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On 1/3/2020 at 10:13 AM, Disco Stu said:

I love this.  It's definitely some of the coolest orchestration you can hear from Strayhorn.  I love the clarinet-violin duo he keeps returning to.

 

#NickParkerBait

 

Wait just a second? Are you saying the great Duke Ellington used orchestrators, arrangers and co- composers?

You can't make great music that way!

NP: " The World of Hans Zimmer" - Sony

 

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My father was a professional jazz musician.

We had a significant collection of 78s, including discs by Charlie Parker- a personal friend.

Those 78s were something. They were thick and heavy.

We had full length opera sets that were mammoth and weighed a ton!:)

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I think that Benny Goodman in the 40s is the most interesting period of his illustrious career.  He still did plenty of down-the-middle swing pop tunes for sure, but he sprinkled in all this great experimentation throughout.  Working with insanely talented collaborators like Mel Powell, Eddie Sauter, Charlie Christian, Red Norvo, etc.

 

"Lonely Moments," the composition and arrangement, comes courtesy of the great Mary Lou Williams.  It feels like nobody knows that Goodman was recording music this cool in the 40s.

 

 

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Yeah, it even made headline news on mainstream media here in Norway this evening. Sad news. Apparently, he held an honorary doctorate from NTNU (the Norwegian University for Science and Technology), due to a collaboration with the Trondheim symphony orchestra - which I wasn't aware of (but you probably were, JS, since you live in the area). 

 

I've never really explored his music, but I've been well aware of him for decades, of course.

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R-3953260-1416780067-2067.jpeg?bucket=di

 

If you don't own or know this 1960 album, do seek it out! Marty Paich (that's daddy Toto to you youngsters) and his cohort show off their skills in their instrumental piano interpretations of the 1959 musical tunes. Oh....and by the way, do you recognize that young lad second from left? ;)

 

(the cover - if glanced at quickly - is also fairly similar to the Tangerine Dream/SORCERER setup)

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Did anyone else check out that Miles Davis doco on Netflix?

 

Also, an Aussie flick he was in, Dingo, is coming to blu-ray soon.

 

https://www.jbhifi.com.au/products/dingo-1991-blu-ray?queryID=a3db29b958a730f416bbce7e525384d5&objectID=503278

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On 3/11/2021 at 6:11 AM, Arpy said:

Pat Metheny's new album is out - 'Road to the Sun' which is performed by the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. 

 

 

I posted that in the classical music thread.

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I wonder if the title refers to the Holy Spirit, or to Jim Bean?

 

 

 

It's perfect "Jazz on a Sunday morning", as The Fart is :music: KIND OF BLUE, by...you really don't need me to tell you, do you?

Listen, and on the first track, at 1:30, you will hear the greatest cymbal crash ever recorded. Sublime.

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2 hours ago, Disco Stu said:

cc @Nick Parker very interesting to hear this arrangement/interpretation by a classical pianist.  He makes it sound like an impressionist Debussy-like piece.

 

 

 

Ellington was very much inspired by Impressionists, but it's weird that it takes something like this for me to realize just how strong that link can be. Those cascading notes during the "B theme" are beautiful! 

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550x550.jpg

 

This album (recorded by the recently deceased Al Schmitt) sounds incredible on my Linton Heritage 85th Anniversary speakers.

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I was listening to this guy play the incredible, classic 1913 rag "American Beauty" by Joseph Lamb and couldn't figure out why it sounded a little strange to my ears.  After a minute it dawned on me that he was swinging the sixteenth notes.  The horror!  What is this, that newfangled jass music?  *fans self*

 

 

 

Here's the same piece played straight sixteenths, which is traditionally how rags are usually interpreted.

 

 

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27 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

This one's for  @Smeltington. Good night!

 

Who meeee???

 

I like it! Damn, that's a nice recording, the bass really jumps out of the speaker.

 

31 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

I love this perfect arrangement.

 

 

I'm a fan of the brass in that one. (Sorry I don't know if I was allowed to listen to this one but I did).

 

This seems like a nice thread, I'll have to check it again sometime.

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1) That Google Doodle is insanely addictive:

 

 

Spoiler

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Whiplash Jk Simmons GIF

 

2) I really need more Swing in my collection. I have the Swing Kids soundtrack, Perennial Favourites by the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Grim Fandango - and that's pretty much it. Recommendations? @Jurassic Shark?

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24 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said:

2) I really need more Swing in my collection. I have the Swing Kids soundtrack, Perennial Favourites by the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Grim Fandango - and that's pretty much it. Recommendations? @Jurassic Shark?

 

I recommend this album conducted by some guy named John Williams

 

Swing, Swing, Swing - Album by Boston Pops Orchestra, John Williams |  Spotify

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17 minutes ago, Jay said:

I recommend this album conducted by some guy named John Williams

 

I saw your review in your other thread and the comments of those more in the know about the arrangements. I'm looking for more "original" setups than full orchestra adaptations (although I'll probably pick up the Williams album someday anyway).

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1 hour ago, Marian Schedenig said:

2) I really need more Swing in my collection. I have the Swing Kids soundtrack, Perennial Favourites by the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Grim Fandango - and that's pretty much it. Recommendations? @Jurassic Shark?

 

That's a fun request. Swing always gets me in a good mood, whether dancing or just listening to the music. Most recordings from the swing era are today owned by Sony. A good introduction is the album Swing! The ultimate big band album, on RCA (now Sony).

 

There's a reason why Benny Goodman was dubbed the king of swing. He was one of the pioneers and the one who really made it the energetic dance it became with his late 30s recordings and concerts. About simultaneously you had other legends such as Count Basie, Billie Holiday, Fats Waller, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Ella Fitzgerald and so on.

 

Unfortunately, Sony has largely been neglecting doing new Goodman releases for the past 30 years, but their The Essential Benny Goodman is, well, essential. You also need an album of the Carnegie Hall concert, which played a big part in launching the swing era, and the current Sony release is the one to go for if you don't mind pops and crackles. Otherwise you could choose one of many releases on other labels with heavier filtering. The Carnegie Hall concert has an amazing energy and the Sony release has a very detailed sound, although the instrumental balance is off. It's kind of like how it could be to listen to it if you were there.

 

Other recommended recordings are Count Basie's Decca recordings (1937-1939), and albums collecting recordings from the late 30s and early 40s by the artists mentioned above. Often, I'd go for releases from Sony, Naxos Jazz, or Avid.

 

I'd also like to recommend taking an intro class to lindy hop.

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5 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

That's a fun request.

 

Thanks, I'll try to make a list out of these. Any recommended modern recordings? I appreciate the originals, but at the same time, I love the sound of a well recorded big band.

 

5 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

I'd also like to recommend taking an intro class to lindy hop.

 

I want to listen, not to move!

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8 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

Thanks, I'll try to make a list out of these. Any recommended modern recordings? I appreciate the originals, but at the same time, I love the sound of a well recorded big band.

 

It's hard to find newer recordings that are true to the original arrangements, with the same energy, and have the high level of musicianship as the originals. The old band players had it as their job about every night every day of the week, really perfecting their art. However, there's a few I want to recommend. I think we discussed earlier BBC big band's A tribute to Benny Goodman - that's the best Goodman tribute I've heard. Then there's The Benny Goodman Story on Capitol (1956). Not as energetic as in his peak, but it's nonetheless a nice remake of many of his classic swing numbers. Count basie also rerecorded many of his early swing hits, which are included on The Ultimate Count Basie (EMI). And if you don't mind more modern arrangements, check out the twelve gems on his Concord compilation Basie Swings Standards.

 

8 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

 

I want to listen, not to move!

 

It's so much fun, you won't notice. Bring a choir girl. ;)

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I'd also like to recommend Basie's 50s albums April in Paris and E = mc^2 if you don't mind an evolved swing style. Same goes for Frank Sinatra's Songs for Swingin' Lovers on Capitol and The Platinum Collection, which is a highlight of his Capitol years. Ella Fitzgerald's songbook albums are also a must, especially the Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Heart, and Duke Ellington songbooks.

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I grew up a fan of a local jazz/swing cover band's albums and going to their concerts, they started with eclectic mixes of local and worldwide classics, had an album jazzifying terrible contemporary local pop hits, then did a Sinatra then an Abba tour.

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On 5/19/2021 at 11:07 AM, Disco Stu said:

I was listening to this guy play the incredible, classic 1913 rag "American Beauty" by Joseph Lamb and couldn't figure out why it sounded a little strange to my ears.  After a minute it dawned on me that he was swinging the sixteenth notes.  The horror!  What is this, that newfangled jass music?  *fans self*

 

 

 

Here's the same piece played straight sixteenths, which is traditionally how rags are usually interpreted.

 

 

 

Haha, I didn't realize this wasn't considered common. But you've already heard swung rags!

 

 

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I just discovered this fairly recent Benny Goodman tribute album. Unlike most such tribute albums it's very good, an instant purchase for me.

 

 

On the whole it respects the original arrangements, but rather plays around with the details.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Man, this guy was so great and practically unknown! Like a cross between Satchmo and Gillespie

 

 

Doing a little digging around I found he was the main trumpet player on Disney's Jungle Book -the animated one. No wonder I like his playing so much, I used to listen to the trumpet solos on Jungle Book on repeat for hours.

 

Great stuff! 

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Does anyone know if these jazzy covers have lossless versions somewhere? They're by a group called Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. It seems that only this group's newest albums are available to buy online.

 

 

 

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