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

Showing 50 responses by pjw81563

Another great Art Pepper session:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16OoypHXcps

It his autobiography "Straight Life" he recalls the day the photo on that album cover was taken. The producer of the LP, Lester Koenig, sent a photographer to the place Art was residing at the time. It was about mid morning and Art had run out of Heroin and couldn’t locate the dealer so he was all strung out. Art had to stand around for about an hour while the photographer clicked away not knowing that Art was feeling like death and was in need of a "fix"

Anyway the photo chosen from the shoot is on the cover of the LP and Art feeling sick as a dog but he got through it like a trooper!
mary jo yes I have to many Art Pepper discs to count.

As for Bossa Nova:

 

Bossa Nova began on the tropical beaches of Rio de Janeiro in the late 1950s, when a small group of mainly middle-class students, artists and musicians came together to create a new sound. Bossa Nova was a soft samba based on traditional Brazilian music and rhythms, American jazz, and a new style of Portuguese lyrics. It was a youthful celebration of romance, beach culture and sensual pleasure.

Bossa Nova's twin figureheads are Antônio Carlos Jobim (Tom Jobim), a gifted composer, also blessed with classical good looks, and João Gilberto, a guitarist and singer who came to Rio from the poorer Bahia region.

The rest of the article is here:

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/features/bossanova/about.htm


I like this part which is really unbelievable!

""The album Getz/Gilberto spent 96 weeks in the US charts and 'The Girl from Ipanema' would become the world's second most played song behind the Beatles' 'Yesterday'.""

Schubert here is Pharoah Sanders playing with Kenny Garrett on Garrett’s album "Beyond The Wall" Its the first song on the disc and its called "Calling" It is my favorite Kenny Garrett album out of the 10 or so I have.

This song also demonstrates why Brian Blade is one of the best current jazz drummers and highly sought after by many current jazz artists to play on their studio sessions. Blade is the drummer on five Wayne Shorter albums including his newest release Emanon, which btw, is Noname spelled backward.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1Epx9uZLmw







Same album but different personnel on the recording dates. The first song has Charles Mingus on bass from 24 September 1954:

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

Paul Chambers on bass recorded on 6 June 1955:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nHg5hmXt2Y



frogman - nsp - Schubert I have just 3 Pepper Adams discs plus the Donald Byrd complete live at the Five Spot with Pepper Adams (2 disc set).

 Released as a Pepper Adams album I have "Conjuration - Fat Tuesday Sessions Live", "Encounter!", and "Pepper Adams Plays the Compositions of Charles Mingus"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZV4oqdVtc-g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svlFFbk-DsU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bC6MKpivYM

And two from the Five Spot:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar1mrjLetKU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5tVnAZMnrQ


frogman the one you reposted is a great display of musicianship by Jones and Adams. Adams solo in particular shows a total command of his instrument. Your other links also magnify his brilliance on the baritone.

Its funny that the latest topic here is Pepper Adams as for this past week I have been sampling a lot of the Thad Jones Mel Lewis Orchestra on YouTube and Amazon and compiling the albums I intend to buy into my Amazon wish list. Any recommendations would be appreciated.

Here is another awesome baritone player carrying on the torch since Adams’ passing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWHbHaPJvL4

As for the extended note from 2:50 - 3:20 I saw JC do the same and actually could see him exhibit the "circular breathing" technique from a distance of about 10 feet as my table was front row center and 5 feet from the bandstand.

Getting back to Pepper Adams he appears on far to many of my disc collection as a sideman for me to count. I wish he had recorded more as a leader.
Great links alex the first one with Harry Carny blew me away!

Same song you posted plus the next song Take the A Train:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LQPKsoYBgU

nsp I have just received those 2 shepp sax/piano duet recordings with Horace Parlan. Fantastic recordings and a great change of pace for Shepp.


What did you think of the James Carter album you bought? The Real Quiet Storm.
acman3 if Benny Goodman is not considered the best clarinetist of all time he was certainly the most popular and quite a showman


I have this album and this is my favorite song. Makes me want to jump up and dance while twirling my wife around

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NigiwMtWE0

frogman I ordered the discs you recommended. I had only one Thad Jones disc titled "The Magnificent Thad Jones" and I like the recording a lot. Here is a couple tunes from it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgfD1FWn4Pw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kKiar1b7Wc


frogman + Schubert I think this video gets it right and Ronnie Cuber is on it along with the aforementioned Pepper Adams, Gerry Mulligan, Harry Carney, and one you guys neglected - Hamiet Bluiett. Bluiett was a mentor of James Carter on the baritone and plays on Carters album "Out of Nowhere.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAI8Ycj-_Bk

Out of Nowhere (Bluiett is featured right out front in the first song)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg4PrVw1KaM

I have this album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deK-ACbP89U

A young Ronnie Cuber cutting it up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib4Y2vI5qlw




 
Schubert I also use Sennheiser headphones. I have the tried and true HD 650 model. All my discs have been ripped unto my laptop in FLAC format (lossless). I use an ARC DAC/headphone amp to bridge from the laptop to the headphones and the sonics are very good.


James Carter can play ANY reed/woodwind instrument but that is not the point. The point is he can play them all at very high technical proficiency. He may or may not be "the best" at any of them but he is on the short list and has won the Downbeat Critics Poll on a few of them.

Clarinet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45hcOg5MNs4

baritone sax:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgl1D0T_rHQ

tenor and soprano sax:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDDTA97Yf9o&t=382s

alto sax:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIJPG6dCHeE

flute:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYcCkl6M7y8


Schubert I believe he could drill a hole through a rock and stick a reed into it and play. I’m happy you had the good fortune to see him play. How was the rest of the bands you saw?


I just checked JC's tour dates and he is playing again at the Blue Note NYC July 15, 16, 17. I'm there!!
acman3 nice clip of JC at age 26 shredding that tenor. The guy on alto is pretty darn good too!
Schubert was this the drummer In JC's band when you saw them?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U7gMDfrUNc

I'm asking because his usual drummer for his organ trio and other projects going back 15 or so is Leonard King and not Alexander White who is on the kit in the first link

JC with Leonard King:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBJDuzovq7U

JC also has another band called the Elektrik Outlet which is the group playing at the Blue Note next month and features Alexander White on drums. Funny thing is when I saw JC at Birdland back in April as the James Carter Organ Trio he had White replacing Leonard King on the kit that night also and the billing for the show listed Leonard King as the drummer. Maybe King was feeling under the weather or something.

Elektrik Outlet:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX7wX5aQ3bE

Schubert here is JC's organ trio with Branford Marsalis and here its definitely Leonard King on the kit. A great performance by both of these saxophone masters!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwn8zskWw3U

Vincent Herring with Jeremy Pelt:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsxCCFc5MFA

By the way the aforementioned saxman Marcus Strickland has a brother who is a drummer. E.J. Strickland with some pretty good saxophonist's including his brother Marcus on tenor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWeUHRB6Nok




frogman I have a couple of Vincent Herrings recordings. Definitely one of the greats under 60. In my post I wrote here are "some" of the greats under 60yo. I couldn't list them all. Thanks for adding Herring.


I also have this disc:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqnAsALMqQ4

No I'm not I listen on my system at -15db which is very loud and the walls vibrate. Therefore out of respect for my wife who can barely hear her TV show in the next room on Friday during the other days I use the headphones.
schubert the Dragonfly DAC you recommended has received excellent reviews but I prefer my ARC DAC/Headphone amp combo.

Mind you I listen to it off my laptop into my Sennheiser HD 650 headphones but this is not my preferred listening method I have to do this because my house is small and humble and my wife and I agreed I could have one listening session per week, on Friday, which usually lasts from 6pm - 12am. This is done on my high end surround system switched to straight 2 channel with R and L JBL full range towers and JBL R and L subwoofers.

I switch to surround ONLY when I am listening to a multi channel SACD or DVD audio.
nsp The more you listen to James Carter the more you will like him. Sure he likes to show off and honk and squeal popping his lips off his mouthpiece and such. Wouldn't you if you had the talent he has. He also has an excellent ability to play ballads and blues that are simply gut wrenching and stay within the norm. Many dismiss him because of his Jimi Hendrix like pyrotechnics on the sax but they don't know what they are missing. He has a 3 night residency at the Blue Note NYC if you are interested.

Listen to his solo from 8:35 - 10:20!  then go back and watch him play restrained and within the song as a member of the Amazing Keystone Big Band. Or just watch the whole video from the beginning!

Another thing to look out for at from 3:15 - 4:45 when Stochelo Rosenberg, the gifted guitarist from the Netherlands is playing his solo, JC starts swaying and dancing to his rythm.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKrLGzkH2-I
alex this goes back to you. The wife I divorced was Brazilian.

filmado no rio o baterista é fantástico (Filmed in Rio the drummer is fantastic) - Neil Pert

Here is another great drum solo filmed. Then again Neil Pert is also one of the greatest drummers of all time. The last minute of the video is a trip with the large monitor behind Pert showing various clips of jazz musicians, swing dancers, 50’s era cartoons and vaudevillian scenes.

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

alex  I have been divorced once. Very costly!!

frogman -  Rich Perry is smooth indeed and I had never heard of him. Thanks for that. I now have all the Thad Jones & Mel Lewis sessions you recommended plus one more from a later date Monday at the Village Vanguard.


Schubert the orchestra with Grace Kelly is outstanding. The highlight for me though was Billy Cobham's drum solo. I have all of his recordings while he was with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, all of his solo recordings, and many more of his collaborations with various musicians. One of the greatest drummers of all time IMO.

And I do not plan on Leaving Long Island until I retire 12 years from now. I have property in North Carolina. Heading south.
nsp go back and read it again I wrote minus 15db  or - 15db

I can go on the 17th to JC's Blue Note show. I'm getting tickets hope to see you there.
nsp I just watched the 20 minute clip of Mark Turner. He is definitely doing his thing. Great talent from all 4 of those "kids" - they all look under 35. I have to go to work now but will watch the other vids when I get home.
Schubert if you are insinuating that Grace Kelly is equally talented with an axe as Chris Potter I must respectfully disagree.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfuW_Q7LfCY


I do like Grace Kelly however, and watched your recent video's of her in full. 
Schubert I think that Grace Kelly is everything you stated and more. Her enthusiasm and happiness is easily apparent. I was not aware that she was a student of Phil Woods.

She reminds me of the great Japanese piano player and composer Hiromi Uehara whom I have seen live in person. Same happy exuberance when playing her instrument.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXsuPkyFQuQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj5h35t86T0

Another great Japanese musician. She does not wear her happiness on her sleeve like Hiromi or Kelly.

Erena Terakubo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qncDawVs-o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogHfuh3K9s8

Erena’s mannerism on stage reminds me of, well, Chris Potter!

Although on this album cover she looks great:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x740WEWMQRQ



Shubert I don’t think jazz will ever come close to the popularity it once had. Great performances live, as you have pointed out, will help but the younger generation has to be at these shows to begin with.

As far as jazz being main stream to the masses, which will never happen, here is a man that since I started posting here I have never seen mentioned and he pulled it off with this song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IyXo9jL7Vc

From Wiki:
Leaving military service, he worked in New York City before returning to Chicago where he signed a contract with Vee Jay Records. His first album for Vee Jay, Exodus to Jazz, included his own jazz arrangement of Ernest Gold’s theme from the movie Exodus. A shortened version of this track, which featured his masterful playing in the upper register of the tenor saxophone, was heavily played on radio and became the first jazz record ever to be certified gold.
The single climbed into the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 16 in the U.S. R&B chart. Some jazz critics, however, regarded commercial success as a sign that a jazz artist had sold out and Harris soon stopped playing "Exodus" in concert.[3] He moved to Columbia Records in 1964 and then to Atlantic Records the following year where he re-established himself. In 1965, Atlantic released The In Sound, a bop album that won back many of his detractors.


I have the Exodus to Jazz disc and quite a few other Eddie Harris recordings including this gem at Montreux with Less McCann on piano:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UrjQSVbIkk&list=PLm7ogPYlDbGyVNmwz2txcpKuDKk4opeVH

frogman no apology necessary on smooth jazz as far as I am concerned.. I cant stand it either. And thanks for locating the live "Compared to What"
I have "Compared to What" on my Less McCann Eddie Harris live at Montreux (Swiss Movement) disc. Every song on that album is awesome.

I would also like to point out another "crossover" favorite of mine - Eddie "Cleanhead Vinson. Jazz - R & B - Blues, Boogie and Bebop. And Cleanhead can play the sax pretty darn good and sing as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acrN-CRL-SE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBkwd3hFgrc

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

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdmmbBKjn5E

There is another tune called "Traveling" on the "Blues Boogie and Bebop - Meats to High" album I have that is a 7 minute instrumental which really shows off Eddies prowess on the sax but I cannot locate it on You Tube.

Cleanhead with the Cannonball Adderley Quintet from 1962:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHgeiAQwWDA
Here is another under 60 sax man - Steve Coleman. I had posted some links from him many months back but received no replies. I figured maybe because his playing is either Avant Guard or a hardbop/ Avant Guard mix similar to Jackie Mclean's "Destination Out!"


Jackie Mac:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQL9_8aRqls

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

Steve Coleman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFPjZXWkq6g

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

Any Steve Coleman fans out there?

Schubert I'm glad you enjoyed the Steve Coleman clips.

Potter is definitely a quiet virtuoso. I first saw Potter live with Herbie Hancock at Carnegie Hall in 2007. He does not exhibit much emotion on stage but he sure can play a mean tenor.
nsp Yes I have 3 Erena Terakubo discs:

North Bird - personnel: Christian McBride bass, Erena alto sax, Peter Bernstein guitar, Lee Pearson drums, Kenny Barron piano.


New York Attitude - Ron Carter bass, Erena alto sax, Dominic Farinacci trumpet/flugelhorn, Lee Pearson Drums, Kenny Barron piano.


A Time For Love - bass David Williams, Erena alto sax, Lewis Nash drums, David Hazeltine piano




Steve Coleman and his long established and tight band "Five Elements" live in Germany 1990.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjij2tQTy3w

Same band a quarter century later:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1-CQyeEHLg

Great 3 minute interview with Steve Coleman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy5YwyLysV4

And lastly, one of my favorite Coleman compositions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX4gUgBYjEk

And now, Schubert, excuse me for cussing but I have to go to work (yes on 4th of July)

Schubert I decided to give Grace Kelly a small place in my CD collection. I have ordered and received one of her latest offerings called "Trying to Figure it Out" along with "Gracefullee" (with Lee Konitz) and "Man with the Hat" (with Phi Woods)

I listened to a few songs from Trying to figure it out and it is a very eclectic recording. I read some great reviews on it. The other 2 I ordered because if Konitz and Woods recorded with her they can't be all that bad. 

I read on Wiki (not the best source) that she was tutored by Konitz. It said nothing about being tutored by Woods.


I also wanted you to know that saxman Steve Coleman played on quite a few Dave Holland recordings in the 80's and early 90's. I have 5 of them. Here are some live cuts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQLWbKoY6Uc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7aWC2I-RyU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StWSV3pqQdg

I couldn't seem to find any of the studio recordings I have of Holland/Coleman on You Tube but here are the 5 discs I have and all are very, very good. They all feature a young Steve Coleman in which you can already hear his virtuosity and complex cord transgressions.

Dave Holland Trio - Triplicate

Dave Holland Quartet - Extensions

Dave Holland Quintet - Jumpin' In

Dave Holland Quintet - The Razors Edge

Dave Holland Quintet - Seeds Of Time (just reissued)





Schubert  that is one of the best video's of a compilation of material showing just how close the relationship was between Kelly and Woods. It is clear that they had a deep admiration for each other.
R.I.P.  João Gilberto - Jun 10, 1931 - Jul 06, 2019 (age 88)


Some called him the father of Bossa Nova. All I know is he wrote beautiful songs, played them beautiful on his guitar while singing them beautifully.


In his native Brazil he was known as O Mito - "The Legend"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQC4Ye7hr9Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckmcdcQ2mEg

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





nsp

I’m glad you liked JC’s "The Real Quiet Storm"

"Out of Nowhere" is a furiously paced session recorded live at the Blue Note in NYC in 2004. My favorite song on that session is called "Highjack" although the whole record is a scorcher.


Two other live JC albums I would recommend are here:
https://www.amazon.com/Live-At-Bakers-Keyboard-Lounge/dp/B0001HJT7C/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=james+carter...
Amazon reviewer on the above session and JC in general:

Artistic expression spirals up as greater and greater facility with the medium of expression provides new aesthetic experiences on unchanging emotional constants like love, loss and happiness.

James isn’t showboating, he’s just moving everything up and making a lot of people uncomfortable in the process. He can do more with the horn than anybody else out there, and isn’t afraid to make use of it all in his solos. He may be saying something the references back to playing jazz, or playing that blues chorus for the billionth time or trying out things that saxophones can’t usually do while trading 4s with a violin, but he’s always expressing, and doing so on the next level. When you bring new tools, there is going to be a new aesthetic, and the old guard will grouch about it until the pain this new development has applied to their ego subsides.

There is a tension between artistic expression and technical/structural complexity. I can emote with a single note, but I still value the exquisite intricacy of a fugue. James throwing in multi-phonics, tongue-pops and entire choruses in the upper registers is usually derided as a bag of cheap tricks, but listen carefully, and you’ll find new levels of expression. You’ll find subtlety in what you are labelling crassness. Maybe you can’t hear it, but that doesn’t mean the emperor has no clothes, it means you need to brush up on your Bechet, Hawkins, Young, Coltrane etc.

James has played more music than any of his listeners ever will, and the experience shows in his attitude at times and the minute detail all the time. If you want to be comfortable, go listen to Joshua Redman. If you want to catch the real innovation happening right now, you have to be listening to James. Over and over.

And this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Heaven-Earth-Carter-Medeski-2009-08-25/dp/B01K8QF7P8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2X8M01AK...


btw, I have my tickets to JC's show at the Blue Note next Wednesday 17 July hope to see you there.



acman3 those are great JH selections. "I have the complete State of the Tenor" double disc set and lush life. I also have "An Evening with Joe Henderson" with Charlie Haden and Al Foster.

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

Your last link of "The Montreal Tapes" is the same trio with Haden as the leader on the album cover and with 4 different songs. I'm going to buy that disc!
The great Joe Henderson holds a sacred place in my collection.


I like his earlier recordings pre - 1970 the best. Here are the first songs of each of my favorite Henderson albums in chronological order.

The last 2 albums I find myself listening to more then the others. Its Joe with the Wynton Kelly trio where they play mostly standards. One is a studio recording and the other is live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7eOs5lERww

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEUIz64pnu8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4I2T8vZwmA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r8L-9ay7uE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqCFSzQgI9I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q9WU7uiX9k