Series
Various Artists
Sony/Columbia
Perhaps to gear up for another season of sultry days and cool nights, Sony has recently released several new titles in their Jazz Moods series, which fall under the categories of "Hot", "Cool", and "‘Round Midnight." The new CDs, containing previously issued material from artists such as Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, Stanley Turrentine, Dexter Gordon, Esther Phillips, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, serve as a sort of introductory Jazz For Halfwits course. However, these compilations shouldn’t be disregarded completely. The truth is, the CDs contain admirable arrangements from the genre’s top artists, and aren’t merely collections of career-spanning hits. For example, the Chet Baker Jazz Moods: Cool CD contains songs not from West Coast jazz’s 1950s heyday, but from Baker’s later years with CTI Records (1974-1975). Without a doubt the standout track on this CD is the arrangement of Joaquin Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto De Aranjuez’, which includes delicate trumpet solos from Baker, and impeccable, tender guitar playing from Jim Hall. On the other side of the spectrum are the Jazz Moods: Hot CDs, which highlight artists like the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Listen closely to this title, featuring notable appearances by Dizzy Gillespie, Dr. John, and Elvis Costello, and you’ll swear you’re stumbling along the banks of the Mississippi after hours of whiskey and Po-Boys. The titles in the Jazz Moods series are easy, one-stop music shopping. But in the end, that’s not necessarily the most rewarding path for the listener. Rather than grabbing one of these compilations off your music store’s endcap display, delve further into the section and seek out these artists’ original full-length albums. And if you happen to pick up the Dirty Dozen Brass Band’s The New Orleans Album, reward yourself further with a plane ticket to the Crescent City, or just stay put and imagine you’re marching down Decatur Street to the sound of tubas and drum cadences while enjoying whiskey and delicious Po-Boys.
Shawn Calo
