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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
roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,245 posts
 
rok2id,
White Rabbit is my favorite George Benson disc. I really lost it for him when he started singing, although I know that many people liked that.
That disc just seems so perfect to me, although I've read that he doesn't care for it, and felt that he was being too controlled by the producer during the recording sessions.
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

ALBUM OF THE YEAR

Art Blakey(drums), Wynton Marsalis(trumpet), Bill Pierce(tenor Sax), Robert Watson(alto sax), James Williams(piano), Charles Fambrough(bass)
Impulse  1981 / 1988

Notes: "This edition of the Jazz Messengers reminds me of Blakey's virtuoso units of the early 1960s.  Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, barely 20 years old, evokes the role played by Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard.  His substantial, clean sound adds brilliance to ensemble passages and (as evidenced in the powerhouse "In Case You Missed It"), he has the technical facility to gobble up the changes at any tempo Blakey can muster.  His concise solo on Charlie Parker's "Cheryl" shows a keen awareness of form, structure and dynamics."

Witch Hunt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRSfmfnsMyE

Cheryl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iR_YviC63g

Soulful Mister Timmons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wca3ozlaKc

In Case You Missed It
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGldcFRBNhU

Cheers
rok2id's avatar
rok2id
7,859 posts
 
roxy54,

I don't have 'White Rabbit', but the reviews indicate its one I should get.  Like I said before, Benson seems to be all over the place musically, but I seem to like his more pop oriented music.  So, the singing is just fine with me, although he is not much of a singer, it suits his music.  Captures a certain era when pop and Jazz got close enough to touch sometimes.   Wes Montgomery and Al Jarreau  come to mind.

Cheers
inna
8,240 posts
 
Orpheus10, agreed. But I do like quite a number of what you post when it is not jazz, at least not traditional jazz.

roxy54's avatar
roxy54
8,245 posts
 
rok2id,
It's really an entirely different George Benson than any of his pop stuff. His fluid guitar style is really beautiful the supporting musicians as well as the way that it was produced create a little world unto itself.
Billy Cobham is wonderful on drums and fully sympathetic to the relaxed but probing mood of the interpretations. I think that you'd love it.   
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