Ed S Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 I'm having a particularly rough time the past few days. Those of you who remember my very personal post earlier this year probably can figure out why. Did you ever just throw on a disc for the sole purpose of distracting you from what you're thinking about or just to have something in the background so you don't have to think about what you don't want to think about? I threw on the Don Pullen Mosaic a little while ago. I was really only half listening and trying to keep myself busy when the song Sun Watchers caught my ear. Speaking of ears, the melody line just brought an ear to ear grin and a temporary distraction from a really rough time. I only wish that George Adams and Don Pullen were around to thank. Made my day. Quote
Brandon Burke Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 "Ginza Samba" has to be one of the happiest songs ever committed to disc. I find it impossible not to smile when the head kicks in..... Quote
chris olivarez Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 I don't have to go to far into the Horace Silver catalogue to find something to lighten my load. Quote
chris olivarez Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Ed I've been enjoying the playing of the guy in your avatar a lot recently so I think I should count him too. Quote
sjarrell Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Just about any Stevie Wonder from '72-76. Joy commited to wax. Quote
ghost of miles Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Ed, I've been listening to the first disc and a half of that Pullen/Adams set a lot, and you're right--that music really emits a kind of visceral pleasure. (I found myself smiling the other day at Pullen's playing on "We've Been Here All the Time" from BREAKTHROUGH.) Driving up to Indy today to meet a friend, I was listening to an old tape I have of Parker's Dial masters, and that music nearly always makes me smile. (Though some of it's pretty heartbreaking, too.) Probably too early in the year, and outside of jazz, but the first two Marshall Crenshaw records have that effect on me as well. (I say too early because I tend to listen to MC in the spring and summer.) Oh, and the Jazztet Mosaic. Quote
chris olivarez Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 On the non jazz front-Elvin Bishop. Quote
Ed S Posted January 14, 2005 Author Report Posted January 14, 2005 I really don't know how to categorize Pullen/Adams. I usually go with one of two categories - I like it or I don't. I really don't like to get too much into categorizing styles or influences and like to take the music at face value. All I can say of what I've heard of the Pullen/Adams Select (only had it for a couple of days) is that it is terrific. I find it , in a word - joyous Quote
Uncle Skid Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Sing/Song from Roscoe Mitchell's Snurdy McGurdy! Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Anything with Stanley T on it! He just makes me smile! Quote
tjobbe Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 the Ginza and the Cape Verdean Blues do it for me at any time I hear them (but some other Guaraldi and Silver tunes work as well that way) What also works fine is the Little Lulu from the Bill evans Verve Trio '64 Cheers, Tjobbe Quote
tonym Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 "Ginza Samba" has to be one of the happiest songs ever committed to disc. I find it impossible not to smile when the head kicks in..... That's really weird because upon seeing this thread, the first tune I thought of was the version of My Buddy, played here. Another tune/lyric is 'I Concentrate On You'. Such a loving and focused song if ever there was one. Strangely I haven't heard Ella sing it yet (I'm assuming she does on her Porter 'songbook' album). Quote
Peter Johnson Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Ed, I'm not sure if you're trying to hold it to jazz, or what you've got in your collection, but for times like what you're describing, I'll never be without De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising: All the best to you... Quote
Alexander Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 I've been listening to the Brookmeyer Mosaic Select, and he's one artist who always manages to bring a smile to my face. His playing has the same ascerbic wit that is demonstrated in his liner notes. It's impossible to listen to Brook and not smile! Quote
king ubu Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Don't have the Select (yet), but that one album that came out in the West Coast series is certainly a case in point! Two tracks that I love and can again and again enjoy immensely are the opening track of Johnny Griffin's "The Conversation", and the Grant Green/Sonny Clarke/ART BLAKEY (!!!) take of "Ain't Necessarily So"! And I can always take any Dollar Brand with horns for cheering up, for instance "No Fear, No Die", "South Africa", or "African Marketplace". Also any of his Kaz/Camden ZA recordings work wonders. Quote
catesta Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Teddy Edwards - Sunset Eyes This moves me everytime. I credit the excitement of Joe Castro. Bobby Hutcherson doing Una Muy Bonita off Stick Up. Listening to Duke Ellington always seems to do the trick for me as well. Quote
Man with the Golden Arm Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Kirk's "Laugh for Rory". Even put that on a comp when the kids were little. That chuckle at the intro is a smile. Quote
Peter Johnson Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Dave Brubeck's "Pick up Sticks" at the end of Time Out! That's guaranteed to put a smile on your face, and if the song doesn't, Morello's guffaw at the end of the track will! Quote
couw Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Quantrale from Curtis Fuller Vol. 3 (w/ Art Farmer) though it does have a little sweet sadness added in the mix. Quote
scottb Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Not only smiled but laughed out loud when I heard my friend's organ trio's new disc and out of nowhere Laserbeam synth solo! :rsmile: I still smile everytime I hear it even though I know it's coming. Quote
sidewinder Posted January 14, 2005 Report Posted January 14, 2005 Just about anything from Big John Patton. Particularly the stuff on his Mosaic select. And anything on the Sun Ra 'Singles' 2CD set Quote
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