Recent Links :: 31 December 2014

Cannonball Adderley: Shadow and Act shares a 1961 video narrated by Cannonball Adderley, "A Child's Introduction to Jazz."

Anthony Braxton: Avant Music News lists its best album of 2014, including Anthony Braxton's Trio (New Haven) 2013. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: At Musings in Cb, Chris Burnett lists his favorite jazz recordings of 2014, including John Coltrane's Offering: Live At Temple University. At Gapplegate Music Review, Grego Applegate Edwards picks the Coltrane album as the best jazz album, reissue, of 2014. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea: At Capital Public Radio Music, Gary G. Vercelli lists their top 5 jazz albums of 2014, including Chick Corea's Trilogy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: The Big City lists the best jazz albums of 2014 and includes Miles Davis's At the Fillmore, 1970: The Boot­leg Series, Vol. 3 among its top reissues. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bill Evans: New Jazz United shares a video of Bill Evans and Jim Hall playing "Stairway to the Stars." (The song is available on the album, Undercurrent, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: At Something Else!, S. Victor Aaron lists his favorite "straight ahead" jazz albums of 2014 and names Keith Jarrett's Hamburg '72 as the best archival release. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett, Wayne Shorter: 100 Greatest Jazz Albums lists its best 20 jazz albums of 2014, including:

• Keith Jarrett, Somewhere. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Wayne Shorter, Without A Net. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: AllMusic lists its favorite jazz albums of 2014, including Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden's Last Dance. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Oregon: At All About Jazz, John Kelman discusses the album, Oregon: In Performance. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Sonny Rollins: At Curt's Jazz Cafe, CurtJazz picks his best jazz albums of the year, including Road Shows, Volume 3 by Sonny Rollins. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

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Recent Links :: 30 December 2014

Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi recaps his blog's best posts of 2014 at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong.

Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker: At All About Jazz, Ken Hohman lists the top 10 jazz Christmas recordings of all time, including:

• "Christmas In New Orleans" by Louis Armstrong. (The song is available on the album, What a Wonderful Christmas, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• "Jingle Bells" by Duke Ellington & His Orchestra. (The song is available on the album, Jingle Bell Swing, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• "Good Morning Blues" by Ella Fitzgerald. (The song is available on the album, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" by Ella Fitzgerald. (The song is available on the album, Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)
• "White Christmas" by Charlie Parker All-Stars. (The song is available on the album, Jingle Bell Jam, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea: New Jazz United shares a video of the Chick Corea Elektric Band's recording of "Elektric City." (The song is available on the album, The Chick Corea Elektric Band, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: At London Jazz News, Andrew Cartmel reviews Miles Davis's album, Miles Smiles. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of the Miles Davis Quintet performing "It Never Entered My Mind." (The song is available on the album, Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Earl Hines: On December 28, his birthday, Earl Hines was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Charlie Parker: At Jazz Truth, George Colligan reviews Stanley Crouch's book, Kansas City Lightning: The Rise And Times of Charlie Parker. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Sonny Rollins: New Jazz United shares a video of the Sonny Rollins Quartet playing "My Reverie." (The song is available on the album, Tenor Madness, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

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RIP, Freddie Hubbard (1938-2008)

Jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard (1938-2008) died on December 29, 2008, in Sherman Oaks, California, following complications from a heart attack. He was 70 years old.

Hubbard was widely regarded as the most gifted jazz trumpeter of the post-bebop 1960s and 1970s. He first attracted attention in the 1960s for his work as a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers and for his work on albums with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, and others. Although he was not an avant-gardist, he participated in three of the seminal recordings of the 1960s jazz avant-garde: Ornette Coleman's "Free Jazz" (1960); Eric Dolphy's "Out to Lunch" (1964); and John Coltrane's "Ascension" (1965).

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album Breaking Point (Blue note).  The CD is available from Amazon.com.

Hubbard also joined Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams on another album recommended by Lyons, V.S.O.P.: The Quintet (Columbia), which is also available from Amazon.com. Lyons called that album "a magical reunion of the most important young players to emerge in the mid-1960's."

Hubbard plays "I Remember Clifford" with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers here:

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RIP, Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952)

Bandleader Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952) died on December 29, 1952, in New York City. He was 55 years old. Henderson had suffered a stroke in 1950, which resulted in partial paralysis and ended his ability to perform as a pianist. He was buried in the family plot in Cuthbert, Georgia.

Henderson's orchestra was the first of the influential big bands and established the foundations for swing music. Louis Armstrong, the first great jazz soloist, and Coleman Hawkins, its first great saxophonist, were both members of Henderson's orchestra. in fact, when Henderson brought Armstrong from Chicago to New York in October 1924, he was responsible for moving the geographical focus of jazz in the United States.

The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra plays "My Pretty Girl" here:

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album Developing an American Orchestra 1923-1927 (Smithsonian Collection). Unfortunately, that album is only available in vinyl. Jim Determan, who has updated the Lyons list, recommends as an alternative A Study in Frustration: The Fletcher Henderson Story (Columbia), which is available from Amazon.com.

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Happy Birthday, Earl Hines

Jazz pianist Earl Hines (1903-1983) was born on December 28, 1903, in Duquesne, Pennsylvania.

Hines had a long and influential history, beginning with his collaborations with Louis Armstrong and lasting through his last concert, played just a few days before his death. Pianist Lennie Tristano said of Hines's recordings, "Earl Hines is the ONLY one of us capable of creating real jazz and real swing when playing all alone." Pianist Erroll Garner said, "When you talk about greatness, you talk about Art Tatum and Earl Hines". To Count Basie, Hines was "The greatest piano player in the world". And finally, according to pianist Teddy Wilson and saxophonist Eddie Barefield, "Art Tatum's favorite jazz piano player was Earl Hines."


In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends three albums that feature Hines:

• Earl "Fatha" Hines: Another Monday Date (Prestige). Available in CD from Amazon.com.
• Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: The Genius of Louis Armstrong, Vol. 1 1923-1933 (Columbia).  Available in vinyl only from Amazon.com.
• Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, 1928 (Smithsonian Collection). Available in vinyl only from Amazon.com.

Because only one of these is available on CD, Jim Determan recommends an alternative, Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines: Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines, Volume IV (Columbia), which is available from Amazon.com.


Hines plays "Memories of You" from a 1965 piano workshop in Berlin here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 26 December 2014

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Louis Armstrong's 1971 recording of "The Night Before Christmas."

Louis Armstrong: The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong discusses an article about Louis Armstrong's time in the Colored Waifs Home in New Orleans between 1910 and 1913.

Count Basie: At The Telegraph, Ivan Hewett reviews the Warner Jazz release, Count Basie: Original Album Series. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: At The Paris Review, Sam Stephenson talks about Cuthbert Ormond Simpkins’s 1975 book, Coltrane: A Biography. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: The Wondering Sound staff list their 25 top jazz albums of 2014, including John Coltrane's Offering: Live at Temple University (honorable mention). (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins: At Blu Notes, Larry Blumenfeld lists the best jazz releases of 2014, including:

• John Coltrane, Offering: Live at Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins, Road Shows: Volume 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea, Sonny Rollins: At the San Jose Mercury News, Richard Scheinin lists his top 10 jazz CDs of 2014, including:

• Chick Corea, Trilogy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins, Road Shows, Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Charlie Parker: New Jazz United shares a video of the Charlie Parker Quintet playing "White Christmas." (The song is available on the album, Complete Royal Roost Broadcasts, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Sun Ra: At Perfect Sound Forever, Kris Needs provides the third installment of his "ultimate guide" to Sun Ra's music.

Sun Ra: Open Culture shares a 1976 Sun Ra Christmas radio broadcast.

Wayne Shorter: According to JazzTimes, Wayne Shorter will receive a 2015 Grammy Special Merit Award.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 24 December 2014

Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Bud Powell, Sonny Rollins: NPR's A Blog Supreme announces the results of its 2014 jazz critics poll. Among the top releases are:

• Louis Armstrong, The Columbia and RCA Victor Live Recordings. (Purchase the box set from Mosaic Records.)
• John Coltrane, Offering: Live at Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden, Last Dance. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Keith Jarrett, Charlie Haden, and Paul Motian, Hamburg '72. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell, Birdland 1953. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins, Road Shows, Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Ornette Coleman, Sonny Rollins, Fats Waller: According to All About Jazz, the Grammy Hall of Fame has added 27 recordings, including:

• The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• The Bridge by Sonny Rollins. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• "Jitterbug Waltz" by Fats Waller. (The song is available on the album, The Very Best of Fats Waller, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane, Keith Jarrett: At Let's Cool One, Larry Appelbaum lists his favorite releases of 2014, including:

• Offering by John Coltrane. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Last Dance by Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Ella Fitzgerald: At Prison Public Memory, Russ Immarigeon discusses Ella Fitzgerald's incarceration as a 15-year-old girl at the New York State Training School for Girls in Hudson, New York.

Bill Evans: At All About Jazz, C. Andrew Hovan reviews the Bill Evans album, The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 23 December 2014

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Armstrong's 1929 recording of "Rockin' Chair." (The song is available on the album, Hot Fives and Hot Sevens, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi reflects on the year at The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong and, in particular, discusses the Mosaic Records release of The Columbia and RCA Victor Recordings of Louis Armstrong and the All Stars. (Purchase the box set from Mosaic Records.)

Louis Armstrong: New Jazz United shares a video of Louis Armstrong performing "When You Wish Upon a Star." (The song is available on the album, Disney Songs the Satchmo Way, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: Open Culture has a piece on the Saint John Coltrane African Orthodox Church in San Francisco.

John Coltrane: At The Free Jazz Collective, Colin Green reviews the John Coltrane album, Offering: Live at Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: New Jazz United shares a video of John Coltrane with Johnny Griffin and the Hank Mobley Sextet playing "Smoke Stack." (The song is available on the album, Blowin' Sessions, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, John McLaughlin, Jaco Pastorius: At All About Jazz, John Kelman announces his best releases of 2014, including:

• Miles Davis, Miles at the Fillmore: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Keith Jarrett, Hamburg '72. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Keith Jarrett and Charlie Haden, Last Dance. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• John McLaughlin, The Boston Record. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Jaco Pastorius, Modern American Music ... Period. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bill Evans: New Jazz United shares a video of Bill Evans playing "The Spartacus Love Theme." (The song is available on the album, Solo Sessions, Vol. 1, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett, Thelonious Monk: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses his "CD Discoveries of the Month," including:

• Keith Jarrett's album, Hamburg '72. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.).
• Thelonious Monk's 1961 album, Jackie-ing. (Not available from Amazon.com.)

Sonny Rollins: At All About Jazz, Dan Bilawsky lists his favorite releases of 2014, including Sonny Rollins, Road Shows, Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

McCoy Tyner: On December 11, his birthday, McCoy Tyner was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Robert
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RIP, Oscar Peterson (1925-2007)

Pianist Oscar Peterson died on December 23, 2007, of kidney failure at his home in Mississauga, Ontario. He is buried at the Saint Peter's Anglican Church Cemetery in Mississauga.

Peterson was born in Montreal and won seven Grammy Awards over his career. He is one of the few pianists whose technique approaches that of the great Art Tatum, who was a major influence on Peterson. Duke Ellington called Peterson the "Maharaja of the keyboard."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album, In Concert (Verve - England 2683 063, 2 LPs). Unfortunately, that album is available only in vinyl and not in CD or MP3 format.

Jim Determan, who updated the Lyons list for CD, offers no alternatives, and Lyons himself warns that "Good Peterson albums are abundant, but great ones are rare." Nevertheless, Lyons does speak highly of the solo album My Favorite Instrument, which is available from Amazon.com.

Peterson plays "When I Fall in Love" at:

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Fletcher Henderson

Bandleader Fletcher Henderson (1897-1952) was born on December 18, 1897, in Cuthbert, Georgia.

Henderson's orchestra was the first of the influential big bands and established the foundations for swing music. Louis Armstrong, the first great jazz soloist, and Coleman Hawkins, its first great saxophonist, were both members of Henderson's orchestra.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album Developing an American Orchestra 1923-1927 (Smithsonian Collection). Unfortunately, that album is only available in vinyl. Jim Determan, who has updated the Lyons list, recommends as an alternative A Study in Frustration: The Fletcher Henderson Story (Columbia), which is available from Amazon.com.

The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra plays "The Stampede" (which features a great solo by Coleman Hawkins) here:

Robert
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RIP, Fats Waller (1904-1943)

Jazz pianist Fats Waller died of pneumonia on December 15, 1943, near Kansas City, Missouri, on a train trip from Hollywood to New York. He was just 39 years old. His remains were cremated and scattered by air over Harlem.

Waller was a protege of the great stride pianist James P. Johnson, an influence on painists from Earl Hines to Art Tatum, an incredible commercial success, and the author of popular songs such as "Honeysuckle Rose", "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Squeeze Me."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Waller's album, Fats Waller Piano Solos, 1929-1941 (Bluebird). Unfortunately, that album is only available in vinyl, and Jim Determan recommends as an alternative Turn on the Heat — The Fats Waller Piano Solos (RCA), which is available on CD from Amazon.com.

Waller plays his perhaps his best-known composition, "Ain't Misbehavin'," here:

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Toshiko Akiyoshi

Japanese American jazz pianist, composer/arranger, and bandleader Toshiko Akiyoshi was born on December 12, 1929, in Liaoyang, Manchuria.

Akiyoshi and her husband Lew Tabackin are best known for their Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band, which Len Lyons has described as "perhaps the last great hope for [the] continuance" of the big band. Akiyoshi has received 14 Grammy nominations, and she was the first woman to win the Best Arranger and Composer awards in Down Beat magazine's Readers Poll.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Akiyoshi-Tabackin Big Band's album Insights (RCA), which is available from Amazon.com.

Akiyoshi performs a piano solo, "The Village," from her 60th Anniversary concert here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 11 December 2014

Dave Brubeck: On December 6, his birthday, Dave Brubeck was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

John Coltrane: According to JazzTimes, a documentary of John Coltrane, written and directed by filmmaker John Scheinfeld, is being targeted for release in late 2015 or early 2016.

John Coltrane: The Free Jazz Collective list of the most innovative listening experiences of the year includes John Coltrane's album, Offering: Live at Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: At Music and More, Tim Niland reviews the Miles Davis album, Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 . (Purchase the album from Amazon.com in vinyl or MP3.)

Miles Davis: At Music and More, Tim Niland shares a video of Miles Davis playing at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival.

Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell:At The New Yorker, Richard Brody shares his best jazz reissues of 2014, including:

• Miles Davis, Miles at the Fillmore–Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Thelonious Monk, The Complete 1966 Geneva Concert. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Bud Powell, Bud Powell: Birdland 1953. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: At The Ottawa Citizen, Peter Hum shares a link to an iTunes compilation of over 20 Herbie Hancock recordings and discusses Hancock's memoir, Possibilities. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Bud Powell: Marc Myers shares three videos of Bud Powell at JazzWax.

Lester Young: Jazz Lives reviews Dave Gelly's book, Being Prez: The Life & Music of Lester Young and calls it "one of the best books on a jazz artist I have ever read." (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

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Happy Birthday, McCoy Tyner

Jazz pianist McCoy Tyner was born on December 11, 1938, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Tyner is known for his work with John Coltrane as well as for his own long solo career. In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons calls him "a master of the piano on the order of a Hines, a Tatum or a Cecil Taylor."

Lyons recommends two McCoy Tyner albums, both of which are available on CD.

• Echoes of a Friend (Milestone) Purchase from Amazon.com.
• Enlightenment (Milestone) Purchase from Amazon.com.

McCoy Tyner plays a piano solo version of "Autumn Leaves" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 6 December 2014

Louis Armstrong: Ricky Riccardi continues his series on Larry L. King's profile of Louis Armstrong in the November 1967 issue of Harper's with Part 3, Part 4, and Conclusion.

Chick Corea:According to several sources, including The Ottawa Citizen, the Grammy Award nominees include:

• Chick Corea Trio, Trilogy, for Best Jazz Instrumental Album. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Chick Corea, "Fingerprints," from Trilogy for Best Improvised Jazz Solo.

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of Miles Davis's live 1970 performance of "It's About That Time." (The song is available on the album, Live at the Fillmore East, March 7, 1970: It’s About that Time, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker: At Macsparky, David Sparks discusses "A Night in Tunisia" and shares versions by Miles Davis and Charlie Parker and by Dizzy Gillespie.

Herbie Hancock: At All About Jazz, Nenad Georgievski reviews the November 27 concert by Herbie Hancock in Belgrade, Serbia.

Keith Jarrett: At All About Jazz, Karl Ackermann reviews the Keith Jarrett album, Keith Jarrett/Charlie Haden/Paul Motian: Hamburg '72. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Sonny Rollins: At JazzWax, Marc Myers shares a video of Sonny Rollins on Ralph Gleason's "Jazz Casual" television show from March 1962.

Cecil Taylor: At Take the "A" Train, Ehsan Khoshbakht discusses the music of Cecil Taylor and shares a 1986 audio file of Taylor on Marian McPartland's "Piano Jazz."

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Happy Birthday, Dave Brubeck

American jazz pianist Dave Brubeck was born on December 6, 1920, in Concord, California.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons reminds us that "Brubeck's sound, and perhaps his appeal to the college audience, was based on a blend of European 'classical' harmony and counterpoint with jazz rhythmic feeling and improvisation." Brubeck's Quartet was especially known for its use of unusual time signatures — 5/4, in the case of "Take Five," which was recently voted by listeners the best jazz song of all time at NPR Music.

Lyons recommends the Dave Brubeck Quartet's album, Dave Brubeck's All-Time Greatest Hits(Columbia), which is available only in vinyl. Jim Determan (who updated the Lyons list for CD) recommends the two alternative CDs below and points out that "Either or both of these discs would make an appropriate substitute for the recommended LP. The first one contains 'Take Five' and the other odd time signature material, which include many of the more memorable of Brubeck's 'hits.' The Greatest Hits CD picks up some of the other material, like 'Duke,' his tribute to Ellington."

• Time Out (Sony) Purchase from Amazon.com.
• Greatest Hits (Columbia/Sony) Purchase from Amazon.com.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet plays "Blue Rondo A La Turk" here:

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RIP, Dave Brubeck (1920-2012)

Jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck died of heart failure on December 5, 2012, in Norwalk, Connecticut, one day before his 92nd birthday.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Dave Brubeck Quartet's album, Dave Brubeck's All-Time Greatest Hits (Columbia), which is available only in vinyl.

Jim Determan (who updated the Lyons list for CD) recommends the two alternative CDs below and points out that "Either or both of these discs would make an appropriate substitute for the recommended LP. The first one contains 'Take Five' and the other odd time signature material, which include many of the more memorable of Brubeck's 'hits.' The Greatest Hits CD picks up some of the other material, like 'Duke,' his tribute to Ellington."

• Time Out (Sony) Purchase from Amazon.com.
  
• Greatest Hits (Columbia/Sony) Purchase from Amazon.com.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet plays "Unsquare Dance" here:

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Recent Links :: 3 December 2014

Louis Armstrong: At the Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi has a two-part piece on Larry L. King's profile of Louis Armstrong in the November 1967 issue of Harper's: Part 1 and Part 2.

John Coltrane: New Jazz United shares a video of John Coltrane's "Consequences." (The song is available on the album, Meditations, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins: At Ken Franckling's Jazz Notes, Ken Franckling lists his 10 best new jazz releases of 2014 and his best historical/reissues of 2014. These include:

• John Coltrane, Offering: Live At Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis, Miles at the Fillmore - Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Sonny Rollins, Road Shows, Volume 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Ella Fitzgerald: New Jazz United shares a video of Ella Fitzgerald singing "Stairway to the Stars." (The song is available on the album, Hello, Love, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: At Music and More, Tim Niland reviews the Keith Jarret album, Hamburg '72. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Chuck Mangione: On November 29, his birthday, Chuck Mangione was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Jaco Pastorius: On December 1, his birthday, Jaco Pastorius was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Jaco Pastorius

Bassist Jaco Pastorius was born on December 1, 1951, in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Pastorius is best known for his work with Weather Report and is generally regarded as one of the most influential bass players of all time. He is one of only four bassists to be inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Weather Report's album, 8:30. The album features Pastorius on cuts like "Black Market," "Teen Town," and "Slang." It is available from Amazon.com.

Pastorius plays "A Portrait of Tracy" from a Weather Report concert in Germany in 1978 here:

Robert
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RIP, Don Redman (1900-1964)

Don Redman, the first great arranger in jazz history, died on November 30, 1964, in New York City.  He was 64 years old.

Redman joined joined the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra in 1923, playing clarinet and saxophone, but he soon began writing arrangements and did much to formulate the sound that was to become big band swing.

Redman formed his own band in 1931, which he led until 1940.

The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra plays one of Redman's arrangements, "Rocky Mountain Blues," here:

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra's album Developing an American Orchestra 1923-1927 (Smithsonian Collection). Unfortunately, that album is only available in vinyl. Jim Determan, who has updated the Lyons list, recommends as an alternative A Study in Frustration: The Fletcher Henderson Story (Columbia), which is available from Amazon.com.


Robert
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Happy Birthday, Chuck Mangione

American flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione was born on November 29, 1940, in Rochester, New York.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons says that Mangione "has come to represent the fusion of jazz with popular song writing and arranging. … [From] 1970 to 1973 Mangione auspiciously combined his natural melodicism with a talent for creating multistylistic orchestral backgrounds."

Lyons recommends Mangione's album, The Best of Chuck Mangione (Mercury), which is available only in vinyl. As Jim Determan (who updated the Lyons list for CD) points out, only half of the songs on that album have been released on CD. As an alternative, Determan recommends Land of Make Believe (Mercury), which is available from Amazon.com.

Mangione plays "And in the Beginning" — a composition that Lyons said "proved Mangione was a composer to be taken seriously" — here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 29 November 2014

Anthony Braxton: New Jazz United shares a video of Anthony Braxton's 1970 piece, "To Pianist Cecil Taylor." (The song is available on the album, For Alto, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

John Coltrane: At Blu Notes, Larry Blumenfeld lists his 10 favorite jazz albums of the year. Among them is John Coltrane's Offering: Live at Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a video of Miles Davis's "Seven Steps to Heaven." (The song is available on the album, Seven Steps to Heaven, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Keith Jarrett: At All About Jazz, John Kelman reviews the album, Hamburg '72, by Keith Jarrett, Charlie Haden, and Paul Motian. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

John McLaughlin: At All About Jazz, Ian Patterson reviews the November 2014 concert by John McLaughlin and the 4th Dimension at London's Royal Festival Hall.

Sun Ra: New Jazz United shares a video of Sun Ra's version of "My Favorite Things" from 1978. (The song is available on the album, New Steps, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Art Tatum: New Jazz United shares a video of Art Tatum's "The Man I Love." (The song is available on the album, Piano Starts Here, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Cecil Taylor: New Jazz United shares a video of Ceil Taylor's "Just Friends" from 1958. (The song is available on the album, Hard Driving Jazz, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 27 November 2014

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi writes about Armstrong's performance of "On the Sunny Side of the Street" from the 1934 Paris session.

John Coltrane, Miles Davis: At Music and More, Tim Niland lists his favorite jazz albums of the year, including:

• John Coltrane, Offering: Live at Temple University. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)
• Miles Davis, Miles at the Fillmore 1970, Vol. 3. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Chick Corea: According to The Jazz Line, Chick Corea tied with saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera in the Jazz Album category at the 2014 Latin Grammy Awards. Corea was nominated for his latest album The Vigil. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Bill Evans: According to All About Jazz, Riverside Records will release a vinyl box set of Bill Evans's The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, 1961 in November.

Bill Evans: At Weekend Wax Bits, Marc Myers shares a 1966 interview with Bill Evans, in which Evans discusses bassist Scott LaFaro.

Coleman Hawkins: On November 21, his birthday, Coleman Hawkins was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Keith Jarrett: At The Guardian, John Fordham reviews the Keith Jarrett album, Hamburg ’72. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Scott Joplin

Traditionally, November 24, 1868, has been given as the birthday of Scott Joplin, "The King of Ragtime." More recent research suggests that he was actually born in the second half of 1867.

In any event, Joplin blended European classical styles and African American harmonies and rhythm to produce ragtime, a music that, as one critic put it, "expressed the intensity and energy of a modern urban America." While some of Joplin's music (particularly "Maple Leaf Rag") was popular during his lifetime, interest in ragtime waned until its revival in the 1970s, thanks to the efforts of Joshua Rifkin and the use of Joplin's music in the film, "The Sting."

Joplin plays "Maple Leaf Rag" via piano roll here:

In his 101 Best Jazz Albums, Lyons recommends Scott Joplin 1916 (Biograph). Unfortunately, that album is not available in CD or MP3 format. Jim Determan recommends the following alternatives on CD:

• Scott Joplin: The Entertainer (Shout Factory), available from Amazon.com.
• Scott Joplin: Elite Syncopations (Shout Factory), available from Amazon.com.
• Dick Hyman and James Levine: Scott Joplin's Greatest Hits (RCA), available from Amazon.com.
• Richard Zimmerman: Scott Joplin — His Complete Works (Delta), available from Amazon.com.
• Richard Zimmerman: Scott Joplin — His Greatest Hits (Legacy International), available from Amazon.com.
• Joshua Rifkin: Scott Joplin Piano Rags (Nonesuch), available from Amazon.com.

The first two albums listed above contain the six piano rolls from Scott Joplin 1916 that are actually played by Joplin. The Entertainer contains "Maple Leaf Rag," "Something Doing," and "Weeping Willow Rag," while Elite Syncopations contains "Maple Leaf Rag," "Ole Miss Rag" [by W.C. Handy], and "Magnetic Rag."


Robert
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Happy Birthday, Willie "The Lion" Smith

Jazz pianist Willie "The Lion" Smith was born on November 23, 1893, in Goshen, New York. He was one of the great stride pianists.

Duke Ellington once said that "Willie The Lion was the greatest influence of all the great jazz piano players who have come along. He has a beat that stays in the mind."

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album by Willie "The Lion" Smith and Luckey Roberts, Luckey and the Lion/Harlem Piano (Good Time Jazz S10035). The CD is available at Amazon.com.

Smith plays his own composition, "Passionette," here:

Robert
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