Music: Favorite Jazz piece or album

[Gus Mahler]

Stan Kenton - Eager Beaver

 

[Bigboote]

BTW...for u trivia nuts: Herb Alpert is the only artist in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to hit #1 as a singer (with the Tijuana Brass) and with an instrumental.

They searched high and low for someone to sing "This guy's in love with you," and finally settled on Herb's deadpan delivery, which worked perfectly. I'm not sure, did he ever sing anything else?

Another bit of trivia: I think Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass had something like four or five albums in the top ten at one point in the mid-late 60's. If you pose the question, Who had the most albums in the top ten in the 60's, I bet 50 people will say the Beatles for every 1 who says Herb.

 

[huskeynut]

They searched high and low for someone to sing "This guy's in love with you," and finally settled on Herb's deadpan delivery, which worked perfectly. I'm not sure, did he ever sing anything else?

Another bit of trivia: I think Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass had something like four or five albums in the top ten at one point in the mid-late 60's. If you pose the question, Who had the most albums in the top ten in the 60's, I bet 50 people will say the Beatles for every 1 who says Herb.

And an FYI - Herb

They searched high and low for someone to sing "This guy's in love with you," and finally settled on Herb's deadpan delivery, which worked perfectly. I'm not sure, did he ever sing anything else?

Another bit of trivia: I think Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass had something like four or five albums in the top ten at one point in the mid-late 60's. If you pose the question, Who had the most albums in the top ten in the 60's, I bet 50 people will say the Beatles for every 1 who says Herb.

And Herb & Company are on the road touring. Herb is 83 and his wife, Lani Hall, is touring with him. She's 73.
A & M records was one of the most successful independent labels from the 60's to the 80's.

Just goes to show you some of us more mature guys can still play it. I say this because I play in two bands as the lead trumpet player. I'm one of the younger ones at 67, along with the guitar player. We have a tenor sax player who is 83 and can flat out nail it.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Lush Life - John Coltrane. Genius.

 

[CL82]

 

[JordyG]

Lush Life - John Coltrane. Genius.

Trane and Hartman. Essential listening.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Trane and Hartman. Essential listening.

I agree. But I prefer Coltrane's instrumental version with Lee Morgan on trumpet.

 

[hjoerring]

What is your favorite jazz piece or album?

Thanks. This was a great initiative; and, the responses were equally measured.

 

[Bama fan]

They searched high and low for someone to sing "This guy's in love with you," and finally settled on Herb's deadpan delivery, which worked perfectly. I'm not sure, did he ever sing anything else?

Another bit of trivia: I think Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass had something like four or five albums in the top ten at one point in the mid-late 60's. If you pose the question, Who had the most albums in the top ten in the 60's, I bet 50 people will say the Beatles for every 1 who says Herb.

I do not know who gets the top albums prize, but Herb Alpert married the wonderful Lani Hall of Brazil 66. Now that is a prize to be happy about!

 

[Bama fan]

And an FYI - Herb


And Herb & Company are on the road touring. Herb is 83 and his wife, Lani Hall, is touring with him. She's 73.
A & M records was one of the most successful independent labels from the 60's to the 80's.

Just goes to show you some of us more mature guys can still play it. I say this because I play in two bands as the lead trumpet player. I'm one of the younger ones at 67, along with the guitar player. We have a tenor sax player who is 83 and can flat out nail it.

One thing is certain, you already know all the songs!

 

[Aluminny69]

Vince Guaraldi - 1962 from the album "Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus" Great instrumental that won a Grammy award for 1963.

 

[Aluminny69]

"Vince Guaraldi died at age 47 on February 6, 1976. The evening before, he had dined at Peanuts producer Lee Mendelson's home and was reportedly not feeling well, complaining of indigestion-like chest discomfort that his doctor had told him was nothing to worry about. I wish his doctor had been more concerned. He died way too young. "

 

[Bama fan]

Trane and Hartman. Essential listening.

It is a wonderful piece. The old Billy Strayhorn piece suited Mr Hartman well, and of course Coltrane is just so good. , But I was also quite pleasantly surprised at how well Linda Ronstadt covered this great song. Many talented vocalists and musicians have brought this old standard back again and again.

 

[Lawrence]

I have many, but one CD I always listen to is Ahmad Jamal, Live at the Penthouse. I highly recommend it.

 

['nuff sed]

Too many unmentioned names that are impossible to cover ......

I’ll throw a twist into this thread —- best live performance you’ve seen

I’ll offer a couple memorable ones for me.

Sonny Rollins on the New Haven green summer of ‘99 —an absolute tour d’force performance —- he played well beyond anyone’s expectation for length and quality of the show - a historic and now legendary night (for New Haven)

Brubeck also played New Haven that summer — but he raised the roof post 9/11 at the church on the Madison green - it was the first time the quartet was reunited after 9/11 and for an 80 sumthin yr old guy they blew the roof off the place. Dave was as spry as a 20 yr old and Bobby just went nuts on alto and flute. Absolutely nuts.
It was a wood building and you could actually feel the vibrations coming through the church pews. It was a rock crowd reaction in the audience.

 

[JordyG]

I agree. But I prefer Coltrane's instrumental version with Lee Morgan on trumpet.

No argument here.

 

[JordyG]

Too many unmentioned names that are impossible to cover .

I’ll throw a twist into this thread —- best live performance you’ve seen

I’ll offer a couple memorable ones for me.

Sonny Rollins on the New Haven green summer of ‘99 —an absolute tour d’force performance —- he played well beyond anyone’s expectation for length and quality of the show - a historic and now legendary night (for New Haven)

Brubeck also played New Haven that summer — but he raised the roof post 9/11 at the church on the Madison green - it was the first time the quartet was reunited after 9/11 and for an 80 sumthin yr old guy they blew the roof off the place. Dave was as spry as a 20 yr old and Bobby just went nuts on alto and flute. Absolutely nuts.
It was a wood building and you could actually feel the vibrations coming through the church pews. It was a rock crowd reaction in the audience.

Too many to mention. Recently though,

Brad Meldau and Kurt Elling at tiny, intimate Mezzrow here in NY. A sublime and rare performance with Brad accompanying a vocalist, nonetheless one who is considered the greatest male jazz singer of his era. Mezzrow, in my opinion is the best venue for intimate jazz in NYC.

Cecile McLorin Salvant with both the Aaron Dehl trio and the young virtuoso Sullivan Fortner in a duo setting at The Village Vanguard. Her understanding of lyrics and harmony, and her ability to convey that understanding to you is uncanny. She needs to be seen live.

Jeremy Pelt, with George Cables, Tootie Heath, and Buster Williams at Smoke in NYC. Three legends and the young Pelt blowing through "Birdlike". 'Nuff said.

Wednesday night I saw Joey DeFrancesco with Billy Hart and Troy Roberts and The Jazz Standard. There is just nothing and no one like Joey today. He was acknowledged as great at 10 years old when he was playing with Hank Mobley and Philly Joe. He finished 4th in the inaugural Thelonius Monk piano competition. He's a brilliant trumpet player. But goodness, that right hand on the organ is ethereal. There has been no organist even close to him since Jimmy Smith, whom he played and recorded with.

Finally seeing 14 year old Joey Alexander at The Jazz Standard in a Monk tribute. No one plays like this kid and he is such a knowledgeable, exciting player with a highly educated left hand. Joey has the potential when he's 30 to be the preeminent pianist of this generation. Yeah, better than Parks, or Fortner, or Asherie, or Dehl, and these fellows are very good two handed players indeed.

 

[JordyG]

It is a wonderful piece. The old Billy Strayhorn piece suited Mr Hartman well, and of course Coltrane is just so good. , But I was also quite pleasantly surprised at how well Linda Ronstadt covered this great song. Many talented vocalists and musicians have brought this old standard back again and again.

One of the few standards that Sinatra never recorded. He tried in the studio many times but was never satisfied with the results.

 

[mbr33ct]

Herb Alpert had me in the 60's with his "Whipped Cream" song along with that album cover.

Couple more favorites of mine at the time;

Chuck Mangione: "Children of Sanchez" and "Bellavia"

Spyro Gyra: "the Best of...."

 

['nuff sed]

Too many to mention. Recently though,

Brad Meldau and Kurt Elling at tiny, intimate Mezzrow here in NY. A sublime and rare performance with Brad accompanying a vocalist, nonetheless one who is considered the greatest male jazz singer of his era. Mezzrow, in my opinion is the best venue for intimate jazz in NYC.

Cecile McLorin Salvant with both the Aaron Dehl trio and the young virtuoso Sullivan Fortner in a duo setting at The Village Vanguard. Her understanding of lyrics and harmony, and her ability to convey that understanding to you is uncanny. She needs to be seen live.

Jeremy Pelt, with George Cables, Tootie Heath, and Buster Williams at Smoke in NYC. Three legends and the young Pelt blowing through "Birdlike". 'Nuff said.

Wednesday night I saw Joey DeFrancesco with Billy Hart and Troy Roberts and The Jazz Standard. There is just nothing and no one like Joey today. He was acknowledged as great at 10 years old when he was playing with Hank Mobley and Philly Joe. He finished 4th in the inaugural Thelonius Monk piano competition. He's a brilliant trumpet player. But goodness, that right hand on the organ is ethereal. There has been no organist even close to him since Jimmy Smith, whom he played and recorded with.

Finally seeing 14 year old Joey Alexander at The Jazz Standard in a Monk tribute. No one plays like this kid and he is such a knowledgeable, exciting player with a highly educated left hand. Joey has the potential when he's 30 to be the preeminent pianist of this generation. Yeah, better than Parks, or Fortner, or Asherie, or Dehl, and these fellows are very good two handed players indeed.

Too many clubs, too little time, and too many other things to pay for

I haven't been to Mezzrow, but sounds like the type of setting I prefer. I'll have to put it on the to do list next time I'm in the city, but that doesn't look to be in the near future, as my "road time" these days is to DC.

I haven't followed the younger set in quite a long while, how long ? -- we had a local kid up here, Christian Sands, he ended up studying with Billy Taylor, plays with McBride now.

 

[Bama fan]

One of the few standards that Sinatra never recorded. He tried in the studio many times but was never satisfied with the results.

Frank had such unique timing, and not every song fit his style. Guess this was one.

 

[JordyG]

Too many clubs, too little time, and too many other things to pay for

I haven't been to Mezzrow, but sounds like the type of setting I prefer. I'll have to put it on the to do list next time I'm in the city, but that doesn't look to be in the near future, as my "road time" these days is to DC.

I haven't followed the younger set in quite a long while, how long ? -- we had a local kid up here, Christian Sands, he ended up studying with Billy Taylor, plays with McBride now.

The beauty of Mezzrow is it's intimacy and the minimal miking/amplification. You are right on top of high level performers. When I went to see Fred Hersch and Chris Potter and when I went to see Helen Sung and Jeremy Pelt I was literally 3 feet from the pianists hands. I knew Fred was a beast, but Sung surprised me with her highly informed left hand and complex harmonies. The Vanguard is a great venue, but Mezzrow with it's brand new Steinway feels like a typical 40's and 50's style jazz club.

I haven't seen Christian but I own his album "Reach" and I have Christian McBride's "Bringin' It", "Live at The Village Vanguard", and "Kind Of Brown", all on vinyl. Sands is a force. I haven't had the opportunity to see him yet, but he's on my list. Too many clubs....

These new cats are something. I went to see Akinmusire with the Sullivan Fortner Trio at the Jazz Standard a month or so ago. I was with my friends Marshall who writes for Positive Feedback an online audiophile magazine, his wife Lynn, and Joseph who owns Academy Records here in NYC. We are all avid classical and jazz fans. After the performance Lynn turned to me and said "This is why the classical academies are lagging for applicants and jazz conservatories are not. So many people today are choosing improvisational music. Not only that, but they are all well acquainted with the classical music canon and play classical music. That's why in their music you hear so much and why the music has so many different key and time signatures". When you listen to guys like Ambrose, Meldau, Aaron Parks, Fortner, you hear this complex, high level music that is well thought out, that is hell to play, and both intellectually and emotionally engaging. It mostly all modal musics that can be difficult to listen to, exciting, mesmerizing, confusing, and intellectual. As I've said, it's the New Cool. March 5th I'm going to see Akinmusirie, Fortner and Walter Smith at the Vanguard. I'll tell you about it then. If you get the chance however in your area, Cecile McLorin Salvant in person.

 

[huskeynut]

I'll add the Manhattan Transfer. Their rendition of Birdland is still the best.

 

[BigDogLover]

I'm a sucker for Brazilian jazz. 'Wave' is one of my favorites from the incomparable Antonio Carlos Jobim.

 

[Sifaka]

Can't remember exactly when I heard Roland Kirk play and do (rap?, though the term wasn't in use in those days, the late 1960s) "Bright Moments". It was at the Village Vanguard.

"Y'know, Music is a beautiful thing.
When I'm reincarnated, I'm gonna come back as a musical note!
That way can't nobody capture me.
They can use the hell out of me
but ain't nothin' too much they can do to me.
They can mess me up. They can play the wrong note.
They can play a C, but they can't really destroy a C.
All it is, is a tone.
So I'm gonna come back as a note!"
— Rahsaan Roland Kirk