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

@stuartk  I try. I have many friends that go down the equipment rabbit hole and get lost.

I thank my wife for keeping me grounded as we often listen together.

I love Herbie Hancock as I remember seeing him, for the first time, during his 'Rockit' tour. Seen him plenty of times after. Last time was just him and Chick Corea with 2 pianos and that is it. It was an amazing experience, but many were not use to the amount of improvisation that went on between them.

@botrytis

I’ve played guitar for 50 years (just to entertain myself -- I found out early on that gigging was not for me) so I don’t have to depend upon my system to have a deep connection with music.

Nevertheless, I still enjoy good audio, just as I enjoy a good sounding guitar. I was very naive when I first jumped down the "rabbit hole" and it’s taken me quite awhile to appreciate just how much I don’t know about gear and acoustics. I’ve found "the journey" to be quite a roller-coaster and I admire anyone who can keep their balance.

That Hancock/Corea show must’ve really been something!

BTW -- my wife and I also enjoy listening together. She has no interest in hunting down music and has witnessed how OCD I can get when it comes to gear but she, like me, dearly loves music. 

I’m taking a break from Herbie Hancock and now listening to Charles McPherson,  Reverence. (2024)

@acman3 

Great picks! I’ve been on the Herbie train since the mid seventies and have no plans on getting off any time soon.

@botrytis 

Keep up the good work. I for one am always happy to listen to “New to me” music.

@curiousjim Here is another - The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis

It is not for everyone as members of the Messthetics are from the band Fugazi.

When in the right mood, it is a fantastic listen.

I’m going on a road trip to listen to new to me speakers, so I’m listening to a little bit of everything.  From Pink Floyd to the soundtrack from Star Wars, Rouge  One and making a playlist. I’ve got until Friday morning to get it finished.

Any recommendations?

@curiousjim The first few minutes of Miles Davis My Funny Valentine, from the album of the same name is a track I use for demos. Not sure why, good dynamics I guess. 

Thanks @zlone 

I’m listening to My Funny Valentine now. This kind of music I can listen to all day!😀

"I’ve Got Your Love" from Boz Scaggs "Come On Home".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ia15RLRpCo&list=OLAK5uy_nHjoCyyKJVGBc7i4cD8b4bmqpyIxVLm2w

The whole album is excellent -- musically and (to my ears, at east) sonically. It’s one of my favorite Boz albums that seldom gets mentioned on the forum. Not only does he sing but he also plays some very tasty guitar. I’ll be surprised if, hearing this track, you don’t want to play the the rest.

"My Funny Valentine" has long been one of my favorite Miles releases.

"Four and More" is its companion, featuring all up-tempo material. Somehow it's never appealed to me all that much but you might want to check it out. 

David Sanborn R.I.P.

A young David Bowie with a young Davis Sanborn on alto sax. Sanborn solo at 2:15

 

Ask most music lovers what music genre the saxophone is mostly associated with and the answer will probably be “Jazz”. Serious Jazz aficionados (not here 😊) have a tendency to short change David Sanborn’s importance in the overall scheme of things. I’m not suggesting that Sanborn, as a Jazz alto player, is the equal of a Phil Woods or a Kenny Garret, but in the context of all the directions that “Jazz” has taken with its fusion with popular genres he is every bit the story teller that many of the more “serious” Jazz alto players are/were. Unique sound, fantastic feel, phrasing, and one of those players that could say something with just one or two notes. Whereas Jazz saxophone playing tends to be “noty”, his was a model of economy in improvisation.

Sanborn, along with Michael Brecker, are undoubtedly the two most influential saxophone players of the last four decades or so. While Brecker was the much more accomplished Jazz player in the strict sense of the word, they both shared a certain Pop/Rock sensibility in their respective styles. Obviously, Sanborn much more so. For better or for worse the legions of alto saxophone players one hears on “Smooth Jazz” tunes owe their style to Sanborn.

Sanborn credits Stevie Wonder’s harmonica playing as a big influence on his own playing. He played the way a great blues harp player does, or a guitar player like B.B. King. Few notes, but with ultimate expressiveness. But, he could also play with a much more sophisticated sense of harmony when the musical setting called for it; like a Jazz player.

Big loss.

 

I just finished my hunting of  Scott on Hammond...😁

Thanks to frogman...

Now i must look to Sanborn, i do not have a single one ...

😊

This claim coming from an accomplished musician is enough for me ...

Thanks ...

Sanborn, along with Michael Brecker, are undoubtedly the two most influential saxophone players of the last four decades or so.

 

Keep in mind that this is in the context of the preponderance of the fusion of Jazz and Pop/Rock/R&B over the last four to five decades.  Some genres may not be our cup of tea, but core musical values apply to all genres.

”There are only two kinds of music, good and bad”

I’ve been listening to Michel Petrucciani since @7 this morning and every time I listen to him, I am blown away by his talent!

So sad he left us so young.

I am ashamed to say that i neglected him... Thanks for the reminder... 😊

@curiousjim

Do not neglect this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLewsblH64M

It’s also known as "Complete Concert In Germany".

I have a special attachment to my copy, having bought it in Paris.

Another live recording -- this one a trio:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgZHiYvztfE&list=OLAK5uy_lBGXJME_H0rjQwYH2tDA32a9TjTIQ2EGo

 

 

 

 

@stuartk 

I listened to eight hours of MP and did not listen to any of your suggestions. After reading your post about the documentary, I tried watching it, but my high school French is a bit rusty 😆 I do remember seeing a different doc that was in English and was fascinating and sad. Tomorrow I won’t have as much listening time, but I will check them out by the weekend.

Thanks.

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Got a small stack of new records last week.  Working through cleaning them.  So far I'm loving this one.  :)  

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@stuartk 

my morning to do list turned into this afternoon to do list, so I listened to Berlin and of course, it was fantastic!

Thanks

Oh and I’ll check out the doc in a bit.

@jdougs 

Barry Harris is great! And you have something special there as it’s not on Amazon HD or Qobuz.

Enjoy!

@curiousjim Thanks.  Maybe if I get some free time I can digitize it and upload it to Youtube.  (No promises)

@acman3 

I saw it on Discogs and was really surprised to find a CD. I would have thought that if it was digitized for a CD it would be on Qobuz.

@curiousjim

You mean Frankfurt, I presume... ;o)

Glad you enjoyed it!

It’s certainly one of my favorite solo Jazz piano performances of those I’ve heard.

BTW, if you haven’t done so, already, check out the Live At Maybeck series of solo piano recordings. I have no idea whether they can be streamed but a small handful are on youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=live+at+maybeck+recital+hall

 

 

 

@acman3

The music may be really good but I experience the timbral combination of piano and banjo to be rather unpleasant.

Your ears are "bigger" than mine.

Recently @mahgister shared his likings about pianist Tete Montoliu. Here is one album of his trio, together with Ben Webster, recorded in Barcelona , Spain, in 1972. that recently I have bought. I would dare to say that Tete knows how to sound bluesy, aldo its not something that you will hear often in his recordings

 

After at least 50 hours of Tete Monteliu I think that he is indeed one of the great jazz pianist...

Only frogman who is an accomplished jazz musician can confirm my intuition and feeling ... Or not ...Or correct it...

😊

No as said alexatpos, Tete is not a blues jazz pianist but he can be a good one as in this album i know..

Recently @mahgister shared his likings about pianist Tete Montoliu. Here is one album of his trio, together with Ben Webster, recorded in Barcelona , Spain, in 1972. that recently I have bought. I would dare to say that Tete knows how to sound bluesy, aldo its not something that you will hear often in his recordings

Hampton Hawes, For Real, was just remastered and is sounding good.
Hawes is another one who was gone way to soon!

I tried to listen to Melissa Aldana, Echoes From The Inner Prophet, but it is definitely not to my liking.

YRMV.