Doc's Jazz Music Reviews

Marcin Wasilewski Trio

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:58:00 +0000

It is a wonderful experience to encounter musicians who really love making music. I get this sense from this trio – there are others like Earl Klugh – that I feel the emotion from their music. This does not always happen for me – I might hear some music that is technically perfect yet something is missing, I do not connect with it. I really enjoy the music put out by this group.

I first discovered this group on “January” and I would play the disc over and over again – frequently while writing. It is a powerful piece of music from a young group who have been playing together for a long time. Every song on this album is exceptional but my favorite is Vignette. The trio of Marcin Wasilewski, Slawomir Kurkiewicz and Michal Miskiewicz is in my opinion are one of the most outstanding acoustic jazz trios around today.

They served as the backing group for noted jazz trumpeter Tomaz Stanko and when you listen to recordings by Stanko such as “Soul of Things”, “Suspended Night”, and “Lontano” it is hard not to get lost in the music surrounding Stanko’s distinctive trumpet playing.

The Trio started out as high school students at the Koszalin High School of Music and they have been together ever since getting better and better as they go along.

Here is some more info from their bio on their website:

“Their first trio was formed the following year. In 1993 drummer Miskiewicz joined them, and the group’s line-up has been stable ever since. As the Simple Acoustic Trio they won awards in their homeland and issued five albums on local labels. Their first international release, for ECM, entitled just “Trio” was recorded in 2004 and released the following year, immediately winning the Quarterly Prize of the German Record Critics. In the US, too, critics were taking notice. “Their years together have resulted in an ensemble with an utterly symbiotic creative flow,” wrote Don Heckman in the Los Angeles Times.

The release of “January” - recorded in New York with producer Manfred Eicher early in 2007 - also signals a change of name. Henceforth the group is, simply, the MarcinWasilewski Trio. The group continues to be run as a collective of equals, but its members have come to accept the convention that piano trios are traditionally identified by their pianists. Besides, Marcin is the band’s principal songwriter: he contributes four pieces to the present disc, including the title track and the beautiful opener, “The First Touch”. Wasilewski also, at the urging of the producer, addresses pieces written by Gary Peacock and by Carla Bley - pieces identified with two major pianists, respectively Keith Jarrett and Paul Bley. Wasilewski does not flinch from the challenge but, with his trio partners, makes of this music something of his own.

“Vignette” is a composition by Gary Peacock first heard on the album “Tales of Another”, the 1978 ECM recording which marked the coming together of the band later known as Jarrett’s “Standards” Trio. The Wasilewski Trio takes it at a statelier pace, and mines it for deeper emotions. A powerful performance, especially in the light of Marcin’s indebtedness to Jarrett as a player. Acknowledging the influence, he moves beyond it.

Carla Bley’s composition “King Korn” meanwhile is a piece of early 60s vintage that surfaced on Paul Bley’s 1963 classic ”Footloose” recording with the great trio line-up including Steve Swallow and Pete La Roca. The Polish trio fly at it with invigorating energy and wonderful group interaction (the recording quality illuminating detail with a clarity impossible back in the days when Paul Bley was recording for Savoy), with especially exciting dialogues between Michal Miskiewicz and Wasilewski.

“Balladyna”, a Tomasz Stanko tune, was title track of the Polish trumpeter’s ECM debut disc (with a rhythm section of Dave Holland and Edward Vesala), back in 1975, the year Wasilewski was born. The trio’s dark, swirling rubato performance has the stark drama and predatory lyricism associated Stanko; they’ve played the piece often in concert with the composer.

On their 2004 ECM disc, the trio offered a luminous version of Björk’s “Hyperballad”. This season’s pop cover is Prince’s “Diamonds and Pearls”, the ballad from 1991 which gains a deal of mystery in this stripped-down interpretation in which bassist Kurkiewicz shares the melody with Wasilewski.

The cinematic arts are never far away in Polish jazz; ever since 1958, when Komeda first collaborated with Polanski, the genres have influenced each other. Wasilewski’s “The Young and Cinema” references an identically-titled festival of new Polish films held in Koszalin. The trio also covers Ennio Morricone’s title theme for Giuseppe Tornatore’s 1988 film “Cinema Paradiso”, itself a celebration of film.

The album closes with a trio improvisation, a free ballad made in the moment and specific to its time and place, “New York 2007”. As already demonstrated on Stanko’s “Lontano”, these are players extremely adept at creating songs in real time.

Marcin Wasilewski and Slawomir Kurkiewicz also appeared on Manu Katché's popular “Neighbourhood” and “Playground” albums.”

Enjoy!

Jazz and Popular Tunes - People Make the World Go Round

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:21:00 +0000

People Make the World Go Round is a song popularized by the R&B singing group the Stylistics back in the 70’s. Since that time numerous Jazz artist and groups have taken the song and added their distinctive styling’s to it. Here is a video showcase featuring some of these variations.

Here is the original done by The Stylistics

Now check out these jazz variations

Now We Have Jazz Radio

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 23:57:00 +0000

Check out our radio link and let us know what you think. Just click on the radio and give it a try, Doc

Smokin at the Halfnote

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 20:01:00 +0000

This is a great album but make sure you get the right version.

There is another one with the same title but it only has 6 cuts whereas this one has 11. The import version is the one I am listening to and it has a longer version of “four on six” but they want a fortune for it now. Get the one I have listed here – it will satisfy.

I love Wes Montgomery. There is something about his tone (no pick) and style of playing that was truly unique. I can usually pick him out after just a few bars. Here are a few reviews:

Wes Montgomery brought the art of the electric guitar to new heights in the 1950s and 1960s before his untimely death at 43. His vaulting style employed octaves much as his main influence, Charlie Christian, did in the Benny Goodman Sextet. Montgomery's crowd-pleasing facility with the fretboard was best employed in live performance when he could stretch out and really be heard. Smokin' is a thoroughly satisfying live album recorded in 1965 and 1966 at the New York nightclub, with co-leader Wynton Kelly and his trio--Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Montgomery and Kelly are in perfect sync here, especially on "No Blues" and "If You Could See Me Now." --John Swenson

Talk about a foursome! This is one of my top twenty favorite albums. Anyone who plays the guitar needs to purchase this album just to hear why many consider Wes to be the greatest guitar player in jazz history. I was actually turned on to this album by a buddy of mine who played guitar for a speed metal band. He was in awe, just as I was the first time I heard it and everytime I hear it to this day! However, it's not just Montgomery that shines. The rythm section of Cobb, Kelly and Chambers just might be the best you will ever hear. They are simply flawless and this is a 'live' album to boot. Chambers is my second favorite bass player right behind Mingus and he has never been better. I always thought that Jimmy Cobb was one of the most underated drummers of his time. This is also my favorite work of Wynton Kelly. His piano playing compliments Montgomery perfectly. All four of these artists brought their 'A' game to the table during this live session (augmented by a couple of studio tracks as well) and it really shows throughout. This one is truly special and everytime I hear it I enjoy it more than the last time (I always pick up something new!). I will not pretend to be a music and/or jazz scholar, nor am I a musician. I am however, someone who has listened to thousands of albums of all types of music (rock, jazz, soul, ska, punk, reggae, rap, country, bluegrass, folk, classical, etc...) and yet nothing puts a smile on my face and serenity in my soul like this does. All I have to say is thank you to the heavens for creating such wonderful artists who created such wonderful sounds. Beautiful music like this truly does help alleviate the pain and ennui of living in today's not so beautiful world. Joey D

I'm a guitarist and composer, and while I am not a huge fan of jazz, this is one of my top ten records of all time. I can think of no other record that captures the feeling of being onstage, peforming with great musicians. Every single second is filled with brilliance. Montgomery is beyond comparison. When I was jsut 15, I met B.B. King and he played me a cut off of this record. I quickly bought my own copy, and have worn out several over the years. A must have. Quite a gift from the band to all of us who love music. R Composer

Why I Promote Amazon and not Itunes

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:59:00 +0000

Some of you might be wondering why I only promote Amazon and not Itunes. This is my way of protesting the propietary nonsense that Steve Jobs and Apple are constantly engaged in over at Itunes.

I much prefer buying my music as an Mp3 or on a CD - in this way I get to choose what I do with the music I buy. If you prefer buying your music through the itunes store then that is your business. I could probably make some money promoting itunes but I can't do it. I have a 120 classic ipod, and I love it, but the music on it is not coming from itunes - unless it is free.

Free Jazz - Where to Begin

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:49:00 +0000

There really was no one like Albert Ayler in jazz during the 1960s. Sure, John Coltrane could play monumentally complex sax, only to jettison the learned architecture for a complete reversal of virtuosity in his last works. And Pharoah Sanders could haunt and beguile with mournful cries and yawps. But Ayler was altogether different: he took the scarcest of melodies--folk and church tunes, really--and elevated them to spiritual zeniths. These live cuts were once super hard to find, on a scattering of LPs released in the 1970s. Collected as a whole on two CDs, they are a thing of pristine, if boundary-testing, beauty. Ayler takes barely any time at all before wailing into his stratospheric cries on tenor sax, and his brother Donald follows suit on trumpet with nearly the same quick leaps. The extended band includes, at its largest, the Ayler brothers with a full string quartet (Michael Sampson, violin; Joel Freedman, cello; Bill Folwell and Alan Silva, basses) and drummer Beaver Harris. They play numerous, almost easily-recognizable melodies from their oeuvre, including "Truth Is Marching In," "Spirits Rejoice," and "Omega Is the Alpha." They also offer "For John Coltrane," recorded in early 1967 after Trane's untimely demise. Spectacular would be a simple way to describe Ayler's ensemble and his compositions. But it wouldn't be out of proportion to the music. There's a reason, after all, that new jazz scion Anthony Braxton refers to avant-garde jazz of the late-1960s and after as the "post-Ayler continuum." Ayler pushed and pushed. And succeeded.

These stirring Albert Ayler performances were only sporadically available on LP two decades ago, making them highly sought-after items indeed. This two-CD set presents Ayler's Village Vanguard sets in all their rattling fervor (with remastering improvements), making 1998 a year when crucial pieces of this avant-garde jazzist's puzzle fell brilliantly into place. If anyone is recording music as fearless and commanding as this in jazz today, they deserve the spotlight. --Andrew Bartlett

PART ONE - FOR THE UNINITIATED: It's hard to judge a recording as extreme as this one merely on musical grounds. This is as far as an overblown saxophone can go; Ayler plays as if he were in trance all the time (maybe he was), even during the long march-like ensemble passages, and then suddenly, without a transition, he burst into his high-pitched trademark squeals - one of the most influential and most exhilarating (for less adventurous souls, probably one of the most ear-deafening) sounds in jazz history. - Not for everyone, that's for sure - people who are quick with the notorious My-5-year-old-child-could-play-this-too comment (which, of course, would be ridiculous in this case) will probably hit the eject button after one minute - but it should on no account be missed by anyone interested in Albert Ayler (or free jazz in general). It`s one of the best examples for his style and - together with his 'Spiritual Unity' - one of the cornerstones of modern jazz.

PART TWO - FOR THE SPECIALISTS: 1.) This release combines the originals 'In Greenwich Village' and 'The Village Concerts' and additionally includes the track 'Holy Ghost' (which was included in the LP version of the Various Artists Impulse! record 'The New Wave In Jazz', but not in the CD version) and a previously unreleased duet with an uncredited piano player. 2.) The sound quality is better than usual. 3.) An essential acquisition! - G. Auer

Order your copy here

More on Jacques Loussier

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:23:00 +0000

I forgot to mention in the last post that I was listening to his Impressions album while I wrote the post. You owe it to yourself to check this guy out - you will not be sorry. Samples galore on Amazon and all mp3's if you download.

Here is a little bit to wet your taste buds, enjoy.

Jacques Loussier

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 18:16:00 +0000

JacIques Loussier was born in Angers, in northwestern France, October 26, 1934. He started playing piano at the age of ten and quickly demonstrated tremendous ability. When Loussier was just sixteen, he entered the Conservatoire Nationale de Musique in Paris where he studied with Professor Yves Nat whose youthful compositions were praised by Faure and Saint-Saëns, and whose prodigious gifts as a pianist were encouraged by Debussy. Continuing this distinguished lineage, Loussier was to become one of Nat’s most accomplished pupils, heading the conservatory’s piano class of over five hundred students before leaving to commence a freelance career that included travels to South America and the Middle East as well as work as accompanist for Catherine Sauvage and Charles Aznavour.

In 1959, Loussier hit upon the idea that was to make his international reputation, combining his interest in jazz with his love of J.S. Bach. Only a pianist with such an exceptional classical technique and deft improvisatory skill could have nurtured such a vision. He founded the Play Bach Trio, which used Bach’s compositions as the basis for jazz improvisation. The trio immediately caught the public imagination. In their live appearances, tours and concerts, plus a succession of recordings built on the cornerstone of four albums made for Decca between 1960 and 1963, Loussier’s group achieved a breakthrough to popular commercial success enjoyed by only a select few jazz musicians. In fifteen years, the trio sold over six million albums.

During its heyday, the trio broadened the range of its experiments with Loussier double tracking some pieces on organ and piano and, later, recording some of his arrangements of Bach’s concerti with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. However, after years on the road, like many popular commercial groups, the original trio reached the end of its natural life in 1978. In 1980, Loussier retired to his home in Provence to compose, research and record. He had already dabbled in film and ballet composition, and had established his own recording studio at Miraval, not far from Nice, where in addition to composing his own pieces for acoustic and electronic instruments, he played host to many recording stars of the rock world including Pink Floyd, Elton John, Sting and Yes. In fact, segments of Pink Floyd’s The Wall were recorded at Loussier’s studio.

Loussier’s own music in the 1980s explored the integration of new technology with conventional instruments, just as his 1950s experiments explored the ground between jazz and classics. He produced suites for piano, synthesizers, percussion and bass, and some rock-jazz-classical fusion works including Pulsions, Pagan Moon and Fusions Sous La Mer.

The tercentenary of Bach’s birth in 1985 coaxed Loussier back to the trio format, and he re-formed the Play Bach Trio with two new partners. He feels his new trio has far more stylistic range than its predecessor, and whereas that was a pioneer group, the latter-day trio combines jazz, rock and contemporary classical ideas with a mix of jazz and Bach.

The trio keeps up a busy touring schedule, traveling annually in Japan and the U.K. as well as in Loussier’s native France. It also appears regularly in Germany, Spain and Italy. Loussier leaves plenty of room in his schedule to write his own compositions. In 1986, he produced a mass entitled Lumières, his first full-scale work for symphony orchestra, which continues his exploration of the synthesis of musical genres. In its Paris premiere, classical countertenor James Bowman and soprano Deborah Rees found themselves singing alongside a rock drummer. Loussier has subsequently written a trumpet and violin concerto (both in 1988), a suite for string, Tableaux Venetiens, and a ballet, Trois Couleurs (1989), to celebrate the bi-centenary of the French Revolution.

His first Telarc release, Jacques Loussier Plays Bach, debuted in 1996. His next recording, Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, unlocked a new vein of creativity and self-discovery, in which Loussier searched for a deeper level of exploration altogether. He followed up this excursion into the Italian baroque with Jacques Loussier Plays Satie, a look at the founding father of French minimalism. His exceptional 1999 release, Ravel’s Bolero, explored Loussier’s very personal connection to the work of the French impressionists. The Bach Book/40th Anniversary Album, a new recording of Loussier’s best-selling works from the ‘60s was also released in 1999. In 2000, for the first time ever, Loussier tackled the monumental Goldberg Variations, in honor of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach. Recent releases from Jacques Loussier include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 (2003) and The Best of Play Bach (SACD only) in February 2004.

Impressions of Chopin’s Nocturnes, Loussier’s first solo piano recording and an intimate exploration of the works of Frederic Chopin, was released on Loussier’s 70th birthday in October 2004. He returned to the trio setting a year later with the October 25, 2005, release of Mozart Piano Concertos 20/23.

Loussier returned to his roots in the Bach canon with the 2006 release of Bach: The Brandenburgs, a jazz interpretation of Bach’s six Brandenburg Concertos.

In October 2007, Telarc released Encore! Jacques Loussier Plays Bach, a two-disc set that includes recordings from the early 1990s – the period immediately following a lengthy hiatus when Loussier disbanded his original Play Bach Trio and took time off from the rigors of recording and performing to focus on his own compositions. The set spotlights Loussier’s numerous strengths as both a jazz innovator and a classical composer. Disc 1, recorded in 1991, features the new Loussier Trio assembled in the late ’80s after the hiatus. Disc 2, recorded in 1992, features original classical compositions by Loussier, in which he stays true to the sound of a chamber orchestra, using the string textures familiar from his immersion in the music of the baroque era, but also brings in contemporary resonances, both in the solo parts and in the percussion contributions.

Most recently Telarc International – a division of Concord Music Group – celebrates Jacques landmark anniversary with the release of Jacques Loussier Plays Bach: The 50th Anniversary Recording, in April 2009.

Telarc Discography

Jacques Loussier Plays Bach (1996) CD-83411

Vivaldi: Four Seasons (1997) CD-83417

Jacques Loussier Plays Erik Satie (1998) CD-83431

Ravel’s Bolero (1999) CD-83466

Bach Book/40th Anniversary Album (1999) CD-83474

Bach: Goldberg Variations (2000) CD-83479

Jacques Loussier Plays Debussy (2000) CD-83511

Baroque Favorites (2001) CD-83516

Handel: Water Music & Fireworks (2002) CD-83544

Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 (2003) CD-83580

Best of Play Bach (2004) SACD 63590

Impressions of Chopin’s Nocturnes (2004) CD-83602

Mozart Piano Concertos 20/23 (2005) CD-83628

Bach: The Brandenburgs (2006) CD-83644

Encore! Jacques Loussier Plays Bach (2007) CD-83671

Plays Bach: The 50th Anniversary Recording (2009) CD-83693

Albert Ayler

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:26:00 +0000

Albert Ayler was a jazz sax player who died in 1970 at the age of 34. He is usually identified with avant garde and free jazz. The usual consensus is that either you love his music or you hate it More popular musicians who experimented with this type of music are John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman.

Here are four videos , three of them feature Albert Ayler and the fourth is an interview of Don Cherry talking about his former collaborator. There is a good article on Wikipedia about Albert Ayler – I suggest you check it out and you may want to read up a little about avante garde and free jazz. To gain some insights into Ayler and his Cleveland roots check out this article. That is Ayler playing at Coltrane's funeral on the second video below.

Lee Morgan and Sidewinder

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:18:00 +0000

On February 19, 1972 at Slug’s, a jazz club in the East Village of New York City, Jazz music lost one of its stars when Lee Morgan was murdered. There was some disagreement afterwards when the police tried to decide who killed him. It seems there was an altercation involving Lee, his wife and his girlfriend. Lee Morgan was only 33 years old.

The album, Sidewinder, was probably Lee’s best known recording – with good commercial success. From 1964 to his death Lee Morgan was very popular and prolific – leaving a large body of work. Here is the song Sidewinder, enjoy.

Lee Morgan Solo Playing with the Jazz Messengers

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:20:00 +0000

This is a bad lineup(by bad I mean good). That is Blakey on the drums and Morgan on the trumpet - is that Wayne Shorter on the sax?

I am committed to bringing you the best original videos of classic jazz and some of the contemporary stuff, but it is getting increasingly harder. Have you noticed all the ads plastered on the videos now. I do not like commercials when I am watching a program on TV - my preference is TCM. Enjoy the video.

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 22:07:00 +0000

Seminal, powerful, outstanding - all these adjectives apply to Art Blakey and his various incarnations of the Jazz Messengers over the years. I decided to feature this clip because I am a new fan of Lee Morgan. I will bring some more stuff onto Docs Jazz featuring this great trumpeter. Some of you are familiar with his tragic end and we will talk about that too.

What About the Berks Jazz Fest 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 21:54:00 +0000

Sorry for the lack of update but the schedule is very busy. Here is a video featuring Gerald Veasley who is prominent in the Jazz Fest planning and operates a bass training called bass bootcamp.

Chris Botti at the 20th Berks Jazz Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:29:00 +0000

The 20th Berks Jazz Fest is over and gone with Boney James bringing down the house. It was 10 days of non-stop jazz and we were there at the Sovereign Center to catch Chris Botti and his outstanding band as they kicked things off.

The ensemble consisted of piano, bass, drums, keyboard, and electric guitar, with a guest vocalist – Lisa Fischer. The pianist Billy Childs was excellent and left us wanting more. The guitarist Mark Whitfield was all over the stage and really played to the crowd. The drummer Billy Kilson is one of the best and Botti shared his admiration for his talent.

Botti played “Caruso,” a song from his latest album, “Chris Botti in Boston". He also mentioned that the government recently passed a bill which made Miles Davis’ album “Kinda Blue” a national treasure, because of the importance that album has on music and musicians of this type of music, and they played “Flamenco Sketches”. “It is purely improvised,” Botti said. “There are only five chords.”

Later the band was joined by Lisa Fisher for the song, “I Can Hardly Wait to Hold You.” Botti and Fisher had an exciting trumpet-voice duet.

We took in three other shows and next time I will share about the incredible tribute to Grover Washington Jr put together by Jason Miles that we saw at the Scottish Rite Cathedral on Saturday night.

Here is Chris Botti and his band from the DVD recorded live in Boston. Buy this CD/DVD and add it to your collection - he really did an outstanding job on this.

Walter Beasley Practicing

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:17:00 +0000

Here is a clip of Walter Beasley practicing before his outstanding performance at the recent Berks Jazz Fest. Lin and I took in the show during our time in Reading and all I can say is wow. Gerald Albright and Walter played off of each other and this resulted in great performances by both of them. Practice may not make perfect but it sure helps.

Shoutout to Tif

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 20:21:00 +0000

I know this is a little different but I wanted to post one of my youngest daughter's favorite groups. Be encouraged Tif, love, Dad

Who is Gulda?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 12:40:00 +0000

If you looked at the Hancock clip you may be wondering, who is Gulda. Friedrich Gulda was an Austrian pianist who performed both classical and jazz.

Around 1982, Gulda collaborated with jazz pianist Chick Corea, on The Meeting (Philips, 1984). Gulda and Corea communicate in lengthy improvisations mixing jazz ("Some Day My Prince Will Come" and the lesser known Miles Davis song "Put Your Foot Out") and classical music (Brahms' "Wiegenlied" ["Cradle song"]).

He expressed a wish to die on the birthday of the composer he most adored, Mozart, and did so, January 27 2000, at the age of 69.

Here is a link to some of his performances

Four More Variations of All Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 11:40:00 +0000

Here are four more variations on All Blues including Miles in 1964.

All Blues

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 21:12:00 +0000

Take a jazz classic like All Blues from the Kind of Blue album and mix it with the creative genius of different jazz artist and this is what you get. Here are four different takes on this song.

Which one is your favorite in this group? Let me know!

Berks Jazz Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:42:00 +0000

We will be attending the Berks Jazz Fest next week in Reading, Pennsylvania. (That is pronounced Redding for all of you non Central Pennsylvanians) We will be there through the weekend with tickets to catch Chris Botti, Earl Klugh, Wynton Marsalis, and some great artist doing a tribute to Grover Washington on Saturday.

We would love to take in the whole thing but it runs for 2 weeks and we have to work for a living. This will be our first Jazz Fest since our time up in Toronto for their Fest last year.

http://www.berksjazzfest.com/index.htm

Correction

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 18:35:00 +0000

The Steve Rudolph album is not a Christmas one but just being released at this season. Thanks for the heads up on this Steve. See you Sunday if we don't get snowed in.

What is Jazz?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 11:35:00 +0000

What is Jazz?

During the last couple years I have found myself losing more and more interest in so-called Smooth Jazz. The name itself is a kind of misnomer because most Smooth Jazz is not jazz at all. What happened to this music is a study of what happens when musicians and record companies allow pursuit of the dollar to stifle creative contributions.

What is Jazz? I am not sure but I know it when I hear it. Jazz is creative – it is innovative and full of musicianship. This is a far cry from most of the cookie cutter approach you find in Smooth Jazz.

I asked myself a question the other day – am I turning into some kind of jazz purist? I did a snobbery, elitist test to see if this was in fact the case. One look at my iTunes library and I could see that I have not reached that point – thank God! There is a wide variety of music in there, including classical, pop, r&b, and yes, smooth jazz.

What is Jazz? I could pull an answer off of Wikipedia:

"Jazz can be very hard to define because it spans from Ragtime waltzes to 2000s-era fusion. While many attempts have been made to define jazz from points of view outside jazz, such as using European music history or African music, jazz critic Joachim Berendt argues that all such attempts are unsatisfactory.

One way to get around the definitional problems is to define the term “jazz” more broadly. Berendt defines jazz as a "form of art music which originated in the United States through the confrontation of blacks with European music"; he argues that jazz differs from European music in that jazz has a "special relationship to time, defined as 'swing'", "a spontaneity and vitality of musical production in which improvisation plays a role"; and "sonority and manner of phrasing which mirror the individuality of the performing jazz musician".

But does this really define Jazz? I don’t think so. Jazz really defies description because of its constantly expanding boundaries. All I know is that when I hear most of the current songs labeled as Smooth Jazz I can say quickly to myself – that is not it, that is not jazz.

I have noticed some jazzy elements in various forms of music but I would not go so far as to label it jazz. Frequently while tuning into the local Smooth Jazz radio channel I will hear a song and think – what does that have to do with jazz? I love the song “Just My Imagination” but it is not jazz. But, in all fairness, I can relate to the dilemma faced by the programming manager at the station. The people who seem to love Smooth Jazz do not have much taste for “real jazz”.

Within my own home I can see this scenario played out. My wife really likes Smooth Jazz but when I have some Coltrane or Miles playing I can tell by her look that she is not enthralled. I was able to slide some Sonny Rollins in last summer at the Toronto Jazz Fest, and she seemed to enjoy the experience.

What is Jazz? Let me refer to an excerpt from an article written by Jason West on the “All That Jazz” website: “In their effort to market these musical voyages, major record companies have added to the mystification, bombarding us with labels to ponder: Contemporary jazz, mainstream jazz, smooth jazz, alternative jazz, avant-garde jazz, Latin jazz, fusion, etc. At present, it seems that there are almost as many names for jazz as there are jazz groups. Still puzzled? Me too.”

On that sentiment, let us say adieu.

Steve Rudolph is Local Talent

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:26:00 +0000

This Sunday Steve will be releasing an album of Christmas Jazz at the Midtown Book Scholar in Harrisburg, PA. My wife and I are planning to check it out - it starts at 3 pm. The Book Scholar is located near the Broad Street Market. Here is a sample of Steve playing "Oscar's Steppin Out."

Autumn Leaves

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:43:00 +0000

It is good to be back posting.

I am a huge fan of Keith Jarrett. I know there are distracters who complain about the noise he makes when he plays. My response is what noise? I don’t listen to Keith to hear him sing but to enjoy his piano artistry. The man is a genius on the keys and a jazz treasure.

Here Keith performs the standard Autumn Leaves with his famous trio that includes Jack Dejohnette and Gary Peacock.

For an alternate take on this song, here is one featuring Miles Davis playing with Cannonball Adderley from the superb album “Something Else”.

Tony Bennett and Toronto Jazz

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Jim Collier) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:44:00 +0000

Nice summary article about this years Toronto Jazz Fest written by Alain Londes over at the All About Jazz website. He answered some of our questions about the Sonny Rollins concert. Click here!

Drop me a note if you got a chance to see Tony Bennett in Toronto on July 5 and let me know what you think - he is one of my favorites.

Here is a review of the Tony Bennett concert at the Canon Theatre in Toronto, Canada on July 5, 2009. Click here!