Rock Evolution – The History of Rock & Roll - 1961 (pg 62)

[BimboBob]

I spent many a happy late teen/ early 20's evenings frequenting either Ronnie Scotts or the Concorde Club (going since the 50's but in it's current building since 1970) just outside of Southampton with my Dad. His favourite was a band leader/ pianist called Claude Hopkins. He never saw him perform though sadly as dear old Claude stayed that side of the pond.

Saw a lot of famous acts in that short time but my dad passed when I was 21 and I had no-one to go with so kind of fell out of the loop. And I was seeing the world/ meeting page 3 girls.

I still have a few jazz records from his collection...although his favourite Hopkins offering was recorded in 61 so it doesn't count! You rotters!!

 

[RobMCFC]

I still have a few jazz records from his collection...although his favourite Hopkins offering was recorded in 61 so it doesn't count! You rotters!!

Yeah, but you can add it to the 1961 playlist and discuss it in a few weeks.

 

[mrbelfry]

Great write ups for blues and now jazz. What I know about jazz is mostly what I've misremembered from a couple of Michael Connelly novels. Most of what I know about blues is from Jack Reacher novels.

I do love that little cascading piano at the beginning of Take The A Train - I'm sure I've heard this track in a film?

 

[threespires]

I spent many a happy late teen/ early 20's evenings frequenting either Ronnie Scotts or the Concorde Club (going since the 50's but in it's current building since 1970) just outside of Southampton with my Dad. His favourite was a band leader/ pianist called Claude Hopkins. He never saw him perform though sadly as dear old Claude stayed that side of the pond.

Saw a lot of famous acts in that short time but my dad passed when I was 21 and I had no-one to go with so kind of fell out of the loop. And I was seeing the world/ meeting page 3 girls.

I still have a few jazz records from his collection...although his favourite Hopkins offering was recorded in 61 so it doesn't count! You rotters!!

Must have been cool going to see acts with your Dad, albeit for too short a time.

Even if you'd never sell them it's worth looking up their value, some older jazz pressings go for mad money.

 

[threespires]

Great write ups for blues and now jazz. What I know about jazz is mostly what I've misremembered from a couple of Michael Connelly novels. Most of what I know about blues is from Jack Reacher novels.

I do love that little cascading piano at the beginning of Take The A Train - I'm sure I've heard this track in a film?

Think it's in an older film but it's also used in one of the GTA games!

Rob has mentioned these before but if you like crime and music the Ray Celestin City Blues Quartet are a really good read. Starts with The Axeman's Jazz which uses a bizarre true story in 20s New Orleans as a plot basis.

 

[BimboBob]

Must have been cool going to see acts with your Dad, albeit for too short a time.

Even if you'd never sell them it's worth looking up their value, some older jazz pressings go for mad money.

They do, but I'm never parting with anything of his.

 

[Bill Walker]

Miles Davis

Album, Kind of Blue.

Listen to the track 'So What' many times, for me it represents the essence of Jazz.

Yes, definitely sign me up for any kind of Miles Davis appreciation. He started out in Bebop and ended in HipHop - what an amazing trajectory, always innovating, always soaking up the music around him and pushing it forward. He has the most impressive musical development of any artist from the last century and yet on all his recordings, he kept true to his sound - pure, plaintive, never self-indulgent or flashy.

I know it's a cliche but Kind of Blue is my favourite. An astonishing piece of music, I know it so well I can play it in my head and sing many of the solos. There are only a handful of outtakes - the music was made on the spot, with no rehearsals, only a couple of retakes, based on scraps of musical ideas, and yet it has the coherence of a piece of classical music.
Coltrane's sax solo on So What is gobsmacking in it creativity and execution.
Milestones, from the same era, is another favourite, and I always have time for the 2nd quintet albums, a brilliant series of 60s LPs. In a Silent Way is another favourite. I'm not as into the Marcus Miller stuff, the ideas are good but it's slick and cold for my tastes.

Then there are the ringers - Somethin' Else is up there for me, although technically a sideman Miles Davis sells the album. Jazz Tracks, a compilation of a film soundtrack and the leftovers from KOB. And most intriguingly, Hot Spot, the album he cut with John Lee Hooker!

For me only John Coltrane's album 'A Love Supreme ' comes near challenging Kind of Blue.

 

[RobMCFC]

For me only John Coltrane's album 'A Love Supreme ' comes near challenging Kind of Blue.

I've quoted Bill but this is just a general reminder.

The idea of this thread is that we try to discuss things in the era/year that is currently on topic. So, in this case, as A Love Supreme is from 1964, that should be mentioned/discussed when 1964 comes up, referring back to the Miles Davis album from 1959 if appropriate.

This is not a hard and fast rule, there are no yellow cards to be dished out, and to be fair, Saddleworth2 mentioned a load of 60s artists in the "legacy" section of his Blues write-up.

But I think this thread will work best if you treat the era being discussed as "now", if that makes sense. Probably reasonable to say "I've been listening to this for years" etc., but the artists/music should be kept in their chronology.

Or is this a daft "rule"?

 

[BimboBob]

I've quoted Bill but this is just a general reminder.

The idea of this thread is that we try to discuss things in the era/year that is currently on topic. So, in this case, as A Love Supreme is from 1964, that should be mentioned/discussed when 1964 comes up, referring back to the Miles Davis album from 1959 if appropriate.

This is not a hard and fast rule, there are no yellow cards to be dished out, and to be fair, Saddleworth2 mentioned a load of 60s artists in the "legacy" section of his Blues write-up.

But I think this thread will work best if you treat the era being discussed as "now", if that makes sense. Probably reasonable to say "I've been listening to this for years" etc., but the artists/music should be kept in their chronology.

Or is this a daft "rule"?

Yeah...stick to pre 1960 and then we can fill in as and when. I think Bill just wanted to join in and proclaim his love for Miles. And good for him.

 

[RobMCFC]

Think it's in an older film but it's also used in one of the GTA games!

Rob has mentioned these before but if you like crime and music the Ray Celestin City Blues Quartet are a really good read. Starts with The Axeman's Jazz which uses a bizarre true story in 20s New Orleans as a plot basis.

Finished the final book the other day - see review in the Reading 2024 thread. Chet Baker appears - just had a quick read about his life after listening to "My Funny Valentine". Seems like throwing your looks and life away on drugs isn't a new phenomenon.