The Official Jazz Music thread

[Thor 7,490]

 

I didn't know where to put this. It's not rock, pop, jazz, classical, film music. But basically gospel with a twist. So I suppose jazz is the closest. It's still a fantastic album from 1962, with beautiful arrangements by (presumably) Williams, who also conducts. Jackson's voice is big and wide, but never so elaborate that it gets in the way of the melody. But everytime I hear Tiomkin's eternal "The Green Leaves of Summer", I'm reminded of a cue I "composed" on the piano as a kid, that is VERY similar (I had not heard "Green Leaves" at the time, so I guess it speaks to the simplicity of the tune).

[Jurassic Shark 12,052]

You should sue!

[Thor 7,490]

Damn you, Dimitri!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

I love this chorus of Mary Lou Williams' masterful "Walkin' & Swingin'" where it sounds like an improvised trumpet solo but because of the light doubling by the reeds throughout you can tell it was written out very precisely.  And then followed by Mary Lou herself on one of her most iconic solos.

 

0:42 - 1:22

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

God I love when Eddie Sauter sneaks wackadoo transitions like this into his arrangements

 

2:11 - 2:25

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Today’s post in The Stu Only Thread:

 

After much internal debate I have decided that my favorite New Testament Basie record is Benny Carter’s Kansas City Suite. 
 

[Holko 9,516]

Tidal can be good at recommending - after going through a couple various jazz playlists, it just showed me this lovely new rhythmic instrumental jazz album with just the right sound for me:

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Teddy Wilson playing "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes."  I love all the innovators and iconoclasts that came later (Powell, Monk, Garner, Evans, Jarrett, etc. etc.), but in my mind Teddy Wilson will always be what jazz piano is meant to sound like.

 

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Andre Previn's debut album on Contemporary Records (a cornerstone label for the LA jazz scene of the 50s and 60s)

 

Woof!

 

[Bespin 8,480]

Did you know that there are collectors, who absolutely don't care about the artist or the music, only collect those LPs because of their "sexy" covers. It's why these LPs are usually harder to find on the used market.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

 

IMO the four greatest piano solo recordings of the 1920s

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

A personal favorite early Ellington single release from 1930

 

Side A: Old Man Blues

Side B: Jungle Nights in Harlem

 

Both are masterpieces of their kind.

 

https://archive.org/details/78_old-man-blues_duke-ellington-and-his-cotton-club-orchestra-ellington_gbia0249520a

https://archive.org/details/78_jungle-nights-in-harlem_duke-ellington-and-his-cotton-club-orchestra-ellington_gbia0249520b

[Naïve Old Fart 9,512]

After being aware of it, for many years, I finally purchased the CD of AURA, by Miles Davis.

It's not an easy listen, but deeper investment reaps great rewards.

It's often regarded as his last great work, and I would not disagree.

[A24 4,331]

On 06/06/2022 at 3:21 PM, Bespin said:

Did you know that there are collectors, who absolutely don't care about the artist or the music, only collect those LPs because of their "sexy" covers. It's why these LPs are usually harder to find on the used market.

 

We should start a thread with these 'sexy' LP covers ... Oh wait, the new rules!

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Zoot Sims on tenor and Toots Thielemans on harmonica, lovely

 

Zoot Toots

 

 

[Disco Stu 15,495]

On 14/11/2019 at 7:08 PM, Stu said:

One of my favorite Jerome Kern songs, sung by the incredible Bobby Short.  This recording makes me feel so suave and sensitive.  Gimme a cigarette and a very dry martini.

 

http://www.kritzerland.com/kern_webTrax/13 Never Gonna Dance.mp3

 

 

Same

[A24 4,331]

Best song of the week.

 

 

After listening to it again, I thought to myself, there's no way any of these guys wrote it, it's too good, this has to be a cover of a classic song. Well, I was wrong. No, these guys didn't write it, but the singer/bass player from The Police did. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,512]

It's good, but it's not as good as "The Wild Wild Sea" 

[A24 4,331]

Not familiar with that one. Has it been covered? 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,512]

No idea, but it's on his masterpiece THE SOUL CAGES.

[A24 4,331]

Have you actually listened to the very last part of Until with all the harmonizing voices? Kurt Elling is an amazing singer/composer. Check out his album Secrets Are The Best Stories:

 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,512]

Indeed. I was introduced to the music of Elling, by a friend who lent me NIGHT MOVES.

[A24 4,331]

 

For people who love those Jazzy tracks (elevator music) from John Williams 1970s disaster movies. This one really brings back that atmosphere.

[Disco Stu 15,495]

Life doesn't get any better than "Chelsea Bridge"

 

[A24 4,331]

 

[Schilkeman 961]

Jazz doesn't get talked about enough around here.

 

 

[Schilkeman 961]

Probably the best of his many suites. 

 

 

[Bespin 8,480]

Two jazz albums associated with John Williams are featured in the latest 20 CD box set, 'The Legend of John Williams,' including excerpts. It's great to listen to them in their entirety!

Rhythm in Motion (1960) & Henry Mancini's Combo! (1961).

 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,512]

I was watching a YouTube channel, the other day, and Rick Beato was running down his favourite records, from a sonic point of view.

His #1 choice was JOHN COLTRANE AND JOHNNY HARTMAN.

Has anyone heard this (I haven't)? Is it as good as Beato says it is?

[Jurassic Shark 12,052]

Isn't Beato a hack?

[Naïve Old Fart 9,512]

I wouldn't know. Maybe he is, or maybe he isn't, but from what I've seen, he seems pretty knowledgeable.

Why do you think he's a hack, JS?

[Jurassic Shark 12,052]

I dunno, as I'm not very familiar with him. It's just an impression I've got from reading a bit about him and watching a few videos.

[1977 1,743]

So I've always been a bit fuzzy on the term "jazz".

 

I enjoy things like Stacey Kent, Anne Hampton Callaway, Natalie Cole (her later standards stuff), Linda Ronstadt's three Riddle albums as well as Hummin' to Myself, some of Tierney Sutton's earlier albums, Jane Monheit, Harry Connick Jr., Peter Cincotti, etc. 

 

I also enjoy the jazzy type film scores and those with jazz elements and associated songs, think stuff like *batteries not included, both Cocoons, Swing Kids, The Rocketeer, Chinatown, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Body Heat, The Specialist, Hammett, Farewell My Lovely, L.A. Confidential and so on.

 

Would these types of albums be considered jazz, or at least "jazz-influenced", albeit very much on the commercial side of the spectrum?

[Bespin 8,480]

Jazz music is really diverse! it covers a wide range of styles like Traditional Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Cool Jazz, Hard Bop, Modal Jazz, Free Jazz, Fusion, Vocal Jazz, Latin Jazz, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Bossa Nova, Gypsy Jazz, Soul Jazz, Jazz Funk, Smooth Jazz, Acid Jazz, Nu Jazz, Contemporary Jazz, Experimental Jazz, Avant-Garde Jazz, and more. It's a vast musical world with so many different sounds and influences, making it a truly expansive genre.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,512]

2 hours ago, JTWfan77 said:

So I've always been a bit fuzzy on the term "jazz".

 

There's a popular quote: "If you have to ask what jazz is, you'll never know".

Everything that you and @Bespin said is correct. It is, however, much more than that. Jazz is modern America's only indigenous music form (and, probably, its only indigenous art form), and, as such, it has needed to forge and maintain its own identity. You could listen to every jazz recording there is, and still be none the wiser, but you'd pick up on the various forms of jazz, and you'd form your own opinions.

What is jazz? Jazz is, above all else, a feeling. You'll never understand it with your brain, but you will recognise it with, and love it with, your heart.

 

[Schilkeman 961]

16 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Jazz is modern America's only indigenous music form (and, probably, its only indigenous art form)

The first part of that statement is factually incorrect. Obviously, the actual indigenous population of the US  has/had many forms and styles of music, and while the Blues, from which Jazz in part developed, came from a multitude of sources, it more or less originated in the Southern US. Jazz is America’s one unique gift to the world of art music. That part is correct.

 

18 hours ago, JTWfan77 said:

So I've always been a bit fuzzy on the term "jazz".

I’ll direct you to the very explanation I was given in Jazz pedagogy in college, by my very knowledgeable and talented professor of Jazz studies. It doesn’t need all of these to be Jazz, but more than not. Improvisation is probably the most important element.

 

https://www.mesaartscenter.com/download.php/engagement/jazz-a-to-z/resources/archive/2013-2014/2014-january-jazz-educator-workshop/joy-of-swinging

 

[1977 1,743]

Improvisation is probably the primary reason I enjoy jazz (or certain types thereof).

[Bespin 8,480]

As far as my preferences go, I'm not a fan of pure 'instrumental' jazz, where each instrumentalist typically performs a solo (followed by applause from the audience, often to feign enjoyment hehe).

 

I lean more towards 'vocal jazz' instead, or everything with a latin flavour.

[Schilkeman 961]

Jazz is a genre of music where the performer is the composer. When the performer is done, their composition is done. People applaud because it's the end of that performer's composition, and because, when it's done well, it's one of the most disciplined and difficult forms of the performing arts in existence, and they're showing appreciation. 

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

 

[A24 4,331]

 

Nice to see that he still plays a real Rhodes piano (and not a digital substitute).