Why do humans like jazz?

[rank]

Yes but you can't survive listening to this without some vaguely illegal substances.

 

[Soandso]

[Jazz advanced international relations ...]:

In 1921 Sidney Bechet (pictured far right) and The Jazz Kings performed in London venues:

Duke Ellington and his orchestra went to England in 1933 and performed at the London Palladium - you could get in for as little as 9 pence.

Africa touring by big name jazzmen was occurring by 1956; pictured bellow from l. to rt. are Trummy Young, Louis Armstrong and veteran jazz clarinetist Edmond Hall. Hall would later say it was "unbelievable" when told at their formal African performance there were 100,000 in attendance.

 

[EJ3]

We need a new thread:
How can any human not like Nirvana

Never have, never will.
Don't know why: perhaps hearing it a million times (in a friends car) on multi thousand mile road trips when they came out has something to do with it.
I cringe on the first note now of anything by them.

 

[Soandso]

1917 newspaper clipping below for a novely "Jasz Band" were what we know historically as the Original Dixieland Jazz Band, which was a group white musicians. (They are commonly credited with recording the first jazz record.)

In 1919 you could just look up "Duke" Ellington in the Washington, D.C. phone directory and book his "jass" band.

Here's the dapper young "Duke" Ellington =

 

[Soandso]

Some jazz piano legends while they were young:

This is "Jelly Roll Morton" at age 20. He is considered the first to write down jazz music.

Willie "The Lion" Smith got his nickname for World War I bravery as he was a "Lion of Judea" Black Jew. "Duke" Ellington looked up to his talent and "The Lion" respecting new talent steered work Ellington's way.

Here's Earl "Fatha'" Hines who influenced the jazz scene. Pictured in 1928 around the time when he was the pianist on the 1928 Okeh label recording jazz breakthrough "West End Blues" by Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five ensemble.

 

[Soandso]

Some jazz greats worth remembering:

King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band members in 1923 from l. to rt. are: the early notable drummer "Baby" Dodds, Honore Dutrey (trombonist), Joe "King" Oliver (seated), Bill Johnson (bassist), young Louis Armstrong (brought in as cornet player), well regarded clarinet player Johnny Dodds (brother of the drummer) and Lil Hardin who played the piano and wrote out the arrangements (would marry Armstrong).

Fletcher Henderson Orchestra really ruled the east coast jazz scene in the 1920s. Some soon to be famous jazz musicians couldn't get the coveted work in his band until they learned to read music. Pictured l. to rt. are trumpet player Howard Scott, budding legend "Professor" tenor sax player Coleman Hawkins, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Dixon (standing, played banjo), Fletcher Henderson (seated, hands on knees), drummer Kaiser Marshal (standing), "Buster" Balley (clarinet/saxophones), trumpeter Elmer Chambers, trombonist Charlie Green, tuba player Bob Escudero (kneeling) and the bands hard working musical genius arranger alto sax playing Don Redman (on piano bench).

Then there's Benny Goodman who notably mainstreamed mixed race jazz groups and stood fast against JimCrow treatment of his musicians. Pictured in 1937 that's Teddy Wilson on the piano at left, the irrepressible Lionel Hampton at the xylophone, infamous Gene Krupa on drums, and the clarinetist himself Benny Goodman.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Yes but you can't survive listening to this without some vaguely illegal substances.

I assure you that one can. I do it all the time.

 

[Soandso]

"Count" Bassie's band in 1938 had this great line up from l. to rt.: Walter Page on bass, "Jo" Jones on drums, Freddie Green on guitar, Benny Morton on trombone, Count Bassie at the piano, saxophonist Herschel Evans, trumpeter Buck Clayton (standing),"Dicky" Wells, Earle Warren, trumpeter par excellence Harry "Sweets" Edison (3rd from the rt.), Jack Washington and future great ("The President") Lester Young at far right.

If you never heard of them The Jimmie Lunceford Orchestra had 20+ years of success even when the economy forced privation on many jazz musicians. All in the band had to read music, dress sharp and hit arrangements keeping patrons dancing. Lunceford is standing at the microphone in this photo from the mid-1930s.

Another long running jazz group tradition was the assorted world touring all-star jazz [The] "Philharmonic" revue. It began in 1944 although below is a 1952 assemblage. From l. to rt. standing are: Ray Brown, Canadian piano luminary Oscar Peterson, guitarist Barney Kessel, the promoter Norman Granz, un-known local promoter, trumpet great Roy Eldridge, piano player Hank Jones, "The President" tenor saxophonist Lester Young (wearing wide brim hat). Seated from l. to rt. are: Willie Smith, Flip Phillips, trumpet luminary Charlie Shavers (on the floor), the "First Lady of Song" Ella Fitzgerald, drumming icons Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa with Buddy de Franco (clarinetist, far bottom rt.). [There are a lot of nice recordings of "Jazz At the Philharmonic" which refer to the ensembles rather than any concert hall named Philharmonic.]

 

[fatoldgit]

Jazz... I like the brass.. I like acoustic bass...I like the quality of sound you get from the stereo recordings from 1957-1970 (I tend not to like Jazz after 1970.. went all fusion this, fusion that) but also as equally as important... NO WORDS!!!!

I have 2,500 Jazz albums and not a single word. I like Chet Baker but he don't sing on my system... tracks deleted as needed

When I listen to music I want my mind to shutdown, for the sounds to wash over me, to uplift me... words just complicate that... take up energy to interpret and unravel the meaning.

My other great love is Blues which generally doesn't have words of any deep meaning ***, I am there for the sound, the rhythm, the feeling.

So you can shelve your Bob Dylan, your Carol King, your Joni Mitchell and whomever their modern equivs are (not saying those mentioned aren't great just they don't appeal to me).

Peter

**** Although Son Seals did state on one track "I'm an alcoholic, sometimes I regret it especially when the liquor store wont give me no credit"... which is deep and meaningful.

 

[bluefuzz]

How can any human not like Nirvana

Because they have ears?

 

[Palmer]

I think Jazz is a unique genre as it is a musicians music, but appeals to the non-musician also. Well, most of it anyway. It is kind of that Nun, that goes to every King Crimson concert.

 

[Soandso]

"Pop's" Foster (born 1892 on a sugar plantation) goes waaay back in New Orleans' jazz scene played in his 1st band The Rozeales Orchestra in 1907. He can be considered the trail blazer for "walking" the stand up string bass; which he calls "rompin' the big fiddle." Early jazz recording technology wasn't compatible for the string bass frequencies which is why it only shows up on songs somewhat later on records.

Any electric guitar fan should know who Charlie Christian was since he's credited with developing reliable amplified hook-ups and introducing improvisational guitar playing. He's the one below pictured in a dark shirt in the late 1930s, although would die young at age 25 (tuberculosis).

Being a jazz band leader was challenging and in 1944 Billy Eckstine (far rt. below) briefly brought together "Lucky" Thompson (at left), trumpeter "Dizzy" (nicknamed for pranks within Cab Calloway's band) Gillespie and future saxophone legend Charlie Parker. Parker's classic performing style is evident - he'd step up, stay put and play like was in a zone.

 

[Pearljam5000]

I find Jazz quite boring
Except a few artists, like Hiromi for example
She's amazing

 

[Soandso]

I find Jazz quite boring

 

[EJ3]

Jazz... I like the brass.. I like acoustic bass...I like the quality of sound you get from the stereo recordings from 1957-1970 (I tend not to like Jazz after 1970.. went all fusion this, fusion that) but also as equally as important... NO WORDS!!!!

I have 2,500 Jazz albums and not a single word. I like Chet Baker but he don't sing on my system... tracks deleted as needed

When I listen to music I want my mind to shutdown, for the sounds to wash over me, to uplift me... words just complicate that... take up energy to interpret and unravel the meaning.

My other great love is Blues which generally doesn't have words of any deep meaning ***, I am there for the sound, the rhythm, the feeling.

So you can shelve your Bob Dylan, your Carol King, your Joni Mitchell and whomever their modern equivs are (not saying those mentioned aren't great just they don't appeal to me).

Peter

**** Although Son Seals did state on one track "I'm an alcoholic, sometimes I regret it especially when the liquor store wont give me no credit"... which is deep and meaningful.

My wife hates music that doesn't have singing (it's OK if the singing is in languages that she doesn't understand, too). I like a lot that has no singing (but I like a lot that has some singing). 3 minute songs is something that most times (singing or not) I don't care for, though.

 

[rank]

Because they have ears?

I like Nirvana too (the US group). They were GREAT ! Uh yeah.

 

[Soandso]

Boogie-woogie jazz music appellation is claimed by "Cow Cow" Davenport (born Alabama 1894). Many today have heard renditions by other musicians of his "Mama Don't 'Low No Music Playin' Here", or heard the old Brunswick label record "Mama Don't 'Low No Easy Riders Here" [Cow Cow explained how "… people played only guitars ...carried swung on the neck with a long string, and people called them easy riders."] He also wrote "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You", "The Jive Is Here", "That'll Get It", "Jump Little Jitterbug", "You Might Pizen Me" and the long time jazz standard "Cow Cow Blues" (originally called "Railroad Blues" and renamed after how the signal switchman climbed back aboard from the train's front cow-catcher grate; his nickname arose from once ending the song with "Nobody here can do what Papa Cow Cow can do."

"Boogie" was an old word for the devil (the "Boggie Man") and he "gave the name of 'Boggie-Woogie' …" to the music he played before the first WorldWar in "joints where nice people did not go." According to "Cow Cow" Davenport: "The blues was considered bad music ... only the lowest class of people in the towns, or people ... without self-respect, would dare to be heard singing the blues." In the 1920s trying to revive his career someone who caught his act reported how he performed his blues "in the old and real manner" with his wife who "sang some really filthy lyrics and the crowd went nuts, really nuts."

The phrase boogie-woogie spread after "Cow Cow" Davenport befriended the original "Pine Top" (Smith, who got shot dead; Perkins inherited the moniker) and told him "Boy, look here, you sure have got a mean boogie-woogie." It was then "Pine Top" Smith who popularized it with the lyrics "… come up here, gal, to this piano … playing my boogie-woogie." Somewhere along jazz's time line the designation got respectable as honky tonks faded away and with the WorldWar 2 hit song "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" became an accepted term by mainstream music.

History of the first jazz recordings has little detail of the early jazz which was sometimes put on piano rolls. "CowCow" Davenport relates how the Vocal Style company cut his "Cow Cow Blues" in Cincinnati. His touring trunk always had 50-100 rolls and he'd tell audiences "If you like ... I ...can sell them to you."

 

[Soandso]

Jazz in New Orleans was nursed on Latin music. Pictured is clarinetist Lorenzo Tio (senior) who performed and taught both aspiring and some of the eventually legendary jazz reed musicians. His father came from Veracruz and played saxophone in Tampico (Mexico) and his brother Luis as well as his son Lorenzo Tio (junior) performed jazz.

African call-response music in New Orleans got blended with European patterns of beats. Cuban music introduced 2 musical measures performed as if one measure which somewhat disassociated melody and rhythm if simply played as a 3-2 or 2-3 rhythm (called "clave"). Providing for an easier listening experience in the 1800s it evolved into what is generally called "habanera" (Havana, Cuba); 1803's "San Pascual Bailon" was one such song of popular line dance ("contra-danza") in Cuba.

The Cuban morphing of the "clave" style into 6-8 and 2-4 time made their music more suitable for dancing than just call-response. Blacks then syncopated the "contradanza" dancing rhythm which infused more swing into it and created what is sometimes called "contradanza habanera." Blacks also retained the traditional strong 1st part call and weaker 2nd part answer musical pattern. Incidentally, the 1800s USA vaudeville black "cake walk" would come to include "habanero" rhythms.

Sheet music, like 1836's "La Pimienta", was vital to the spread of "habanera" music and late 1800s "La Paloma" (by Sebastian Yradies) took Mexico's music public by storm. In the 1870s it would be simply called "danzas" in Mexico. Louisiana's piano genius and super-star composer L.M. Gottschalk was in and out of Cuba such that he introduced some "habanera" features in his own1850s to 1860s works. Mexican music was re-invigorated in 1890 when "Tu" (by Eduardo Sanchez de Fuentes) introduced the so-called "hammock rhythm" to the "habanera" genre.

New Orleans hosted the 1884-1885 "World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial" exposition. Not only did the Mexican National Conservatory tour the USA in 1884 introducing "habaneros" in it's repertoire, but so did the Mexican Calvary 8th Regiment band sometimes playing "danzas". Leading to the mass issuance in 1888 of 8 "danza" sheet music arrangements by the publisher Junius Hart. By the way it is a presumptuous fallacy that there were no black New Orleans music readers.

Several Mexican musicians stayed in New Orleans after the 1885 exposition closure. For example the early "Dixieland Jazz Band" member Alcide "Yellow" Nunez, whose parents were Mexican and Cuban, had an uncle from the Mexican regimental band who remained in NewOrleans. Another family member Perlops Nunez had one of the original black New Orleans bands. "Chink" Martin (played with early white jazz band of "Papa" Laine) was another whose ancestry was Mexican and Spanish having been taught guitar by similarly heritaged Francisco Quinones. Martin recalled that New Orleans' Royal Street between Dumaine and Esplanade was once a majority Mexican and Spanish neighborhood. The 1895 and 1898 Spanish-American fighting brought black American troops in further contact with Cuban culture.

As New Orleans pianist "Jelly Roll" Morton explained: "… if you can't manage to put tinges of Spanish in your tunes you will never be able to get the seasoning, I call it, for jazz." He was a composer and re-arranged the popular "habanero" of earlier decades "La Paloma" describing it thusly : "… you leave that left hand just the same. The difference comes in the right hand - in the syncopation ... changes the color from red to blue."

 

[Soandso]

... the only jazzy music I enjoy is Brazilian Bossa Nova!

It was USA (born1925) jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd (pictured) who returned in 1961 from performing in Brazil that started playing what he called "jazz samba" in the states. Without him lending a Brazilian released Joao Gilberto record to jazz saxophonist Stan Getz the 1962 solo Grammy for Getz's version of "Desafinado" (written by Gilberto and Jobim) would never have happened.

Initially labelled "jazz bossa" the USA music industry ran with it leading to a Carnegie Hall concert with Getz, Byrd, "Dizzy" Gillespie, Jobim, Gilberto and Sergio Mendez. From there on Bossa Nova stole the heart for decades of USA music fans.

One factor of Bossa Nova's ready acceptance by non-Latin music listeners was that unlike Cuban influenced music Brazilian music does not employ the "clave" (described in post #320); the bass doesn't seem to linger in our ears over-driving the pace of Bossa Nova. For example Getz's version of "Desafinado" only has 20% of it's rhythm accented on-beat. As such the Bossa Nova melody and harmony seem to slide gently off one another flowing without partitioning into a call-and-response discrepancy that was not culturally ingrained in white Americans (or white Europeans).

 

[Down South]

If you want the best example of where Jazz grew out of the music of African slaves it comes not from the USA but Brazil where slavery wasn't abolished until 1888..

If for whatever reason I could only save 30 of my 1000 odd LPs then Sergio Mendes & Brazil 77 - Primal Roots would be one of those 30 for sure. The Blues and R&B just doesn't have the pure African energy of the Brazilian slaves. Couple this with the guitar brilliance of Baden Powell, Gilberto et al and you have Bossa Nova but Primal Roots is a great example of where it all began.