BOOKS & VIDEOS ABOUT JAZZ & BLUES

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Comment by Michelle Romero on November 29, 2009 at 8:16pm

Thanks Jay for share those recommendations! are amazing!
;)

Comment by jay lewis on November 29, 2009 at 10:08am

Chet Baker, Wes Montgomery, Art Pepper, Shelly Manne Quartet, Zoot Sims

This outstanding DVD series pays homage to the West coast and to some of the most important musicians who have spent a major part of their career there. What is taken into account when placing the musician in the East or West Coast categories, is where they spent the bulk of their artistic career, or where they recorded their most influential works. This collection focuses exclusively on live performances ranging from clubs to festivals to TV studio engagements, without any speakers or introducers... Nothing but music! Artists include Art Pepper, Zoot Sims, Chet Baker, Phineas Newborn Trio, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Shelly Manne Quintet and Wes Montgomery.

Comment by jay lewis on November 29, 2009 at 10:03am

One of the greatest drummers in the history of jazz, Art Blakey leads his group the Jazz Messengers through a superb set in this concert video. Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers has been transferred to disc in the full-frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and viewers have three options for audio playback: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1, and PCM Stereo. The performances are instrumental; introductions are in English, with no multiple language options. A text biography of Art Blakey appears as a bonus.


Orginally recorded in 1976, this production features a live performance from Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. The usual suspects make up the band -- Bill Hardman on Trumpet, Mickey Tucker on piano, Cameron Brown on bass, and Blakey on his signature drums -- and songs include "Backgammon," "Along Came Betty," "Uranus," "Blues March," "All the Things You Are," and "Gipsy Folk Tales."

Comment by jay lewis on November 20, 2009 at 8:56am

Taylor Made Piano

Originally published in 1982, this book is an invaluable and popular resource for both music students and professional musicians alike. Billy Taylor conveys the history and development of America's classical music, jazz, through a unique perspective - that of practicing musician, jazz pianist and educator.

Each chapter includes an overview, a focus on important musicians, photos, musical notation, and a discography. This important book also contains a Glossary, a list of Additional Resources for the Study of Jazz Piano Styles, and, Resoruces for Improvisation Techniques and Piano Styles.

Chapters include:

The History and Development of the Jazz Piano
Improvisation and the Jazz Vocabulary
African Roots
Early Jazz
Blues-Boogie
Ragtime-Stride
Urban Blues
Swing and Prebop
Bebop
Hard Bop, Progressive Jazz, Funky Jazz, The Third Stream
Postbop and Neo-Gospel
Abstract Jazz, Mainstream Jazz, Modal Jazz, Electronic Jazz, Fusion
The Future of Jazz

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.

...

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."

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