Custom Rich-Text Page
The Origins of Jazz continued
What became after this is was a disaster fro the music; it literally went underground; many artists went to Japan as well as other parts of the globe. Rock took over America led by the Beatles and the rest is history!
What is Jazz, What is blues; Rhythm & blues sets the bar very high; only so many will cross into the real jazz promise-land. The way I see it is as I’ve explained earlier there was an early jazz period which spawned gospel & Dixieland. These forms of music were looking for a way to blend the musical genres and produce a hybrid that would appeal to a broader audience; Out of this amalgamation came, country, pop & rhythm & Blues; still not satisfied because all of these genres could be dominated by a few people: James Brown, Ray Charles & many, many doowop groups. Thus came Rock, which could be followed and danced to by the American Bandstand crowd. (A lotta yelling & hand waving and mucho hip waving almost always never in time with the beat)! So now we have rhythm & blues, country went off on where it wanted to be with rednecks & trailer trash where it belonged. (Sorry about that); Pop which wedded Rock, and thanks to the Beatles, became America’s popular music of our time., Again, Unfortunately, I disagree with it’s popularity (if it’s pop it’s popular and if it’s popular, it’s pop sort of a vicious never ending circle of bad mediocre, awful & boring groups from hell. Then there’s jazz, trying to attract an audience that one might say is intelligent enuf to follow the form, like a classically trained musician must learn to follow the forms of composers to understand what they were getting at and why. Jazz embraced blues to offset some of the negativity of being called elitist music. In order to consume this common form of music, jazz began to use blues synonymous with blues but call it blues changes. This settled it all and for a while a glorious while jazz only had to deal with blues changes which was a godsend for musicians to ‘gig’ with one another. Something other forms cannot due only the all know & play the same song. Whereas Blues changes can be played in any key and in any tempo. Simple structure 12 bar, etc. called by leader or organizer. This became the modem to wonderful cutting contests, jam sessions and many, many records where musicos were too ‘busy’ to rehearse. And if they weren’t busy, the needed to get paid!
Listing of Jazz Times Covers 95-97
Other genres
Smooth jazz, Way Out Jazz, etc. These forms existed and will get short shrift here because I’m not into them at all; except maybe Kirk Whalum (have you heard him play “My Funny Valentine?) and the late, super-great Grover Washington, Jr. Third stream jazz a hybrid of classical & jazz mostly with no rhythm, no time, no key, a big mess? And it definitely doesn’t swing! Don Ellis & his gang of folks were among the innovators; Sun Ra is the ultimate master of the cosmic experience. Used to see him on Sunday afternoons at a venue in Greenwich Village. Everybody was ‘into it”! Other forms exist but will not be touched on here. The jazz magazines are always preaching how something new keeps jazz alive. My thought is keep on swinging is what will keep jazz alive. Classical music has existed and thrives better than jazz with subscriptions and orchestras in every major city, because most people enjoy the classics. That’s what the lexicon of jazz is: Classic be Bop, show tunes the songs of old & how well you can interpret them is by yardstick by which I measure jazz. Some of the more colorful names might be Sun Ra & his Cosmic Arkestra used to perform on Sundays in the afternoon at one of the spots near or in Greenwich Village. They all wore Dashiki’s and the horn players played straight ahead jazz on other gigs. We’d venture to his gig after sitting and sipping mixed drinks at an outdoor styled shop also in the village; so long ago (62-64) that the details are sketchy. Don Ellis was different; his big band was exciting and new But Gerald Wilson was the eventual winner. A great conductor to watch; writes elegant tunes and has the mutual respect of his fellow musicians. Quite a class act!
Singers in Jazz
Unfortunately, Jazz is a male dominated art form and the singers are left to fend for themselves; they get no help from their fellow jazz players. However, a few singers have been able to overcome these unpleasantries and excel and soar!
The greatest ever, Ella Fitzgerald, period. No one else had her clarity of tone, sense of time, perfect pitch & voice like honey ever did, nor ever will in the future. However, to say that she was the only great singer ever, is to do injustice to the other hardworking people who working yesterday & are working today. Carmen McRae was her equal and then some. She had an ability to experience a song as she once said & you would be a believer, instantly. Another pianist like so many good singer of yore, she chose to use the finest musicians she could find rather than do the task herself. We saw her do just that several times. In clubs when she felt like it. Very accomplished and was a real chordist (one who uses and integrates chords with the wisdom of a schooled & seasoned musician. Singer come and go; some give 100% and others succeed giving 25%. Just follow the criteria and you can’t go wrong. Can you swing? Can you sing a popular ballad from the master writers like Berlin, Carmichael, Van Heussen, and Ellington? Can you sing a blues? Can you sit in with a fast blues? Can you do fours? If you can meet this criteria, you can sing jazz for me any day. Dana Owens (Queen Latifa) is on her way. Of course, she won’t probably need to ever sing jazz for a living. Good for her. But after her rendition of the difficult Lush Life, she’s in the club! The club is broad in scope and age; In Europe age is saluted & glorified but in the good ol’ USA, it’s all about getting to the 18-34 yr olds.
Cassandra Wilson diva of Jazz Singers! One of the more trend setting variety, one wonders if she has really paid her ‘jazz singer’ dues as yet. She started out in funk or what ever M’boom is and catapulted a pouty, deep voice into jazz but hey! If Nora Jones can do it……..!
Jazz publication:
Jazz Times’ esteemed editor emeritus, is also an expert it says in print on the 1st amendment. He seems to be more on a soap box than anything else. He’s rather heartless in his diatribes on what is politically correct behavior. However, his last rant on cleaning out the colleges of left wing liberals was a bit far. For a person who has been around people of color almost all of his working life for his livelihood, he seems to have forgotten lo these many years the inability of AA’s to get studio work, pit band work. Less than adequate royalty and studio rates. Yet he feels that even now. Older Jazz musicians don’t even have health care, no pension, and no social security! This is a pity that he never writes about that. Shame on you & you know who you are! A Pictorial History in Jazz:
Page 6: Copies of JazzTimes covers during a stay in Spain
Page 8 Cassandra Wilson
This young lady has gotten a lot of press in the Jazz world. She’s different, colorful & yet controversial. I’ve given my definition of a jazz singer and perhaps one day I’ll see her demonstrate same.
Page 10 The LA Jazz Scene;
Along with the magazines, a gutsy lady started a newspaper style publication in Los Angeles in the late 80’s She had a marvelous sense of theatre and had a serialized version of one of her stories in her newspaper, along with articles, interviews, listings of clubs, etc.
Page 11 Los Angeles Jazz Scene Honors the “Wig”
One of Los Angeles’ oldest living musicians is Gerald Wiggins. The “Wig” as he doesn’t mind being called was honored for his long service to the Jazz Community. Playing with and for, he has continued his long excellent ways in furthering the careers of the likes of Lena Horne, IC2, The Cunninghams, Ernie Andrews, and countless small combos.
Page 12 Clifford Brown foundation; La Rue Brown Watson, widow of CB oversees a foundation promoting the works and music of her late husband, Clifford Brown, along with her son CB, jr. she has an excellent website promoting all things jazz including Jazz & You for kids at libraries around the country. Go, LaRue! Page 13 Jazz in Las Vegas @ The Blue Note
The Blue Note They tried, they really tried. However the club was too large; they tried to be to artsy, even though, in my mind, that’s the way to go. However, with tennis shoe wearing visitors that come to Las Vegas, that’s almost impossible. Elegant surroundings emphasize the elegance of the music! Raise the level of consciousness and perhaps they will come. After all, here in Vegas, the more the shows cost, the better people thing they’re going to be! No always so!
Page 14 What is your Jazz IQ?
Take this jazz test & see if you need some review
Page 15 Music Teacher/performer in Las Vegas There are a few players here in Vegas that teach at local schools & give private lessons. One has had success playing for the LVJS as well as having played with everyone, everywhere. He and his wife are a duo. That’s the 3rd one that I know of. IC2, we’re retired; The Dacs who’re hangin’ in there and the Aikels.
Page 16 Mr. Aikels (cont. ) Wynton Marsalis
Mr. Mouth but thank goodness; He’s the closest person I can come to as an ombudsman; He knows his craft; he is articulate, he is African-American! He is both loved feared & despised.
Personally I think he is and always is, right on target.
Page 17 Tommy Flanagan, the gentleman of Jazz;
An article in the New Yorker Magazine sums up the great Tommy Flanagan. I don’t know why he passed away, but we lost an awfully large giant of jazz music.
Page 18 Quotes from a book on Jazz with a forgotten title. The Jazz Times continues to show it’s true dedication to the Jazz genre by its stellar articles n the giants of jazz. If you don’t know who these people are, you need to get these issues and bring yourself up to date on a music that is totally American in concept, execution and is a true American spawned genre. No R&B, Rock. Classical, etc. Only jazz can make this distinction. Jazz Times is to be commended in their denial of racial stereotypes. I do wish however, that their writing staff was as colorful as their covers. Perhaps as Minorities begin to acquire the time to develop leisure, they will come to enjoy their music. and treasure it As many of us already do.There are many magazines, newspapers and the like that have been devoted to jazz; but seldom
have the longevity that the JazzTimes enjoys. NOTE: Obviously all of the print articles mentioned are not included. When I find a way to put in all the jpegs, using as little space as possible, I will gladly include them. A copy of my essays are being printied in book size & will add it to the ic2 Boutique. Later............. Claudia Thomas, Las Vegas, NV 2013 www.ic2productions.4t.com