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
No thoughts on Charlie Christian?


I was just listening to music from his era, 1939, earlier tonight. Will post it tomorrow. He is not on the CD, but it’s his kind of music. I have the "Genius of the Electric Guitar" album, but nothing else. He does not seem to be the leader on it either.

Cheers
Charlie died from tuberculosis at 25, in 1942.  Never had time to become a band leader, and electric guitar was a novelty at that point.  He laid down some sweet stuff though.
Not to worry about the frogman keegiam. He is always lurking about in between gigs. Maybe there is a blackout in Croatia.

I'm still here just very busy last week and this week.

I found some time to listen to this Woody Shaw album last night. Live at Basel

Disc 1 

(5) Invitation (Live) - YouTube

(5) Seventh Avenue (Live) - YouTube

(5) In Your Own Sweet Way (Live) - YouTube

(5) Stepping Stone (Live) - YouTube

Disc 2

(5) Love Dance (Live) - YouTube

(5) 'Round About Midnight (Live) - YouTube

(5) Teotihuacan (Live) - YouTube

(5) Theme for Maxine (Live) - YouTube

Theme for Maxine was written for Maxine Gordon (future wife of Dexter Gordon). Maxine had a relationship with Woody. They moved in together and had a son and named him Woody Louis Armstrong Shaw III. Their relationship did not work out although Woody would continue writing songs inspired by Maxine.

 Woody later wrote the composition and title for the album it is on called "Little Reds Fantasy".in 1976. That same year Woody played trumpet on Dexter Gordon's great album "Homecoming Live at the Village Vanguard"

 Both Woody and Dexter called Maxine "Little Red" on occasion.






@ghosthouse I see on the last page you and keegiam were discussing guitar players specifically Al De Meola and Allan Holdsworth.

I agree both are extremely talented virtuoso’s on the guitar but they often do get bogged down creating and improvising.

With Allan Holdsworth it was the "gimicky" stuff he tinkered with that annoyed me. Especially that Synthaxe instrument. Allan is one of those players who made some really good albums and some really crappy albums.

Al De Meola, to me, is a little more consistent and not nearly as experimental as Allan was. I like most of his albums but there are a few duds.

Soloing

There are 4 guitar payers right off the top of my head that can play extended improvised solo’s (7 minutes or more) that never "get stuck in neutral" during the solo.

Jimi Hendrix

Jeff Beck

Terry Kath

Duane Allman

All 4 of the above I can listen to their songs and the solo's within them and never get "fatigued"

Jimi was simply the best at this. That he release only 3 "official" studio albums and his estate still reals in millions of dollars in revenue every year is a testament to this. I have the 6 CD set "WINTER LAND LIVE"  Jimi played 2 sets per night for 3 nights using the same song list and not one version sounds the same. I have over 50 Hendrix discs in my collection which shows just how much material this genius had written before his untimely death and was on tour playing 300 nights per year for close to 4 years creating all the live albums which were recorded (thankfully) and released over the last 50 years since his death. He also recorded Too many songs in studio to list that were later released.


Jimi's 3 studio albums have not one bad track on any of them. In fact all the songs I would rate 8 - 10 stars out of 10. Listen to the simple solo bridge in "The Wind Cries Mary" and you can hear his excellence in incorporating the same rythm chords into the lead.

  (5) Jimi Hendrix - The Wind Cries Mary - YouTube

Jimi jams with HOF Jazz organist Larry Young:

(5) Young/Hendrix Jam - YouTube

I will speak about Beck, Kath and Allman later when I have time.



Today's Listen:

THE PORT OF HARLEM JAZZMEN
with / J.C. Higginbottom(trombone), Sidney Bechet(Soprano sax, clarinet),  Albert Ammons(piano), Meeade Lux Lewis(piano), Sid Catlett(drums), Teddy Bunn(guitar).

Four different groups on one disc.  Teddy Bunn plays guitar on all tracks.   
Recorded 1939-1940.

Port of Harlem Jazzmen:

mighty blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgZA-XPDaps
port of harlem blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZLn85vlblo


Port of Harlem Seven:

pounding heart blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2n61iX254w
blues for tommy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjV3LpWcyZ0


Sidney Bechet Blue Note Quartet:

saturday night blues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNoIvOWy4T8
dear old southland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9FKoU0NsPw


Teddy Bunn:

king porter stomp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpdKMAgwZ5c
blues without words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KoWJCPrCPg


Lot of clicks and pops, but you vinyl guys are used to that.

Cheers