Satchmo's Jive Essence 42

Great review! I saw Charlie Hunter in concert several years ago and he's absolutely amazing live. The only album of his that I own is the self-titled one, but I love it it. I wasn't aware of the whole story about him trying to transpose organ but I've always thought a lot of his guitar playing sounded very organ-like.
 
Kayo Dot are fucking immense. Stunningly serene yet hard as nails too. They need more love for sure. I am completely undecided which of their albums are my favourite though as they all hit me at different points with the excellent multilayers.
 
This is going to be a destructively awesome thread... It's already obvious enough with MMW. I await with bated breath, and I assume you will avoid picking too many stereotypical choices?
 
Most blues music recorded prior to 1960 was done in short form - i.e. 45's, 7 inches etc. I'm assuming that most people, unless they're obsessive collectors aren't going to scour vintage music boutique's for individual original releases of an artists material when they can easily purchase or d/l a compilation of their work.
I understand the argument for say Led Zeppelin who have a substantial full-length LP discography, but early 20th century blues is a different paradigm.
 
I meant to mention something about the Jackass song in my review of the album.

It's really great to see someone actually download the albums I'm suggesting. to tell you the truth I was starting to give up on the thread again because no one was replying to it. Now I have incentive to finish the next review soon. my next entry is a must have, but you have to wait. If you need any ups for any of the albums I review just PM me.
 
The challenge is getting people to listen to music they think they know from a completely different perspective, but yeah, avoiding stereotypes this early in the thread is also proving challenging. I'm gonna' take a break from this thread for the night. I hope to not let you down on your expectations.
 
Satchmo, id love you to do a review of this one:

05_25_09-MilesOntheCorner.jpg








My favourite Miles Davis album :thurab:.
 
I'm not all that keen on any of Miles' post Bitches Brew fusion albums. Everyone of them seems to be either an attempt to recreate BB or a very long sigle key jam session. On the Corner is like a corabination of the 2. Though, It's not the last you'll see of miles' in this thread by a long shot
 
#34 A Tribe Called Quest - The Low End Theory

....And what I immediately heard was this:

[YOUTUBE]4poAOhrsvWE[/YOUTUBE]

There have been a few attempts in the early history of hip hop that have attempted to reconcile and blend the genre with its Jazz ancestry. Many if not most of these attempts have been abject failures. a couple of more memorable attempts that come to mind are the abysmal Guru's Jazzmataz and Us3's Hand on the Torch.

Its not that neither of these albums, or the various other attempts at fusing jazz with hip hop weren't noble efforts, its just that it seems there's a sort of alchemy involved in the process of mixing the two, and if all the elements aren't in the right place the whole thing blows up in your face like a failed lab experiment.

Here we have A Tribe Called Quest from Queens New York. Composed of MCs Q-Tip and Phife Dawg, as well as DJ/producer Ali Shaheed Muhammed, Tribe's sophomore LP A Low End Theory from the beginning upright Bass note From legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter on Excursions to the frazzled and amped anthem Scenario featuring one of the first public appearances of Bustah Rhymes, swings and shows a very balanced blend of Hip- hop and Jazz elements all tastefully executed throughout.

There is much use of wonderful jazz samples throughout the album (see the itemized list below), predominately they can be noticed in the rock bottom acoustic bass lines that hold this album together as well as the horn sections and solos that punctuate and accent nearly every song. Also present are musical interludes, I hesitate to say "solos", that actually allow the music to reserable in structure that of actual jazz albums.

Musically this album has aged well, but because of the degree to which hip-hop has evolved in the past 18 years their are some lyrical spots that beg you to keep this album within the context of the time in which it was produced.

Sample List:

* "Excursions"

The Last Poets - "Time"
The Last Poets - "Tribute to Obabi"
Shades of Brown - "The Soil I Tilled For You"
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - "A Chant for Bu"

* "Buggin' Out"

Jack DeJohnette - "Minya's the Mooch"
Lonnie Smith - "Spinning Wheel"
Michael Urbaniak - "Ekim"

* "Rap Promoter"

Eric Mercury - "Long Way Down"
New Birth - "Keep On Doin' It"
Sly & the Family Stone - "Stand"
Jimi Hendrix - "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)"

* "Butter"

Eighties Ladies - "Turned On To You"
Chuck Jackson - "I Like Everything About You"
Gary Bartz - "Gentle Smiles"
Weather Report - "Young and Fine"

* "Verses from The Abstract"

Joe Farrell - "Upon This Rock"
Heatwave - "Star Of A Story"

* "Show Business"

James Brown - "Funky President"
Fatback Band - "Wicky-Wacky"
Martin Denny - "Midnight Cowboy"
Ferrante and Teicher - "Midnight Cowboy"

* "Vibes and Stuff"

Grant Green - "Down Here on the Ground"

* "The Infamous Date Rape"

Jackie Jackson - "Is It Him Or Me?"
Cannonball Adderley - "The Steam Drill"
Les McCann - "North Carolina"

* "Check the Rhime"

Average White Band - "Love Your Life"
Minnie Riperton - "Baby, This Love I Have"
Grover Washington, Jr. - "Hydra"
Steve Miller Band - "Fly Like An Eagle"

* "Everything is Fair"

Bobby Byrd - "Hot Pants... I'm Coming, I'm Coming, I'm Coming"
Funkadelic - "Let's Take It To The People"
Harlem Underground Band - "Ain't No Sunshine"
Willis Jackson - "Ain't No Sunshine"

* "Jazz (We've Got)"

Five Stairsteps - "Don't Change Your Love"
Sly & the Family Stone - "Sing a Simple Song"
Freddie Hubbard - "Red Clay"
Lucky Thompson - "Green Dolphin Street"
Mountain - "Long Red"

* "What?"

Paul Humphrey - "Uncle Willie's Dream"

* "Scenario"

Emotions - "Blind Alley"
Kool and the Gang - "Give It Up"
Kool and the Gang - "Soul Vibrations"
Ohio Players - "Ecstasy"
Brother Jack McDuff - "Oblighetto"
Jimi Hendrix - "Little Miss Lover"
 
I'm not sure if this is my favourite Hepcat album (that would probably be Scientific) and I have admit to them not being one of my favourite Ska banRAB. Have you heard the Japonicas? very very good old school Ska from Japan. Keep this up though. Some nice eclectic choices!
 
This is weird. I found this thread a few days ago searching for...Ornette Coleman, I think. Anyway I ended up here, started reading and eventually subscribed so that I can find it later. And bam...new posts after a year :). I really like the concept, this different approach to jazz. Great read!
 
Having trouble finding a place to download Bitches Brew and Lady Soul. If anybody wants to send me a PM for either of them, it would be greatly appreciated.

Anyways, great review Satchmo. I've heard the name of this album and of course Davis's name being thrown around by music fans, but I never got interested enough to go out seeking this album. Sometimes it takes something more profound then just a "you should check out mile davis, he is a musician that plays jazz!" to really make me want to sink my teeth into an artist's discography, your review did a good job of peaking my interest. I always love having insight into an artist or album before I listen, especially their history and all, it makes the listening experience better for some reason. Maybe I prefer focusing on one individual at a time, instead of having somebody post a long wall of china sized block of text filled with musicians and banRAB that I need to check. These kinRAB of threaRAB are a much more organic way of getting into music and you do a great job of introducing people to banRAB or musicians they have never heard of.
 
Thanks big3. that definitely serves as afeather in my cap and really influences me to stay on task with this thread.

P.S. Chubsub is on Friday Afternoon in the Universe, another great MMW album.



I'll try to include some highlight tracks from now on, but I also should add that there will likely be albums in this list that really can't be fully appreciated outside of the context of listening to the album in full, and in those cases that fact will be duly noted as well.
 
I tracked this down, and have been able to listen to it once. Which was definitely not enough. You're absolutely right though, the latter part is perfect for a quick pick-me-up. This is ideal for work, when I need music that's more melodic and flowing but not demanding.
Can't wait to listen to it more.
Thank you, thank you!
 
If it gives you more incentive to finish this thing, I'll strap a borab to my head and rig it to explode when you stop continuing with this thread. Or it might work better if you strap a borab to your head. You know what, we'll do both. :D

Looking forward to next review.
 
I dug this more than the actual review itself. It reminRAB me of how old you really are. :P

No, really, though - if anything, it is this story that will influence me to grab the album. In fact, any album that a frantic deaf guy hanRAB me will at least deserve 3 listens. I'm a sucker for worRAB and even weaker in the knees for a good story teller. Well played, sir.
 
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