tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60425388889827957852024-02-07T15:00:55.201+09:00Kind Of BlogA Retrospective On JazzCannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-7534499955834246662015-12-28T00:55:00.000+09:002015-12-28T00:55:42.984+09:00Take FiveBuddy Bolden, Kid Ory, King Oliver, Eddie Lang, Johnny Dodds, Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Sidney Bechet, Roy Eldridge, Bud Powell, Fats Navarro. Names that before I began this blog I had little or absolutely no knowledge of. Along with finding out more about the likes of Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk etc., I feel like I've achieved what I set out to do all those years ago - to get a better handle of the origins and the social fabric surrounding jazz. The adventure goes on but I have lost the urge to write about it. Losing the Grooveshark mp3s a while back made me realise the fleeting nature of all things internet. The writings were primarily for me to organise my thoughts but if some jazz novice in the future happens to stumble upon them and takes an interest in what I have written then that is a bonus.<br />
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Adios.<br />
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"Jazz is rhythm and meaning."<br />
Henri MatisseCannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-26312643050467347842015-03-18T05:05:00.000+09:002015-03-18T05:06:21.232+09:00Count Basie's Sidemen<b>Buck Clayton</b><br />
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<img src="http://www.billieholidaysongs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/z_buck-clayton.jpg" /><br />
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Trumpet player Buck Clayton hooked up with Count Basie's band in late 1936 after dropping in on them in the Reno Club in Kansas City. However he had enjoyed a lot of success prior to joining the orchestra at this time. A native of Kansas he had toured around the south in the late 1920's getting into various scrapes with the locals before heading out to California in in the early 1930's. It was here that he had a chance encounter with Louis Armstrong. Clayton endeavoured to study Armstrong's technique after seeing him play at Frank Sebastian's Cotton Club.<br />
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At this time Clayton was to make a remarkable career move by moving to Shanghai. He ended up staying there for two years playing at the luxurious Canidrome for high society types including Chiang Kai-shek's wife who was a regular at the club.<br />
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Success with the Basie band lasted right through to 1943 when he was inducted into the army. During this time Clayton recorded on many of the big hits including One O'Clock Jump. He was also heavily involved in the celebrated recordings in 1937 with Billie Holiday and Lester Young, played at the Benny Goodman show at Carnegie Hall and the From Spirituals To Swing shows in New York. <br />
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In the mid 40's he managed to make some recordings with the rising star of jazz at that time, Charlie Parker. Clayton more than held his own. He went on to become a leading figure in the mainstream jazz scene of the 1950´s when he recorded and gigged prolifically.<br />
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Check out Clayton jamming with Dexter Gordon and Charlie Parker on the track <i>Takin' Off</i><br />
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<b>Jo Jones</b><br />
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<img src="http://drumchannel.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/papajojones.jpg" height="320" width="236" /><br />
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Jo Jones' name has cropped up quite recently due to the massive success of the film "Whiplash". In it one of the main protagonists tells the story of how a young Charlie Parker had a cymbal thrown at him during a jam session by Jones for simply not being up to scratch. Parker subsequently began a period of obsessive practicing before appearing on stage again. While this apocryphal tale suited the narrative of the bullying teacher for the film it never quite happened like that. Jones however did "gong" Parker, an act of throwing down the cymbal at someone's feet. Ultimately they were jazz worlds apart. Jones, one of the main proponents of the "All-American Rhythm" that propelled the Count Basie band and Parker, who would steer away from the notes on the page to establish bebop as the driving force of jazz in the 1940s.<br />
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Jones was pretty much one of the inventors of swing jazz drumming, up there with Chick Webb and Gene Krupa in establishing the instrument as the backbone of any jazz orchestra. The four-four glide on the ride cymbal that is the pulse of swing jazz was invented by these guys. They were true innovators in that the instrument that they played did not physically exist 10 years before. Jones was to differ from Krupa's bombastic bass notes and would often omit the bass drum in favour of a ride rhythm on the high hat while it was continuously opening and closing.<br />
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Jones was to earn his stripes playing with the Walter Page's Blue Devils in the late 1920's. He was present for Basie's very first recordings in 1936 and stayed with the band until 1948. He was an ever present in a plethora of recordings in the 1950's due to his association with Norman Granz's Verve label. A true artist on the drums.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GrKShqNkcnI" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<b>Herschel Evans</b><br />
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<img src="http://www.swingfm.asso.fr/html/biographies/photos_musiciens/Herschel%20EVANS.jpg" height="320" width="273" /><br />
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Count Basie employed two tenor saxophonists. In one corner was Lester Young whose sound would be emulated by all and sundry in the following decades. In the other corner was Herschel Evans one of the earliest "tough Texas tenors" whose sound and style could not be more different. Yet the two complimented each other superbly and brought a freshness and verve to the early Basie recordings.<br />
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Tragically Evans' career was all too brief. He died in 1939 at the young age of 29. As with some of his contemporaries we can only wonder at the direction his musical career would have taken.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong961415729" name="gsSong961415729" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=9614157&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=9614157&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Count%20Basie%20John's%20Idea" title="John's Idea by Count Basie on Grooveshark">John's Idea by Count Basie on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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<b>Jimmy Rushing</b><br />
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<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Jimmy_Rushing_1946_(Gottlieb_07551).jpg" height="316" width="320" /><br />
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John Hammond introduced him to stage with tongue firmly in cheek as "Little" Jimmy Rushing in Newport in 1957. His actual nickname was Big 'Un<br />
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Count Basie needed a blues shouter to augment the big sound emanating from his orchestra. The man who provided that sound was Jimmy Rushing who was in the band from the beginning right through to 1948. As with many others he cut his teeth with The Blue Devils and later with Bennie Moten's band in the late 20's/early 30's. Songs like <i>Pennies From Heaven, Boogie Woogie </i>and <i>Sent For You Yesterday </i>exemplify Rushing's sound on the early Basie records.<br />
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For me his influence lay in the fact that he was unique. Taking his jazz queue from the vocals of Louis Armstrong he brought a powerful subtlety to the songs that he sang. You couldn't label him as a blues shouter (indeed he considered himself a ballad singer.) He could probably sing anything such were his vocal talents.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong1879914710" name="gsSong1879914710" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=18799147&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=18799147&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Count%20Basie%20Sent%20for%20You%20Yesterday" title="Sent for You Yesterday by Count Basie on Grooveshark">Sent for You Yesterday by Count Basie on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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<b>Freddie Greene</b><br />
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<img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/fVwB7_CS6rk/hqdefault.jpg" height="240" width="320" /><br />
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The guitar as a solo instrument really began to blossom in the mid 1930's with the advent of amplification and the Gibson ES-150 model becoming popular among jazz musicians post 1936. It was the era of Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian who tried to emulate the saxophone and trumpet solos that dominated jazz music up to that time. So it is perhaps all the more remarkable that one of the most popular guitarists of the era was Freddie Greene. He never opted for a solo. His raison d'etre was to augment the rhythm of the band, hence his place firmly among the All-American rhythm section of the Basie orchestra was established from the time he joined in 1937. He was even to say that "You should never hear the guitar by itself. It should be part of the drums so it sounds like the drummer is playing chords—like the snare is in A or the hi-hat in D minor".<br />
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He remained with the Basie band for over 50 years.<br />
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Here's a 1962 called <i>The Elder. </i>It has all the ingredients; Basie piano, walking bass, riffs, bombastic drums and wailing trumpet. But check out a beautifully rare Green rhythm solo halfway through.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong35952588100" name="gsSong35952588100" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35952588&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35952588&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Count%20Basie%20And%20His%20Orchestra%20The%20Elder" title="The Elder by Count Basie And His Orchestra on Grooveshark">The Elder by Count Basie And His Orchestra on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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<b>Walter Page</b><br />
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<img src="http://40.media.tumblr.com/5024d77c9e2439ecf32c06fa1b1dcc80/tumblr_n0qrfjbec31qa67ulo1_1280.jpg" height="320" width="204" /><br />
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The final piece of the All-American Rhythm jigsaw. Page had established himself well enough in the 1920's that he was the boss of one of the most innovate bands of the time, The Blue Devils. The band consisted of at one time or another Jimmy Rushing, Count Basie, Hot Lips Page and later Lester Young. After Bennie Moten lured Count Basie to his band the writing was on the wall for Page as a band leader. He eventually joined Moten's Kansas City Orchestra which went on to become Basie's big band after Moten passed away in the mid 30's.<br />
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Page will forever be associated with the incredible chemistry that he developed with Jo Jones and Freddie Greene, especially on those early Basie tunes. He is also credited with inventing or at least innovating the "walking" bass style that would become synonymous with swing jazz in the late 30's. Along with Wellman Braud and later Jimmy Blanton he was one of the key figures in establishing the bass as harmonic as well as a rhythmic instrument.<br />
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Check him out on <i>Pagin' The Devil </i>a song that he recorded with the Kansas City Six in 1938. The musicians on this track include Lester Young, Eddie Durham, Freddie Greene, Jo Jones and Buck Clayton.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong1217531675" name="gsSong1217531675" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=12175316&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=12175316&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Kansas%20City%20Six%20Pagin'%20The%20Devil" title="Pagin' The Devil by Kansas City Six on Grooveshark">Pagin' The Devil by Kansas City Six on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-30799458382813567802014-11-24T08:33:00.000+09:002014-11-24T08:33:17.491+09:00Duke Ellington's Sidemen<b>Cootie Williams</b><br />
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<img src="http://www.bigbandlibrary.com/cootiewilliamsmetronomejune1942.jpg" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cootie Williams was the guy who had the dubious honour of replacing Bubber Miley in the late 20's. However he was no newcomer having earned his chops by playing with such luminaries as James P Johnson, Chick Webb and Fletcher Henderson. Williams continued the "jungle" style playing that Miley and the late 1920's were renowned for. He was to become one of the most sought after trumpet players in the following two decades recording with Ellington in the 1930's and also leading his own sessions. He sensationally left Ellington's orchestra to join up with Benny Goodman and established himself in the latter's sextet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He became a bandleader in the 1940's, no mean feat considering the logistics and costs involved especially as swing was on the wane. Yet he managed to employ musicians who would become some of the most legendary names in jazz - Eddie Vinson, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Bud Powell and even Charlie Parker. It was around this time that he co-authored <i>Round Midnight </i>with an up-and-coming Thelonious Monk. The 1950's were not kind to Williams professionally but he did return to Ellington's orchestra in 1962 where he remained until Ellington's death.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Williams was an exceptional musician and trumpeter. He was renowned for his exquisite use of the plunger mute and phasing. Yet he could sound extraordinarily bluesy and soulful as well. Check out "Concerto For Cootie" a song that exemplifies all his attributes.</span><br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong2561624594" name="gsSong2561624594" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25616245&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25616245&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Duke%20Ellington%20and%20His%20Famous%20Orchestra%3BCootie%20Williams%20Concerto%20for%20Cootie%20-%20Duke%20Ellington%20and%20His%20Famous%20Orchestr" title="Concerto for Cootie - Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestr by Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra;Cootie Williams on Grooveshark">Concerto for Cootie - Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestr by Duke Ellington and His Famous Orchestra;Cootie Williams on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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<b>Jimmy Blanton</b><br />
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<img src="http://www.apoloybaco.com/jazz/images/stories/biografias/b/jimmyblantonbio.jpg" height="400" width="321" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Any bass player who takes up a solo in a jazz band today has to thank Jimmy Blanton. While it was Walter Page who put the walk into the Basie rhythm it was Blanton (and his contemporary, Slam Stewart) who put the flair. Blanton employed the use of "pizzicato", a very common technique in today's jazz world but positively revolutionary when Blanton joined Ellington's orchestra in 1939, just shortly before Ben Webster. Many regard the Blanton-Webster period of Ellington's career as a particular golden age. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">His career was to be appallingly short as he was to contract tuberculosis and pass away in 1942. His legacy was in his becoming known as "The Godfather Of Bebop" yet one can only wonder how his career would have been shaped in happier circumstances.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Have a listen to <i>Pitter Panther Patter</i> and see exactly what I mean.</span><br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong2582168751" name="gsSong2582168751" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25821687&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25821687&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Duke%20Ellington%20Pitter%20Panther%20Patter" title="Pitter Panther Patter by Duke Ellington on Grooveshark">Pitter Panther Patter by Duke Ellington on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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<b>Rex Stewart</b><b><br /></b><br />
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<img src="http://s60.radikal.ru/i168/1206/2d/9c5605807601.jpg" /><br />
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Cornet player Rex Stewart had been around the jazz scene for quite a while before joining Ellington's orchestra in 1934. He was probably best known for his work with Elmer Snowden and in the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra in the mid 20's. He was to feature prominently in his eleven year stint with Ellington including writing the sublime <i>Morning Glory. </i><br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong2582187340" name="gsSong2582187340" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25821873&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25821873&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Duke%20Ellington%20Morning%20Glory" title="Morning Glory by Duke Ellington on Grooveshark">Morning Glory by Duke Ellington on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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<b>Johnny Hodges</b><br />
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<img src="http://mmone.org/wp-content/gallery/johnny-hodges/johnny_hodges_2.jpg" height="320" width="287" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Probably one of the most famous names in jazz to come from Ellington's orchestra. When it came to alto saxophone there were few better. Ellington played up his smooth vibrato-heavy tone in the compositions that he wrote for Hodges. (No surprise in the fact that he was a massive fan of Bechet). He joined the band in the late 1920's and was its leading soloist by the mid 1930's. He could play the blues with the best of them but perhaps it was the ballads that Ellington wrote for him that would become Hodges bread and butter in his later career. (Check out <i>Warm Valley </i>from 1940 as case in point). He left Ellington's big band in 1951 to pursue a solo career and made some wonderful recordings with Norman Granz. He eventually returned to the orchestra in the mid 50's and remained there until his death in 1970.</span><br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong279740837" name="gsSong279740837" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=27974083&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=27974083&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Johnny%20Hodges%20Warm%20Valley" title="Warm Valley by Johnny Hodges on Grooveshark">Warm Valley by Johnny Hodges on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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<b>Harry Carney</b><br />
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<img height="320" src="https://www.cassgb.org/resources/images/Harry%20Carney.jpg" width="291" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Harry Carney was more than just the baritone saxophonist of the Duke Ellington Orchestra (although he was one of the earliest exponents of the instrument). He was its longest serving member joining as a 17 year old in 1927 right through to Ellington's death in 1974. He was also a friend and confidante to the Duke with the two of them riding to shows in Carney's Imperial car. These moments provided the relaxed ambience for Ellington to compose some of his most memorable songs. He was a master of the clarinet but it was with the rather unwieldy baritone that he was to make his name. He was one of the first musicians to employ the technique of circular breathing which enabled him to hold long indefinite notes to embellish his solos. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's <i>Sepia Panorama </i>from the Blanton - Webster era which is a great example of Ellington's sound at this time and showcases Carney, Ellington and Blanton. </span><br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong258218364" name="gsSong258218364" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25821836&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25821836&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Duke%20Ellington%20Sepia%20Panorama" title="Sepia Panorama by Duke Ellington on Grooveshark">Sepia Panorama by Duke Ellington on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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<b>Sonny Greer</b><br />
<b><br /></b><img src="http://www.drummerworld.com/pics/drum36/Sonny_Greer5.jpg" height="320" width="288" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sonny Greet first met Duke Ellington as far back as 1919 and was his first drummer when he began The Washingtonians in 1924. He was to remain in the band for almost 30 years. So when you're listening to the drums on any Ellington classic from the 20's, 30's or 40's, you're listening to Sonny Greer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ellington wrote of Greer in his autobiography, <i>Music Is My Mistress</i>, ''When he heard a ping, he responded with the most apropos pong. Any tune he was backing up had the benefit of rhythmic ornamentation that was sometimes unbelievable. And he used to look like a high priest or a king on a throne, 'way up above everybody, with all his gold accessories around him, all there was room for on the stand!''</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not only was he the drummer in those difficult early days but he was also its source of income due to his prowess on the pool table. He provided the "eating and walking around money" that they needed until they began to hit the big time.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<b>Barney Bigard</b><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPquXyrRHUKbUR1ItlhDC0xstQlRJmAK1vCzAXVKC14cKkI6y8cvOm8C7zZ87tHfD934yQ8tHDo0b8dCaeWlJTaPL20RRY7G4ScbT5UGhFW-t_L_G-wXXU5mLJ1M6Bp26B07_Ekarf-8/s400/barney02.jpg" height="281" width="400" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bigard was the New Orleans connection in Ellington's orchestra. He learned his trade at the feet of Lorenzo Tio and after moving to Chicago he played tenor saxophone with some heavy hitters in the mid 20's including Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Johnny Dodds and Jelly Roll Morton before switching to clarinet. From the time he joined Ellington in 1927 to his leaving in 1942 he established himself as one of the finest exponents of the instrument. He also had a hand in co-writing one of Ellington's most famous pieces, <i>Mood Indigo. </i></span><br />
<i><br /></i>
<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong4141621595" name="gsSong4141621595" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=41416215&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=41416215&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=The%20Jungle%20Band%20Mood%20Indigo%20%5B1930%5D" title="Mood Indigo [1930] by The Jungle Band on Grooveshark">Mood Indigo [1930] by The Jungle Band on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
<br />
<b>Tricky Sam Nanton</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
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Along with Bubber Miley in the 1920's, Sam Nanton was the man that gave the Ellington Orchestra its dirty, growly edge that set it apart from the early competition. While King Oliver and Miley gave the musical world the wa-wa, Nanton gave us the ya-ya, an effect that made his instrument sound uncannily like a human voice. While such effects could prove gimmicky in the wrong hands this was never the case with Nanton who possessed the most powerful technique and proficiency.<br />
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Check him out on one of Ellington's finest songs from the late 1920´s, <i>Black And Tan Fantasy</i><br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3543569290" name="gsSong3543569290" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35435692&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35435692&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Duke%20Ellington%20Black%20And%20Tan%20Fantasy" title="Black And Tan Fantasy by Duke Ellington on Grooveshark">Black And Tan Fantasy by Duke Ellington on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-42109334127009845162014-07-17T05:57:00.000+09:002014-07-22T23:09:09.034+09:00Billie Holiday<div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i>Behind me, Billie was on her last song. I picked up the refrain, humming a few bars. Her voice sounded different to me now. Beneath the layers of hurt, beneath the ragged laughter, I heard a willingness to endure. Endure- and make music that wasn't there before. </i>Barack Obama</span></div>
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Perhaps the greatest jazz vocalist of all time.(Note that I didn't even use the word "female".) Such is Billie Holiday's stature in the world of jazz. Her voice was unmistakeable and her life was remarkably sad and event-filled. In today's world of here-today-gone-later-today talent, it's unlikely that we'll see her like again. She was a pioneer, a one-off.<br />
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My first exposure to Billie Holiday's music was probably through a quite memorable<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0Sa9_icpRA" target="_blank"> car advertisement</a> than ran back in the early 90s. So distinctive was her voice that I can still conjure up the advertisement in question. (Some kudos then to the ad men but unfortunately for them I couldn't remember the brand!) One can only imagine the impact her voice had on ears of the listeners who first heard her back in the 1930s.. </div>
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Her early life was, to say the least, chaotic and full of serious adversity. After a few years trying her luck in various clubs in New York in the late 20s and early 30s she was picked up by John Hammond and began her recording career with Benny Goodman. Her first recordings were fairly unremarkable but she eventually began to find her own distinct style and phrasing, the like of which had not been heard before. Goodman himself was to remark, "she was the first girl singer I'd come across who actually sang like an improvising jazz genius". Her first real hit was the song <i>What A Little Moonlight Can Do </i>recorded with Teddy Wilson's Orchestra. With accompaniment by Ben Webster, Roy Eldridge, Cozy Cole and Goodman it is real gem. </div>
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3220532479" name="gsSong3220532479" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=32205324&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=32205324&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Billie%20Holiday%20What%20a%20Little%20Moonlight%20Can%20Do" title="What a Little Moonlight Can Do by Billie Holiday on Grooveshark">What a Little Moonlight Can Do by Billie Holiday on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object></div>
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It was at this time that she began her musical association with Lester Young who was to give her her lasting moniker "Lady Day". (Not to be outdone she called him "Prez".). <i>This Year's Kisses </i>is a fantastic example of the type of recordings the two were to make together at the end of the 30s. </div>
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong2588369570" name="gsSong2588369570" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25883695&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25883695&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Billie%20Holiday%3B%20Lester%20Young%20This%20Year's%20Kisses" title="This Year's Kisses by Billie Holiday; Lester Young on Grooveshark">This Year's Kisses by Billie Holiday; Lester Young on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object></div>
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" 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It was around this time that she was to record the haunting track <i>Strange Fruit. </i>Originally written as a poem by Abel Meeropol, it was a favourite at the integrated nightclub, Cafe Society in New York. A song about southern lynchings it is an ominously dark song that perfectly suited Holiday´s delivery.</div>
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3107993912" name="gsSong3107993912" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=31079939&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=31079939&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Billie%20Holiday%20Strange%20Fruit" title="Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday on Grooveshark">Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object></div>
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Her star continued to ascend in the 1940's with a number of instantly recognisable hits. However her life was taking the opposite turn. She had frequent run-ins with the law and her drug habit was spiralling out of control. As was her voice. Some find her last recordings to be remarkably inferior to her earlier work. Others can find a lot of soul and heartfelt emotion in her scratchy delivery. Her final album <i>Lady In Satin, </i>released in 1957,<i> </i>divides such opinon and is a controversial work. </div>
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One of her most famous appearances was in the CBS special <i>The Sound Of Jazz </i>from 1957. Here is a simply stunning performance of <i>Fine And Mellow </i>with accompaniment from none other than Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster; Gerry Mulligan, Vic Dickenson, Roy Eldridge and of course Lester Young. (Lester is the one sitting during this performance but he stands to give his solo. The way that Holiday looks at him would melt the the stoniest of hearts. All the more poignant as both were to pass away within two years of the recording.)</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/SThGnrorGW8" width="420"></iframe></div>
Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-38709338403087591342014-03-31T01:42:00.000+09:002014-03-31T04:06:14.664+09:00Charlie Christian<i>"Who the hell wants to hear an electric guitar player?"</i><br />
Benny Goodman<br />
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This quote came from the 1930´s when John Hammond suggested to Goodman that he give an audition to Charlie Christian. It´s a stark reminder that the instrument, which was to become synonomous with popular music in the latter half of the twentieth century, was held in such little regard by the man who defined popular music in the 1930´s having been dubbed "The King Of Swing". Yet Christian auditioned successfully and became an integral part of Goodman´s orchestra. In time, he was to be crowned one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time.<br />
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<img 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" /><br />
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The first time I listened to Charlie Christian was when I was about 14 years old. Having been a huge fan of Chuck Berry my interest was piqued when he was asked about his musical influences. He proceeded to name check T-Bone Walker and Charlie Christian. As I was primarily interested in learning rock and blues I ate up T-Bone´s music and licks voraciously (forgive the pun). Charlie Christian was a tougher nut to crack though. I managed to get my hands on the album "The Genius Of The Electric Guitar" from my local library. I´ll be honest and say that my 14 year old self was a little disappointed. The majority of the tracks were three minute songs from the Benny Goodman Sextet recordings in which Christian was given a limited time to show his abilities. Too many clarinets and trumpets for me at that time!<br />
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Now older and perhaps a little wiser I can approach Charlie Christian´s music within a broader context. He was a pivotal figure in the world of jazz being one of the musicians who straddled the two worlds of swing and bebop. By day he was recording with Benny Goodman and established swing artists like Cootie Williams and Lionel Hampton. By night he immersed himself in the world of after-hours jam sessions in Harlem at places like Minton´s Playhouse. He wasn´t the first jazz guitarist to play the electric guitar but, being heavily influenced by the sound of Lester Young´s saxophone, he was the first to give it its distinctive voice that was to prevail in practically every jazz record that employed a guitar for the next thirty years.<br />
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All of this is even more remarkable when you consider the brevity of his career. He was born in Texas in 1916 and by the early thirties he was establishing a name for himself on the Oklahoma circuit (even striking up a friendship with previously mentioned T-Bone Walker). He acquired his first electric guitar around 1937 (a Gibson ES-150) and came to the notice of producer and promoter, John Hammond, who also happened to be Benny Goodman´s brother-in-law. After a nervy audition Christian´s star soared over the next couple of years.<br />
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Check out <i>Solo Flight </i>as an example of Christian´s work with Goodman. He wanted his guitar to sound more like a horn, hence the reason that he doesn´t really sound like Django Reinhardt or Eddie Lang, more like his hero Lester Young.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong2323913521" name="gsSong2323913521" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=23239135&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=23239135&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Charlie%20Christian%20Solo%20Flight" title="Solo Flight by Charlie Christian on Grooveshark">Solo Flight by Charlie Christian on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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But as the world was hurtling toward its second global conflict, jazz was to experience an important musical schism. Christian was part of a group of musicians that were experimenting with a looser more dynamic style that was to become bebop. There are some great recordings that demonstrate this dating back as far as 1939 when he was touring with Goodman (<i>Blues In B </i>and <i>Waiting For Benny </i>are great examples). Yet it is the amateur recordings made when Christian was jamming at the after-hours clubs in Harlem that really show the direction of the music. Jerry Newman, a student from Columbia University and a Benny Goodman nut, managed to bring a recorder into Minton´s Playhouse in 1941 and captured a free wheeling Charlie Christian in full flow. <i>Topsy </i>was one of the results. (Check out Kenny Clarke´s sublime bebop drumming as well)<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3792215126" name="gsSong3792215126" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=37922151&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=37922151&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Charlie%20Christian%20Swing%20To%20Bop%20(Topsy)" title="Swing To Bop (Topsy) by Charlie Christian on Grooveshark">Swing To Bop (Topsy) by Charlie Christian on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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Yet less than one year later Charlie would sadly have succumbed to tuberculosis. The musical baton was to be picked up by the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker. Any guitar player to emerge post 1941 would be influenced by him. This also included guitarists outside of the jazz sphere including BB King, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix and beyond.<br />
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<br />Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-48862526705849896372014-01-26T22:12:00.000+09:002014-01-26T22:12:52.040+09:00Django Reinhardt<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span>"By far the most astonishing guitar player ever has got to be Django Reinhardt. I'm sort of a newcomer to his work, although I was always aware of him. Django was quite superhuman. There's nothing normal about him, as a person or a player." </i>Jeff Beck</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">There comes a time when every learner of the guitar makes a decision, consciously or not, to continue to pursue an interest in the instrument or put it down. The former will push themselves to learn more chords and will endeavour to learn some basic lead licks. My interest, like I am sure of many other guitarists, also led me to buy guitar magazines and to receive some nice hardback books as Christmas presents. Any of these books that chronicled the history of the guitar or its major players would include all the usual suspects. The early chapters would inevitably feature two of the early pioneers of lead guitar - Charlie Christian and Django Reinhardt. As a young teenager fairly uninterested in jazz I probably would have skipped these over and focused on the biographies and discographies of my early guitar heroes who were all famous post 1956 rock n roll. Therefore like Jeff Beck and I´m sure many others, I was always aware of Django Reinhardt. Yet it is only now that I am sitting down and really listening to his music with a taste for the jazz and social history that surrounds this fascinating character. I guess I´m a sort of a newcomer as well. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.479999542236328px;">Django was the first big European jazz star. He was born in a gypsy caravan in Belgium but spent most of his life living in France hence some confusion as to his nationality. He began as a banjo player and was beginning to earn a name for himself in the mid to late 1920´s. The turning point in his life occurred in 1928 when he became very badly injured in a fire at his caravan home. His injuries were severe enough for one doctor to suggest amputating a leg. Thankfully Reinhardt refused. His recuperation proved to be long and many thought that the injuries received to his left hand would mean the end of his musical career. A bedridden Django would eventually develop a new technique that involved him predominantly using his first and middle fingers only.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTEtHRU_bob3p8BckiDsCLCklbQBXzWQyfzMPmnM-8ZgVc2QrGQ5xrsAXvI" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In the early 30´s he met Stéphane Grapelli and the two would go on to form the Quintette du Hot Club de France, named after the organisation that promoted jazz in France. Their music was clearly influenced by that of Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti yet Django´s musicianship takes the music to the next logical step especially given the influence that swing music was having on the world by 1935. The early recordings by the group are astounding. Any track would exemplify Django´s sound but for me <i>Dinah </i>is a particular favourite. The trills and runs are mindblowing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong2939043969" name="gsSong2939043969" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=29390439&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=29390439&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Django%20Reinhardt%20Dinah" title="Dinah by Django Reinhardt on Grooveshark">Dinah by Django Reinhardt on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Check out the stop-time fills and Van Halen-esque alternate picking in this version of Tiger Rag. (Django was basically the original shredder!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong2525659788" name="gsSong2525659788" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25256597&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25256597&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Django%20Reinhardt%20Tiger%20Rag" title="Tiger Rag by Django Reinhardt on Grooveshark">Tiger Rag by Django Reinhardt on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He was in England when war was declared on Nazi Germany. Yet while Grappelli opted to remain Django, somewhat inexplicably and without warning, returned to Paris. Despite the Nazi´s public aversion to jazz and attitude to the gypsy populace, Django continued to play and to develop his style. After the war he embarked on a tour of the United States as a special guest soloist with The Duke Ellington Orchestra. He was a massive hit with the audiences but his lack of ability to communicate in English and his undoubted restlessness saw him back in France in 1947. He experimented with electric guitar and continued to record right up to his untimely death in 1953. His dalliances with the electric guitar and bebop influences have somewhat divided opinion, perhaps a precursor to what would happen to Bob Dylan twenty years later. Personally I can find no fault with any of Django´s later recordings. As is often the case of artists who refuse to sit still artistically he fell foul of those who did not want him to change. For me a track like <i>Fleche D'or</i> from 1952 blows the naysayers out of the water. It's so far ahead of its time and Django sounds great. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong31781439100" name="gsSong31781439100" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=31781439&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=31781439&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Django%20Reinhardt%20Fleche%20d'Or" title="Fleche d'Or by Django Reinhardt on Grooveshark">Fleche d'Or by Django Reinhardt on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object></span><br />
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<br />Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-57556506524229611052013-09-16T03:14:00.001+09:002013-09-16T03:14:16.718+09:00Harry "Sweets" Edison<i>"I don't know why I'm named Sweets. Lester Young gave me that name. I don't know why I deserve the name. No-one knows but him" </i>Harry "Sweets" Edison.<br />
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<img src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR8BPr5jIIPW5KCTaow6Ol0Zyv0T-MVwY_zPnbYj9fKnk5hHEVvHQ" /><br />
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Whether Lester Young gave Harry Edison his moniker, possibly as a recognition of his disposition or the tone that he produced from his trumpet, the name is perfectly apt. Edison was by all accounts a man with a wry personality and a compendiary wit. The unique and identifiable sound that he got from his trumpet was in many ways a reflection of this personality. His playing was dictated by the maxim of, "It's not how many notes you play, it's how many you leave out."<br />
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Edison was an alumnus of the Count Basie Orchestra at its peak. He played with the band from 1938 to 1950 and was a disciple of the sound that was to be known as "Basie Economy". Like the leader of the band, he didn't need to play ten notes when one would suffice. Sweets had a very distinct, bluesy sound that other trumpeters would try and ultimately fail to imitate. His signature was a bluesy submachine gun-esque da dee da da da da da dee da. Yet being part of the Basie setup he understood the importance of how a jazz record had to swing. A fine example would be the song "Sweets" performed by the Basie Orchestra in 1949. Check out the interplay between Basie and Edison. (The fine tenor solo is provided by George Auld.)<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong2585492165" name="gsSong2585492165" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25854921&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=25854921&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Count%20Basie%20%26%20His%20Orchestra%20Sweets" title="Sweets by Count Basie & His Orchestra on Grooveshark">Sweets by Count Basie & His Orchestra on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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After Basie broke up the orchestra in 1950 Edison relocated to the west coast and pretty much for the rest of his career became one of the most sought after session trumpeters in music. If you've ever heard a classic Frank Sinatra song from the mid 50's then you will have heard Sweets Edison. He worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Nat King Cole and the aforementioned Sinatra to name a few. He knew how to accompany a vocalist in a tasteful, restrained manner, yet his muted sound added an unmistakeable signature to the song. Check out Billie Holiday's "What A Little Moonlight Can Do<i>" </i>as case in point.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3555925252" name="gsSong3555925252" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35559252&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35559252&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Billie%20Holiday%20What%20a%20Little%20Moonlight%20Can%20Do" title="What a Little Moonlight Can Do by Billie Holiday on Grooveshark">What a Little Moonlight Can Do by Billie Holiday on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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I think Miles Davis summed it up perfectly when he said, "Music is about style. Like if I were to play with Frank Sinatra, I would play the way he sings., or do something complementary to the way he sings. But I wouldn't go and play with Frank Sinatra at breakneck speed... So, the way you play behind a singer is like the way Harry "Sweets" Edison did with Frank. When Frank stopped singing, then Harry played. A little before and a little afterwards, but not over him; you never play over a singer. You play between"<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3558027515" name="gsSong3558027515" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35580275&style=water&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35580275&style=water&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Frank%20Sinatra%20It%20Happened%20in%20Monterey" title="It Happened in Monterey by Frank Sinatra on Grooveshark">It Happened in Monterey by Frank Sinatra on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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It has been such a joy in listening to the solo albums that Sweets made in the late 50's to early 60's. In my view his stripped down, sparse style can be compared in artistic terms with the works of Hemingway or Monet. He collaborated with a lot of big names in jazz and produced some fantastic albums. Whether it was swinging out, playing the blues or laying down a smoky ballad, Sweets could do it with aplomb. Here's <i>Embraceable You </i>from an album that he made with Ben Webster in 1962.<br />
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<br />Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-46530685999490723162013-06-08T18:30:00.000+09:002013-06-08T18:30:54.961+09:00Art Tatum<i><b>"First you speak of Art Tatum, then you take a long deep breath, and you speak of the other pianists"</b></i><br />
<i><b>Dizzy Gillespie</b></i><br />
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I could very easily have titled this post "The Case For Art Tatum". He was and remains quite a divisive figure in jazz. There is absolutely no doubting the man's talent when it came to putting fingers onto piano keys. His technique was absolutely sublime and would stop people in their tracks, especially back in the 1930's when he burst on to the scene. Check out <i>Tea For Two</i> his first solo recording from 1932, which remains his most famous track.<br />
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I don't think one key on the piano remained untouched! It's also astounding to think that Tatum was almost blind from an early age as well. He was a child prodigy and later was heavily influenced by the popular stride pianists of the 20's including Fats Waller and James P Johnson. It was however the intricate playing of Earl Hines that appeared to have the most effect on him. He preferred to play solo rather than with a band and he was one of the pioneers of early piano jazz soloing that would be exploited more fully by the bebop players in the 40's.<br />
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He pretty much scared the bejeesus out of anyone who considered themselves to be a piano player back in the 1930's. After hearing Tatum for the first time Les Paul(!) claimed that "I quit playing the piano right then and there and went to the guitar." Even Fats Waller, who was no slouch, is reported to have said when Tatum showed up at one of his shows, "I only play the piano, but tonight God is in the house". Pianist Teddy Wilson put it very nicely when he said, "Put a piano in a room, just a bare piano. Then you get all the finest jazz pianists in the world and let them play in the presence of Art Tatum. Then let Art play. Everyone there will sound like an amateur."<br />
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Have a look at this short video of Clint Eastwood chatting with Ray Charles about their mutual respect for Art Tatum. There is some fantastic (and quite rare) footage of Tatum himself in the clip.<br />
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He was quite the antithesis of a player like Count Basie who liked to play sparse notes and preferred the rhythm section to take care of the bass lines. And herein lies the problem with Art Tatum. He never played one note when he could play ten for which he received criticism. Les Paul, although a fan of Tatum, pinpointed the problem by saying that Tatum's musical ability put him at odds with the general listener. "The more talented (a player) is, the thinner the air gets. When you have that ability it's hard to restrict yourself to playing something as stupid as the melody!"<br />
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From my point of view I can see both sides and I would compare Tatum in guitar terms with someone like Yngwie Malmsteen. Their technique is beyond question. Yet listening to both of them for any length of time can be tiresome. Luckily Tatum did make some really fantastic recordings towards the end of his career in a band setting with superb musicians who were able to keep up with and in some ways reign him back into the songs he was playing. I'll sign off with this great track that he did in collaboration with Benny Carter on alto sax and Louis Bellson on drums. Called <i>Blues In C </i>the song really shows how he could combine his pyrotechnics with a wonderful bluesy after hours feel.<br />
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<br />Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-15776469597718108112013-02-18T03:23:00.000+09:002013-02-18T03:23:01.128+09:00Earl "Fatha" HinesIf the only song that Earl Hines recorded with Louis Armstrong was "West End Blues" then his place in the history of jazz would undoubtedly have been cemented. As it was, his remarkable career spanned from the 1920's into the early 1980's. He has been described as "the first modern jazz pianist" and he was to have a huge influence over the players that followed him including the likes of Teddy Wilson, Jay McShann and Count Basie.<br />
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<img src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQTbz0SiiPMRZkDDD3OmB23DALeNjkgl8L8g-HfgYTas-_qCFWQw" /><br />
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In the 1920's, stride piano attempted to break away from the stultifying nature of ragtime and was very much to the fore during the Harlem Renaissance scene. One of the biggest hits of the period was "The Charleston", written by stride pianist James P Johnson. Stride piano employed a very "busy" style of play, using a left hand that was required to emulate bass and percussion. Hines was one of the first to break away from this by incorporating more complex accents and beats. He was pretty much doing on the piano what Louis Armstrong was doing with the trumpet in the mid 20's.<br />
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The two met in the Musicians Union Hall in Chicago in 1926 and they immediately recognised each others talents. Hines was to replace Lil Hardin Armstrong in the Hot Five and in 1928 they made recording musical history when they recorded "West End Blues". Other numbers recorded at that time included "Beau Koo Jack", "Muggles" and "Tight Like That", pretty much setting the standard for aspiring jazz musicians of the time and beyond. The song "Weather Bird" is a must listen-to. With free wheeling, innovative improvisation and the highest musicianship this is one of the most important musical cuts of the early 20th century in my opinion.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3071188897" name="gsSong3071188897" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=30711888&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=30711888&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Louis%20Armstrong%20Weather%20Bird%20(Rag)" title="Weather Bird (Rag) by Louis Armstrong on Grooveshark">Weather Bird (Rag) by Louis Armstrong on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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Hines held court in the Grand Terrace Cafe in Chicago well into the late 1930's. One of the proprietors of this establishment was none other than Al Capone whose career advice to Hines was "be like the 3 monkeys: you hear nothing, see nothing and say nothing". It was from here that he made his coast to coast radio broadcasts hitting the ears of Nat King Cole and Art Tatum.<br />
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A consummate professional (hence the nickname), he was also unafraid to push himself musically. His song "Cavernism" predates the height of the Swing Era by a couple of years although it sounds decidedly post-Goodman. He also gave Charlie Parker his first professional break and worked with Dizzy Gillespie in the early bebop years (unfortunately unrecorded).<br />
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He enjoyed something of a purple patch late in his career. He recorded well over 100 albums in the 60's and 70's including some highly acclaimed solo recordings. New Yorker magazine dubbed him "a whole orchestra by himself".<br />
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To finish up check out Hines playing with one of my favourite artists and guitarists, Ry Cooder, performing the superb "Ditty Wah Ditty" from Cooder's solo album <i>Paradise and Lunch. </i><br />
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<i><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong2315944556" name="gsSong2315944556" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=23159445&style=water&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=23159445&style=water&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Ry%20Cooder%20Ditty%20Wah%20Ditty" title="Ditty Wah Ditty by Ry Cooder on Grooveshark">Ditty Wah Ditty by Ry Cooder on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object></i><br />
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<br />Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-83653196851052506602013-01-20T04:17:00.000+09:002013-01-25T07:03:55.746+09:00Artie ShawI first heard clarinetist Artie Shaw when I was looking into the career of Benny Goodman a year or so ago. I more or less dismissed the music and (with complete irrational snobbery) decided to not include him in the blog. I felt the music came across as too smooth without any jazz sensibility with the exception of his recording of <i>Stardust. </i>I could not have been more wrong. Artie Shaw was a consummate musician with a very colouful career and life and to not at least tip my worthless jazz hat in his direction would be to render the intention of this blog meaningless.<br />
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<img src="https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQo6xLYI3VQttJhsCtcmyaAnwt4nB1Zj8ydiW5JA7p1c3DJLG1e" /><br />
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I've been playing a greatest hits of Artie Shaw quite a lot recently. It's impossible not to when the first two songs on the collection are <i>Begin The Beguine</i> and the aforementioned <i>Stardust. </i>The former is just one of those songs that you recognise but you don't know exactly where from. The song was an absolutely massive hit when released in 1938. Shaw himself attributes it to the fact that it was a complex and challenging song but one that contained a very strong melody that was in contrast to the popular Basie style riff arrangements that were popular at the time.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3147425689" name="gsSong3147425689" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=31474256&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=31474256&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Artie%20Shaw%20%26%20His%20Orchestra%20Begin%20the%20Beguine" title="Begin the Beguine by Artie Shaw & His Orchestra on Grooveshark">Begin the Beguine by Artie Shaw & His Orchestra on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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What sets Artie Shaw apart from his contemporaries was his complete contempt of public life and the music industry. In his short musical career he led more than ten orchestras and disbanded them all within months (it seems that he threw in the towel more times than Little Richard!). Yet he always managed to strike gold on his comebacks working with such talents as Billie Holiday, Hot Lips Page and Roy Eldridge. Check out <i>Stardust</i> with its utterly sublime trumpet solo from Billy Butterfield on trumpet and Jack Jenney on trombone recorded in 1940. (Shaw himself hits some great high notes on this track as well).<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3595064427" name="gsSong3595064427" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35950644&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=grooveshark.com&songID=35950644&style=metal&p=0" /><span><a href="http://grooveshark.com/search/song?q=Artie%20Shaw%20Stardust" title="Stardust by Artie Shaw on Grooveshark">Stardust by Artie Shaw on Grooveshark</a></span></object></object><br />
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He served in World War II in the Pacific theatre and earned a medical discharge due to almost losing his hearing after a Japanese bomb attack on his unit. His return to music in the late 40's saw him produce some of the more innovative and inventive music of his career. He tried his hand at classical clarinet and even took a liking to bebop. (<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"</span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The first time I heard Charlie Parker, I thought "Very interesting." He was doing some things chordally, that hadn't been done before. I came from the same people.</i>") Yet, like for most of the swing era guys who tried to break into this new scene, it was to prove a commercial flop. </span></span><br />
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Shaw's legacy was his striving quest for perfection. After achieving all he felt that he could from his music he put down the clarinet for the final time in 1954 at the age of 44 - staggering considering that he lived until his mid 90s. He spent the remainder of his life focusing on his other love - literature - and wrote a number of works including a biography entitled "The Trouble With Cinderella". The book was surprising in that it hardly mentions his eight marriages including those with such stars as Lana Turner and Ava Gardner. I suppose it has something in common with this blog post then!<br />
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<br />Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-21217368615035826082012-10-01T02:40:00.000+09:002012-10-01T02:45:18.775+09:00Hot Lips PageOne of the tracks that blew me away when recently listening to an album by Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra for the<a href="http://cannonball76library.blogspot.com.es/2012/09/12-bennie-motens-kansas-city-orchestra.html" target="_blank"> jazz library</a> was "Lafayette". The reason? The absolutely scorching trumpet solo from Oran "Hot Lips" Page. Before we continue, please have a listen.<br />
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<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" height="40" id="gsSong3169088698" name="gsSong3169088698" width="250"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" /><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=31690886&style=metal&p=0" /><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=31690886&style=metal&p=0" /><span>Lafayette by <a href="http://grooveshark.com/artist/Bennie+Moten+s+Kansas+City+Orchestra/32805" title="Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra">Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra</a> on Grooveshark</span></object></object><br />
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Early Basie, no? Perhaps a little more up tempo than the classic Basie riff sound that was to dominate jazz five years later. Some ingredients for a classic pre-swing jazz track are included in this track. An opening tenor sax solo from one of the legends of the instrument, Ben Webster; jazz bass innovator Walter Page and Count Basie himself on the piano. However, for me, the outstanding moment is Hot Lips Page's blistering solo. Such was his talent that he opted to leave the Basie band right before they were to make it big in 1936. He had decided to try for a solo career under the guidance of Louis Armstrong's manager, Joe Gleason. The fact that you may not have heard of Hot Lips Page but you know undoubtedly who Louis Armstrong is, is an indication of where Hot Lips Page's career sadly went. </div>
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Oran Thaddeus "Hot Lips" Page was born in 1908 in Dallas Texas. His early musical career saw him move around the States quite a bit. Before the age of 20 he had already provided backing for such blues legends as Ma Rainey, Ida Cox and Bessie Smith. His grounding in the blues was to remain with him for the remainder of his career and provided a very important element to his jazz improvisation. In fact a lot of Page's recordings that I have listened to recently are pure out and out blues. Not surprisingly then he is regarded as an innovative force in early R 'n' B. Yet he was also involved in many musical events that were to shape the direction of jazz from the early 30's onward. </div>
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He was a member of the hugely important band The Blue Devils in the late 1920's which was eventually to become <a href="http://cannonball76.blogspot.com.es/2010/08/if-you-want-to-see-some-sin-forget.html" target="_blank">Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra</a>. He was prominently featured in a legendary recording session that took place in New Jersey in December 1932. Some of the tracks that were recorded that day included <i>Moten Swing</i> and the above mentioned <i>Lafayette</i>. This was the music that was to pave the way for the Swing era that dominated jazz in the 1930's. After opting to go solo, Page had modest success fronting his own orchestra in the latter part of the decade. As well as a superb trumpeter he was also a formidable vocalist very much in the style of Louis Armstrong. </div>
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Page was never to achieve much success as an orchestra leader. Yet as a sideman he made some fantastic tracks in the 1940's. His travels across the country were to see him work and record with Artie Shaw, Ben Webster and Sidney Bechet, to name a few. He performed in Carnegie Hall in 1942 with Fats Waller, although sadly only one track of the concerts has survived. Page also pushed himself musically and was unafraid to experiment as evidenced by his attendance and participation at the 1942 jam sessions various Harlem nightclubs. These sessions involved many of the artists that would make bebop the next driving force of jazz. </div>
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<i>Hot Lips Page & Sidney Bechet (New York 1947)</i></div>
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I have really enjoyed researching and listening to the music of Hot Lips Page. It is really hard to pin his musical style down and to put a label onto his work as a whole. Riff style jazz, smooth orchestra, small combo stuff, pop, novelty songs, duets, out and out blues - he covered a lot of bases and it would be unfair to characterise him solely as a blues singer or a jazz trumpeter. His body of work speaks for itself. So too perhaps do his last known recordings which were of a raucous live show that included the tracks <i>St Louis Blues, Sheik of Araby, On The Sunny Side Of The Street </i>and a fantastic <i>St James Infirmary. </i>Unfortunately after much trawling of the internet I cannot find any versions to embed here. They are on the Chronological Classics album 1950 - 1953 and are well worth seeking out. Traditional good time jazz at its best performed by one of the greats who deserves way more recognition. </div>
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Here's another earlier cracking version of <i>St James Infirmary</i> that Page recorded in 1947. </div>
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Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-32714318889874939782012-04-25T22:53:00.000+09:002012-04-25T22:54:57.466+09:00Roy Eldridge<div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"><i>"Every time he's on he does the best he can, no matter what the conditions are. And Roy is so intense about everything, so that it's far more important to him to dare, to try to achieve a particular peak, even if he falls on his ass in the attempt, than it is to play safe. That's what jazz is all about." </i>Norman Granz</span></div>
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While researching the life and music of Lester Young, one of the names that kept popping up was Roy Eldridge. What I knew of him was the (perhaps somewhat cliched) line that he was the musical link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. Such simplifications seem to be rife in jazz history as historians try to create links between the different genres. This is certainly true in my opinion of Roy Eldridge.<br />
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Known to his peers as "Little Jazz" due to his short stature, Eldridge was to be one of the most important trumpet players in jazz in a career that spanned five decades. I first heard him on the aforementioned Lester Young recordings that were made for the Verve label in the mid-late1950's. His range was spectacular and his tone was a little raspy - yet his riffs were never tasteless. He was steeped in the swing tradition, as was Young, but his style continued to evolve so that he was never outdated by the sweeping changes that occurred in the music with the advent of bebop and beyond. </div>
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Eldridge's trumpet playing is odd in that he was a musician who was not directly influenced by Louis Armstrong. This probably set him apart as he gained popularity playing with various swing outfits in the 1930's. Stylistically Eldridge himself stated that he was far more influenced by sax players than by trumpet players. It is argued that as Armstrong's playing became more predictable and less players were adapting to the decline of swing, Eldridge was probably the top trumpet player to come out of the 30's into the bebop 40s. His big breakthrough came with his association with Benny Goodman alumnus, drummer Gene Krupa, with whom he was to make many remarkable recordings in the early 40s. </div>
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One such recording was "Rocking Chair", a fantastic example of Eldridge's chops, recorded in July 1941. Stylistically the song really is a connect the dots in terms of jazz lineage - a "sweet" horn section makes the song flow while the swing beat is held up by Krupa on the brushes (a sound which I personally have evolved a real like for since hearing Buddy Rich on "The Lester Young Trio" album). Eldridge goes through the entire register of the trumpet and hits some dizzying high notes - all without losing an ounce of soul that the song calls for. Apparently Eldridge was "blind drunk" during this recording. After sobering up he begged Krupa never to release it. Two months later his pal Ben Webster played the song back to him. Eldridge remarked, "Who's that? It's not Louis, it's not Diz." It blew his mind after he discovered it was actually him on the record. Check it out:</div>
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<span>Rockin' Chair by <a href="http://grooveshark.com/artist/Roy+Eldridge+With+The+Gene+Krupa+Orchestra/935841" title="Roy Eldridge with the Gene Krupa Orchestra">Roy Eldridge with the Gene Krupa Orchestra</a> on Grooveshark</span></object></object></div>
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There is probably something in the theory that he was the musical link between Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. His style was innovative - he could play extremely fast - and Gillespie stated that "he was the messiah of our time." The song "Heckler's Hop" for example was to prove influential in directing Gillespie's style. Recorded in the late 30's with a small combo the song is fast and edgy. It's not hard to see how a song like this would have influenced many of the bebop players searching for a new musical direction in the early 40s. </div>
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<span>Heckler's Hop by <a href="http://grooveshark.com/artist/Roy+Eldridge/182551" title="Roy Eldridge">Roy Eldridge</a> on Grooveshark</span></object></object></div>
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He toured with many big names throughout the 40's, including a stint leading his own band. He emerged from a crisis of confidence after a successful stop in Paris in the early 1950's and it was around this time that he teamed up with Granz and the Verve label. He was prolific for the remainder of the decade. Health issues slowed him down later in his career. He became the leader of a house band in Manhattan during the 1970s and recorded sporadically. His final recording was the majestic "Montreaux 1977", a fitting album to close a long illustrious career. </div>
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</div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-53574523826538052782012-02-19T05:38:00.005+09:002012-02-19T08:54:55.805+09:00Lester Young. Part 2<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><i>"Anyone who doesn't play by Lester is just wrong!" </i>(Brew Moore)</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="font-size: 100%; font-family: Georgia, serif; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%; ">If you listen to the first track Lester Young ever recorded, "Shoe Shine Boy" (1936), and contrast this with the final track twenty some years later, "Tea For Two" (1959), the differences are stark. The former demonstrates Young's innovative, airy tone. The latter seems a little disjointed and breathy. Unsurprising, as he was a very sick man at this time and, even though he was only 49, he had lived a life twice over. Many think the turning point in his life was due to the hard times he suffered when he was drafted into the military. The regular army was no place for a creative soul like Lester Young. He was court-martialed for possession of marijuana and alcohol. His one year army career was spent in the detention barracks in Alabama followed by a dishonourable discharge. It's an easy tack to take - genius before the army, burnt out after the army. I don't believe such a simplistic view deserves any credit. True artists evolve and Lester Young was a true artist. His experiences only added another colour to his palette. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div><span>Here is a great recording of an NPR interview with Lester's biographer Douglas Daniels. He gives an extremely eloquent critique of his time in the army and the effect on his playing. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><embed src="http://www.npr.org/v2/?i=4246081&m=4246082&t=audio" height="386" wmode="opaque" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" base="http://www.npr.org" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 100%; ">I personally have found the recordings he made since December 1945 to be some of the finest I have listened to since embarking on this project. Some of my personal favourites have included the recordings he made with Nat King Cole and Buddy Rich (known as the Lester Young Trio). Check out the superb interaction between the three on "I've Found A New Baby". The song demonstrates the swing tradition that they came from but is at the same time extremely innovative. </span></div><div style="font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><span><br /></span></div><div><object width="250" height="40" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="gsSong2969087191" name="gsSong2969087191"><span><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=29690871&style=water&p=0"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=29690871&style=water&p=0"><span>I've Found a New Baby by <a href="http://grooveshark.com/artist/Lester+Young/37619" title="Lester Young">Lester Young</a> on Grooveshark</span></object></span></object></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Lester continued to make superb recordings throughout the rest of the 40's and 50's for the Verve label under the watchful eye of producer Norman Granz. These recordings produced superb collaborations with the likes of Oscar Peterson, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Roy Eldridge and Teddy Wilson to name but a few. His lifestyle would ultimately restrict his technique but I refute any charge that he didn't play anything but from the heart. </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><img src="https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRv6a-i_hCJeCBBW0vLo9qchul90FbN0ItZSLpJ5B5hycXfIok5" /> </span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span>Lester was interviewed on tape towards the end of his life by a young French jazz enthusiast named Francois Postif. These rare recordings show Young reminiscing on his career and offer insight into his opinions on the world of jazz up to that time. One quote remains telling: <i>"I don't like a lot of noise - trumpets and trombones. I'm looking for something soft. It's got to be sweetness man, you dig?"</i></span></div><div><i><span><br /></span></i></div><div><span>To finish up here is one of the few videos of Lester playing "Mean To Me" (with Willie "The Lion" Smith on piano). The song begins in quite a pedestrian manner until Lester instructs the drummer to add "a little tinky boom, ya dig"! Great stuff. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9wvAjA-ovhs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-70195555697507693322011-11-14T02:32:00.007+09:002011-11-27T20:56:52.350+09:00Lester Young. Part 1<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><i><span class="Apple-style-span">The other night Benny Goodman, Basie, Lester Young, Jo Jones, Buck Clayton and Harry James got together in a small Harlem joint and jammed from two-fifteen to six in the morning. The music was something tremendous, for everyone distinguished himself. But one conclusion was inescapable: that Lester Young was not only the star of the evening but without doubt the greatest tenor player in the country. In fact I’ll stick my neck out even further: he is the most original and inventive saxophonist I have ever heard</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11px; ">. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', Lucida, sans-serif; ">(John Hammond)</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div>If you think of the quintessential jazz photograph from the late 1930's - 40's, it's likely that you'll picture a small night club, curling cigarette smoke and a saxophone. Lester Young, who along with Coleman Hawkins was the most influential swing tenor sax player of his time, would probably be in that picture. He was the first jazz hipster - he wore a pork pie hat, held his sax at a 45 degree angle and coined the phrase, "cool". He was known as the President of Jazz, or simply "Pres". Yet he had the substance to back up the style. </div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQV9RJFYTOHN-zisCV2YjuUM9B0W_nyJ7Tz_JfdLM_oNWHVsXgs2Q" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Coleman Hawkins wrote the book on how to play the tenor sax. He was renowned for his gruff, aggressive tone and for his unorthodox approach to manipulating the harmony of a song. Most of the tenor sax players of the time attempted in some way to emulate him. Yet Lester Young did not. Young began playing on a c-note sax, a popular instrument in the 1920's made popular by Frankie Trumbauer. The register is somewhere in between the tenor and the alto. When Lester changed over to the tenor he tended to play the instrument a little higher than normal. His sound is deceptively simple for that but his playing was extremely profound. His style was more relaxed as he tended to float around the notes with a great sense of rhythm. </div><div><br /></div><div>He was born in 1909 in Mississippi but spend most of his youth in and around New Orleans. He cut his teeth playing with the territory bands in Oklahoma before ending up in jazz scene of Kansas City in the early 1930's. He ultimately ended up in the original Count Basie Orchestra and was making his first recordings in 1936. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Shoe Shine Boy</b></div>His first recording with a small group and right from the off he demonstrates a completely different tone from his contemporaries, Hawkins Webster and Chu Berry Light and airy played with adventure and abandon. Lester always preferred the small ensemble setting. This tune also perfectly showcases the innovative rhythm displayed by Jo Jones and Walter Page.<div><br /></div><div><object width="250" height="40" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="gsSong281166646" name="gsSong281166646"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=28116664&style=metal&p=0"><!--[if !IE]>--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=28116664&style=metal&p=0"><span>Jones-Smith Inc by <a href="http://grooveshark.com/artist/Shoe+Shine+Boy/1664819" title="Shoe Shine Boy">Shoe Shine Boy</a> on Grooveshark</span></object><!--<![endif]--></object><br /><div><div><br /></div><div><b>Roseland Shuffle</b></div><div>A superb high tempo showcase for Lester Young and Count Basie on the piano. The back and forth between the two is awesome. This is also a perfect example of riff style swing popularised by the Count Basie Orchestra. This was recorded in 1937</div><div><br /></div><div><object width="250" height="40" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="gsSong2520071093" name="gsSong2520071093"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=25200710&style=metal&p=0"><!--[if !IE]>--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=25200710&style=metal&p=0"><span>Roseland Shuffle by <a href="http://grooveshark.com/artist/Count+Basie/15219" title="Count Basie">Count Basie</a> on Grooveshark</span></object><!--<![endif]--></object></div><div><br /></div><div>Young would continue to make some great small group recordings in the late 30's and early 40's. (His work with Billie Holiday was a particular highlight and something I will tackle in a separate post.) </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Lester Leaps In</b></div><div>An uptempo number from 1939 that would prove to be a big inspiration to those who emulated Lester Young's technique. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><object width="250" height="40" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="gsSong350134724" name="gsSong350134724"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=3501347&style=metal&p=0"><!--[if !IE]>--><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" width="250" height="40"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=3501347&style=metal&p=0"><span>Lester Leaps In by <a href="http://grooveshark.com/artist/Various+Artists/55" title="Various Artists">Various Artists</a> on Grooveshark</span></object><!--<![endif]--></object></div></div><div><br /></div><div>He left the Basie band in 1940 and was to spend the next few years recording in Los Angeles and New York before being drafted into the army in 1944. This was to prove to be a pivotal moment in his career and his life...</div><div><br /></div></div></div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-90624063529993855752011-10-19T07:21:00.003+09:002011-10-19T20:13:24.872+09:00Chu Berry<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 18px; color: rgb(68, 68, 68); "><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>“He’s one of the fastest, most inventive and creative minds that has ever been in my band. He doesn’t set his choruses, he continually bobbing up with something he hasn’t done before.” Fletcher Henderson</b></span></i></span></span></div><div><br /></div>Leon "Chu" Berry was one of the most prominent tenor saxophone players of the 1930's. His reputation was on a par with those swing sax players that proceeded Coleman Hawkins. Yet he possessed a very different style from Hawkins and he showed no fear in trying to push the instrument further, as jazz evolved from the New Orleans/ Chicago style in the 20's to Swing in the 30's. Berry was even present at some of the early sessions at Minton's Playhouse in New York, the time of early bebop.<div><br /></div><div><img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRj_hlZZZHIdv-Drg6nlRiKdB-rZh45ti4Q_0qnvSw69ZMy6G9_3A" /><br /><div><br /></div><div><div>He began his recording career by playing on one of the last sessions of blues legend, Mamie Smith. This more or less defined his early work, by sitting in on the sessions of Benny Carter, Spike Hughes, Teddy Wilson and Billie Holliday. The bulk of his recordings were with the big bands of Fletcher Henderson and later, Cab Calloway. He was renowned for pushing his fellow band members to new heights as he sought a way of developing his own sound and jazz music itself. </div><div><br /></div><div>His technique was not as growling as Coleman Hawkins or Ben Webster. His sound conveyed a much smoother, mellower tone with a wonderful vibrato. While Webster could display his trademark guttural sound on a high tempo number like Cotton Tail, Berry could also show his chops but with a much softer tone on a song like "Sittin' In". While I'm not saying that one song is better than the other it does prove that this was an extremely versatile instrument and that sax players of this era could express themselves in different ways. This song was from a fantastic session recorded in late 1938 with trumpeter Roy Eldridge. Check it out. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><object width="250" height="40"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=32110047&style=metal&p=0"><embed src="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=32110047&style=metal&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed></object></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br />The session also included Berry and Eldridge's experimental version of Body & Soul. Recorded almost a year before Hawkins' seminal version, it showed that they were not afraid of experimentation.</div><div><br /></div><div>Chu Berry was to sadly die just a few years later at the age of 33. While touring with the Cab Calloway Band he became involved in a fatal car accident. It's a testament to his talent that, although he died so young, the body of work he left was to ensure his place among the greats of swing tenor saxophone and as a jazz pioneer. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-89666559259394492362011-07-27T23:17:00.002+09:002011-10-17T03:09:00.740+09:00Satchmo By Satchmo. The Louis Armstrong TapesTo mark the 110th anniversary of the birth of Louis Armstrong (Aug 4), BBC Radio 2 is commemorating the event with a couple of programmes devoted to the man himself. <div><br /></div><div><img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS11d06XKBIUHIohFGfzeui2ZwYieFM1M94327LEhaOESLPUUay" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Kicking things off tonight is a documentary looking at the private, home made tapes made by Louis himself. The tapes were recorded between 1950 - 1971 and have gone largely unheard by the general public. This is a great chance to delve into the inner thoughts of one of the most important musicians of the 20th century as he ruminates on his career and the people he knew or worked with; from Bessie Smith to Joe "King" Oliver and Jelly Roll Morton (who it seems he has a bone to pick with!)<div><br /></div><div>The man responsible for the documentary is Paul Sexton. <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/8652104/Louis-Armstrongs-audio-diaries-hilarious-reflective-vindictive.html">Here</a> is a piece he wrote in The Telegraph regarding what we are to expect. </div><div><br /></div><div>Also, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b012r9m6">here</a> is a link to BBC Radio 2. The programme begins at 11.00pm BST and will probably be available online for a while after. </div></div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-19789504293388138432011-07-21T02:27:00.002+09:002011-10-17T03:08:12.474+09:00Ben WebsterBen Webster was regarded as one of the "big three" (or four, including Chu Berry, depending on who you talk to) leading tenor saxophone players of the swing era . After 1935, when Coleman Hawkins decided to leave for Europe, Webster, along with Lester Young, were the heirs apparent in filling the vacuum. He was, however, no clone of Hawkins. He was highly regarded as having a completely individual style. He ranged from having a smooth, sensual and lush sound with a heavy vibrato on ballads to a very harsh distinctive growl on more up-tempo numbers (hence his nickname, The Brute). He did however share a common trait with Hawkins in that they both came from Kansas City, which meant that their playing styles always retained an element of the Blues.<div><br /></div><div><img src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSEGdKdjemAbBTQxNGi0c-x1TIoFa8Z_Y8AK9M5wJxoXkCl4Keq" /></div><div><div><br /></div><div>He was on the scene in New York in the the mid 1930's before hooking up with the Duke Ellington Orchestra shortly after WWII broke out. This was an important time for both Webster and Ellington, so much so that the period became known as The Blanton-Webster Band. (<a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=26536">Jimmy Blanton</a> was one of the first jazz bass players to use the instrument for soloing and helped pioneer the "<a href="http://www.ehow.com/video_4955481_pizzicato-acoustic-bass-techniques.html">pizzicato</a>" method of plucking the bass strings). Check out one of the most famous tunes to come out of this time, <i>Cotton Tail</i>, where Webster's aggressive growl comes to the fore. </div><div><br /></div><div><div><object width="250" height="40"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=24186896&style=metal&p=0"><embed src="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=24186896&style=metal&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed></object></div></div><div><br /></div><div>The 50's was a very busy time for Webster as he made a lot of solo albums and found time to collaborate with a lot of great musicians, including Coleman Hawkins, Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum. Here's <i>Time After Time, </i>a song from his 1957 album <i>Ben Webster & Associates. </i>This is a superb example of the sensual tone that he could extract from his tenor sax when it came to playing bluesy ballads. </div><div><br /></div><div><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_lZAE9s6O7A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div>For me the Ben Webster you want to listen to firmly depends on your mood. His most adventurous work in my opinion was in the early days with Duke Ellington's Orchestra. Ellington knew his musicians very well and composed his music with them specifically in mind. In Webster's later work he appears to be more comfortable with the ballads and in developing his unique sound, rather than challenging himself musically. This is not to take away from any of his later work as some of the albums from the late 50's and mid 60's that I have listened to are superb. </div></div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-27071390715873403712011-07-05T01:28:00.003+09:002011-10-17T03:06:53.940+09:00The Cannonball Jazz Library 7: Sidney Bechet.The very early recordings of Sidney Bechet make the next entry to the Cannonball Jazz Library. Essential listening as Bechet was the only early jazz stylist who could hold a candle to the talent of Louis Armstrong. Clicking the album cover will take you to the library. <div><br /></div><div><a href="http://cannonball76library.blogspot.com/2011/07/7-sidney-bechet-young-sidney-bechet.html"><img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ2JHGSSQeT1im-x5-Nlvci20sWgV78Sum4v4maRks9BXzomIEEEw" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a short video on the Bechet's early career. Some of the stuff regarding the arrest in Paris is probably anecdotal at best but it gives a glimpse into his genius.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uNXe1GgstWc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-87855826372228297442011-06-25T00:27:00.002+09:002011-10-17T03:08:00.737+09:00Coleman Hawkins, "Body & Soul" & The Birth Of BebopAnd so to a huge turning point in the history of jazz, essentially the movement away from the big band swing sound to the more sculptural rhythms of bebop. Before going forward I wish to highlight that I have still so much to learn in terms of the major players and the dynamics of the swing jazz era. However the reason for the major step forward at this time is to acknowledge that I have spoken in some posts (the last one being a prime example) about many of the big band musicians making the transition from swing to bebop, yet if I am to be honest I really don't know what bebop really is! Sure, I can tell the sonic difference between Count Basie's One O'Clock Jump and Charlie Parker's Ornithology, yet I never really understood the jazz connection. Like most forms of music, bebop didn't just appear from nowhere. There is a lineage from the very earliest forms of jazz through to this very complex form of music. The music was also born from the social situation of the time. One man who straddled the genres and indeed facilitated the transition was tenor saxophonist, Coleman Hawkins. <div><br /></div><div><img src="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSWY-1G92jRv3NbVkThHecmyaGUumui38mQr2UHJiErmIrgYtOk" /><br /><div><br /></div><div>Jazz = saxophone. A simple equation, yet one not possible without the influence of Coleman Hawkins. From its invention in the 1840's to the early 20th century, the saxophone never really found a proper home. Some early recordings of jazz featured the instrument but in a very vaudevillian, comedic fashion. If they needed the sound of a horse on a record they called in the sax player. Coleman Hawkins was to change all that. His career spanned from the early 20's right through to the 1960's, yet the one thing that was to define him was his constant search for musical innovation. Like all musicians in the 1920's he was heavily (heavily!) influenced by improvisational style of Louis Armstrong, who he had first hand experience playing with in the Fletcher Henderson orchestra. </div><div><br /></div><div>His recordings from the 20's through the whole of the 1930's and 1940's were prodigious (so much so that I have been unable to locate any sort of reliable discography) and over time he developed his own earthy, bluesy sound which was extremely distinctive. He remained with Henderson's orchestra right through to 1934 when he decided upon making a trip to Europe, just as the Swing craze was taking hold of America. He was to remain there for the guts of five years, the highlight probably being the recordings he made with the Quintette du Hot Club de France, featuring Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli and Benny Carter. Upon his return in 1939 he appeared to be very disappointed at the lack of musical progress being made by most of his contemporaries. It was at this time that he recorded Body and Soul, one of the most important three minutes in jazz history.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Body and Soul</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>Body and Soul is pretty much a jazz standard. Written in 1930 it was to eventually become recorded by many, many artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday. Village Voice critic Gary Giddins reckons there are close to 3000+ versions. To understand what Coleman Hawkins did with the tune I recommend listening to an earlier version. Here's Benny Goodman's version with Teddy Wilson on piano and the legendary drummer, Gene Krupa in 1935.</div><div><br /></div><div><object width="250" height="40"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=23604368&style=metal&p=0"><embed src="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=23604368&style=metal&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed></object></div><div><br /></div><div>It's a fantastic rendition of the song with Goodman's clarinet coming across as clean as a whistle. However, they never stray too far from the melody of the original tune. Hawkins' approach was to prove to be both revolutionary and evolutionary. Apart from the opening bars the tune was pure improvisation, his saxophone teasing with the base notes but effortlessly moving around them. </div><div><br /></div><div>Journalist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Friedwald">Will Friedwald</a> explains it beautifully: <i><span class="Apple-style-span">"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">Hawkins and the tune are friendly for about two bars, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">getting along marvelously, before they unexpectedly part company. Hawk may be </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">thinking about the tune here and there, maybe even stealing a glimpse at it, but </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia; ">he never looks straight at it" </span></span></i></div><div><br /></div><div>It was recorded in one take after an all night gig, in October 1939, at a Manhattan bar called <a href="http://nyapril1946.blogspot.com/2010/07/billboard-revisits-kellys-stable.html">Kelly's Stables</a> with no rehearsal and no charts. Taking a swig of cognac he asked Gene Rogers, the pianist to strike up the initial chords..</div><div><br /></div><div><object width="250" height="40"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=31253495&style=water&p=0"><embed src="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=31253495&style=water&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed></object></div><div><br /></div><div>"He's playing the wrong notes!" "Where's the melody?". These were the initial responses to Hawk's recording. However as the world was about to lurch into another war that was to bring a massive social upheaval, so too the world of jazz was turned on its head. The song was to be a massive hit on jukeboxes right through to the 1950's. True to his improvisational and innovative beliefs, Hawkins never played the song the same way again after this session. Yet the idea of converting an old Tin Pan Alley tune into a more free-spirited and creative song was to prove hugely influential as the 30's became the 40's and bebop was to become the jazz drug of choice...</div><div><br /></div><div>To round off, check out another fantastic Coleman Hawkins tune from 1944, the time when most bebop records were first beginning to be recorded. Woody'n You (featuring a sublime Dizzy Gillespie solo) clearly demonstrates how much the music had shifted from the previous decade.</div><div><br /></div><div><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=27609610&style=metal&p=0"><embed src="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=27609610&style=metal&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><br /></b><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-63242629917004279742011-06-18T08:15:00.004+09:002011-06-24T23:02:10.038+09:00Benny Carter<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">"The problem of expressing the contributions that Benny Carter has made to popular music is so tremendous it completely fazes me, so extraordinary a musician is he."</i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i>Duke Ellington</i></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and Count Basie are names that roll off the tongue when it comes to naming famous jazz musicians. These were names that were known to me even before I started this blog and the careers of whom I have happily learned a lot more about. There is one name missing however. A name that would, perhaps, only roll off the tongue of jazz afficianados.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A man whose career spanned over SEVEN decades, from the end of the 1920’s right through to the end of the 20<sup>th</sup> century. A man responsible for bringing swing jazz to the forefront in the mid 30’s. A man who was playing bebop before the term was even invented. A man who kick-started the careers of JJ Johnson, Max Roach and the aforementioned legend Miles Davis. Benny Carter is surely someone who deserves our attention and awareness.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSaHXT5VhSIjviBCl7eeQcXLn0gxfBqQvYGoCYmkyLYx_zggwDvKg" /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">A native New Yorker, Carter was heavily influenced by the trumpet sounds of<a href="http://cannonball76.blogspot.com/2010/04/duke-ellington.html"> Bubber Miley</a> and the C-Melody sax of <a href="http://cannonball76.blogspot.com/2010/02/frank-trumbauer.html">Frank Trumbauer</a>. At a very early age he was well aquainted with the hottest Harlem night spots and could claim to have jammed with Sidney Bechet, Earl Hines, and James P Johnson, to name a few. By the early 30’s he was a well-known arranger and the leader of his own orchestra. As well as being a proficient trumpet player, he was one of the most prominent alto saxophonist of the time. Although he was never to have the same prominence as Ellington’s or Basie’s orchestras, the music he produced with an all-star crew in 1933 remains one of the high water marks of pre-swing jazz recordings. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Check out Bugle Call Rag. Recorded with English band leader Spike Hughes in New York that year, this is a song years ahead of its time. Starting off with a very up-tempo riff arrangement involving all the musicians, the song evolves with each of the musicians letting loose with fantastic solos from Coleman Hawkins and trombonist Dickie Wells. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><object width="250" height="40"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=26648015&style=metal&p=0"><embed src="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=26648015&style=metal&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed></object><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The ravages of the Great Depression however led to the breakup of his orchestra and led Carter to leave for Europe where he stayed for the next three years. His time was not misspent however. He became involved with Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Quintette du Hot club de France</i> making some seminal recordings in Paris in early 1937. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I will undoubtedly write about these in more detail at a future date, but for now have a listen to “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honeysuckle_Rose_(song)">Honeysuckle Rose</a>”. This is a fantastic recording with Carter and an inspired Coleman Hawkins laying down the blueprint for the next twenty years of jazz. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><object width="250" height="40"><param name="movie" value="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"><param name="wmode" value="window"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=28992643&style=water&p=0"><embed src="http://grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&songIDs=28992643&style=water&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed></object><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">After Europe he returned to the States, settling in California for the rest of his career.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Honeysuckle Rose and many other famous recordings were to be revisited in 1961 with the album, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><a href="http://www.allmusic.com/album/r136405">Further Definitions</a>, </i>widely regarded as one of the finest albums in jazz history. <o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">To finish up, here is the man himself playing at a Tokyo jazz club in 1997. A mere 90 years old in the video, he still demonstrates that he has the chops to keep up with some excellent younger musicians. A fantastic piece of improvising around the old tune, Honeysuckle Rose. <o:p></o:p></p> <iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/KX4HJ9ito3I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-10139144771409015622011-05-31T20:04:00.001+09:002011-10-17T03:09:00.742+09:00Bunk Johnson: Last TestamentBunk Johnson's album from the late 1940's makes the latest entry to The Cannonball Library<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://cannonball76library.blogspot.com/2011/05/6-bunk-johnson-last-testament-of-great.html">http://cannonball76library.blogspot.com/2011/05/6-bunk-johnson-last-testament-of-great.html</a></div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-84749849881961292442011-05-07T06:08:00.003+09:002011-06-24T23:00:06.846+09:00Chick Webb: "The Daddy Of Them All"<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; font-family: sans-serif; "><table class="cquote" style="font-size: 13px; margin-top: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: auto; margin-left: auto; border-collapse: collapse; border-top-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-left-style: none; background-color: transparent; width: auto; "><tbody><tr><td valign="top" style="padding-top: 4px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 10px; ">Rock 'n' roll is really swing with a modern name. It began on the levees and plantations, took in folk songs, and features blues and rhythm. It's the rhythm that gets to the kids - they're starved of music they can dance to, after all those years of crooners.</td><td width="20" valign="bottom" style="color: rgb(178, 183, 242); font-size: 35px; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; text-align: right; padding-top: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 10px; ">”</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="margin-top: 0.4em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; "><i>Legendary disc jockey <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Freed">Alan Freed</a> speaking to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NME" title="NME" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(6, 69, 173); background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">NME</a></i> - February 1956</p></span></div><div><br /></div>As a guitarist who has been fortunate enough to play live music with some very talented musicians I feel I am in a position to say that the drums, and good drummers, kick ass. Playing a guitar solo knowing that your bottom is being held up (so to speak) by the combination of solid bass and snare drums accompanied by a driving ride cymbal is very comforting. And so it is with great interest that I approach the work of Chick Webb, "the daddy of them all!"<div><br /></div><div><img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ_zp1I39ciKo__6LSaciqwQ1_PUFtAah7J861-B4auYGzgqwYz" /><br /><div><br /><div>The quote comes from none other than the legendary <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=10668">Buddy Rich</a>, who along with <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=8500">Gene Krupa</a> formed the sum total of my knowledge of jazz drummers, prior to beginning this blog. However it was Webb who was to prove to be one of the catalysts in promoting the drums as a bona fide jazz instrument. </div><div><br /></div><div>There were of course other jazz drummers prior to Chick Webb, perhaps most notably <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=6321">Baby Dodds</a> and <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=4371">Zutty Singleton</a>, who both played with Joe Oliver and Louis Armstrong in the 1920's. However due to the primitive recording techniques of the time their true mastery could not be heard and the rhythm section of the Hot Five and Seven recordings consisted of rudimentary cymbals and blocks. Advancements in recording technology in the 1930's would allow artists like Chick Webb and Jo Jones to be heard, even down to faint brush strokes. </div></div><div><br /></div><div>We are however talking about the early 1930's! The Great Depression was raging and recording jazz artists was not a lucrative business. As such, Chick Webb's recorded output remains slim. What is available is remarkable and you can see how he paved the way for the likes of Krupa, Rich and Max Roach to follow him. He was also a renowned band leader and his reputation at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoy_Ballroom">Savoy Ballroom</a> in Harlem, New York was second to none. Friendly "cutting contests" were frequent, where a battle of the bands style scenario saw Chick Webb's band up against the like of The Count Basie Orchestra and Benny Goodman's Orchestra. Webb's band always won. He was also the person who saw the full potential of a young Ella Fitzgerald, who became the singer of the band post 1935 and who was to give them their first hits. Unfortunately, he was to die young as a result of the spinal tuberculosis that he had contracted at a young age, and would not live to see out the decade. </div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRSBMfLpTnBNJ8Ftsg-P02mY_18TYysUEUrl3wzlSRo9xyXailGCg" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Some of the stuff recorded by Chick Webb and his orchestra is superb. The music is remarkably tight with more than a hint of what was to come out of the rock n roll era twenty years later. (In fact I was struck by the lyrics in the song "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origins_of_rock_and_roll">Rock It For Me</a>", where Fitzgerald sings "Won't you satisfy my soul with the rock n roll". ) Check out "Harlem Congo". Played at breakneck speed but with a fluid yet mesmeric solo from Webb towards the end. (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taft_jordan">Taft Jordan</a>'s trumpet solo also practically jumps out of the record). Webb's solo never takes away from the song at any time and cements the drums as a legitimate jazz instrument.</div><div><br /></div><div><object width="250" height="40"> <param name="movie" value="http://listen.grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"> <param name="wmode" value="window"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&widgetID=25082977&style=metal&p=0"> <embed src="http://listen.grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&widgetID=25082977&style=metal&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed></object></div></div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-34798868817731230932011-02-21T00:09:00.005+09:002011-02-21T07:23:58.325+09:00Benny GoodmanAnd so onto Benny Goodman, whom Time magazine saw fit to call "The King of Swing" in 1937. As as per usual with my posts I had better get my preconceptions and ignorance out of the way first!<div><br /></div><div>I had long associated Benny Goodman with the music of <a href="http://www.glennmiller.com/">Glenn Miller</a> and the kind of style associated with the massive hit "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJE-onnw2gM">In The Mood</a>". However it has long been debated that Miller's style of music was too commercial and overly practiced to be considered part of the hot jazz/improvisational lineage. Here's a quote from a <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,773950,00.html">Time magazine article</a> written in 1942 entitled "Jive for Epicures" - </div><div><br /></div><div><i>"U.S jive epicures consider the jazz played by such famous name bands as Tommy Dorsey's or Glenn Miller's a low, commercial product. Their heroes are unsung swingsters who improvise nightly for a favored few in hotspots like Chicago's College Inn, Manhattan Nick's. Their treasured classics are discs made in the '20s by such Chicago immortals as the late Leon ("Bix") Beiderbecke and King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band<span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;">." </span></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div>(As an aside it's also interesting to note from the article that the jazz afficionados in 1942 sat rapt in their seats as they considered it "sacrilege" to dance. This is a clear demonstration that jazz had reached a fundamental turning point at this time - from a musical form that encouraged dancing to the more, perhaps snobbish point of view that it was an art form that required serious listening. The definition of jazz even at this stage was becoming extremely blurred)</div><div><br /></div><div>Goodman's popularity came about at a time when improvisational jazz was out of favour. He had been around the scene since the mid 20's as a session musician alongside his contemporaries Tommy Dorsey and the aforementioned Glenn Miller. His band demoed for a national radio show, NBC's "Let's Dance", a show that showcased a variety of musical styles.</div><div><br /></div><div><img 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" /></div><div><br /></div><div>As the Let's Dance show was weekly, Goodman was persuaded by his agent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_H._Hammond">John Hammond</a> to buy a load of "hot" jazz arrangements from Fletcher Henderson. The Goodman Orchestra's style developed and could be compared with the jazz sounds coming out of Kansas City at the time - big band swing with room for musical improvisation. Due to his time-slot on the show of 12.30am eastern, not many people on the East Coast heard Goodman's orchestra. However, the time difference meant that a lot of ears were tuning in in California and this was to prove instrumental in his career.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's Dance was cancelled midway through 1935 and Goodman was forced to take the band on the road. Their kind of music was not going down successfully with many audiences as they bused across the country. As the tour bombed they became progressively more broke and very dispirited as they reached California by mid summer. They had landed a three week gig at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles. Probably to ensure that they were able to see out the three weeks they began their first engagement by playing cautiously - stock pop tunes which to their surprise met with a very lukewarm response from the audience. As they were the ones tuning in to the Let's Dance show they were expecting the same music. It's widely regarded that it was Gene Krupa, Goodman's extraordinary drummer, who said to him - "if we're gonna die, let's die playing our own thing". The result caused mass hysteria and so it was that the events at the Palomar have been described as the moment when the Swing Era really took off. </div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSvGP1RhFgPi3UgYbaVw5bq9tQrtove9CLvhuQAapWdMN_UQHEe" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Goodman's career spanned the next five decades. Many have remarked on his personality and temperament - mainly in a negative sense. To me this is perhaps not surprising given the times he was living in trying to maintain a large and expensive orchestra. He is widely regarded as being colour blind in terms of the musicians he chose. His trio and quartet work with Lionel Hampton and Teddy Wilson were the first examples of a fully open and integrated band. He was probably very demanding of his musicians but this appears to be the trait required of a successful big band leader. </div><div><br /></div><div>To my ear his music can come across in a wide spectrum - from dated swing era tunes to absolutely extraordinary stuff. His clarinet style is very precise but soulful (though he doesn't push the envelope like Bechet). He had a plethora of hits from 1935 to the beginning of World War II and I have chosen one of my favourites to demonstrate his sound. This is "<a href="http://www.jazzstandards.com/compositions-2/buglecallrag.htm">Bugle Call Rag</a>"( originally recorded by The New Orleans Rhythm Kings in 1922). Goodman's orchestra takes a New Orleans style standard and records it with sleek big band precision.</div><div><br /></div><br /><object width="250" height="40"> <param name="movie" value="http://listen.grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"> <param name="wmode" value="window"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&widgetID=23393399&style=metal&p=0"> <embed src="http://listen.grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&widgetID=23393399&style=metal&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed></object>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-5795108567843907782011-01-21T06:14:00.006+09:002011-02-21T07:15:21.574+09:00Sidney Bechet, Tommy Ladnier & The New Orleans FeetwarmersBefore delving back into the Swing Era, I’d like to take a look at some of the work of one of jazz’s most important figures - Sidney Bechet. Bechet was one of the people that I highlighted somewhere around the beginning of <a href="http://cannonball76.blogspot.com/2010/05/sidney-bechet.html">this blog</a>, a pivotal figure in bringing the original New Orleans sound to the industrial cities in the north. He was, at the time, the only guy who could hold a candle to the solos and improvisations of Louis Armstrong in the 1920’s. When I spoke of him last he had finished up some recordings with Clarence Williams (including some great stuff with Armstrong) and had taken to the road in Europe never to set foot into the recording studio for the rest of the decade. Click the link above for a refresher.<br /><br />The 1930’s were, however, to prove lean times for Bechet. He hooked up with <a href="http://www.redhotjazz.com/sissleo.html">The Noble Sissle Orchestra</a> on his travels, playing with them through Europe and later in the States. The songs he played on with that band are not strictly jazz, they were more in keeping with the sweet pop tunes of the time. However the work provided a steady enough pay packet for him during the difficult times of the Great Depression. <div><br /></div><div>More notably for us was the collaboration with his friend and fellow New Orleanian, <a href="http://www.redhotjazz.com/Ladnier.html">Tommy Ladnier</a>, in forming <a href="http://www.redhotjazz.com/footwarmers.html">The New Orleans Feet Warmers</a>. Together they produced an absolutely scintillating set of tunes during a recorded session in 1932.<div><br /></div><div>Sidney Bechet:<br /><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://www.redhotjazz.com/SidneyBechetcirca1930.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Tommy Ladnier:</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://www.redhotjazz.com/ladnier.jpg" /><br /><br /></div><div><br />Here is the highlight of those sessions – “Shag”.<br /><br />Raucus, freewheeling, uninhibited and showcasing the spectacular improvisational talents of Sidney Bechet, this has to be one of the most important songs in jazz history. It is obviously rooted in the New Orleans and Chicago styles that each of the band members would have all been very familiar with. But the song clearly utilises the new jazz rhythm section that was coming out of Kansas City (for example, a piano solo recorded in the 1920's would have had to be recorded in isolation, here the solo is augmented with bass and drums). Also prevelant is Wilson Myers' superb scat singing, highlighting the influence Louis Armstrong was having over practically all vocal styles post the Hot 5 & 7 recordings. The width of Bechet’s vibrato on the soprano sax is truly extraordinary. His solos mercilessly soar in, out, above and over the track. Check it out. True jazz.<br /><br /><object width="250" height="40"> <param name="movie" value="http://listen.grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf"> <param name="wmode" value="window"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <param name="flashvars" value="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&widgetID=23353246&style=metal&p=0"> <embed src="http://listen.grooveshark.com/songWidget.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="250" height="40" flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&widgetID=23353246&style=metal&p=0" allowscriptaccess="always" wmode="window"></embed><br /><br />Unfortunately the band was to be shortlived as they weren't received well commercially. Ladnier and Bechet turned their hand at opening a tailor shop in Harlem. Unsurprisingly it wasn't a success (perhaps due to the proprieters' propensity to indulge in all night jam sessions..)</object></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>Unfortunately the band was to be shortlived as they weren't received well commercially. Ladnier and Bechet turned their hand to opening a tailor shop in Harlem. Unsurprisingly it wasn't a success (perhaps due to the proprieters' propensity to indulge in all night jam sessions..).</div>Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042538888982795785.post-75125449312951540462010-12-06T23:29:00.003+09:002010-12-07T00:31:04.443+09:00Jazz In The Swing EraBy the mid 1930’s the old guard of the New Orleans and the 1920’s Chicago sound were having mixed fortunes. Buddy Bolden had died in the same insane asylum in which he was put way back in 1908. Jelly Roll Morton had lost his recording contract. Joe “King” Oliver had lost his band and died penniless. Sidney Bechet at one time had given up on music and opened a tailor’s shop in New York. Louis Armstrong was still as popular as ever though – especially amongst the mob bosses fighting over his contract!<br /><br /><a href="http://s156.photobucket.com/albums/t2/KL76/?action=view&current=records.gif" target="_blank"><img src="http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t2/KL76/records.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a><br /><br />In Europe they were gearing up for another war. In America millions were still out of work. One industry that didn’t feel the effects of the Great Depression however was <a href="http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=178334">radio</a>. As soon as radios and jukeboxes began playing swing, record sales increased exponentially. The embryonic big band sound first heard being played by the orchestras of Fletcher Henderson and Paul Whiteman was now reaching maturity by the mid 1930’s – and a lot of ears. As the music became more popular so too did the demand for more material. More compositions were being written down and sold. (This had the side effect though of frustrating a lot of musicians who became tired of playing the same things night after night.) People were saving their pennies to hear the bands that were criss-crossing the countries on one night stands. And they wanted to dance. Big bands were now becoming household names – names like <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=7112">Benny Goodman</a>, <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=4242">Artie Shaw</a>, <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=6369">Tommy Dorsey</a>, <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=7966">Harry James</a> and <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=9402">Glenn Miller</a>.<br /><br />"Swing music was an electrifying development in American popular culture. It... unleashed forces that, I think, people didn't know existed. There had been dance bands, sweet bands, sentimental bands. But when Benny Goodman reached those kids at the Palomar ballroom in California, it was like 20 years later with rock and roll... he was playing a swinging rough music that had been played in black communities for years. Ellington, you know, wrote It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got that Swing three years earlier and Chick Webb's band was doing it and Fletcher Henderson's... it swept the country. It was, it unleashed some kind of pent up...excitement and, and, and physicality that I think nobody was quite prepared for... And, also, this was the Depression. It was not an easy period. And this was a music that was just pure pleasure. Pure physical pleasure."<br /><a href="http://garygiddins.com/">Gary Giddins</a>.<br /><br />The sound of jazz music was changing. Vocalists were coming to the fore. It was at this time that renowned vocalists like <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=7680">Billie Holiday</a> and <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=6721">Ella Fitzgerald</a> were becoming noticed. The music was becoming more refined and the solos employed were infinitely more expressive and colourful. The catalogue of talented musicians that emanated from this period is impressive. Their instruments were evolving and providing a rich palette from which they could express themselves – the drum was no longer a simple time keeper – <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=8500">Gene Krupa</a>, <a href="http:">Chick Webb</a> and <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=10668">Buddy Rich</a> saw to that. Trumpet players were mixing the influences of Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke to create their own sounds. The guitar was now becoming electrified and added another element to the developing sounds. Finally, the saxophone, once a novelty instrument was becoming the dominant one in the hands of <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=7500">Coleman Hawkins</a>, <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=11235">Ben Webster</a>, <a href="http:">Johnny Hodges</a>, <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=4958">Chu Berry</a> and <a href="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=11573">Lester Young</a>.<br /><br />I personally have mixed feelings about the music from this time. Some of the stuff that I’ve listened to and will expand on further in the blog is sublime. However for me 1930’s swing doesn’t tick all the boxes. Some of it hasn’t stood the test of time and there is a sense that some of it is rather corny. Like the films that came out of that era – you could watch some of them over and over again, whereas others haven’t aged well at all. The big band sound can, on its own, seem rather stuffy. However, on the up side, it did find a great home with vocalists, in my opinion. The Rat Pack sound of Las Vegas obviously finds its roots here and the likes of Sammy Davis Jr and Frank Sinatra optimised the big band feel in a way that their songs actually get better over time.<br /><br />This was the period though that jazz was becoming truly adventurous.Cannonballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792133318978662484noreply@blogger.com0