rayge
Administrator
Invisible
Posts: 8,776
|
Post by rayge on Feb 19, 2020 18:48:23 GMT
A Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Lester Left Town
B Jackie McLean - Hootnan
|
|
|
|
Post by DarknessFish on Feb 19, 2020 20:02:19 GMT
I take it "Lester Left Town" is a less-famous "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat". I'd love to say whether this carries any of the spirit or style of Lester Young's playing, but I have no idea what he sounded like. This is on the more trad side of bebop for me, generally if there's a walking bassline and you can tell what the drummer's doing, I start finding it difficult to feel involved. It lacks the kind of fire I want in my jazz.
A less-well known Blue Note named picked for B, someone I've never heard of. This, again, is towards the more conservative side of jazz, though it's really the rhythm section keeping things steady, there's more freedom in the brass. It sounds like a good remaster, I have to say, there's a clarity you don't normally get on 60s jazz, and a sharpness to the vibes and those high notes in the solos. Is this live, or are the musicians just prompting each other? There's something disconcerting about the hum of chatter underneath.
B just nicks it, as much for the lesser trodden path as for the more interesting solos.
|
|
toomanyhatz
god
I've met him/her. He/she's great!!
Posts: 3,238
|
Post by toomanyhatz on Feb 19, 2020 21:11:18 GMT
This might turn out to be the theme where I at least like every single thing.
B for pretty much the same reasons df gives in his last sentence.
Both very solid, but B's just slightly more away from the norm.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mr. FOLLARD on Feb 19, 2020 23:53:24 GMT
B, after listening to just a minute of each. But it's clear. I love those vibes. It has a bit more pep, too.
That's one fuck of a cover!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2020 0:17:01 GMT
A is very traditional..Something my dad would dig..B is a little different and I prefer the bass..Vote B
|
|
|
|
Post by osgood on Feb 21, 2020 18:24:44 GMT
A is very traditional..Something my dad would dig.
A
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2020 19:09:34 GMT
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2020 4:32:14 GMT
B for me too. I liked its eastern modal sound and the soloing kept me really engaged. I've been meaning to get more Jackie McLean for ages ( I have the New York connection album which is very good).
A was okay, impeccable playing and all that, but it didn't really stand out for me.
|
|
|
|
Post by Half Machine Lipschitz on Feb 22, 2020 4:50:50 GMT
I've never really understood why Art Blakey is so highly regarded. I think he must have a Grateful Dead-esque sort of following or something.
I'm a big fan of Jackie McLean's compositions and of the combos he put together. This is a no-brainer for me.
*edit*
Uh, I guess that's a "B".
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2020 23:27:11 GMT
B, need to listen to more from this guy.
|
|
fange
god
Listening to long jazz tracks
Posts: 4,551 
|
Post by fange on Feb 23, 2020 11:36:09 GMT
Two excellent tunes. It's a shame AB isn't as fashionable as he once was, because some of the greatest hard bop records ever made were recorded under his name. His band during the 50s and 60s was a magnet for the biggest talents - like Wayne Shorter who wrote this tunes - as well as the artist in the B-slot of this match, coincidently. How fucking good is Cecil McBee in B, by the way. He was still in his teens on this date from '64 if memory serves. Magical.
|
|
|
|
Post by neige on Feb 26, 2020 19:16:12 GMT
B is aces!!
|
|
|
|
Post by Half Machine Lipschitz on Feb 29, 2020 4:26:22 GMT
I don't know why anyone would want to listen to jazz that makes them uptight. That's what this Art Blakey track does to me. It's too stiff and makes me clench muscles I don't want to clench.
Jackie McLean is really close to the top of my personal pantheon of jazzbos.
B
|
|
rayge
Administrator
Invisible
Posts: 8,776
|
Post by rayge on Feb 29, 2020 11:50:36 GMT
Oh dear, more uncomfortable listening zone
a this perked up a great deal with the tenor horn solo, but the trumpet, as so often, was too blary and sharp for my ears. Wasn't over-impressed with the piano either. Seems a bit weird to think of something 60 years old as modern jazz. A Near Mint copy of this album recently went for £225 on discogs. Jeez
b 1967, this one. Nice alto, as you would expect, although in this case I prefer the smooth to the squealy, but the drummer is getting on my tits a bit with what seems, to my uncultured ears, some random thumping. The vibes are pretty, as you would expect from Mr Hutcherson, but as with the alto, the trebliest notes are a bit painful to my ears - maybe It's the remaster, or too much volume. Ooh, a bass solo - at least-it's not a drum solo, although matey has stepped back from his hitting things hard with a stick role to give his fellow rhythmer a chance to shine. Another three-figure album in VG+ or better condition.
I listened to them both, but can't say which one was better for me, because, basically, neither of them really were for me. I can sort of stand back and appreciate modern jazz, but it rarely engages me, and neither of these tracks did. Seeing as B is running away with what I can only see as a close match,
A
|
|
