What jazz are you listening to right now?
- Thread starter rousseau
- Start date
Well, old news to you maybe, but new to me. I’d never paid much attention to the Peanuts Specials, and came across Guaraldi through the back door, you might say.
I( was listening to an old chestnut, the Getz-Gilberto album, and I became interested in the keyboard player, who turned out to be Antonio Carlos Jobim. So I started listening to Jobim (Brazilian jazz, needless to say), and discovered he was the composer of much of the Black Orpheus soundtrack. Pursuing the B.O. soundtrack led me to Guaraldi, and thence to Peanuts.
So I’m late to the party, but at least I got there.
I'm glad you mentioned it, I definitely need to give Orpheus another listen, maybe one night when I'm not working. I don't think I gave it proper attention before.
I highly recommend Charlie Brown Christmas even when it's not the time of year, beautiful album.
I've mentioned him a few times in this thread now, but it looks like Omar Sosa just released a new record called An East African Journey. I haven't listened too closely yet, but I usually enjoy anything put out by him.
laughing dog
Contributor
Brad Mehldau really does the Beatles justice. He usually has one Beatles tune per alburm.
laughing dog
Contributor
[YOUTUBE]BHIOXqdnalc&list=PLoxhDWWBCgecfKLVfjH9wX5D2dXlMYOS[/YOUTUBE]
For something a little more traditional, from the Vocal Jazz playlist on Spotify:
If nothing else, music's been keeping me going and interested throughout the pandemic. Over the past few months, after my wife passes out from another day of parenting, I often sit in our living room between 10 and 11 pm, listen to jazz, and browse the internet. I usually put on my Village Vanguard, or another jazz playlist.
It's like a nightcap of whisky and a cigarette, without the whisky or cigarettes.
If nothing else, music's been keeping me going and interested throughout the pandemic. Over the past few months, after my wife passes out from another day of parenting, I often sit in our living room between 10 and 11 pm, listen to jazz, and browse the internet. I usually put on my Village Vanguard, or another jazz playlist.
It's like a nightcap of whisky and a cigarette, without the whisky or cigarettes.
This song was stuck in my head this morning for some reason. I went to the grocery store and when I got back home I searched my music collection and played the song. That was a few hours ago.
Just now, I found out that he had passed. RIP B.J. Thomas.
[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sySlY1XKlhM[/YOUTUBE]
Just now, I found out that he had passed. RIP B.J. Thomas.
[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sySlY1XKlhM[/YOUTUBE]
ideologyhunter
Veteran Member
Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head was released about 9 months after LBJ left the White House, and it became his favorite song. (When I took the bus tour around the LBJ ranch, they played it as part of the recorded message.) He told people that it was one pop song with a strong upbeat message. I heard it so many times back around '69-'70 that it's like So Happy Together or Georgy Girl -- been there, done that, no more please. I can appreciate the songwriting chops, but I don't need to hear it again. There are oldies I can revisit forever, I guess -- Sgt. Pepper, Truckin', Freedom (by Hendrix), Me and Bobby McGee, Green River, Suspicious Minds, Son of a Preacher Man...I'm sure some people are sick of these, but not me.
Thomas II
Contributor
Jon Batiste- Freedom
Thomas II
Contributor
Jon Batiste - I need you
Thomas II
Contributor
Esperanza Spalding - Endangered Species
Thomas II
Contributor
Nova- Desafinado
Thomas II
Contributor
Paco de Lucia, Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin (Live in Modena)
ideologyhunter
Veteran Member
Booker Ervin's The In Between, a Blue Note date from January 1968, which I bought maybe five years ago, listened to, and shelved. Played it again this week, and it is well worth hearing, a compelling hard bop date with some out-there passages that show that Booker had listened to Trane and the other free jazz players. Richard Williams, of whom I know nothing, plays first-rate trumpet on the program. My favorite tracks are three up-tempo tunes (Sweet Pea/Mour/ and the title track), and Tyra, which has a bluesy, midnight feeling. Ervin composed all selections. He is one of my favorite tenor sax men, with a style that can't be mistaken. He puts a bluesy wail into every line. A lot of Ervin is still out there to be discovered, but I wouldn't wait too long. Another classic Ervin cd is Setting the Pace, which has two long (19 and 23-minute) collaborations with Dexter Gordon, which means you the listener have entered Tenor Heaven.
I was listening to this last night....
Impex reissue cut at 45rpm. A demo quality 2-LP set that sounds better than the original pressing.
ideologyhunter
Veteran Member
Erroll Garner, The Complete Concert by the Sea. In 2015, Columbia went back to the master tapes of this legendary 1955 live album and put out the entire gig (from 11 to 22 performances.) They added a 14-minute interview with Erroll that was taped after the concert. If anyone thought the original album couldn't be topped, this does it. There isn't a cut I would leave out -- clearly the producers had to sweat blood to pare the original concert by half, and, since it was one of the all-time bestsellers in jazz, it's a mystery why they didn't release a volume two in the 50s.
This is Erroll with a rhythm section. It's mainstream jazz, but mainly it's Erroll Garner music, from a one of a kind musician. He apparently could not read music, but he understood the keyboard like he invented it. It's most fun to hear the strange intros he makes up for each tune, and the audience reaction when he gets to the main melody and they know what he's up to. (I also love the grunts he makes as he plays -- wouldn't want them to be erased.) Smooth stuff, but don't mistake it for conventional lounge playing. Erroll's always changing up the tempo and working in his own harmonics, which come off like fireworks. I love the uptempo chattering sound he puts in tunes like I'll Remember April. And who knew Where or When could be a cheery, charging number? But it works with Erroll at the keys. Red Top also sizzles, but really, he personalizes every number and there are no lulls.
This is Erroll with a rhythm section. It's mainstream jazz, but mainly it's Erroll Garner music, from a one of a kind musician. He apparently could not read music, but he understood the keyboard like he invented it. It's most fun to hear the strange intros he makes up for each tune, and the audience reaction when he gets to the main melody and they know what he's up to. (I also love the grunts he makes as he plays -- wouldn't want them to be erased.) Smooth stuff, but don't mistake it for conventional lounge playing. Erroll's always changing up the tempo and working in his own harmonics, which come off like fireworks. I love the uptempo chattering sound he puts in tunes like I'll Remember April. And who knew Where or When could be a cheery, charging number? But it works with Erroll at the keys. Red Top also sizzles, but really, he personalizes every number and there are no lulls.
Potoooooooo
Contributor
I finally got caught up with this thread. The McLaughlin reminded my of an album I wore out many years ago, Love Devotion Surrender. Carlos Santana and "Mahavishnu" John McLaughlin (1973)
[youtube]rdm00nlJAEw&list[/youtube]
[youtube]rdm00nlJAEw&list[/youtube]