BOOKS & VIDEOS ABOUT JAZZ & BLUES

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Comment by jay lewis on November 9, 2009 at 9:21am

This DVD presents fifteen of the true “legends of jazz drumming” in astounding extended solos and in rare, never-before-seen drum duels filmed over the last five decades.

Among the highlights are uncut solos from big band legends Sonny Payne, Rufus Jones, Buddy Rich, Sam Woodyard and Louie Bellson; and small group giants Art Blakey and Joe Morello.

Rare drum battles include meetings between Gene Krupa and Cozy Cole, Buddy Rich and Ed Shaughnessy, Chico Hamilton, Gene Krupa and Lionel Hampton; Elvin Jones, Sunny Murray and Art Blakey; and a once-in-a-lifetime battle between Buddy Rich and Jerry Lewis!

Bonus track is the original theatrical trailer for “The Gene Krupa Story,” never seen outside movie theaters, where it was shown in 1958.

MORE ABOUT THIS TITLE
Artists Include Sonny Payne; Rufus Jones; Buddy Rich; Sam Woodyard; Louie Bellson; Art Blakey; Joe Morello; Gene Krupa; Cozy Cole; Buddy Rich; Ed Shaughnessy; Chico Hamilton; Lionel Hampton; Elvin Jones; Sunny Murray

Comment by jay lewis on November 3, 2009 at 10:40am

When it was first published in 1970, this lively and fascinating book was greeted with almost universal acclaim. The American Record Guide called it "the best one-volume of jazz we have," and the Jazz Journal praised it as "a brilliant study of the whole of jazz." Perhaps the greatest tribute was paid by Louis Armstrong himself who raved: "it held Ol' Satch spellbound." Now thoroughly revised and expanded, the new edition of The Jazz Tradition offers readers a unique history of jazz, as seen through its greatest practitioners.
An original blend of history and criticism, this book explores the work of nearly two dozen leading musicians and ensembles that have shaped the course of jazz, from King Oliver's Creole Jazz band to the present day. Couched in the same readable, non-technical language that made earlier editions so popular, The Jazz Tradition adds new chapters on some of the more recent giants of jazz, performers like pianist Bill Evans, versatile horn player and saxophonist Eric Dolphy, and the World Saxophone Quartet, and considerably expands the chapter devoted to Count Basie. In addition, a foreword by Richard Crawford introduces the new edition, and the discographies on each performer have been fully brought up to date. Written by an author The Washington Post lauded as "the most knowledgeable, open-minded, and perceptive American jazz critic today," The Jazz Tradition belongs in the library of all lovers of this distinctly American sound.

Comment by jay lewis on October 29, 2009 at 8:17am

"Latin jazz : the first of the fusions, 1880s to today" by, John Storm Roberts.

Roberts's knowledgeable exegesis of Latin jazz recordings overflows with details of recording sessions, evocative descriptions of musical style, and interesting tidbits of Latin jazz history--such as how US State Department cultural exchanges fostered Brazilian music in North America and how Latin rhythmic breaks came to substitute for harmonically complex "bridge" sections in jazz. Roberts writes in a hip-connoisseur style (". . . fat, clave-based, bullfrog-bop trombone riffs reproducing a classic piano guajeo. . .") reminiscent of his columns in Rolling Stone and of reviews he wrote for his world music mail-order catalogue. The book is weakest in sociocultural context of the music and the music's meaning for practitioners and audiences (chapters devoted to Cuban influences circa 1950s-60s fail to mention the Cuban Revolution and US embargo, with their profound effects on Latin music). Roberts's broader The Latin Tinge: The Impact of Latin American Music on the United States (CH, Jan'80; 2nd ed., 1999) overlaps significantly with the current volume. The wealth of recording details and the period photographs make this book a valuable resource for fans and collectors of Latin jazz; but for sophisticated analysis, one will have to look elsewhere.

Accounting for every Latin American rhythm, instrument, song form, and harmony as it arrived in sheet music and recordings of proto-jazz and jazz might be one way to write a dull book. But Roberts, author of Black Music of Two Worlds (2d ed., 1998) and scads of album liner notes, is an enthusiast for his subject, capable of exclamations such as "Until you've heard the Lennon-McCartney `Michelle' done as a rumba abierta, you haven't lived!" Lovers of jazz, the vast range of musics called Latin, and dance music may be assured--this book is never dull. The Latin jazz story is a colorful chapter of the immigrant saga, with Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Haitians, Dominicans, and Brazilians all figuring distinctively and powerfully in it, usually surprisingly early--notice "1880s to Today" in the subtitle. Should Latin jazz nonspecialists think they won't know the music Roberts dissects, well, if they know some of Jelly Roll Morton's, Stan Kenton's, Dizzy Gillespie's, or Stan Getz's best stuff, they will be nose down in this book for days

Comment by jay lewis on October 22, 2009 at 10:23am

Jazz Icons: Ella Fitzgerald features “The First Lady Of Song” in two distinct performances. The first is the earliest known complete concert of Ella to be captured on film. Shot in Belgium, this 1957 concert has her performing with jazz greats Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Jo Jones and the legendary Oscar Peterson on classics such as “Lullaby Of Birdland,” and “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).” The second show is an intimate in-studio performance from 1963, taped in Sweden, featuring Ella backed by a quartet including pianist Tommy Flanagan. Highlights include stellar versions of “Mack The Knife” and “Just One Of Those Things.”


Vocal- Ella Fitzgerald
Piano- Don Abney
Bass- Ray Brown
Drums- Jo Jones
Guitar- Herb Ellis
Additional Personnel on “It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”
Trumpet- Roy Eldridge
Piano- Oscar Peterson
Angel Eyes
Lullaby Of Birdland
Love For Sale
Tenderly
April In Paris
Just One Of Those Things
Roll ‘Em Pete
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
It Don’t Mean A Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)


Vocal- Ella Fitzgerald
Piano- Tommy Flanagan
Bass- Jim Hughart
Drums- Gus Johnson
Guitar- Les Spann
No Moon At All
Just One Of Those Things
Runnin’ Wild
Georgia On My Mind
Desafinado
Hallelujah, I Love Her So
Mack The Knife

16-page booklet
Foreword by Ella's son Ray Brown, Jr.
Liner notes by Will Friedwald
Cover photo by Paul Hoeffler
Booklet photos by Ted Williams, William "PoPsie" Randolph, Susanne Schapowalow, Herman Leonard, Jamie Hodgson
Memorabilia collage
Total time: 56 minutes


Foreword: Life at home was simple. Comings and goings normal everyday things. I didn’t know that genius resided at my house. It was just Mom— “Do your homework, clean your room,” Mom. Yes, it was cool being backstage, but that’s because not everybody could be backstage. I was dragged onstage a couple of times to dance with my mom, but c’mon, there were things going on backstage. Arlie (Smalls) had her hands full trying to keep me in check. Pete (Carvallo) was never the enforcer, but things did mellow out with his “you’re OK.”

...

But as I peeked out from behind the curtain a bit, I could see it wasn’t just my heart that was being touched. I graduated from backstage to front rows because I wanted to. I had to see and feel and be a part of the experience that everybody else was enjoying.

...

Can you imagine a planet without the heart and soul and groove and love of the musical giants that reside among us? Many talents will never have an equal, but the real joy is their inspiration—their encouragement. We can enjoy and learn and, in our own various ways, give. That is what they all did. As you watch and remember, I hope you will appreciate that my mother gave all she had.

—Ray Brown, Jr. • June 2006
(son of Ella Fitzgerald and bassist Ray Brown)



Sample Liner Notes by Will Fridwald: Ella Fitzgerald’s awe-inspiring musical abilities were seemingly super-human: her sense of time and her pitch were impeccable. It is no wonder she was frequently perceived as something supernatural: an angel, a spirit or a divine muse. It is here, within the two rarely seen performances captured on DVD that we see Ella Fitzgerald in all her glorious humanity—performing live.

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Although Fitzgerald was recorded frequently in this period, no document, audio or video, has been officially released from her European tour in 1957, until now. The first concert on this DVD was filmed in Belgium, and although there are earlier and much shorter snippets of Ella in performance, this is probably the best recording of The Great Lady in concert from this era. The supporting cast is especially strong: longtime accompanist Don Abney on piano, the pioneering modern jazz bassist Ray Brown (who was also her ex-husband), the outstanding guitarist Herb Ellis and, as a special treat, one of the most celebrated drummers in jazz history, “Papa” Jo Jones, best known for his long tenure with the original Count Basie Band. Throughout the concert, Jones looks down from his drum stand positively beaming as Fitzgerald sings.

The show begins with “Angel Eyes,” Fitzgerald’s signature ballad of the era and a classic vehicle that reveals the full extent of her great gift as an interpreter of lyrics and emotions. Composer Matt Dennis once said the first time he played the song for her she knew immediately she wanted to use it as an opening number. Dennis, who had the honor of hearing his masterwork interpreted by Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole, said Ella’s performance was easily his favorite.

Next is George Shearing’s most celebrated composition, the up-tempo “Lullaby Of Birdland,” which she was able to sing thanks to a lyric by Tin Pan Alley pro George David Weiss. “Lullaby,” a nonsensical, nursery rhyme of a text, sounds completely logical in Fitzgerald’s rendition. Although this song provided the title for what may be her all-time best album Lullabies of Birdland – a collection of famous early scat numbers—“Lullaby” itself was not an extended scat feature for her, but later became a scat extravaganza for Fitzgerald’s disciple Mel Torme.

...

The second amazing performance captured here features Ella in a 1963 Swedish television appearance. Four years prior, Granz had sold off his interest in Verve to MGM Records. Although he continued to produce Fitzgerald’s recordings, the new owners thought they had plenty of live performances by Fitzgerald in the can. As usual, Fitzgerald was constantly on the road all over the world, but there are few live concert recordings from the early ’60s. The 1963 Swedish performance is an exclusive in many aspects: here is the first recording of Fitzgerald with her new pianist, Tommy Flanagan (this is the only document of this particular edition of the trio with Flanagan), drummer Gus Johnson (another long-time Basie-ite) and bassist Jim Hughart, and it is the only visual concert performance from the period.

One of the great assets of the first Belgium show is that it was filmed in a concert hall with a live audience. Everywhere you turn, the hall is so packed there are at least a hundred people right up on the stage, sitting behind Ella and the trio, and looking at the back of her head. In Stockholm, Fitzgerald and company perform in a television studio, and even though an audience is audibly present, they are never seen. Visually, the quality is superb. The show was recorded on videotape (whereas the Belgian show was shot on film) and there are lots of tight close-ups of Ella’s face in mid-song, which provide an intimacy unmatched in a concert hall or nightclub. The visual nuances are also fascinating—such as when Fitzgerald refers to “fancy gloves” in “Mack The Knife” while she pantomimes the action of straightening a pair of elbow-length gloves.

The most exciting thing about the 1963 concert is Fitzgerald’s enthusiasm; she is quite literally overflowing with energy. As Tony Bennett once put it, “Ella couldn’t wait to get out there and start entertaining the people.” At this show in particular, Fitzgerald is supercharged from the opening note, possibly even more so than six years earlier. The tempo is relentless on the fast numbers, similar in feel to Ella’s then-recent album, Rhythm Is My Business, and the intensity is palpable—even on the ballads.

Comment by jay lewis on October 12, 2009 at 1:30pm

From Kultur comes this documentary that looks at the Harlem Renaissance through the music that defined the era. Harlem Renaissance: The Music & Rhythms That Started a Cultural Revolution includes performances of such songs as Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher," Fats Waller's "This Joint Is Jumpin'," Bill "Bojangles" Robinson's "Let's Scuffle," Lena Horne's "Friday Night," and many others.

Comment by jay lewis on October 6, 2009 at 11:33am

The Last Of The Blue Devils is a rare document of the 1974 reunion that brought together Kansas City swing and blues giants Count Basie, Big Joe Turner and Jay McShann, as well as countless performers and instrumentalists in the Kansas City jazz scene from the 30s onwards. Along with being an endearing and loving portrayal of each of these great musicians, it is also a celebration of one of the most important cities that formed modern jazz. A chronicle of Kansas City, the birthplace of "Bird" (Charlie Parker), The Last Of The Blue Devils is a movie about time standing still.

The Last Of The Blue Devils is much more than reminiscences of a group of friends playing the blues and reliving old times, it is a document of a revolution in modern music. Producer and director Bruce Ricker crafts a wonderful, one-of-a-kind film which catches incredible performances by using a split-screen technique that shows the soul and passion of the players, as well as their technical prowess as the top jazz musicians of their day.

Featuring the talents of Count Basie, Big Joe Turner, Jay McShann and others, The Last Of The Blue Devils is chock-full of great performances. Count Basie, one of the most important jazz bandleaders in history, was in Bennie Moten's Orchestra, the top territory band of the 1920s which set the standard for Kansas City jazz. In Blue Devils we hear a jovial Basie playing "One O'Clock Jump," which became the band's theme song, and reminiscing eloquently about Moten as being "the most lovable leader you'd ever meet in your life."

Comment by jay lewis on October 6, 2009 at 9:49am

A collection of quotes and anecdotes loosely organized around eleven influential personalities (Ellington, Holiday, Armstrong, Wilson, Mulligan, Davis, Mingus, Parker, Coltrane, Taylor, and Barbieri), some recent developments, and ""the political economy of jazz""--a chapter title as misleading as. the book's. Jazz Is is almost a sampler, worthwhile more as introduction than source book.

Comment by jay lewis on October 1, 2009 at 8:23am

Jazz Icons: Buddy Rich highlights the relentless power and unparalleled artistry of the man who was known as “The World’s Greatest Drummer.” This 75-minute concert, taped in Holland in 1978, showcases one of the tightest big bands in history, featuring acclaimed saxophonist Steve Marcus and other members of Buddy’s “Killer Force,” the group he would later call “the best band I ever had.” Standout performances include “Grand Concourse,” “Big Swing Face,” and “Channel One Suite,” which climaxes in Buddy’s signature drum solo.


Drums: Buddy Rich
Alto Sax and Flute: Andy Fusco and Chuck Wilson
Soprano Sax: Steve Marcus and Chuck Wilson
Tenor Sax: Steve Marcus and
Gary Pribeck
Baritone Sax: Greg Smith
Trumpet: John Marshall, Mike
McGovern, Mark Ohlsen and Chuck Schmidt
Trombone: Glenn Franke, Dale
Kirkland, George Moran
Piano: Bob Kaye
Electric Bass: Tom Warrington
Ya Gotta Try
Little Train
Best Coast
Grand Concourse
‘Round Midnight
Birdland
Channel One Suite
Big Swing Face


Liner notes by Dean Pratt
Cover photo by Tom Copi
Booklet photos by Steve Peck, Tom Copi
1978 Down Beat interview with Buddy by his friend Mel Tormé
Memorabilia collage
Filmed in Holland
Total time: 75 minutes

Foreword by Buddy's daughter Cathy Rich
The question I am asked most is what was it like growing up with Buddy Rich as my father…it’s a hard question to answer… he was my dad… just like anyone else’s, except for what he did for a living. I have had an extraordinary life because of that and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. My father was many things… he was a multi dimensional character… he was hilariously funny, had the quickest wit of anyone I have ever known, he was emotional, tender, angry, and most of all a perfectionist and consummate artist. In essence, he was human. He was given a gift and used that gift to bring his music to everyone that he could. He spent his entire life making sure that the art form of jazz was never minimized or forgotten.


The concert you are about to watch is an example of just that. This band was one of my father’s favorites; you can tell that he loved playing with this young and talented group of musicians. He is happy and the band is on fire. This is a night captured on tape that will stand the test of time and still be amazing in another 20 or 50 years from now... true artistry never diminishes, it only grows as time goes on.

Sit back, enjoy and be awed.

Cathy Rich
May 2006

Excerpt from 1978 Down Beat interview:
Mel Torme: You’re always in great physical condition. One of the things that people notice most about you is your pure stamina. If you’re going to do an extremely long solo on, say, Channel One or West Side, or whatever, rather than a diminishing of power, strength and thrust, it gets stronger and stronger until at the end, it’s extraordinary. That is like a great Olympic runner, a great athlete…

Buddy Rich: I was going to say that. It’s exactly the same thing. All solos should be paced. You start with an idea. I like to think of my solos as telling a story. You tell the beginning of a story and you build up to a punch line. But if you tell a story and tell the punch line first, where are you going? That’s it, you got your laugh. The same thing applies to almost any instrument. If you are telling a story, if you are play­ing a beautiful piano solo, first tell about how you met. In terms of romance: how you met, what happened after that, until you finally jump on the bones. Isn’t that romantic, folks? That’s the way I play—according to my moods, and stamina is automatically there.

Sample Liner Notes by Dean Pratt: The band you see and hear on this DVD dates from July of 1978, and still has many of the musicians who joined the Killer Force during its transitional period, from May of 1977 until May of 1978. Steve Marcus, Buddy’s right-hand-man and featured soloist, was there from the Killer Force’s beginnings and would remain with Buddy until the drummer’s untimely passing in 1987. Saxophonists Chuck Wilson, Andy Fusco, Gary Pribeck and Greg Smith; lead trombonist Dale Kirkland; lead trumpet Chuck Schmidt; trumpeter John Marshall and bass player Tom Warrington may all be considered members of the Killer Force. Buddy’s playing and affect here at North Sea is just as I remember it during my marvelous two years on the stand with him. He is happy, strong, fit, and, as you now have the pleasure of seeing and hearing, the greatest drummer ever to propel a big band. When I was with him, I left the stand every night in awe of the genius of Buddy Rich and now, thanks to this DVD, everyone can catch a rare glimpse of what those nights were all about.

On July 3, 1978, Buddy and the band appeared as part of George Wein’s Newport Jazz Festival, which by then had moved to Saratoga, New York. Wein was responsible for booking the band for one of his European versions of the Jazz Festival, commencing on July 12 and 13 in Nice, France, where Buddy’s mentor, Jo Jones, sat in with the band along with Stan Getz and Lionel Hampton. It was a whirlwind tour with the North Sea Jazz Festival on the 14th, followed by the Montreux Jazz Festival and concerts in Sweden and England.


What a concert it was. The band opens, as Buddy did on many occasions, with Sammy Nestico’s composition, “Ya Gotta Try,” a staple in the Killer Force library. Both Buddy and Basie recorded this number on their 1977 GRAMMY®-nominated albums. On the recording, Buddy’s band roars through this Nestico chart with blistering tenor solos from Steve Marcus and Bob Mintzer, and it exemplifies just what this band was all about—taking no prisoners. Here at North Sea was no exception. Bob Kaye on piano is up first and then Steve Marcus and Gary Pribeck handle the tenor sax exchanges. It’s a typical barnstorming Buddy Rich opener, which lets the audience know they are about to hear big band swing at its best.
Herbie Phillips’s original “Little Train” is next, and this was also one of the numbers Buddy loved to play during this period. Originally recorded live at Ronnie Scott’s in 1971 and released on the RCA Victor album Rich In London, this 1978 version features the trumpets of Mike McGovern and John Marshall, Andy Fusco’s alto, Steve Marcus’s tenor and the trombones of Glenn Franke and Dale Kirkland.

Dale Kirkland: “I joined the band in early 1977, replacing Clint Sharmon in the jazz chair on second trombone. Rick Stepton, who had got me the gig with Woody Herman, had just left and, as you know, we went through a couple of lead trombone players before I finally convinced Buddy to let me play the lead book. He liked my jazz and was reluctant to move me over and, in fact, when I finally did move over he made me continue playing most of the jazz and the lead. Of course, I had to put an end to that and told him it was too much for me. Besides, Glenn Franke was such an excellent soloist.”

John La Barbera was the chief arranger for the band in the early ’70s, and his composition, “Best Coast,” made its debut on Buddy’s third album for RCA entitled Stick It, recorded in 1972. John’s brother Pat took the original soprano sax solo on the album, but this solo, like so many others after he joined the band in 1975, became identified with the extraordinary musicianship of Steve Marcus. Tragically, Steve passed away in 2005 and the jazz community lost one of its most original voices. Bob Kaye’s piano weaves in and out of this pretty waltz, with Glenn Franke’s trombone spot following Marcus’s soprano. Buddy would keep this La Barbera chart in the book until the band played its last gig on December 10, 1986.

Comment by jay lewis on September 24, 2009 at 9:11am

There have been many jazz appreciation primers over the years, but none clearer and more accessible than King's, and, of course, his is up-to-date. A pianist with two albums as leader to his credit, King describes jazz's musical basics (improvisation, musical conversation, and swing) and the elements crucial to its performance the rhythm section of bass, drums, and piano; the melodic voices of horns, other instruments, and singers; and the set list or on-the-spot performing repertoire both abstractly for those who know virtually no jazz and by reference to particular musicians' characteristics bassist Ron Carter's "smooth attack where each note is articulated but sustains into the note that follows"for those with some listening experience. The final third of the book he devotes to guiding readers through some classic recorded performances exemplifying various common jazz forms blues, ballads, etc. This is a staple tactic of jazz primers that King recharges by choosing working musicians' rather than critics' favorites to analyze and by restricting his sampling scope to the middle 1950s through the 1960s, the period most influential upon today's jazz mainstream. So quit moanin' low, "I can't get started." Take some time out with King, and start cookin'.

Jazz, even modern jazz, can be accessible, even in its most abstract forms, and can speak instantly to and move listeners with the same force as any concerto or rock song. What Jazz Is eloquently and passionately introduces the core ideas, elements, and language of jazz to enlighten novices and aficionados alike.

About the Author

Jonny King has played jazz piano since he was nine. He has performed extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America, and Downbeat magazine described him as "One of the strongest piano voices of the new generation." His three albums include Notes from the Underground and The Meltdown. King is also an attorney specializing in copyright law. He lives in New York City.

Comment by jay lewis on September 17, 2009 at 9:30am

The very existence of this hour-long concert, billed as perhaps the only complete Louis Armstrong show ever recorded on film, is a treat; the fact that Live in '59 is excellent both musically and technically makes it truly special. By the time of this Belgian gig, Armstrong was decades past the groundbreaking work that established him as the greatest and most influential instrumentalist and vocalist in jazz history. Yet he was still in fine form; then in his late fifties, he was playing a bit less and singing a little more, but his chops were in good shape, and his trumpet sound (described by Wynton Marsalis in the DVD liner notes as "big and open with a deep spiritual essence--a sound closest to the Angel Gabriel") remained inimitable. The band, with trombonist Trummy Young, clarinetist Michael "Peanuts" Hucko, pianist Billy Kyle, bass player Mort Herbert, and drummer Danny Barcelona, is at once tight and loose, enough at ease with the music to let it breathe on its own. As for the repertoire, it's a virtual primer on Dixieland and early jazz, including "When It's Sleepy Time Down South," the riotous "Hold That Tiger," "Now You Has Jazz" (with Young helping Satchmo recreate his duet with Bing Crosby in the film High Society), a tour de force rendition of "Stompin' at the Savoy," and two Armstrong standards, "Mack the Knife" and "When the Saints Go Marching In" (saucy, plus-sized vocalist Velma Middleton appears for a couple of numbers at the end, including an innuendo-laden "St. Louis Blues"). Typical of the Jazz Icons series, both audio and video are amazingly clean and clear. But perhaps best of all is the opportunity to witness Louis, his musicians, and the audience simply having a ball. In retrospect, Armstrong's mugging--the wide eyes, the parading around the stage, the constant shucking and jiving--led to accusations that he was pandering to his white audiences like some latter day minstrel, and many musicians subsequently adopted a too-cool-for-the-room stance in response. But "Pops" wasn't just a musician; he was an entertainer. "What you're there for," he once said, "is to please the people," and there's no doubt that Live in '59 will do exactly that.

Louis Armstrong is one of the only known complete Armstrong concerts from the 1950s to be captured on fi lm. This 55-minute set, fi lmed in Belgium in 1959, features many of SatchmoÂ’s greatest songs including Â"Mack The KnifeÂ", Â"When ItÂ’s Sleepy Time Down SouthÂ" and Â"StompinÂ’ At The Savoy,Â" backed by his stellar band the All-Stars, featuring Trummy Young, Peanuts Hucko, Billy Kyle, Danny Barcelona and Mort Herbert.

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