THE "BIG" JAZZ THREAD

Re: "New" Legends of Jazz?

averypoordrummer said:
stu, have you heard of seb rochford? he won the Rhythm best jazz drummer of 2005. he's currently playing for a group called the Polar Bears, who are based in Bristol. I've heard that he is amazing and really leads the band. I've heard that they jam at a pub in Bristol, I've got to find out where it is!
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I know this is quite a few posts back (a very many in fact), but yeah I saw Polar Bear play at the Manchester Jazz fest and I have to saw he is one HELL of a drummer. Very tight and can be VERY explosive, definatly check Polar Bear out as well, from what I heard/can remember at their set at Manchester jazz they were very,very good and I really enjoyed them, I think they played stuff off 'Held On The Finger Tips'.

He's also involved a more recent project called Acoustic Ladyland, which involves him and 2 other members of Polar Bear with a keyboardist, anyway their music is very good, they've realesed three records their first being very traditional jazz, very nice from the samples I heard on iTunes, but their 2nd and more recent album are more avant garde, the 2nd they incorperate jazz with punk and disco themes and it ends up working out and sounding pretty good, they're more recent album called 'Skinny Grin', is even more 'out there' and reminded me alot of John Zorn's crazy breakdowns, so go check them out as well if your into that thing.
 
Allright, I don't really know who Gil Evans is really... could someone explain who he is exactly?

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Lance69 said:
Allright, I don't really know who Gil Evans is really... could someone explain who he is exactly?

50.jpg
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To be brief, Gil Evans was a bandleader and pianist best known for his work as a composer and arranger. He had a distinctive style, very lyrical, moody, and introverted. His arrangements emphasized ensemble playing over solos and had a sound that was orchestral in nature. To create his sound, Evans often used big band instrumentation supplemented by French horn and tuba. He is especially well-known for his composition Boplicity which was released as part of the Birth of the Cool recordings with Miles Davis.
 
jazzgregg said:
And he was Canadian=)

G
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That he was. He was born on May 13th, 1912 in Toronto and he died on March 20, 1988 in Cuernavaca, Mexico. His cause of death was pneumonia and that was same reason behind Miles' death as well. Such a tragic loss to the jazz community.
 
Michael Brecker died???

Oh man, I'm gutted.

RIP to both Alice and Michael.

I count myself lucky to have seen Michael in performance with Steve Gadd. I'll never forget it and will cherish the memory always.

DAMN! :(
 
From Michael's Site:

JANUARY 13, 2007 - Following a two and a half year battle with MDS and then leukemia, Michael passed away. A memorial service is now being planned and details regarding the same will be posted here this coming Wednesday or Thursday. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to The Marrow Foundation's TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FUND. Many lives have been saved as a result of those who joined the National Marrow Donor Program at donor drives on behalf of Michael---and who were perfectly matching donors for others in need.* There is much work to do, and we ask you to please join us in this effort. Thank you for all of your support.
 
Michael Brecker was a popular US jazz saxophonist of the post-Coltrane era. He won 11 Grammys as both performer and composer.
Man, I'm in such a state of depression to have heard this awful news.

R.I.P. Michael
 
On "the state of jazz", that was previously discussed here...

It's always been tough to make a living in jazz, even if you're one of the excessively-gifted people. Jazz "is what it is", meaning that each individual simply has to decide to commit to it or not... regardless of the financial and/or business rewards. That's the difference (not that one is "better" than the other) between a "commercial artist" and an "artist". It's especially tough for people like me, (who DON'T think they've got God-given talent) because, just saying that we're "artists" doesn't necessarily mean that we're GOOD "artists". Each of us has to decide to continue or not, based on whether we believe we're getting better. One person chooses musical flexibility, to produce income, and one insists on playing music their own way, regardless of the income. Music audiences are a fickle bunch too, and when you present anything non-mainstream to them, you roll the dice. They might just as easily love it or hate it. Quoting something that Roy Burns once said to me, "Do what you believe in. Some will like it, some will not." (That's life, right?)

So, what can we do to reach a larger audience?
It's my opinion that if we produce music that is truly outstanding in every way, (in time, in tune, great melodies and harmonies, great grooves, great dynamics, genuine emotional content, and some "surprises", like the clever use of empty space, etc.) people will intuitively know it's great, and "they'll call you". For example, if "**** (Your favorite artist's name here) ****" was playing in your town, but was not famous, wouldn't you still recognize something "special" in them? (If not, then perhaps you've just bought "hype".) Maybe we all need to just be better, and produce some REALLY creative music that is undeniably great. (and, no, I am certainly NOT portraying myself as one who has accomplished that)

So... I've been going through a phase, for the last 3 months, where I've recorded everything I play live (5 nights per week with a pop/dance band, and one night per week with my jazz trio) and listen to it all. My musician friends and I describe this as "being in the torture chamber". Whatever you think of yourself and your band(s), a good live recording certainly brings the truth out front immediately. It's painful, but a great way to find and fix things, and to objectively judge whether you're doing something worthy of "special attention". As jazz lovers, we've got to do more than just play "Real Book tunes" with a trio in a bar. Most jazz audiences have heard that all before. And, however good our "jamming" is, it's still just "jamming". It's worth the trouble to work out actual arrangements... adding some emotion to the tunes.

For my friends and I, this typically turns out to be "projects", where we organize (and typically pay for) a bunch of new arrangements, a new band, some serious rehearsals, recording, and proper publicity. We try to make these projects worthy of a recording, and at least a few live "concerts" around town. Then, if people want to support, we're off and running. If not, it's just a "project", and we're done. For example, I did a big band project back in 2001, which was great fun, but a financial loss. (recordings from that concert at http://www.mikejamesjazz.com/dfl_projects.html )

I'd like to hear what many of you are doing with your music, and have just posted a few new ones of mine (trios and quartets) in the "Your Playing" forum myself. ( http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25075 ) These aren't "spectacular", but they're live and real, and I'm pretty happy with them. I'd love to hear yours, and I watch the "Your Playing" forum for these things.

Everybody, do more!
 
Right, so the list of artists have been released for the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and the line up is alright.

Sonny Rollins and Chris Botti are the only artists I've heard of...and also Madeline Peyroux. It's going to be fun checking out new artists.
 
caprisun3484 said:
how do you come up with different ride cymbal patterns in order to mix it up and not use the normal swing pattern
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Dude, I think the ultimate in unpredictable ride patterns come from Tony Williams. Check out the stuff he did with Miles and his solo stuff. I'm not a huge Tony Williams fan, but he definitely has a unique swing style.
 
About ride cymbal playing...

• The "pattern"
I think you have 3 choices here... First, you can listen to and repeat all the ones that you think sound good, from a variety of recordings. Or, you can choose to isolate yourself and invent your own. The usual approach is to combine both into something that ultimately sounds like "you". There's "pattern-oriented" playing, but as you gain confidence, you'll adopt a more interactive approach, based on what you hear (or want to hear) moment by moment.

• The "texture"
Just as important as the notes you play is how you play them. On a typical cymbal, you can play near the bell, near the edge, with the tip of the stick, with the shank of the stick, and at a variety of "momentary" volumes. You can let the stick bounce freely, or you can "dig in" to the cymbal with a variety of pressures, to either dampen the cymbal, or to force your stick to create a "sizzle" effect.

As you become focused on how all these differences really sound, you'll understand that this list goes on for much longer than what I've posted. Learn the standard patterns right away, so you can "get by", but don't ever stop listening! If you can play in situations where you actually have fun, you'll find yourself becoming looser and more creative.
 
mikejames said:
About ride cymbal playing...

• The "pattern"
I think you have 3 choices here... First, you can listen to and repeat all the ones that you think sound good, from a variety of recordings. Or, you can choose to isolate yourself and invent your own. The usual approach is to combine both into something that ultimately sounds like "you". There's "pattern-oriented" playing, but as you gain confidence, you'll adopt a more interactive approach, based on what you hear (or want to hear) moment by moment.

• The "texture"
Just as important as the notes you play is how you play them. On a typical cymbal, you can play near the bell, near the edge, with the tip of the stick, with the shank of the stick, and at a variety of "momentary" volumes. You can let the stick bounce freely, or you can "dig in" to the cymbal with a variety of pressures, to either dampen the cymbal, or to force your stick to create a "sizzle" effect.

As you become focused on how all these differences really sound, you'll understand that this list goes on for much longer than what I've posted. Learn the standard patterns right away, so you can "get by", but don't ever stop listening! If you can play in situations where you actually have fun, you'll find yourself becoming looser and more creative.
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thanks a lot
i've been doing a lot more listening and writing out patterns and then trying different comping things with the patterns. It's really helping
 
This is pretty insignificant, but it has always annoyed me: In the lyrics to In Walked Bud sung by Jon Hendricks, who are the musicians he refers to?

Dizzy he was screamin, next to OP who was beamin
Monk was thumpin
Suddenly in walked Bud
and then they got into somethin,

Oscar played a mean sax,
Mr. Byars blew a mean axe,
Monk was thumpin
And suddenly in walked Bud
And then the joint started jumpin.

Any clue?
 
jazzethan! said:
This is pretty insignificant, but it has always annoyed me: In the lyrics to In Walked Bud sung by Jon Hendricks, who are the musicians he refers to?

Dizzy he was screamin, next to OP who was beamin
Monk was thumpin
Suddenly in walked Bud
and then they got into somethin,

Oscar played a mean sax,
Mr. Byars blew a mean axe,
Monk was thumpin
And suddenly in walked Bud
And then the joint started jumpin.

Any clue?
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Jon Hendricks wrote the lyrics to this song and they have been confusing people ever since regarding the characters of Oscar and Mr. Byars.

Dizzy=Dizzy Gillespie

OP=bassist Oscar Pettiford

Bud=pianist Bud Powell

Monk=Thelonious Monk, the pianist who composed this song.

But the confusion occured when played a mean sax and blew a mean axe got mixed up.

First of all Byars was the nickname of saxophonist Don Byas, but saxophonists don't always play a mean axe, but bass players always do. So Oscar Pettiford was actually mentioned twice, but played sax and blew axe got mixed up. It should have been:

Oscar played a mean axe,
Mr. Byars blew a mean sax,

This is further verified by other versions of the Hendricks lyrics which state:

Mr. Byars threw a mean axe, which is absolutely something that bass players do. In other words, a minor confusion.

Quite often, these words are added later by singers in an improvised way. The practice is called vocalese. Hendricks, who knew all these guys just got them mixed up at the session and they were never changed.

And that's the rest of the story.
 
Thanks, Matt, I appreciate it. The part that really confuses me is that Monk was "thumpin'," and when Bud Powell walked in the the joint would start jumpin. Isn't that a slam of Monk?

But onto a more in depth topic:

The idea was recently proposed to me that jazz was selfish music. My father--not a jazz fanatic by any means--would try to listen to small group jazz and found that the idea of a solo was one that promoted very selfish themes in the music. He loves hearing the melody because everyone is playing together. However, when one person solos, that one gets the spotlight for a minute. After that, it's the next musician's turn to get the glory, and so on until each person has satisfied their own egos. As a drummer, what is our job? To make the soloist feel good, sound good, play better. Even with interaction between rhythm section and soloist, the person soloing is the most important.

Hearing him say this, I was in complete disagreement. The more I thought about it, though, the more it nagged at me. To a certain extent I think my dad was right. There is a lot of jazz music that seems like a showcase of talents. I have several questions on this topic for anyone to answer.


Do you disagree with the idea that jazz is selfish?

Name some groups that are selfish, and some that aren't. What is different between the groups?

How can one avoid making selfish music?

I find that on Monk's album Straight, No Chaser, the first track "Locomotive" strikes me as some of the greatest interaction I have ever heard. In the beginning of Charlie Rouse's tenor solo, he leaves enough space for Monk to quote melody lines in and out of his own tenor lines. Check it out. It is joyous.
 
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