Jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown (1930-1956) was born on October 30 in Wilmington, Delaware. Brown was an incredibly gifted musician whose career lasted just four years, but in that short space of time, he "played with a full-toned, linear lyricism which proved to be the only vital alternative during the 1950's to Miles Davis's understated melodic style," according to Len Lyons. Sonny Rollins, who worked for seven months with Brown, said simply, "He had it all."
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Clifford Brown's The Quintet, Vol. 1 (EmArcy/Mercury), but that album is nearly impossible to find and is only available in vinyl. Jim Determan recommends two alternatives:
Clifford Brown and Max Roach (EmArcy/Polygram). Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
Study in Brown (PID/Polygram). Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
The Clifford Brown Quintet plays "Night in Tunisia" here:
Jazz clarinetist and big band leader Woody Herman (1913-1987) died on October 29, 1987, in Los Angeles of congestive heart failure, emphysema, and pneumonia at the age of 74.
Herman was particularly good at finding talented individuals — like Stan Getz, Bill Harris, and Zoot Sims — and allowing them to "find themselves." Herman was also interested in playing and creating new music, and his band was the first to absorb the innovations of bebop.
His first band — sometimes known as "The Band That Plays the Blues" — plays its first hit, "Woodchopper's Ball," here:
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album, The Three Herds (Columbia). The album is available only in vinyl, and Jim Determan recommends as an alternative The Thundering Herds 1945-1947 (Columbia). (Purchase the CD, The Thundering Herds 1945-1947, at Barnes & Noble.)
Jazz saxophonist Oliver Nelson (1932-1975) died on October 28, 1975, in Los Angeles at the age of 43. His death is usually attributed to a heart attack, but his son claims that the cause of death was really pancreatitis. Others, like Len Lyons, argue that "overwork and long-standing frustration over not expressing himself musically were underlying causes."
In fact, Lyons refers to Nelson as "a little-known tragic hero — little known by the public, a hero to many jazz musicians, and tragically swallowed up by Hollywood's film and television industry."
Nelson plays his best-known composition, "Stolen Moments," with Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy and Roy Haynes here:
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Nelson's album, Three Dimensions: The Dedication Series, Vol. 3 (Impulse). The album is available only in vinyl, and Jim Determan recommends the following alternatives, both of which contain all of the tracks from the album recommended by Lyons. Blues and the Abstract Truth is considered a classic and includes "Stolen Moments," the piece featured in the video above.
Blues and the Abstract Truth (Verve). Purchase at Barnes & Noble.
Herbie Hancock: Open Culture shares a 1983 video of Herbie Hancock playing a synthesizer on "Sesame Street."
John McLaughlin: Ian Patterson reviews the new album by John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension, Now Here This, at All About Jazz. John Fordham reviews the album at The Guardian. (Purchase Now Here This from Amazon.com.)
Charles Mingus: Patrick Jarenwattananon reviews the new Charles Mingus album, The Jazz Workshop Concerts, 1964-65, at NPR. (Purchase The Jazz Workshop Concerts, 1964-65 from Mosaic Records.)
Charles Mingus: At NPR's A Blog Supreme, Patrick Jarenwattananon shares a clip of Charles Mingus introducing the tune, "Copa City Titty," and discusses both the introduction and the tune.
Wayne Shorter: At JazzTimes, Jeff Tamarkin reports that Wayne Shorter has re-signed with Blue Note and will release a new album in February 2013.
Louis Armstrong: Jazz Lives looks at the new Louis Armstrong release, Satchmo at Symphony Hall 65th Anniversary: The Complete Performances. (Purchase Satchmo at Symphony Hall 65th Anniversary: The Complete Performances from Amazon.com.) .
Clifford Brown: According to All About Jazz, the Clifford Brown album, The Singers Sessions With Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan And Helen Merrill: The EmArcy Master Takes Vol. 2, is now available from Hip-O Select / Verve. (Purchase The Singers Sessions With Dinah Washington, Sarah Vaughan And Helen Merrill: The EmArcy Master Takes Vol. 2 from Amazon.com.)
Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online reports that the book, Miles Davis: The Complete Illustrated History, is due in November. (Purchase Miles Davis: The Complete Illustrated History from Amazon.com.)
Miles Davis: According to Miles Davis Online, Miles Davis will be part of an upcoming documentary on funk, "Finding the Funk."
Jazz trumpeter John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie (1917-1993) was born on October 21 in Cheraw, South Carolina. Gillespie was the intellectual force behind bebop and played brilliant solo lines. His showmanship and ability to communicate with his audiences also made him perhaps the greatest single force in leading the public to accept bebop.
Wynton Marsalis said of Gillespie, "Dizzy was so quick-minded, he could create an endless flow of ideas at unusually fast tempi. Nobody had ever even considered playing a trumpet that way, let alone had actually tried. All the musicians respected him because, in addition to outplaying everyone, he knew so much and was so generous with that knowledge ..."
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two of Gillespie's albums:
In the Beginning (Prestige). This album is only available in vinyl, but Jim Determan recommends as an alternative, Shaw Nuff (Discovery), which has all but one cut from In the Beginning. (Purchase the CD, Shaw Nuff, at Barnes & Noble.)
The Original Dizzy Gillespie Big Band: In Concert (GNP), which is available on CD. (Purchase the CD, The Original Dizzy Gillespie Big Band: In Concert, at Amazon.com.)
Gillespie and his band play one of his compositions, "A Night in Tunisia," here:
Jelly Roll Morton, the first major arranger of jazz, was born on October 20, 1890 (based on his baptismal certificate), in New Orleans, Louisiana. Morton claimed that he invented jazz, and while that claim is a stretch, he was certainly an important transitional figure between the stiff approach of ragtime and the flexibility and freedom of jazz.
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends two albums by Jelly Roll Morton: Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers, 1926-1927, Volume 3 (RCA France 731 059); and Jelly Roll Morton, 1923-1924 (Milestone M-47018, 2 LPs). These are available in vinyl only. There is a CD version of the latter album, but it omits the cuts from side 4 of the vinyl LP.
Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following titles:
Jelly Roll Morton: The Jelly Roll Morton Centennial (Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
Jelly Roll Morton: 1926-1930 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
Jelly Roll Morton: Birth of the Hot (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
Jelly Roll Morton: Rare Recordings of Piano Solos, 1923-1926 (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
Jelly Roll Morton and his Red Hot Peppers play "Dead Man Blues" here. It is a good example of Morton's sense of collective improvisation.
Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi announces the release of the Louis Armstrong album, Satchmo at Symphony Hall 65th Anniversary: The Complete Performances, at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong. (Purchase Satchmo at Symphony Hall 65th Anniversary: The Complete Performances from Amazon.com.)
Duke Ellington: Jazz Lives shares a video of Duke Ellington playing and singing his composition, "Moon Maiden, on the occasion of the 1969 moon landing.
Bill Evans: Michael Conklin reviews the Bill Evans album, On Green Dolphin Street, at This Quiet Fire. (Purchase On Green Dolphin Street from Amazon.com.)
Bill Evans: Michael Conklin reviews the Bill Evans album, Everybody Digs Bill Evans, at This Quiet Fire. (Purchase Everybody Digs Bill Evans from Amazon.com.)
Sonny Rollins: At All About Jazz, Harry S. Pariser reviews the September 30 concert by Sonny Rollins in San Francisco.
Cecil Taylor: John Kelman reviews the Cecil Taylor album, FLY! FLY! FLY! FLY! FLY!, at All About Jazz. (Purchase FLY! FLY! FLY! FLY! FLY! from Amazon.com.)
Jazz drummer Art Blakey (1919-1990) died on October 16, 1990, in New York City at the age of 71 of lung cancer. Blakey was cremated.
Blakey was a great drummer and the leader of one of the greatest jazz bands, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, which served as the developmental band for a large number of jazz musicians. Trumpeter Freddie Hubbard remarked that "Art Blakey was the first one who gave me a big opportunity." Pianist Walter Davis said, "I think no one in jazz has brought more great musicians to music than Art Blakey."
Shortly before his death, Blakey told Hubbard, "Don't be grieving when I die. Think about the good moments, what we did together and what you can do later on."
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Blakey's album, A Night in Birdland, Vol. 1 (Blue Note). (Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers play "Moanin'" here:
Art Blakey: At A Blog Supreme/NPR Jazz, David Brent Johnson discusses the top members of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, including Horace Silver, Benny Golson, Wayne Shorter, James Williams, Bobby Watson, and Terence Blanchard.
Art Blakey: On his birthday, October 11, Art Blakey was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
Miles Davis: Aaron Gilbreath discusses Miles Davis's influence on his writing at Opinionator, a New York Times blog.
Charles Mingus: At JazzTimes, Jeff Tamarkin reports that Mosaic Records will release a seven-CD collection of previously unreleased Charles Mingus material in October, The Jazz Workshop Concerts 1964-65.
Jazz pianist Art Tatum (1909-1956) was born on October 13 in Toledo, Ohio. Tatum was nearly blind and yet was probably the greatest piano virtuoso that jazz has ever seen. In fact, jazz critic Leonard Feather called Tatum "the greatest soloist in jazz history, regardless of instrument."
Stories about Tatum's talents abound. Perhaps the best known is the night that Tatum walked into a club where Fats Waller was playing. Waller — who never underestimated his own talents — stepped away from the piano bench to make way for Tatum and said, "I only play the piano, but tonight God is in the house."
Tatum's dazzling virtuosic runs can be heard on "Over the Rainbow" here:
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Tatum's album, Art Tatum: The Tatum Solo Masterpieces, Vol. 3 (Pablo). (Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
Jazz drummer Art Blakey (1919-1990) was born on October 11 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Blakey was one of the inventors of the bebop style of drumming. He was also the leader of one of the greatest jazz bands, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, which served as the developmental band for a large number of jazz musicians, including pianists Keith Jarrett and Cedar Walton, reed players Wayne Shorter and Benny Golson, trumpet players Clifford Brown and Wynton Marsalis, bassist Stanley Clarke, and many others.
Blakey's talents as a drummer are clear in this 1965 solo:
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Blakey's album, A Night in Birdland, Vol. 1 (Blue Note). (Purchase at Barnes & Noble.)
Chick Corea: At the Ottawa Citizen, Peter Hum shares his interview with Gary Burton, in which he discusses his years of collaboration with Chick Corea.
Miles Davis: Miles Davis is one of several jazz artists featured on the new Blue Note App for the iPad, according to Miles Davis Online.
Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie: Miles Davis Online discusses Dizzy Gillespie's 1964 run for President of the U.S. and his plan to make Miles Davis the head of the CIA if elected.
Dizzy Gillespie: Carla B. interviews the doctor who treated Dizzy Gillespie for pancreatic cancer at the EOTM blog.
Jazz pianist Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) was born on October 10 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Monk was one of the greatest jazz pianists ever, a founder of bebop, and according to some sources, the second most-recorded jazz composer after Duke Ellington.
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends three albums by Monk:
The Complete Genius (Blue Note), available only on vinyl. (Purchase at amazon.com.)
Brilliance (Milestone), available only on vinyl and hard to find at that.
Pure Monk (Mileston), available only on vinyl. (Purchase at amazon.com.)
Jim Determan, who has updated the Lyons list, recommends these alternatives in CD format:
The Genius of Modern Music, Volume 1 (Blue Note) (Purchase at Barnes & Noble)
The Genius of Modern Music, Volume 2 (Blue Note) (Purchase at Barnes & Noble)
Brilliant Corners (Riverside) (Purchase at Barnes & Noble)
Five by Five by Monk (Riverside) (Purchase at Barnes & Noble)
Alone in San Francisco (Original Jazz Classics) (Purchase at Barnes & Noble)
Thelonious Himself (Riverside) (Purchase at Barnes & Noble)
Monk and his quartet play "'Round Midnight," reputedly the most-recorded jazz standard written by a jazz musician:
Jazz vibraphonist Milt Jackson died on October 9, 1999, in Manhattan, New York. He is buried at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York.
Jackson is best known as a member — and, according to Len Lyons, the "showpiece" — of the Modern Jazz Quartet. As Lyons notes, Jackson was "a spontaneous player and personality" and was "'emotionally contrapuntal' to the austere, restrained [John] Lewis." The differences between Jackson and Lewis led to the former's departure from the Modern Jazz Quartet in 1974.
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Modern Jazz Quartet's album, European Concert (Atlantic). The album is available from Amazon.com.
Jackson is highlighted here at the Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival in 1986 on "Bags' Groove":
Jazz singer Dave Lambert died on October 3, 1966, at the age of 49 when he was hit by a truck while changing a flat tire. He was a member of the trio Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross and is one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs.
In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross album, The Best of Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross (Columbia C-32911 or JCS-8198). Unfortunately, the album is only available in vinyl. Jim Determan, who has updated Lyons's list of albums for CD, recommends instead the following title:
Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross: Everybody's Boppin' (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces) (Buy at Barnes & Noble)
He sings the Horace Silver song, "Doodling," with Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross in 1960:
Joe Pass: Marc Myers discusses the 1994 album by Joe Pass and Roy Clark at JazzWax. (Purchase Roy Clark & Joe Pass Play Hank Williams from Amazon.com.)
Jaco Pastorius: Open Culture shares videos of Jaco Pastorius giving a 90-minute bass lesson and playing live in Montreal in 1982.
Bud Powell: On his birthday, September 27, Bud Powell was named Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.
Bud Powell: NPR's A Blog Supreme lists five essential Bud Powell recordings: "Tempus Fugit"; "Celia"; "Un Poco Loco"; "Cleopatra's Dream"; and "Hot House."
Sonny Rollins: Sonny Rollins posted an interview with himself from the London Sunday Times on Twitter.
