Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Happy Birthday, Clifford Brown

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:
The Clifford Brown Quintet plays "Night in Tunisia" here:


Robert
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Monday, October 29, 2012

RIP, Woody Herman (1913-1987)

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.)

Robert
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Sunday, October 28, 2012

RIP, Oliver Nelson (1932-1975)

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.
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Friday, October 26, 2012

Recent Links :: 26 October 2012

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Monday, October 22, 2012

Recent Links :: 22 October 2012

  • 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."
  • Dizzy Gillespie: On his birthday, Dizzy Gillespie was named Jazz Musician of the Day at All ABout Jazz.
  • Billie Holiday: Jazz Lives discusses a 1954 program from a Billie Holiday concert in Europe.
  • Fats Waller: Jazz Lives shares an audio of the Fats Waller tune, "You're My Dish."
Robert
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Sunday, October 21, 2012

Happy Birthday, Dizzy Gillespie

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:


Robert
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Saturday, October 20, 2012

Happy Birthday, Jelly Roll Morton

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.


Robert
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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Recent Links :: 16 October 2012

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RIP, Art Blakey (1919-1900)

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:


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Sunday, October 14, 2012

Recent Links :: 14 October 2012


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Saturday, October 13, 2012

Happy Birthday, Art Tatum

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.)

Robert
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Thursday, October 11, 2012

Happy Birthday, Art Blakey

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.)

Robert
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Recent Links :: 10 October 2012

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Happy Birthday, Thelonious Monk

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:
Monk and his quartet play "'Round Midnight," reputedly the most-recorded jazz standard written by a jazz musician:



Robert
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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

RIP, Milt Jackson (1923-1999)

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":



Robert
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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

RIP, Dave Lambert (1917-1966)

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:
He sings the Horace Silver song, "Doodling," with Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross in 1960:


Robert
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Monday, October 1, 2012

Recent Links :: 1 October 2012

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