Dust off your head charts and brush up your best licks, cause it's time to wade into the warm, welcoming waters of jazz.
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MOANIN'
This episode's Strong Song is Bobby Timmons' gospel-tinged "Moanin'," from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers' 1959 album of the same name. Kirk zooms out a bit more than usual to talk about jazz small-group arranging, how a great solo is constructed, how jazz song-form works, and how (hopefully) to have a better appreciation for what's going on on a given jazz recording, even if you don't play. He also talks about anime.
Band/Artist: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Album: Moanin', 1959 (recorded in 1958)
Composed by: Bobby Timmons
Personnel: Lee Morgan, trumpet; Benny Golson, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Jymie Merritt, bass; Art Blakey, drums
Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify
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ALSO FEATURED:
"Freddie Freeloader" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959
Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify
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"Giant Steps" by John Coltrane from Giant Steps, 1960
Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify
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"I Wish" by Stevie Wonder from Songs in the Key of Life, 1976
Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify
("I Wish" was also featured on a 2018 episode of Strong Songs)
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"Jordu" by Duke Jordan from Clifford Brown and Max Roach, 1954
Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify
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"Cherokee" by Ray Noble as performed by Clifford Brown on Study in Brown, 1955
Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify
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"Tank!" by Yoko Kanno from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack
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The wonderful anime Kids on the Slope, streamable on Hulu and Crunchyroll.
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