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
More live Monk:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTijrDIU-m4

I love how Monk leaves his piano and starts dancing (if you could call it that) around in a Fred Sanford like gate And the way he plays the piano - not hunched over in a "trance like" state he bobs and weaves and lifts his hands way up and down sometimes putting one hand on top of the piano while playing with the other. 

Simply put you could tell he just loves what he is doing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kROre63J0Lw

The quality of this video (image and sound) is a bit better then the last 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RINHNEMtm_k
Fantastic Monk!  What an individual!  For me, his style always sounds eccentric.  Jagged and angular rhythmic feel; not your typical swing.  The poster of the second comment for the second clip put it very well, I think:

”...not pretty, but beautiful; not smooth, but stylish”

Very stylish.  Uniquely so.  I can definitely understand why his playing might not appeal to some.  It took me a while to get Monk many years ago.  Absolute genius.  As far as his sidemen went,  Charlie Rouse GOT Monk.  Johnny Griffin is one of my very favorite tenor players.  In absolute terms he was an infinitely more proficient player than Rouse; and with amazing energy.  In many settings he was as good as it got.  Yet, for me, with Monk his style just didn’t work nearly as well as did Rouse’s.  Well, it works, but somehow the end result sounds less “Monk”:

https://youtu.be/HtT9fTQ5YwA

https://youtu.be/4dyVE6MwjcE

Is it possible to dance while being hunched over?:

https://youtu.be/xxV8RwIUC-g

https://youtu.be/3QwiTYBzU68






Phil Woods/Michel Legrand - Images - The 2nd side of this album (feat. the jazz suite heard here) 
https://youtu.be/Hjldo10HiRo

...and the Long Yellow Road by the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabakin Big Band both formed mushroom clouds in my young mind when I 1st heard them!
https://youtu.be/3II64EHzMqg

Still do!!!;)