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Some Tunes Never Grow Old |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: North-West England
Posts: 25,845
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Some Tunes Never Grow Old
I recently posted a link to this song by Halie Loren.
Here's the same tune in two of the many versions I have, but these are probably my favourites, made half a century before. Recorded 1956. Art Tatum / Ben Webster. (The photo montage is of Greta Garbo). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pbVsk0Noec Recorded 1963. John Coltrane / Johnny Hartman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRh7M9zQiIc |
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#2 |
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: St Helens
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I think that they are great versions of a lovely tune (imo) - i'm not a musician, but i do like jazz.
I'm not familiar with a lot of the music of Ben Webster, but i thought his playing on the first tune was really delicate, & Art Tatum seemed to compliment him well. The John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman version (of the tune) for me has never been (& never will be) bettered. The interaction between the two is exquisite, with lovely velvety vocals by Johnny Hartman, & John Coltrane plays the melody almost straight, with very little embellishment. I think all the tunes on the John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman album are beautiful, & it's a shame that no more music from that session exists. I have mixed feelings about the playing of John Coltrane - i think that his ballad playing is beautiful & i love it; however, with his very uptempo playing, whilst i can appreciate that he is trying to explore all the musical possibilities that he thinks are there for uptempo tunes, i find his tone to be steely hard, & sometimes uncomfortable to listen to - it's as though he is trying to blow his saxophone to pieces at times (for me). I can only listen to about 1 or 2 minutes of his uptempo tunes then i lose interest - maybe i need to persevere with it more to fully 'get it'. Going back to the John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman album, here's the tune Lush Life (which was recently murdered by Lady Gaga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ-968Fw3bA Another singer/saxophone combination that i like is Billie Holiday & Lester Young. Here's their version of This Year's Kisses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAy0ZIE51zk |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: North-West England
Posts: 25,845
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Quote:
I think that they are great versions of a lovely tune (imo) - i'm not a musician, but i do like jazz.
I'm not familiar with a lot of the music of Ben Webster, but i thought his playing on the first tune was really delicate, & Art Tatum seemed to compliment him well. The John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman version (of the tune) for me has never been (& never will be) bettered. The interaction between the two is exquisite, with lovely velvety vocals by Johnny Hartman, & John Coltrane plays the melody almost straight, with very little embellishment. I think all the tunes on the John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman album are beautiful, & it's a shame that no more music from that session exists. I have mixed feelings about the playing of John Coltrane - i think that his ballad playing is beautiful & i love it; however, with his very uptempo playing, whilst i can appreciate that he is trying to explore all the musical possibilities that he thinks are there for uptempo tunes, i find his tone to be steely hard, & sometimes uncomfortable to listen to - it's as though he is trying to blow his saxophone to pieces at times (for me). I can only listen to about 1 or 2 minutes of his uptempo tunes then i lose interest - maybe i need to persevere with it more to fully 'get it'. Going back to the John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman album, here's the tune Lush Life (which was recently murdered by Lady Gaga): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ-968Fw3bA Another singer/saxophone combination that i like is Billie Holiday & Lester Young. Here's their version of This Year's Kisses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAy0ZIE51zk Ah! Another poster with a discerning taste in music! Here's another great combination, the music of Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Hartman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1T3s5QY-WI I've got that recording of "This Year's Kisses." That sort of jazz is still "alive and well," even if it's only kept so by some Barcelona teenagers. Here's the same tune. The singer also plays jazz soprano sax, alto sax and trumpet, in a teenage jazz band, unbelievably well. But here's she's singing with the pros. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yomAwZi85ks At nineteen, here she's as good as the pro next to her with thirty years experience. There's lots of really talented kids in that band from around ten years old. Notice how she waits for a couple of bars after her partner's solo, to allow for the applause before she comes in again for her final chorus. So professional. You can tell how much he rates her at the end. No "style over substance here," Dressed in old jeans and a band T-shirt. Lots of great tunes available from this band on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcV_0267_is |
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: St Helens
Posts: 374
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Quote:
Ah! Another poster with a discerning taste in music!
Here's another great combination, the music of Hoagy Carmichael and Johnny Hartman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1T3s5QY-WI I've got that recording of "This Year's Kisses." That sort of jazz is still "alive and well," even if it's only kept so by some Barcelona teenagers. Here's the same tune. The singer also plays jazz soprano sax, alto sax and trumpet, in a teenage jazz band, unbelievably well. But here's she's singing with the pros. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yomAwZi85ks At nineteen, here she's as good as the pro next to her with thirty years experience. There's lots of really talented kids in that band from around ten years old. Notice how she waits for a couple of bars after her partner's solo, to allow for the applause before she comes in again for her final chorus. So professional. You can tell how much he rates her at the end. No "style over substance here," Dressed in old jeans and a band T-shirt. Lots of great tunes available from this band on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcV_0267_is I haven't heard of the Johnny Hartman album before, but the tune was nice - i liked the muted trumpet solo, but had to find out the soloist, who i think is Terumasa Hino. The Andrea Motis & Joan Chamorro tune was really enjoyable i thought; it had that laid back quality that the Billie/Lester version did - was that Scott Hamilton on Tenor saxophone? You don't often see mixed age bands - i think it's good that the youngsters have a chance to gain experience & learn their craft with the seasoned professionals. Will have to check that band out more. |
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: North-West England
Posts: 25,845
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Yes, Scott Hamilton is one two of the regular guest saxophone pros with the band. As is also the pianist, Ignasi Terraza,
They feature more when the principal student members, both vocalists and instrumentalists, Andrea Motis, Eve Fernandez, Magali Datzira and Rita Payes, (aged only 14) appear in clubs. I think they also do some teaching, although there are teachers and an arranger involved in the band who don't get much of a mention. Here's their pro guitarist, Josep Tavener, (who can play anything, I like his "Wes Montgomery style" one of several of his) with Andrea Motis's, younger sister Carla, who plays guitar with the college band and on some club gigs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk9bsqHMNMc This is the full band's latest, uploaded today. Curiously recorded a couple of years ago. Check out the bassist, she's also one of the singers. Andrea Motis "serving her time" in the back row of the trumpet section, one of her her alternate instruments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcePCkAyIyg Check out my "Jazz from Catalonia" topic lots of YouTube links on there. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: West London
Posts: 24,303
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What a strange coincidence. I heard John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman's version of Lush Life for the first time the other day and liked it so much I downloaded the album yesterday (£5.94, "mastered for iTunes" and sounding very good). What a great album.
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: North-West England
Posts: 25,845
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Quote:
What a strange coincidence. I heard John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman's version of Lush Life for the first time the other day and liked it so much I downloaded the album yesterday (£5.94, "mastered for iTunes" and sounding very good). What a great album.
"The Gentle Side of John Coltrane" which features Johnny Hartman, was the name of the original album I've got as it was a bit of a departure from his usual repertoire, guess the recording company was trying to increase his appeal. As once a "sideman" for Miles Davis, his collaboration with Johnny Hartman might have shocked a few of the "modern jazz purists." Coltrane was better known in the jazz world for things like this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30FTr6G53VU This tune has fascinated so many, you get things like this, (if you want to play along with it). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kotK9FNEYU Or build something. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZRnkBK_0no Even robots play it! Takes some doing as there's 22 keys on a saxophone, some closed some open, but they aren't all needed for any tune I know https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjONQNUU8Fg Many jazz musicians change their styles. Miles Davis was probably best known for this, moving from Bebop, in his youth, through other styles to his final lineup, which I jokingly always call his "Rock n' Roll Band," even playing one or two pop songs he liked. He's a favourite of mine as part of the enjoyment is "the notes you leave out," for those who understand what I mean. Like Michael Jackson's "Human Nature," and this a favourite of mine Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." Though past his best, It could move you to tears, "in a good way." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OddHP8_Em7s |
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