Plays for Lovers

[GA Russell]

Stan Getz Plays for Lovers is much better than I was afraid it might be.

I have a love-hate relationship with Getz. My records show that I have 13 CDs or LPs of his (not including this one). I like seven and don't like six. A year ago some of you persuaded me to pick up Captain Marvel, which I have never warmed up to.

It doesn't seem like fifteen years since he passed away. I have read some good things about some of his later recordings, but the most recent thing of his that I had was Another World, which was recorded in 1978 for Columbia.

Plays for Lovers has nine songs totalling 56 minutes, taken from five albums. All nine are standards. Only one is from Getz's time with Prestige (from 1950). One is from his 1958 Fantasy date with Cal Tjader. Two are from a 1974 concert he performed with Bill Evans. Five are from early 80s Concord albums. I was previously familiar only with his session with Tjader.

I find that the quality of the music improved over time. I didn't know his work for Concord was so good. All of the tracks are good, but the two from the 50s are the weakest.

If you are familiar only with his work for Verve and Columbia, this would be a good CD to pick up.

This would also be good for your Valentine, as it is very mellow, yet is good jazz.

[GA Russell]

Last one...Tony Bennett Sings for Lovers

I imagine that there aren't too many Americans old enough to vote who haven't already made up their minds about Tony Bennett. I like him. I remember it all clicking when I was at a restaurant in 1991, and heard over the speakers in the bar I Wanna Be Around. Not too long after I purchased his then current Perfectly Frank, which is still one of my very favorite records.

A year later Bennett was on MTV Unplugged, and a new generation discovered him. But I feel that this was not just a career move. He really has been getting better over the decades. With Perfectly Frank he exhibited a worldly wise hipster nuance which hadn't been there in previous decades.

All of the songs selected for Sings for Lovers were recorded in the 70s. Bennett hadn't developed his hipster persona yet. His voice had not developed any rasp yet.

There are 15 songs [edit: totalling 52 minutes], all but one standards, taken from four albums. Unlike the other CDs of this series, the songs are not all ballads. The mix of happy and sad songs is typical of a Bennett album. Seven songs are taken from a session he did with cornetist Ruby Braff and guitarist George Barnes, all of which are Rodgers and Hart tunes. Five are duets with Bill Evans, four from the 1975 Fantasy Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album. Three are with an orchestra.

Now here's what I don't like: All of the songs except the three with the orchestra are without drums. And the three with the orchestra are the least jazzy of the album.

This isn't a bad album. None of the songs are objectionable. But of the eight Bennett albums I own, this is the least interesting. For that reason, I can't recommend that you buy it for yourself.

If you give it to your Valentine, she won't mind. But since you're a jazz aficianado, you can do better.

Edited January 25, 2006 by GA Russell

[GA Russell]

Here's how I rank the ones I got, in order of preference:

For Yourself:

Miles Davis*

Bill Evans

Stan Getz

Chet Baker

Tony Bennett

Barney Kessel

Dave Brubeck

For Your Valentine:

Miles Davis

Chet Baker

Stan Getz

Tony Bennett

Barney Kessel

Bill Evans

Dave Brubeck

*Because eight of the twelve songs are by the First Quintet, I don't recommend that you buy the Miles Davis for yourself. I recommend that you wait until (edit:) May 23, when Concord/Fantasy is scheduled to release the Complete First Quintet box.

Edited January 26, 2006 by GA Russell

[GA Russell]

I have listened to these quite a bit over the last year, and I find that I have listened to the Bill Evans the most; and that I like the Tony Bennett more than I did a year ago.

[GA Russell]

LOL Remember this thread from four years ago?

Over the weekend I was looking at the box of CDs I have for sale, and I came across the John Coltrane Plays for Lovers which I didn't remember having. So this being the time of year for Valentine's Day, I pulled the cd, and plan to open it this week.

[Jim R]

LOL Remember this thread from four years ago?

I do now.

Over the weekend I was looking at the box of CDs I have for sale, and I came across the John Coltrane Plays for Lovers which I didn't remember having. So this being the time of year for Valentine's Day, I pulled the cd, and plan to open it this week.

Thanks for the warning.

[Aggie87]

Over the weekend I was looking at the box of CDs I have for sale, and I came across the John Coltrane Plays for Lovers which I didn't remember having. So this being the time of year for Valentine's Day, I pulled the cd, and plan to open it this week.

Why wouldn't you just play the albums that the tracks are originally from?

I can't see this set appealing to most of the board members here...

[felser]

I'm still waiting for "Prince Lasha and Sonny Simmons Play for Lovers". How much longer?

[GA Russell]

I can't see this set appealing to most of the board members here...

LOL again, Aggie! That's what everyone said four years ago. Yet I noticed this afternoon that it had 1,170 views when I resurrected it.

[Teasing the Korean]

Stan Getz Plays for Lovers is much better than I was afraid it might be.

I have a love-hate relationship with Getz.

Agree on both counts. I found this for cheap and picked it up on a lark. It is a nice collection.

I understand the purists' criticisms of this series. But occasionally some good thematic CD compilations get released. They are worthwhile if you can find them for cheap, and if the artist in question is one that you primarily have on vinyl. For example, I have no idea how many Stan Getz LPs I own, dozens I'm guessing. This is the only Stan Getz CD I own, not counting bossa comps.

So I'm happy with this.

[Aggie87]

I can't see this set appealing to most of the board members here...

LOL again, Aggie! That's what everyone said four years ago. Yet I noticed this afternoon that it had 1,170 views when I resurrected it.

I would be careful correlating page views with interest in these titles. The "Digression" thread gets far more views than this one. People like to look at threads they can have fun with, such as this one.

[Big Beat Steve]

I can't see this set appealing to most of the board members here...

LOL again, Aggie! That's what everyone said four years ago. Yet I noticed this afternoon that it had 1,170 views when I resurrected it.

Maybe that's because so many would be interested to see why anybody would drool about (obviously) rehashed things like this ...

Anyway, that's what I figured this was all about before I viewed this thread for the first time today (and lo and behold, I wasn't far off ). Mind you, I am not really familiar with THIS series but this "lover/smooching/fireside" jazz compilation CD thing has been besieging the less well-stocked racks of shops on on a variety of labels for quite a few years. Though the artists are alright and their tracks would make sense in some other (i.e. their original album) context they just become a major drag when forced into packages like this. Evidently you can water down things in a lot of ways ...

Edited February 2, 2010 by Big Beat Steve

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I like the ballad compilations and play them frequently during meals. They are usually a hit when we have company. It seems that most of them prefer mellow jazz for "dinner music".

[Big Beat Steve]

Just what I figured as one of the uses/target groups for these compilations.

Agreed that it's better than a lot of other kinds of "dinner music" but still ...

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Well, I don't think Masada "Beit" would go over too well.

[felser]

I like the ballad compilations and play them frequently during meals. They are usually a hit when we have company. It seems that most of them prefer mellow jazz for "dinner music".

I play MJQ 'The Last Concert' or Kenny Barron 'Spiral' (solo piano) or 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans' when we have company. 'Kind of Blue' would probably work well also.

[GA Russell]

I opened up the Coltrane disc today. I think it (and Ballads, too) would be an excellent choice to give to a female friend who was unfamiliar with him.

For each selection, the liner notes list the personnel and the album the track came from. So she would have a clue as to what to get for herself if she heard a song she liked.

I think that my female friends would rather hear a romantic album by Paul Desmond than John Coltrane, but that's neither here nor there. As long as she has an open mind toward modern jazz, she'll like this one.

[GA Russell]

Or, think Concord Music Group.

I'd rather not.

Maybe the trainwreck session would finally be released as something like "Tyrone Washington Plays For Star-Crossed Lovers"

Felser's post reminds me that it's that time of year again to pull out the Plays for Lovers CDs!

[Ron S]

Or, think Concord Music Group.

I'd rather not.

Maybe the trainwreck session would finally be released as something like "Tyrone Washington Plays For Star-Crossed Lovers"

Felser's post reminds me that it's that time of year again to pull out the Plays for Lovers CDs!

Wait--you cross-quoted from another thread???? Doesn't that violate the laws of nature, or set up some sort of time-space discontinuance, or something like that?

[Chuck Nessa]

My head is spinning!

[bertrand]

Picked up the Peter Brotzmann Plays For Lovers today.

Bertrand.

[Chuck Nessa]

How far down did you feel you reached?

[king ubu]

I'm just spinning "Leo Smith Plays for Lovers" (on Nessa Rekkids, with lots of harps)!

[Chuck Nessa]

[king ubu]

Seriously: it's a great disc! ("Spirit Catcher", for those who didn't get it yet)