Jazz Rambling & Other Idle Thoughts

On the off-chance that someone may be reading this blog (or willing to) for something other than Playlists (and with some idle time due to inclement weather), I figured I would jot down a few (jazz-related) items:

Thanks to that above-mentioned weather, I had the time to view two Jazz films; Straight, No Chaser, the Thelonious Monk documentary produced by Clint Eastwood (who is a separate jazz story) and Improvisation, the Norman Granz produced film. Seeing Monk was an education; he was certainly a character, from his spinning/dancing on stage to his flat-fingered keyboard playing. Undeniably a jazz pioneer, especially as a composer, Monk nevertheless exemplifies the hard life and relative lack of mainstream recognition of the Be-bop era musicians. But he was on the cover of Time magazine.

The critic Nat Hentoff makes the point, in the bonus feature about Norman Granz on Improvisation, that no non-musician had more impact on the development and proliferation of recorded jazz than Mr. Granz. This film gives you a sense of that, not to mention the outstanding recordings on film of a host of Hall-of-Fame performers. The piano players alone include Duke, Count and Hank Jones (still with us, and God bless him). But watching Oscar Peterson on this film (a segment recorded in Montreux c. 1977) instead of just listening reminded me once again that he was the greatest jazz piano player...ever! Other observations about this film...it seems like Ray Brown at one time or another played with everybody, and always did it well...Buddy Rich could probably play in his sleep...Diz with his cheeks puffed out looks really bizarre on film...Coleman Hawkins does a fine solo as an appreciative Charlie Parker watches, then Bird follows with his own solo in triple time; I can only wonder what Bean was thinking...I've said all along that Ella was the best female singer ever (jazz or no). In fact, the best live show I ever saw was at the Philadelphia Spectrum, and Ella was the opening act, performing with Basie and his Orchestra (you'll be able to guess who the headliner was).

From the Bargain Bin: I was in Barnes & Noble the other day, looking to burn off $35 worth of gift cards. I briefly considered Season 1 of Ally McBeal, but opted instead to check out the $7.99 CD selection, where I found a few gems: Ramsey Lewis Finest Hour, The Definitive Dinah Washington, John Coltrane Standards, Oscar Peterson Trio (Ray Brown [see] and Herb Ellis) At the Stratford Shakespearean Festival, and a nice Best of Gershwin from Columbia. Two points about that last one: it's classical, but is has the definitive version of Rhapsody in Blue with the original instrumentation from Ferde Grofe's arrangement for the Paul Whiteman premier of the piece, and with the composer himself playing the piano (captured from piano rolls); and it in Sony's nifty new "Green" cardboard package.

I've now missed two weeks, so I'll be chomping at the bit for next Thursday's show. LA singer Juliet Annerino very graciously recorded a station ID for me, which you will hear then. She also sent some CDs (her newest: Scenes From A Life On Fire) and T-shirts, which I'll be giving away on the air sometime soon. Many thanks, Juliet!

February 11 - Playlist

"I'LL TAKE ROMANCE"

1) Dave Brubeck Quartet - The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Plays The Music From West Side Story And...)
2) Chet Baker - Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart (My Old Flame)
3) Charlie Parker - Billie's Bounce (Bird/The Savoy Recordings)^

FEATURE ARTIST

4) Charlie Haden with Gonzalo Rubalcaba - I Only Dream Of Your Love (Land Of The Sun)
5) Charlie Haden Quartet West with Bill Henderson - Ruth's Waltz (The Art Of The Song)
6) Charlie Haden Quartet West - Back Home Blues (Now Is The Hour)
7) Jacky Terrasson - I Wish You Love (A Paris)
8) The Four Brothers - The Pretty One (Together Again!)
9) Rosemary Clooney/Count Basie Orchestra - The Man That Got Away (At Long Last)
10) Paul Desmond - The Night Has A Thousand Eyes (Bossa Antigua)
11) Michael Franks - Rendezvous In Rio (Rendezvous In Rio)
12) Stan Getz/Charlie Byrd - O Pato (Jazz Samba)
13) Max Roach - I'll Take Romance (Jazz In 3/4 Time)
14) Ray Brown Trio with Joshua Redman - Just You, Just Me (Some Of My Best Friends Are... The Sax Players)
15) Fred Hersch - This Nearly Was Mine (Plays Rogers And Hammerstein)

THE R&B CORNER [Big Band Style]

16) Pointer Sisters - Little Pony (That's A Plenty)^
17) Spinners - Don't Let the Green Grass Fool You (Spinners)^
18) Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band with Patti Austin - September (Act Your Age)
19) Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane - Sweet And Lovely (At Carnegie Hall)
20) Bill Charlap Trio - Lucky To Be Me (Somewhere)
21) Ella Fitzgerald - I Hadn't Anyone 'Till You (The Intimate Ella)
22) John Pizzarelli - You'll Never Know (Let There Be Love)
23) Jane Monheit - Over The Rainbow (Taking A Chance On Love)
24) Frank Sinatra - The Most Beautiful Girl In the World (The Complete Reprise)

^ indicates the Vinyl Archive

February 4 - Playlist

1) Lester Young & Harry "Sweets" Edison - That's All (A Night Out With Verve)
2) Count Basie - Corner Pocket (April In Paris)
3) Lambert, Hendricks & Ross - Everybody's Boppin' (Lambert, Hendricks & Ross)

FEATURE ARTIST

4) Stan Getz - Indiana (In Stockholm)
5) Stan Getz - Tasty Pudding (At The Shrine)
6) Wynton Marsalis - Play the Blues And Go (Live At The Village Vanguard)
7) Juliet Annerino - Head (single)#

FEATURE ARTIST, Part II

8) Stan Getz/Kenny Barron - Hush-A-Bye (People Time)
9) Stan Getz - With The Wind And The Rain In Your Hair (Plays)
10) Paul Chambers - Four Strings (Quintet)
11) Ike Quebec - Minor Impulse (Blue & Sentimental)
12) Grant Green - Old Folks (Grantstand)

THE R&B CORNER

13) Stevie Wonder - For Your Love (At The Close Of A Century)
14) Steve Cropper & Felix Cavaliere - Love Appetite (Nudge It Up A Notch)
15) Kathleen Gorman - Ain't The Way (Brand New Day)#
16) Dave Brubeck Quartet - The City Is Crying (Jazz Impressions Of Japan)
17) Sonny Rollins - More Than You Know (Road Shows Vol. I)
18) Jamie Cullum - High And Dry (Twentysomething)
19) Dinah Washington - Invitation (A Night Out With Verve)
20) Nancy Wilson - I Wanna Be Loved (Save Your Love For Me)
21) Frank Sinatra - That's All (The Complete Reprise)

# indicates Jazz Network Worldwide member (see link at bottom of this Blog)