What Are You Listening To?

[CRAZY-HORSE]

NINA SIMONE "blue lady-my baby just cares for me,volume 1" cd,2002.

this is the first disc of a two disc set,this is studio versions,the other disc is live material.
never really sure where to put Nina as she sort of flits between jazz/blues/soul and pop material, but the majority on here are blues and jazz, so this is where it goes on this occasion.
for some reason this cd has never really been one that i like, not sure why but i prefer Etta James and Billie Holliday for jazz,blues singers of that era and Nina just doesnt cut for me like i know she should.
seven likeable ones here but also seven that i dont like giving a rating score of 1.5,sadly the Shaggy one i posted earlier pips this one,but i dont like that one either.
tried posting this one earlier but i pressed a wrong key somewhere and deleted the whole post, so i cant be bothered posting all links to this one, so several that i do like are posted below including my favourite track "mood indigo". as you probably know i am not a big fan of instrumental pieces of work overall, and there are several on here,none of which i can honestly say i like

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

the links are for the seven tracks i do like here:

mood indigo
Nina Simone Mood Indigo - YouTube audio
my baby just cares for me
NINA SIMONE - My baby just cares for me - YouTube live
he's got the whole world in his hands
nina simone-he´s got the whole world - YouTube audio
he needs me
nina simone-he needs me - YouTube audio
love me or leave me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEQpipS_qfc audio
for all we know
Nina Simone-For all we know - YouTube audio
plain gold ring
Plain Gold Ring - Nina Simone - YouTube audio

other songs on the album include:

dont smoke in bed
african mailman
i loves you porgy
good bail
central park blues
you'll never walk alone
little girl blue
3s=0
2s=7
1s=7

rating: 1.5

[Tiggi]

On the laptop.

The only record they made together, from 1959.

Two very different Jazz soloists, that on this album at least, manage to accomodate one another's styles very well. Coltrane has to be more restrained than was usual, but that's the only real concession.

Very nice, and onto the Buy List.


RoviMusic 5/5 stars.

[CRAZY-HORSE]

only recently got turned onto John Coltrane via an interview i saw on the net with Paul Weller....so thanks Tiggi, i will explore him further, any albums to recommend for when i go see Corey next week??

[Tiggi]

His magnum opus is A Love Supreme, but that may not be the best place to start. Listen to that one first, before committing.

Blue Train is perhaps a better bet.

[mtthwibrahim]

I think I actually prefer "Ascension" to "A Love Supreme", but it's a really really really hard call

and CH, "Giant Steps" is definitely the best place to start, then maybe "My Favorite Things", "Blue Train", or "Ole"

[CRAZY-HORSE]

thanks guys....

but...my bad!,
i just checked my pile of new cds awaiting a first play and low and behold "a love supreme" is sitting there still sealed, guess Corey picked it out for me some time back!

[latorius]

NINA SIMONE "blue lady-my baby just cares for me,volume 1" cd,2002.

this is the first disc of a two disc set,this is studio versions,the other disc is live material.
never really sure where to put Nina as she sort of flits between jazz/blues/soul and pop material, but the majority on here are blues and jazz, so this is where it goes on this occasion.
for some reason this cd has never really been one that i like, not sure why but i prefer Etta James and Billie Holliday for jazz,blues singers of that era and Nina just doesnt cut for me like i know she should.
seven likeable ones here but also seven that i dont like giving a rating score of 1.5,sadly the Shaggy one i posted earlier pips this one,but i dont like that one either.
tried posting this one earlier but i pressed a wrong key somewhere and deleted the whole post, so i cant be bothered posting all links to this one, so several that i do like are posted below including my favourite track "mood indigo". as you probably know i am not a big fan of instrumental pieces of work overall, and there are several on here,none of which i can honestly say i like

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

the links are for the seven tracks i do like here:

mood indigo
Nina Simone Mood Indigo - YouTube audio
my baby just cares for me
NINA SIMONE - My baby just cares for me - YouTube live
he's got the whole world in his hands
nina simone-he´s got the whole world - YouTube audio
he needs me
nina simone-he needs me - YouTube audio
love me or leave me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEQpipS_qfc audio
for all we know
Nina Simone-For all we know - YouTube audio
plain gold ring
Plain Gold Ring - Nina Simone - YouTube audio

other songs on the album include:

dont smoke in bed
african mailman
i loves you porgy
good bail
central park blues
you'll never walk alone
little girl blue
3s=0
2s=7
1s=7

rating: 1.5

I love Nina with a passion, she was the one artist that made the blues accessible to me as a white twelve year old, in a declining british industrial city in the late 50's. I saw her on an old Black and White TV, she had a 30 minute show (how I would like to get a copy of that) she was the first performer that made me realise there was more to life than the top twenty. She essentially played what was to be reeased as Nina at Newport, she was spellbinding, but agressive with incredible piano chops (I was studying piano at this point), but a beaudiful warm voice that seemed to envelop you. If you listen to the Animals, you can hear her influence, many of their repertoire were straight lifts from one or other of her albums. Alan Price, made a career of being the best Nina hommage.

The big problem with Nina's recorded work, is that she appeared on a bewildering series of labels in the 50's, 60's and even today. She has some stella studio work and some stella live work, but it is scattered across some 40+ studio and 20+ live albums. She is one of many artists who would benefit from a proper retrospective, the problem is that the rights to her work are held by a multiplicity of companies, and agreement is unlikely, so every small record company who has some claim to some of her work puts out a Best of or Nina's Greatest hits.

So we are left to delve amongst the output and unearth the pearls(they are there). May I suggest "Forbiden Fruit/Nina at Newport which was released together in 96. On Forbidden Fruit is a track "Just say I love him", some 6 minutes of pleading raw emotion, backed by Al Shackmans astounding guitar playing delicate fills and harmonics over and arround Nina's vocals. It is something that I have heard done once more with Judy Collins "The first boy I loved" backed by Stephen Stills from the "Who knows where the time goes". Then listen to her version of "Trouble in Mind" from the Newport album, it displays a female John Lee Hooker, very different but on the same emotional territory.

I read an interview with Nina in the 80's in which she said that she was not happy with any of her albums, but proud of individual tracks. So please explore her recorded works there are some true nuggets as I am finding

[CRAZY-HORSE]

i will....thanks for the advice Latorius,appreciate your comments!

[mtthwibrahim]

Swinging the Brim-Schlippenbach Trio

Awesome free jazz, possible candidate for the next "Obscure Classics"

[Music Head]

from my library (vinyl)



Time for another in this Time-Life series of Big Band artists. Picked these up at the annual local library sale a
few years ago. Thirteen album, 2 record sets, unopened, for a buck each. Went for books of course, and a pleasant
surprise to find these. This is the third set I have done, after Duke Ellington and Harry James. Absolutely love
this period of music. Born too late and still appreciate it. Pennsylvania born Les Brown (1912-2001), peak period
was the early 40's, which most of these tracks are from, however the guy was still active up through the 80's.
Started his band in the 30's while attending Duke University. The band was then called Les Brown and his Blue
Devils. One track here from that lineup in 1937. Later tagged with the name Les Brown and his Band of Renown by a
radio guy, it stuck and that's what they became known as. Signature song was Sentimental Journey and is my favorite
here. Doris Day was the vocalist on that and most of the bands vocal material. The band had 10 number one songs
during that period and became well known on the college circuit. Performed on the Bob Hope show for a number of
years and did numerous USO tours with him. Also the house band for the Steve Allen and Dean Martin variety shows. A
career to be proud of.

I LOVE THIS ALBUM

Worst Track - Bizet Has His Day

Best Track - Sentimental Journey

Gonna take a Sentimental Journey,
Gonna set my heart at ease.
Gonna make a Sentimental Journey,
to renew old memories.

Got my bags, got my reservations,
Spent each dime I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation,
I Long to hear that, "All aboard!"

Seven...that's the time we leave at seven.
I'll be waitin' up at heaven,
Countin' every mile of railroad
track, that takes me back.

Never thought my heart could be so yearny.
Why did I decide to roam?
Gotta take that Sentimental Journey,
Sentimental Journey home.
Sentimental Journey.

1) Sentimental Journey ***
audio - Sentimental Journey ~ Doris Day with Les Brown & his Orchestra.wmv - YouTube
2) Dance Of The Blue Devils ***
audio - Dance Of The Blue Devils / Les Brown & The Duke Blue Devils / 1937 - YouTube
3) The Booglie Wooglie Piggy **
4) Bizet Has His Day **
5) You Won't Be Satisfied (Until You Break My Heart) ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqlwXJvPkWw
6) Comanche War Dance **
7) Swamp Fire **
live - Swamp Fire - YouTube
8) My Dreams Are Getting Better All The Time ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZVyPsveAoU
9) Blue Danube ***
audio - Blue Danube - Les Brown (1948) - YouTube
10) A Good Man Is Hard To Find **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfXDefQRCV0
11) I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm **
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2O8gzeGSfg
12) Joltin' Joe Dimaggio ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjdzKJZ816c
13) Everybody's Making Money But Tchaikovsky **
14) In Love In Vain ***
15) Alexander The Swoose **
16) Just One Of Those Things **
video - Doris Day - Lullaby of Broadway (1951) - Just One of Those Things - YouTube
17) I Got The Sun In The Morning ***
audio - Les Brown Orch. w/ Doris Day - I Got The Sun In The Morning - YouTube
18) All Through The Day ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Noqi82Kvol8
19) Twilight Time ***
audio - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUE7KDINYpI
20) There's Good Blues Tonight ***
audio - Doris Day - Les Brown - (Ah Yes) There's Good Blues Tonight - YouTube
21) Leap Frog ***
audio - "LEAP FROG" BY LES BROWN - YouTube

3's - 12
2's - 9
1's - 0

Grade - 2.6

so many albums, so little time