Moanin' (song)

This article is about the song by Bobby Timmons. For the song by Charles Mingus, see Blues & Roots.
"Moanin'"
Song by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
from the album Moanin'
LanguageEnglish
Written1950s
ReleasedJanuary 1959
RecordedOctober 30, 1958
StudioVan Gelder Studio, Hackensack
GenreHard bop
Length9:35
LabelBlue Note
Composer(s)Bobby Timmons
Lyricist(s)Jon Hendricks
Producer(s)Alfred Lion
Official audio
"Moanin'" on YouTube

"Moanin'" is a composition by Bobby Timmons, first recorded by Art Blakey's band the Jazz Messengers for the album of the same title[1] that was released by Blue Note Records.[2] Both the single and album are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Composition

"Moanin'" has a call and response melody.[1] One account of its creation was given by Benny Golson, the tenor saxophonist in Blakey's band: Timmons had the opening eight bars, which he often played between tunes, but formed the complete song only after Golson encouraged him to add a bridge.[3] It is played in F minor.

Recordings and reception

"Moanin'" was first recorded, by Art Blakey's band the Jazz Messengers,[1] on October 30, 1958, with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Benny Golson on tenor sax, Bobby Timmons on piano, and Jymie Merritt on bass.[2] It has been recorded numerous times and has become a jazz standard.[4] Gary Giddins stated that the song "set the music world on its ear" and that it was "part of the funky, back to roots movement that Horace Silver, Mingus, and Ray Charles helped, in different ways, to fan".[5] Jon Hendricks later added lyrics,[5] and the subsequent recording by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross made the song even more popular.[6]

The original recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998; the album on which it appeared was added in 2001.[7]

Personnel

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

Technical personnel

References

  1. ^ a b c Seymour, Gene (2005), in Kirchner, Bill (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Jazz, p. 380. Oxford University Press.
  2. ^ a b "Art Blakey Discography". jazzdisco.org. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
  3. ^ Anderson, Sheila E. (2003) The Quotable Musician: from Bach to Tupac, pp. 75–76. Skyhorse Publishing.
  4. ^ Morrison, Nick (October 13, 2009) "Art Blakey: Jazz Messenger, Jazz Mentor" npr music. Accessed July 31, 2013.
  5. ^ a b Giddins, Gary (March 7, 1974) "Bobby Timmons, 1935–1974" The Village Voice, p. 45.
  6. ^ Kernfeld, Barry "Timmons, Bobby" The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2nd ed.). Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. Accessed July 29, 2013. (Subscription required.)
  7. ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame Award". Grammy Awards. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  8. ^ "Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Moanin'". Discogs.