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 curiousjim

Happily listening to The Oscar Peterson Trio live from Chicago. Oscar Peterson is another one that I could listen to all day. And maybe I will.😆

The Bill Evans Trio is always a good listen, but today’s going to start with Ella.

@stuartk 

I’ve been reading your conversation with @mahgister about artists and I noticed that Igor Butman was not in the Penguin book and I was kinda surprised.

@stuartk 

Sorry for the adolescent humor

No apologies necessary as I refuse to grow up.😁

 

Hey acman3,
you’ve posted links to really great YouTube videos over the years. It there a way to hear them at better than 128 mp3? I bought a downloaded/ripper and even with it, all I get is 128. It say it will D/L lossless, but 128 is all I get. I looked at YouTube specs and they say that they don’t do any better, but soon will have a pay service with better quality.

Am I missing something?

JD

And speaking of Stanley Cowell,  I’m enjoying his album No Illusions now.

@mahgister 

I will be listening to your suggestion next as I don’t believe I have heard the album before.

Did I read somewhere that they found another Bill Evans tape from the 60’s and just put it out on vinyl?

 

@alexatpos 

I’m listening to the Tsuyoshi Yamamoto Trio,  Midnight Sugar and am loving it!

I’m pretty sure you will to. 

Listening to Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers,   First Flight To Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings.

Excellent!

Thanks @acman3 

Listening to the album now it’s good. Clear and very three dimensional!

I just looked on Qobuz and Amazon HD and I can’t it, so you’ll have to enjoy for us.

There are several other artists at the Five Spot, but sadly no Phil Woods.

Another piano player of note is Phineas Newborn.  Listening to No Moon At All now, but there are many others to choose from.

Hmmm,

couldn’t edit the above.  I wanted to add that Jazz Audiophile seems to have a bunch of albums out there. 

Has anyone here ever heard of the Steve Gadd Band?  I’m listening to their Self Titled album from 2018 and it’s really nice.

I’m listening to Yes! Trio, Spring Sings. I have never heard of these guys, but what a pleasant surprise for me.

I’m listening to Presenting The Kenny Drew Trio. Doing it on Amazon so it’s one long play.44-45 tracks and it still keeps me smiling even after listening to it many many times!

 

And if I haven’t said it yet,  Happy New Year All.

It’s a Sonny Clark Trio morning here.

With Max Roach on the Drums and George Duvivier on the Bass.

@stuartk 

Until today, I had no idea how right you are about Stanley Cowell. I’ve been listening to his albums since 10am and haven’t found one I didn’t like. Listening to Angel Eyes now. It’s just the man and his piano.  Perfect dinner music.

Started the day with Dylan Cramer and after All Night Long, I switched to Sonny Criss starting with This Is Criss.

Yogi Berra Explains Jazz:

Interviewer: Can you explain jazz?

Yogi: I can't, but I will. 90% of all jazz is half improvisation. The other half is the part people play while others are playing something they never played with anyone who played that part. So if you play the wrong part, its right. If you play the right part, it might be right if you play it wrong enough. But if you play it too right, it's wrong.

Interviewer: I don't understand.
Yogi: Anyone who understands jazz knows that you can't understand it. It's too complicated. That's what's so simple about it.

Interviewer: Do you understand it?
Yogi: No. That's why I can explain it. If I understood it, I wouldn't know anything about it.

Interviewer: Are there any great jazz players alive today?
Yogi: No. All the great jazz players alive today are dead. Except for the ones that are still alive. But so many of them are dead, that the ones that are still alive are dying to be like the ones that are dead. Some would kill for it.

Interviewer: What is syncopation?
Yogi: That's when the note that you should hear now happens either before or after you hear it. In jazz, you don't hear notes when they happen because that would be some other type of music. Other types of music can be jazz, but only if they're the same as something different from those other kinds.

Interviewer: Now I really don't understand.
Yogi: I haven't taught you enough for you to not understand jazz that well.

It’s probably been a year since I’ve seen him on any Agon threads.

Hope all is well.

The Claes Corona Trio,  American Standards.

Another album I can tap my toe to.

I’m listening to Kinda Blue for the umteenth time and it still puts a smile on my face.

@rok2id 

How did you Kind Of Blue? I have it on LP and CD and as I said before, listening to it makes me 😊.