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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2024 9:41:14 GMT -5
3) Herbie Hancock - Empyrean Isles I really want to listen to more Herbie Hancock. My knowledge of his output is slim and rather scattershot: I know 1973's Head Hunters, the song "I Have a Dream" from his 1970 album The Prisoner, and his 1983 breakdance hit "Rockit", but that's it. Certainly, there's a whole lot of his early Blue Note stuff that I'm completely unfamiliar with. The track you posted is perhaps a bit too Hard Bop for my tastes; what's the rest of the Empyrean Isles album like? I generally like slightly mellower, less frenetic jazz from this era...Cool Jazz especially. Based on that, what would you say would be a good album for me to start with from his early Blue Note period? Also, is The Prisoner a good album in its entirety, do you know? There is somewhat mellower (well, to my ears maybe) material mixed in with the more hard/post bop on albums from that era. Empryean Isles and Maiden Voyage are pretty legendary albums and do make good starting points, though on those you may be drawn more to tracks like these? Curious to hear what you think. I'm kind of cherry picking tracks again here, but these are off of his sophomore effort My Point of View which might be of interest as an earlier starting point: As for The Prisoner, I personally think it is a solid album overall, it gets a little overshadowed by the ones I previously mentioned I think. At times it gets a little looser feeling, not quite free jazz, but has some nice layers and things going on I find enjoyable. I hope some of that helps! |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2024 9:45:48 GMT -5
#3 - Wednesday Morning, 3am by Simon & Garfunkel Classic, love it! |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 17, 2024 10:17:11 GMT -5
Favorite albums of 1964
#3 - Louis Armstrong - Hello Dolly!
I love me some Louis Armstrong. From King Oliver's band through the Hot Five and Hot Seven to his emergence as a vocalist in the 30s to his work with the All-Stars up to his pop vocal era in the 60s. Satch, Pops, Dipper, whatever you wanted to call him, Dude was a consummate entertainer and a national treasure. So you have to love (well I have to love) that he made a big comeback in the 60s including a hit single that knocked that little quartet from Liverpool out of the #1 spot on the Billboard charts.
This is just a super fun pop vocal album. And it's a pop vocal album. This isn't jazz. Which isn't to say that there isn't some great playing on this album. Pops' trumpet sounds excellent on "Jeepers Creepers" a song that he'd recorded as early as 1939. Big Chief Russell Moore does some nice trombone work. The title track is just a phenomenal pop vocal track. Satch also does great versions of "Moon River" and "Blueberry Hill" (a song he had initially recorded in 1949). This album just makes me happy.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Jul 17, 2024 10:24:38 GMT -5
I really want to listen to more Herbie Hancock. My knowledge of his output is slim and rather scattershot: I know 1973's Head Hunters, the song "I Have a Dream" from his 1970 album The Prisoner, and his 1983 breakdance hit "Rockit", but that's it. Certainly, there's a whole lot of his early Blue Note stuff that I'm completely unfamiliar with. The track you posted is perhaps a bit too Hard Bop for my tastes; what's the rest of the Empyrean Isles album like? I generally like slightly mellower, less frenetic jazz from this era...Cool Jazz especially. Based on that, what would you say would be a good album for me to start with from his early Blue Note period? Also, is The Prisoner a good album in its entirety, do you know? There is somewhat mellower (well, to my ears maybe) material mixed in with the more hard/post bop on albums from that era. Empryean Isles and Maiden Voyage are pretty legendary albums and do make good starting points, though on those you may be drawn more to tracks like these? Curious to hear what you think. I'm kind of cherry picking tracks again here, but these are off of his sophomore effort My Point of View which might be of interest as an earlier starting point: As for The Prisoner, I personally think it is a solid album overall, it gets a little overshadowed by the ones I previously mentioned I think. At times it gets a little looser feeling, not quite free jazz, but has some nice layers and things going on I find enjoyable. I hope some of that helps! OK, thoughts... I rather liked "Oliloque Valley"...that's much more Cool Jazz that the other number from this album you posted. "A Tribute to Someone" and "And What if I Don't Know" from My Point of View are also rather nice. I could definitely imagine myself enjoying listening to those tracks of an evening. My favourite track from among these, however, is "Maiden Voyage" from the album of the same name. That's a really great track. Maybe it's just the title, but it seemed to have a slightly nautical vibe to it to my ears. If the rest of Maiden Voyage is like that, I think we might have a winner for me to check out. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 17, 2024 10:26:56 GMT -5
Today's selection: 3) Herbie Hancock - Empyrean IslesA jazz classic with Herbie leading who is flat out one of my all-time favorite musicians, just a beautiful album with so much talent. The quartet here is Herbie leading on piano, a blistering performance by Freddie Hubbard on cornet, Ron Carter on bass, and another appearance on my list of a very young Tony Williams on drums. A fantastic lineup, and I'll keep my commentary minimal and just let this track from the album speak for itself: Another one of the jazz albums that was on my 1964 jazz list. Such a great album and Freddie Hubbard just wails on it. Carrying on with my Top 10 albums of 1964... #3 - Wednesday Morning, 3am by Simon & GarfunkelSimon & Garfunkel's debut album was a bit of a flop upon release. It did very little, commercially speaking, outside of their native New York City and the Greenwich Village folk scene of which they were a part. It was only when the album was re-released in the States in 1966 and in the UK in 1968 – with the duo by then having found international success with subsequent releases – that Wednesday Morning, 3am began to chart. It's an album that finds the duo firmly in a purest folk/protest guise, with several of the tracks being sung in the overly earnest tradition of the likes of Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, or the Chad Mitchell Trio. Although the album does include a handful of covers – including a serviceable rendition of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" – what was clear, even at this early stage, was that Paul Simon's songs were something special. In particular, "Bleecker Street", "Wednesday Morning, 3am", and the original acoustic version of "The Sound of Silence" (prior to it having guitar, bass and drums overdubbed on it to transform it into the hit version most people know) are standouts. Special mention as well to the utterly sublime arrangement of the 16th century Latin mass "Benedictus", in which Simon and Garfunkel's voices intertwine beautifully, against a sparse acoustic guitar and cello accompaniment. Rather than go with "The Sound of Silence", I've instead chosen Simon's haunting "Bleecker Street" to showcase the album. Named after a street in Greenwich Village (where Doctor Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum is located, comic fans!), it's an alienated look at the darker side of the local beat and folknik scene. There are some interesting religious overtones in the song's lyric too, as the observer casts a melancholy eye over the neighbourhood's homeless, lonely, and ill-fated… I am very much not a fan of Simon and Garfunkel. But my wife loves them so I've learned to tolerate them...or at least turn a deaf ear to them. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Jul 17, 2024 10:32:22 GMT -5
#3 - Louis Armstrong - Hello Dolly!
Nice pick. I was only saying to my wife last night that I really could do with picking up a "Best of" compilation of Satchmo's stuff. I only really know the two or three really big hits of his. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jul 17, 2024 10:54:11 GMT -5
#3 - Louis Armstrong - Hello Dolly!
Nice pick. I was only saying to my wife last night that I really could do with picking up a "Best of" compilation of Satchmo's stuff. I only really know the two or three really big hits of his. Let me make a couple of suggestions, if you can find them, because there are dozens, if not hundreds, of compilations out there of his work.  The Very Best of Louis Armstrong (Crimson 1998) is a very good sampler of his vocal work. 24 tracks. Most of the big hits and some fun smaller tracks. This was re-issued by Universal as a double cd with 40 tracks. I assume that's also good but I have the earlier one.  If you're looking for something that covers his entire career, from the King Oliver days to the 60s pop vocal hits, Ken Burns Jazz: Louis Armstrong is a perfectly good option. 24 tracks that go from early 20s jazz through the mid 60s. The glaring omission in either would be his pairing with Ella Fitzgerald. Simply amazing stuff. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2024 12:59:38 GMT -5
OK, thoughts... I rather liked "Oliloque Valley"...that's much more Cool Jazz that the other number from this album you posted. "A Tribute to Someone" and "And What if I Don't Know" from My Point of View are also rather nice. I could definitely imagine myself enjoying listening to those tracks of an evening. My favourite track from among these, however, is "Maiden Voyage" from the album of the same name. That's a really great track. Maybe it's just the title, but it seemed to have a slightly nautical vibe to it to my ears. If the rest of Maiden Voyage is like that, I think we might have a winner for me to check out. Yeah, "Maiden Voyage" really is something special. I almost immediately replied to you "proceed directly to Maiden Voyage" in fact, but decided to build out my response a little more. Of the other 4 tracks on that album, I would say you will most likely enjoy "Little One" and "Dolphin Dance" that also have a little more of that mellower vibe. So still a bit of a mix overall, but I suspect the majority may be up your alley if you liked that track. Glad you enjoyed! |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2024 13:05:02 GMT -5
#3 - Louis Armstrong - Hello Dolly! This just makes me smile, love the overall music including that unmistakable wonderful voice. I'm just repeating myself here, but add another to the list of music I need to go back and spend time with. |
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Jul 17, 2024 20:58:45 GMT -5
@supercat - I checked out Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage tonight on Spotify (boooo...!!). Really nice album, I like it a lot. Will definitely have to see about picking up a copy.
I also listened to Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell, just because it came up next. I'd not heard it before (though I recognise the cover), but it's a really gorgeous album. I'll probably pick that up too!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2024 6:05:40 GMT -5
@supercat - I checked out Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage tonight on Spotify (boooo...!!). Really nice album, I like it a lot. Will definitely have to see about picking up a copy. I also listened to Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell, just because it came up next. I'd not heard it before (though I recognise the cover), but it's a really gorgeous album. I'll probably pick that up too! Nice, glad you liked the album! Your post also inspired me to listen to Midnight Blue as well, and similarly really enjoyed, thanks for mentioning that one! |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2024 6:28:42 GMT -5
This morning's selection:
2) Wayne Shorter - Night Dreamer
Back when I was quite young, Weather Report came on my radar particularly because of bass guitar legend Jaco Pastorius' association with them. And I did indeed become a Jaco fan, but I found I could only listen to Weather Report as a whole in limited doses as the fusion sound in general just isn't something that captivates me.
And yet, beyond the Jaco aspect, there was this sax player in Weather Report who seemed to capture my ear a lot with his parts. Wouldn't it be great if I could get more of his playing and maybe a little less of that fusion sound? Well, then young supercat learned there was actually music before the 70's, and indeed Wayne (and many other jazz artists I enjoyed) had all this great more traditional jazz material from earlier in his career.
This album was his first after moving over to Blue Note Records, a very talented quintet here with Shorter leading and yet again, I'll let the music do the rest of the talking.
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Confessor
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Post by Confessor on Jul 18, 2024 9:43:43 GMT -5
2) Wayne Shorter - Night Dreamer The tracks you posted soundreally nice. Good stuff. Oh, and I'm not into Weather Report or Jazz Fusion at all, either. |
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Post by Confessor on Jul 18, 2024 9:48:51 GMT -5
More top albums of 1964... #2 - Another Side of Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan Bob Dylan released two albums in 1964. The first, The Times They Are a-Changin', continued his socially conscious, folk protest period and, while it's certainly an excellent album, I do find it gets a little bogged down under the weight of its own seriousness. Another Side of Bob Dylan was his second LP of the year and is by far my favourite of the two records. This was Dylan's first album to eschew topical material since the protest movement adopted him as their spokesperson. Instead, the record features 11 songs with interpersonal themes, highlighted by highly poetic lyrics that are peppered with surrealistic or whimsical turns of phrase. The whole album was recorded in one marathon evening session and, as a result, there's a spontaneous, ramshackle feel to much of the material (Dylan even fluffs the odd lyric, on occasion). The fact that he would choose to present his newest and most experimental material in such a slapdash fashion speaks volumes of his faith in the strength of the songs. It's difficult to pick standout tracks because, frankly, they're all standouts! I guess the most famous compositions here would be "It Ain't Me Babe", "All I Really Want to Do", "Chimes of Freedom", and "My Back Pages" (the last three of which were all later covered by the Byrds). But I'm gonna choose "To Ramona" to showcase the album; it's a pretty song, in which Dylan comforts and advises a distressed woman against the advice of her friends and family... |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2024 14:22:32 GMT -5
More top albums of 1964... #2 - Another Side of Bob Dylan by Bob DylanBob Dylan released two albums in 1964. The first, The Times They Are a-Changin', continued his socially conscious, folk protest period and, while it's certainly an excellent album, I do find it gets a little bogged down under the weight of its own seriousness. Another Side of Bob Dylan was his second LP of the year and is by far my favourite of the two records. This was Dylan's first album to eschew topical material since the protest movement adopted him as their spokesperson. Instead, the record features 11 songs with interpersonal themes, highlighted by highly poetic lyrics that are peppered with surrealistic or whimsical turns of phrase. The whole album was recorded in one marathon evening session and, as a result, there's a spontaneous, ramshackle feel to much of the material (Dylan even fluffs the odd lyric, on occasion). The fact that he would choose to present his newest and most experimental material in such a slapdash fashion speaks volumes of his faith in the strength of the songs. It's difficult to pick standout tracks because, frankly, they're all standouts! I guess the most famous compositions here would be "It Ain't Me Babe", "All I Really Want to Do", "Chimes of Freedom", and "My Back Pages" (the last three of which were all later covered by the Byrds). But I'm gonna choose "To Ramona" to showcase the album; it's a pretty song, in which Dylan comforts and advises a distressed woman against the advice of her friends and family... Dylan has definitely grown on me over the years, though I'm not very familiar with much outside of his more well known material. I like this song though, nice one to highlight! |
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