substantive than a simple statement of opinion or gut feeling as an explanation for it so as to keep a kind of focus to the proceedings here; perhaps specific examples, and better yet, with specific commentary.

Here's one, just off the top of my head; not a bad cut on the record:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-rv_AU_URkk&list=PL55B2954EFC5BB029¶ms=OAFIAVgC&mode=NORMAL

Just one man's opinion, and a humble attempt to keep the thread at a level befitting the seriousness of the music. As always, I welcome yor thoughts.

Regards.