Moanin' (song)

{{About|the song by Bobby Timmons|the song by Charles Mingus|Blues & Roots}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Moanin'

| cover =

| alt =

| type =

| artist = Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

| album = Moanin'

| EP =

| language = English

| written = 1950s

| published =

| released = January 1959

| format =

| recorded = October 30, 1958

| studio = Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack

| genre = Hard bop

| length = 9:35

| label = Blue Note

| writer =

| composer = Bobby Timmons

| lyricist = Jon Hendricks

| producer = Alfred Lion

| prev_title =

| prev_year =

| title =

| next_title =

| next_year =

| misc = {{External music video|header=Official audio|{{YouTube|ODoILd1pLf8|"Moanin'"}}}}

}}

"Moanin{{'}}{{-"}} is a composition by Bobby Timmons, first recorded by Art Blakey's band the Jazz Messengers for the album of the same titleSeymour, Gene (2005), in Kirchner, Bill (ed.), The Oxford Companion to Jazz, p. 380. Oxford University Press. that was released by Blue Note Records. Both the single and album are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Composition

"Moanin{{'"}} has a call and response melody. 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.Anderson, Sheila E. (2003) The Quotable Musician: from Bach to Tupac, pp. 75–76. Skyhorse Publishing. It is played in F minor.

Recordings and reception

"Moanin{{'"}} was first recorded, by Art Blakey's band the Jazz Messengers, on October 30, 1958, with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Benny Golson on tenor sax, Bobby Timmons on piano, and Jymie Merritt on bass.{{cite web |title=Art Blakey Discography |publisher= |url=https://www.jazzdisco.org/art-blakey/discography/ |website=jazzdisco.org |accessdate=May 11, 2020}} It has been recorded numerous times and has become a jazz standard.Morrison, Nick (October 13, 2009) "Art Blakey: Jazz Messenger, Jazz Mentor" [https://www.npr.org/2011/05/03/113661199/art-blakey-jazz-messenger-jazz-mentor npr music.] Accessed July 31, 2013. 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".Giddins, Gary (March 7, 1974) "Bobby Timmons, 1935–1974" The Village Voice, p. 45. Jon Hendricks later added lyrics, and the subsequent recording by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross made the song even more popular.Kernfeld, Barry "Timmons, Bobby" The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz (2nd ed.). [http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/J450300 Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press.] Accessed July 29, 2013. (Subscription required.)

The original recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998; the album on which it appeared was added in 2001.{{cite web |title=Grammy Hall of Fame Award |url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/hall-of-fame-award#m |website=Grammy Awards |accessdate=October 29, 2023}}

Personnel

=Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers=

=Technical personnel=

  • Alfred Lion – producer
  • Rudy Van Gelder – recording engineer, mastering{{cite web |title=Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Moanin' |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/18150907-Art-Blakey-The-Jazz-Messengers-Moanin/image/SW1hZ2U6NTc1Mzk0NDY= |website=Discogs}}

References

{{Reflist}}