The Jazz thread

Anyone like Jazz out there? It's music that very interesting, and above all very open. Jazz is played throughout the world; American Jazz, Latin Jazz, and European Jazz is the most famous, but Turkish Jazz, South African Jazz, and Indian Jazz is very interesting as well. If you'd like to relearn about the roots for Rock n'Roll, or any modern music, you can trace it back to Jazz. So come here, discuss, share, and hopefully we all can gain a greater appreciation for this genre.

Well, you know I like jazz, Pra.

I've only recently discovered just how theoretically complex and involved jazz is. I used to think that jazz was just very free and wild and that the players performed without worrying about theory. However, the opposite is true. Jazz musical theory is like rocket science.

I've been increasingly interested in it lately, as part of my desire to somewhat expand my musical horizons. Yet to get down to doing so though!

Gato Barbieri ftw!

My whole family likes jazz, especially my grandfather, who is obsessed with it.

I've been increasingly interested in it lately, as part of my desire to somewhat expand my musical horizons. Yet to get down to doing so though!

I'd recommend getting Miles Davis-Kind of Blue if you are interested in the more subtle form of jazz. Also, something like Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers is very accessable.

I'm glad you lot like Jazz. Here's a brief and abridged timeline for those unfamiliar to jazz:

All About Jazz: History of Jazz Time Line
By Doug Ronallo

Bibliography | Suggested Reading | Disclaimer


Brief Chronology of African-American Music and Jazz


Before 1850

Folk music based on African forms.
White dance and band music.
Circa 1850

Plantation songs sung by slaves.
Minstrelsy was white music meant to copy plantation songs.
During the Civil War

Slave Songs of the United States published by William Francis Allen, Charles Pickford Ware and Lucy McKim Garrison.
Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands published by Lydia Parrish.
After the Civil War

Prison songs.
Late 1800's

Blues develops and is complete by 1910.
1890's

Ragtime develops and is the most popular music in America between 1900 and 1911.
Early 1900's

Marching band music, Ragtime and the Blues begin to be fused into early Jazz roots.
1910 - 1920

Jazz is born in New Orleans via a combination of black and creole music.
1920's

New Orleans Jazz is the thing. The Jazz Age is born.
1930's

Swing is king and this is the only time that Jazz and popular are the same thing.
1940's

Bebop is born. It is later called simply Bop.
1950's

Hard Bop or Funk and Cool Jazz take over.
1960's

Modal and Free Jazz find followers.
1970's

Jazz fuses with one of its derivatives (Rock) to form Jazz-Rock or Fusion.
1980's

Contemporary Jazz age begins.
1990's

Hip-Hop and other forms emerge. Hard Bop revival.

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/timeline.htm

The above is, of course, the history of Jazz in the US; today I'd like to share with you the evolution of jazz in India.

Indian Jazz was actually born through the unique combination of Indian Classical Music, a Genre in itself completely devoid of any 'bottom or top' in creativity, and a fusion of Jazz; much like the combination of Afro-Cuban rhythms that influenced Cuban Jazz, Indian Jazz was affected by its Indian roots in both instrument and principle; nevertheless, this genre never sacrifices its other half, its western side, as both emphasize innovation above all else. If anything, the Western end actually created a medium for which to make the Classical End more 'accessable' without hampering the creative potential of the musicians.

Rhythm Indian rhythms are based on tals or talas, cycles (sometimes complex) which do not at all correspond to the western notion of "bars" of music. Tals are seldom the sole source of borrowing in jazz fusion efforts, but often accompany other elements.

Scale There are far more scale possibilties than those familiar to Western audiences; these include the major, the harmonic minor, the melodic minor, and the seven "modes" first described in print by Pythagoras. Classical Indian music makes use not only of dozens of other scales,but also utilizes quarter tones not present in Western music, rendering hundreds of additional scales possible.

Form Classical Indian performances are based around the concept of raga, which is somewhat difficult to describe in brief. A raga is not a composition per se, but rather consists of a particular combination which includes one or more recognizable melody lines, a distinct scale (which may differ in the ascending and descending), and a particular tal (rhythm cycle). Ragas, like symphonies, consist of movements, although these movements are not separated by pauses in playing. A raga usually commences with an alap, a slow section described as having an "improvised rhythm," and gradually unfolds through other such sections with a growing complexity and (generally) increase in tempo. Unlike a symphony, a raga is not composed note-for note; rather, the scale, the rhythm cycle, and the melody serve as guidelines within which improvisation is a significant element.

Melody Precisely because of the improvisational nature of Classical Indian music, melody is the rarest element borrowed by Western musicians. That is not to say, however, that it is completely absent; ragas do contain "catch-phrases" {pakads}, and there are many other types of compositions in Indian music which do contain substantial melodies (including devotional songs, folk songs, lullabies, and other song varieties).

There is another element, instrumentation, which i consider to be worthy of far less consideration, because use alone of Indian instruments (especially the sitar) does not necessarily reflect inspiration specifically from the Classical repertoire, nor even (depending on the usage of the instrument) Indian music at all.

Of course, it's impossible to make consise distinctions on which to base my decisions for inclusion or exclusion of listings in this Guide. I am counting on the Internet community to keep me informed of new developments in Indian/Western fusion, and also to continue my education in this deligtful genre by sending me corrections, additions, updates, etc, at indyjazz@lutins.org.

http://www.lutins.org/indyjazz/ij-2.html

Formost amongst Indian Jazz Artists is Trilok Gurtu:

http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Trilok_Gurtu.html





His unique set.

Indian composer and master percussionist Trilok Gurtu was born into a highly musical family in Bombay, India where his grandfather was a noted sitar player and his mother, Shobha Gurtu is a classical singing star and constant influence.

Trilok began to play practically from infancy at age six. He eventually traveled to Europe where he soon joined the touring group of famed trumpeter Don Cherry. From 1984 through 1988 Trilok toured the world with the highly respected jazz ensemble Oregon and was also a important member of the quartet that L. Shankar led with Jan Garbarek and Zakir Hussain.

In 1988 Trilok first presented his own compilations on his debut release "Usfret". Contemporary young Asian stars in London like Tavlin Singh and Asian Dub Foundation have cited this record as a prime influence, and Trilok as an inspiration and mentor. As a result, Trilok's early works find their way onto the turntables at the hottest UK dance clubs even today. At the end of '88 Trilok met John McLaughlin, who at the time was leading The Mahavishnu Orchestra. For the next four years Trilok played an integral part in The John McLaughlin Trio, cutting two records and playing alongside John as the featured soloist on the trio's enormously successful world tours.

The early 90's saw a flurry of activity for Trilok around his work with Weather Report founder, Joe Zawinul, in duet for a run of European Festival tours and on their recording "Crazy Saints", which also featured Pat Metheny. Audiences were enthralled by Trilok's compositions which linked subtle Indian rhythms and Indian singing with elements of modern jazz and rock. The tail end of the decade saw Trilok form his new group The Glimpse who recorded two European only releases to glowing reviews.

Trilok's new cd "African Fantasy" was released by Verve Records' new world music imprint - Blue Thumb. Conceived to illustrate the common musical ground shared between the Indian and African cultures, the recording features guest vocals from such renown African divas as Oumou Sangare, Angelique Kidjo and Sabine Kabongo. Sabine, best known as a member of the Belgian/Congolese vocal ensemble Zap Mama, joinedTrilok's group for a run of European and North American tour dates in 2000.


Source: ritmoartists.com

As stated, his mother Shobha, a very skilled sitarist, has actually done a lot of work with him, and her work is impeccable. The songs that he creates themselves are bluesy, percussive, jazzy, and soulful-truly a world experience in jazz.

If you can somehow get a hand on his stuff, I certainly recommend it.

Thanks for the reps guys! This post is to function both as a bump, and as another chapter into the multifarious face of jazz. So today, I bring you the jazz of Cuba and Latin America!

Like the melting of African rhytmics with European melodies and other concepts that characterized the Jazz of New Orleans, Cuban and Latin Jazz had a similar conception. As American Jazz grew up from Blues, Latin and Cuban Jazz was born through the traditions of the African Slaves kept in Cuba, most notably, the religion of Santeria; this concept later grew into the descarga, a styling of improvisation that was very highly energetic.

Cuban Artists came to America during the Rhumba (alt. Rumba) Craze. The Rhumba dance was actually very sexual in nature, and involved the man as the aggressor and the women as the more docile subject. A slower and more 'refined' Rhumba version is the Son. After some exposure to New York Big Band Swing, Mario Bauzá, Frank Grillo “Machito”, Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill, and Israel Lopez “Cachao, the Cuban Jazz Giants, created the Mambo. Mambo, however, really took off with the works of Tito Puente, who really furthered this marvelous dance craze. Indeed, Mambo may never truly 'die out' thanks to this man, El Rey De Tibales, and his efforts.

A reciprocal relationship was also inspired by greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, and Art Blakey, who stylized a jazz form of Cuban Jazz termed CuBop. The music had Latin backdrops to the Jazz vibe, and were more concerned with the Jazz side of things, IMHO.

After the Cuban Embargo, what really took off in the US was the Dominican Merengue, and the dances modelled after it. The Cuban Music remaining in the US had large dosses of the aforementioned, mixed with Rock and Soul. Others like Carlos Santana created and inspired the Salsa Dance Craze.

In the 60s, the Brazilian stylings of Bossa Nova and Samba brought a new light to the Latin Jazz Tradition in the US. A refreshing contrast to the more explosive Cuban stylings, these genres had a pretty large fanbase and grew well. Notable artists in this explosion were Joao Gilberto, Astrud Gilberto, Airto Moreira, Luis Bonfa, etc.

Personally, I very much enjoy Latin Jazz; I cannot say it is better or worse, but rather a different hue of Jazz. It is very easy to understand, yet can be intricate. It is happy, but is melancholy as well. What I enjoy the most about it are the minimalist aspects of it-though the Big Band Versions of it are also very nice. The most entertaining to listen to, nonetheless, has to be the brilliant interplay between the percussionist and the person playing the melody.


Here are a few instruments used in Latin Jazz that you may be unfamiliar with:



Bata Drums




Congas




Bongos




Maracas





Timbales



Artists I'd recommend. (I've listened to records from all of 'em, and I like 'em lotz!!!!!!!!!!):

Cuban:
Tito Puente
Buena Vista Social Club
Afro Cuban All Stars (the 'explorations' Buena Vista, without Ry Cooder, for the most part.)
Bebo Valdez
Chucho Valdez (both play piano; Chucho is the son of Bebo)
Irakere (Chucho's Band)
Maraca (the new face of Cuban dance music and jazz; he is the most talented non-classical flautist I know.)
Celia Cruz (the greatest voice ever!)
Charlie Sepulveda (was in Irakere)
David Sanchez (was in Irakere and Charlie Sepulveda's band)
!Cubanismo!
Arturo Sandoval

American:
Dizzy Gillespie
Chick Correa
Stan Getz
Miles Davis

Brazil:
Astrud Gilberto (Sung Girl from Ipanema)
Joao Gilberto (Astrud's husband, a more professional singer)
Luis Bonfa


African:

Ruy Mingas (wow this guy is simply amazing, good luck finding a record of him though.)
Orchestre Baobab De Dakar
Africando

Next to classic rock Jazz Fusion is my favorite genre of music and its close relative the blues.

Chick Correa
Stan Getz

John Mclauglin
Steve Vai
Lenny White
Stanley Clark
George Duke
Jeff Beck
Jan Hammer

Dudes like that

But I like Dixieland as well and in fact almost all jazz.

Could someone explain how I missed this thread up until now.......

Originally Posted by Prarara

If you're into more soul jazz, try Jimmy Smith, a very talented organ player. His later stuff is 'acid/funk' jazz.

Jimmy Smith is the best organ player hands down. 'The Sermon' pretty much sums it all up.

Originally Posted by Prarara

Since you like Guitar, I'd recommend Wes Montgommery and Pat Martino, alongside with John Mclauglin off course.

And, Grant Green ('Green Street' is a good starter) and my favorite jazz guitar album 'Midnight Blue' by Kenny Burrell.

Originally Posted by Prarara

For some other good Rock/Funk jazz fusion, check out Herbie Hancock's Chameleon and stuff from around that time (late 70s and early 80s.)

'*****es Brew' and 'In a Silent Way' by Davis are my favorite Jazz fusions.

Originally Posted by Prarara

Good 'introduction' CDs are Herbie Hancock's Takin' Off and Empyrean Isles, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, John Coltrane's Blue Trane, or Sonny Rollins' The Bridge.

If I had to recommend three start off Jazz albums (for accessibility to new listeners):

'Kind of Blue' by Miles Davis
'Songs for my Father' by Horace Silver
'Take Five' by Dave Brubeck

Originally Posted by Prarara

Lastly, and this I have to recommend, is the only Jazz Movie Soundtrack I've found; Miles Davis' Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud. It was written for his mistress in Paris, a French Actress who I forget the name of now. (Listen to it late at night, perhaps with someone you love.)

Dexter Gordon did 'Round Midnight' for another film ST.

Cheers,
Erik