Recent Links :: 23 February 2014

Clifford Brown: New Jazz United shared a clip of Clifford Brown and Max Roach playing "Joy Spring." (The song is available on the album, Clifford Brown & Max Roach, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Betty Carter: Talk About Jazz shares a clip of Betty Carter singing "The Sun Died." (The song is available on the album, Finally, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

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

Keith Jarrett: At JazzTimes, Michael J. West reviews the Keith Jarrett album, No End. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Jaco Pastorius: According to Jeff Tamarking at JazzTimes, in April, Omnivore Records will release Modern American Music ... Period! The Criteria Sessions, a set of demo recordings made by Jaco Pastorius.

Sonny Rollins: According to JazzTimes, Sonny Rollins will release Road Shows, Volume 3 in May.

Robert
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Recent Links :: 17 February 2014

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi continues his series of stories from readers who spent time with Armstrong with a story from Yoshio Toyama, the "Satchmo of Japan."

Betty Carter, Fletcher Henderson, Wes Montgomery: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, Jazz at Lincoln Center has announced the newest inductees into the Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame: Betty Carter, Fletcher Henderson, Elvin Jones, and Wes Montgomery.

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Miles Davis Quintet playing "When I Fall in Love." (The song is available on the album, Steamin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: Jeff Tamarkin reports on the death of Alice Babs, a Swedish vocalist who sang with the Duke Ellington Orchestra during the 1960s, at JazzTimes.

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

Bill Evans: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Bill Evans Trio playing "I Love You." (The song is available on the album, The Way to Play, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: At In the Groove, Jazz and Beyond, Ken Laster looks at Herbie Hancock's fusion music with the Fender Rhodes keyboard.

Robert
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RIP, Thelonious Monk (1917-1982)

Jazz pianist Thelonious Monk died of a stroke on February 17, 1982, in Englewood, New Jersey. He was 64 years old.  Monk is buried in Ferncliff Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York. In 1993, he was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2006, he was posthumously awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation.

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. (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• 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 Amazon.com.)
  
• The Genius of Modern Music, Volume 2 (Blue Note) (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Brilliant Corners (Riverside) (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Five by Five by Monk (Riverside) (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Alone in San Francisco (Original Jazz Classics) (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  
• Thelonious Himself (Riverside) (Purchase at Amazon.com.)
  

Monk plays "Round About Midnight" here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 15 February 2014

Louis Armstrong: Terry Teachout's first play, "Satchmo at the Waldorf," opens off Broadway at the Westside Theatre on Mar. 4. Previews start Feb. 15. (Official site)

Louis Armstrong: At The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses the Louis Armstrong song, "That’s For Me." (The song is available on the album, American Icon, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Louis Armstrong: The Paris Review has an article on Louis Armstrong's collages, which the great musician constructed while on the road.

Anthony Braxton: According to Jeff Tamarkin at JazzTimes, Anthony Braxton will celebrate his 69th birthday with a series of new works and performances.

Miles Davis: NPR Music looks at a "stressful" 1964 Miles Davis concert that led to two albums, My Funny Valentine and Four & More. (Purchase My Funny Valentine from Amazon.com. Purchase Four & More from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a clip of the Miles Davis Quintet playing "My Funny Valentine." (The song is available on the album, My Funny Valentine, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: In March, Legacy Recordings will release a 4-CD box set of Miles Davis’ performance at the Fillmore East in New York City in 1970 in Miles at the Fillmore: Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3. (Pre-order the album from Amazon.com.)

Herbie Hancock: At The Jazzcat, LeRoy Downs reviews the recent concert by Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, Christian McBride, and Harvey Mason.

Charlie Parker: At JazzWax, Marc Myers discusses Charlie Parker's version of "Just Friends."

Robert
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RIP, Eubie Blake (1887?-1983)

The American composer, lyricist, and jazz pianist Eubie Blake (1887?-1983) died on February 12, 1983, in Brooklyn, New York. He was 96 years old. (He claimed that he was 100 years old, but the official government documents of his birth record his birth year as 1887.) He was interred in the Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York, with a head stone,engraved with the musical notation for his composition "I'm Just Wild About Harry."

Blake was known both as a composer and lyricist for many Broadway shows in the 1920s and, in his later years, as the last living link to ragtime. He and singer Noble Sisser wrote songs for "Shuffle Along," the first all-black musical, in 1921, and his song, "I'm Just Wild About Harry," was used by Harry Truman in his 1948 Presidential campaign.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the 1969 Eubie Blake album, "The 86 Years of Eubie Blake" (Columbia), which led to a revived interest in Blake's music. Unfortunately, that album is only available in vinyl, usually used from Amazon.com.

Blake's Memories of You, available from Amazon.com, may be the best alternative on CD.

Blake plays "Charleston Rag" at the age of 98 here:

Robert
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Recent Links :: 11 February 2014

Eubie Blake: On February 7, his birthday, Eubie Blake was the Jazz Musician of the Day at All About Jazz.

Miles Davis: Miles Davis Online recounts a story of when the late Philip Seymour Hoffman met Miles Davis.

Miles Davis: New Jazz United shares a clip of Miles Davis playing "Godchild," from the album, Birth of the Cool. (Purchase the album from Amazon.com.)

Eric Dolphy: New Jazz United shares a clip of Eric Dolphy playing "Springtime" in 1964, just 18 days before his death. (The song is available on the album, The Complete Last Recordings, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Eric Dolphy: New Jazz United shares a clip of Eric Dolphy playing "Inner Flight I and II." (The song is available on the album, Other Aspects, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: Do the Math counters arguments that Duke Ellington didn't write the music that he's best known for.

Robert
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Happy Birthday, Eubie Blake

The American composer, lyricist, and jazz pianist Eubie Blake (1887?-1983) was born on February 7, 1887 (or 1883, depending on which source you believe), in Baltimore, Maryland.

Blake was known both as a composer and lyricist for many Broadway shows in the 1920s and, in his later years, as the last living link to ragtime. He and singer Noble Sisser wrote songs for "Shuffle Along," the first all-black musical, in 1921, and his song, "I'm Just Wild About Harry," was used by Harry Truman in his 1948 Presidential campaign.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the 1969 Eubie Blake album, "The 86 Years of Eubie Blake" (Columbia), which led to a revived interest in Blake's music. Unfortunately, that album is only available in vinyl, available used from Amazon.com.

Blake's Memories of You, available from Amazon.com may be the best alternative on CD.

Blake plays "I'm Just Wild About Harry" via piano roll here:

Robert
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RIP, Luckey Roberts (1887-1968)

Jazz pianist Charles Luckeyeth "Luckey" Roberts died on February 5, 1968, in New York. He was 80 years old and had been in poor health for a number of years, having suffered two strokes and been injured in an automoibile accident.

Along with James P. Johnson and Willie "The Lion" Smith, Roberts developed stride piano in the years following World War I. He is reported to have had very large hands, which allowed him to span 14 keys on the piano. He had incredible dexterity as well and his right hand was particularly fluid. He played for the Vanderbilts, Astors, and other wealthy families in New York.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends the album, Luckey and the Lion: Harlem Piano (Good Time Jazz S10035). (Buy the CD at Amazon.com.)

Roberts demonstrates his remarkable virtuosity here on "Nothin'":

Robert
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Recent Links :: 4 February 2014

Louis Armstrong: At his blog, The Wonderful World of Louis Armstrong, Ricky Riccardi discusses Armstrong's 1939 recording of "What Is This Thing Called Swing." (The song is available on the album, The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions 1935-46 , which can be purchased from Mosaic Records.)

Ornette Coleman: New Jazz United shared a clip of the Ornette Coleman song, "Peace." (The song is available on the album, The Shape of Jazz to Come, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Miles Davis: At New Books in Jazz, Doc Stull reviews the Keith Waters book, The Studio Recordings of the Miles Davis Quintet, 1965-1968. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Duke Ellington: NPR's Listen Now discusses Duke Ellington's unfinished and relatively unknown opera, "Queenie Pie." (Purchase the album, Queenie Pie, from Amazon.com.)

Charlie Parker: At All About Jazz, David A. Orthmann reviews Stanley Crouch's book, Kansas City Lightning: The Rise and Times of Charlie Parker. (Purchase the book from Amazon.com.)

Robert
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Recent Links :: 1 February 2014

Dave Brubeck: New Jazz United shared the Dave Brubeck song, "Unsquare Dance." (The song is available on the album, Dave Brubeck — Greatest Hits, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Bill Evans: New Jazz United shared the Bill Evans song, "You Must Believe in Spring." (The song is available on the album, You Must Believe in Spring, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

King Oliver: According to All About Jazz, Riverwalk Jazz broadcast an encore presentation featuring theater legend William Warfield, who brought King Oliver's correspondence to life in a 1992 performance.

McCoy Tyner: Talk About Jazz shared a clip of McCoy Tyner's "A Prayer for My Family." (The song is available on the album, Sahara, which can be purchased from Amazon.com.)

Betty Carter, Erroll Garner, Fletcher Henderson, James P. Johnson, Wes Montgomery: JazzTimes announced that Jazz at Lincoln Center is soliciting votes from fans in its annual Jazz Hall of Fame induction. Nominees include:

• Betty Carter
• Erroll Garner
• Fletcher Henderson
• James P. Johnson
• Wes Montgomery

Robert
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Happy Birthday, James P. Johnson

The great stride pianist James P. Johnson (1894-1956) was born on February 1, 1894, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Johnson, one of the giants of the Harlem Stride piano style and a key figure in the transition from ragtime to jazz, grew up listening to the ragtime music of Scott Joplin and composed a number of hit tunes, including "The Charleston." His style differed from ragtime by featuring a more freely swinging rhythm, a degree of anticipation of the left hand by the right hand, elements of the blues, more complex harmonies, and the beginnings of improvisation.

In his book, The 101 Best Jazz Albums, Len Lyons recommends Johnson's album, "The Original James P. Johnson" (Folkways).  Jim Determan also recommends his "Snowy Morning Blues" (Verve) and "Father of the Stride Piano" (Sony).

• "The Original James P. Johnson" (Folkways).  Purchase the CD at Barnes & Noble.
• "Snowy Morning Blues" (Verve).  Purchase the CD at Barnes & Noble.
• "Father of the Stride Piano" (Sony).  Purchase the CD at Amazon.com.

Johnson plays "The Charleston" here:

Robert
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