[Discussion] Jazz: History, Styles and Artists

Originally Posted by bob_the_sane

[re: musicians using complex reharms and melodies to confuse newcomers and discourage lesser talented musicians who had trouble navigating the difficult terrain] Thats...interesting

Yeah, guys would come from miles around to find late-night jam sessions to try and 'cut' other players. These 'cutting contests' served as rite of passage ceremonies; could you hack it or did you get cut up by another player better than you?

WHERES MY MONK?

Robin, these lessons are very informative and welcome. You are offering an excellent service to this community. You could go into more depth for each of these...?

Originally Posted by manossg

You could go into more depth for each of these...?

I guess what I'm trying to do is offer an overview and open a few ears to jazz.

I will likely also start an in depth look at the major innovators for each instrument? Could be fun...

Originally Posted by TheMeaningofLIfe

WHERES MY MONK?

Sorry dude...I lump Monk and Mingus into pre-free-jazz, and will get into them NEXT TIME!!

Open a few ears to jazz? A difficult endeavor... an in-depth look would be awesome!

Cheers!

I been waiting for this.

Miles...

Gonna listen to all these now...

WOOOO! Robin, you are awesome. Without you jazz would still be all people in suits playing in hotels to me

Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five. This had to be there - Paul Desmond is super smooth too. Like Konitz, but geekier (Nice glasses guys!)

Funky! I love this...

Chico Hamilton - chamber jazz, cool. Careful, Dolphy will come back to bite us!

...and a flute! Can you tell me any other good jazz flautists?

They are all awesome, thanks Robin!

Gil Evans - composer whose work with Miles are amongst the best ever recordings. Sketches of Spain, Miles Ahead, and their adaptation of Porgy & Bess denote Evans as a composer with great skill for merging orchestral techniques with jazz vocabulary.

Interesting, how much of Miles' work was he involved in? Just those? I'm gonna read up about him, sounds interesting...

EDIT:

Evans had a particular interest in the work of rock guitarist Jimi Hendix, and reportedly had a meeting scheduled with him to discuss building a big band around Hendrix, cut short by Hendrix's untimely death in 1970.

Very Interesting... I cannot even begin to imagine how that would sound!

Awesome!

Originally Posted by bob_the_sane

Can you tell me any other good jazz flautists?

Often you find saxophonists who double, but there's a few. In a modern jazz setting, dig Jamie Baum. She's fabulous, and a great writer as well! ...and of course there's Herbie Mann...if you're into cheesy junk.

Also check out some sax players who were proficient doublers:

• Eric Dolphy
• Rahsaan Roland Kirk
• Sam Rivers
• Lew Tabakin
• Yusef Lateef

Most of these guys we'll find when we delve into free-jazz...

Originally Posted by bob_the_sane

[re: Evans had a particular interest in the work of rock guitarist Jimi Hendix, and reportedly had a meeting scheduled with him to discuss building a big band around Hendrix, cut short by Hendrix's untimely death in 1970.] Very Interesting... I cannot even begin to imagine how that would sound!

Gil Evans actually brought this project to fruition, sans Hendrix - Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix, and it's quite good. Evans also underwent many stylistic changes and evolutions over his career, his later stuff bearing little/no resemblance to his early work with Miles - the Hendrix record is a wild jazz/rock romp - fun!

...

Gil Evans actually brought this project to fruition, sans Hendrix - Plays the Music of Jimi Hendrix, and it's quite good. Evans also underwent many stylistic changes and evolutions over his career, his later stuff bearing little/no resemblance to his early work with Miles - the Hendrix record is a wild jazz/rock romp - fun!

Oh yes! I am getting this! The samples sound awesome, although there are some things I'd disagree with, and what the hell is that in "Voodoo Child"?! Crosstown Traffic sounds great, I always thought that it would sound good in a jazz band.

And yeah, I'll have a look at those flute players.