Top 5 Christmas Jazz Recordings

Tis the season to check out new stuff, and you probably are making your wish list for your parents as we speak, so how about digging some of this action...

1.  Miles Davis and Bob Dorough "Merry X-Mas (To Whom It May Concern)"  While not a particular uplifting song (check the lyrics below), it's brilliant.  That tenor solo - wow!  Bob Dorough the singer was the guy who did "Schoolhouse Rock."   This is my favorite of all time, for any holiday.  lol It truly needs nothing else, but the snapshots of garbage floating in Greece and other depressing clips don't detract from the cut. In fact, with repeated viewing they will grow on you somehow.


Blue Xmas

Merry Christmas
I hope you have a white one, but for me it's blue
Blue Christmas, that's the way you see it when you're feeling blue
Blue Xmas, when you're blue at Christmastime
you see right through,
All the waste, all the sham, all the haste
and plain old bad taste

Sidewalk Santy Clauses are much, much, much too thin
They're wearing fancy rented costumes, false beards and big fat phony grins
And nearly everybody's standing round holding out their empty hand or tin cup
Gimme gimme gimme gimme, gimme gimme gimme
Fill my stocking up
All the way up
It's a time when the greedy give a dime to the needy
Blue Christmas, all the paper, tinsel and the fal-de-ral
Blue Xmas, people trading gifts that matter not at all
What I call
Fal-de-ral
Bitter gall.......Fal-de-ral

Lots of hungry, homeless children in your own backyards
While you're very, very busy addressing
Twenty zillion Christmas cards
Now, Yuletide is the season to receive and oh, to give and ahh, to share
But all you December do-gooders rush around and rant and rave and loudly blare
Merry Christmas
I hope yours is a bright one, but for me it bleeds 

2.   The Ramsey Lewis Trio "Merry Christmas Baby."  The tempo is slow enough to warm you up without a fire.  This whole album is amazing, and will put you in the spirit.

  


3. Ella Fitgerald "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas".  Nobody can swing a classic like Ella.  She's the quintessential (nod to Mr. Levy) jazz singer.


4. Duke Ellington "Sugar Rum Cherry" from the Nutcracker Suite.  You'll recognize it as a jazzed up version of The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies.


5. Ray Charles and Betty Carter "Baby, It's Cold Outside"  It's THE love song for the season, how can you go wrong with that?  Listen to the way Betty Carter shapes her notes and phrases.  I don't think I've ever heard anyone but maybe Billie Holliday do it with that kind of mastery.  I'm going to try to capture some of that when I play a melody, you should too.

How to save jazz, a simple explanation.

Can you shuffle your cheeks and/or jowls.  Not in Pittsburgh in 1920.  CLICK HERE  and keep that "cheek and jowl shuffle" behind closed doors.  I don't know what fascinates me so much with these old articles.  I guess I like the fact that jazz was so counter culture back then.  Why do you think it was so popular?  It was exciting.

On that note, throughout history, jazz has always pushed the limits.  With declining jazz record sales, it would be wise for the industry to promote that kind of jazz - the edgy, exciting, boundary pushing kind, instead of pushing the soothing background music for your wine and cheese party type of jazz.  I can take a little of that, and completely respect people like Diana Krall who do it beautifully, but it's just not cool to anyone under 30.  

I think a younger audience would be way more into jazz if they recognized it as the music of rebellion.  Music that is made in contrast to the mainstream mediocre garbage that is pumped into your head without abandon.  It's bananas, b a n a n a s.  Wake up people!  You are being manipulated by "music industry professionals" a.k.a. uncreative old guys making money off of you, into a sugary dumbed down world of boring, repetitive, overproduced, overhyped fluff for simpletons.

Look at this video, wait until about 1:10 in, and you'll see how exciting new jazz is.

Theremin...not a swine flu drug.

If you are wondering what this Theremin thing is, you are not alone.  However, it does, like all odd stuff, have it's own little fan club.  Hey, while I'm on it...don't forget that you are unique, just like everyone else.  I'm not even sure you got that, but I had a nice chuckle.  So back to the Theremin, simply put it is an electronic instrument played by proximity.  It's also the oldest electronic instrument currently played.  If you are wondering what to make me for Christmas, and you have skills with a soldering gun, this is it. 

The subject is...Jazz!

I am heavy on George Russell these days, so I'd like to share this with you.  It's funny listening to this because I feel like a lot of what you hear on this would be considered "modern" today.  Start listening at 6:10, and dig the groove.  To say George Russell the arranger and composer was ahead of his time is a major understatement.  If you like this, seek out "George Russell - Jazz Workshop."  I'm listening to this non-stop these days.  Even if you don't like the songs on the album, you've got Bill Evans on Piano, Barry Galbraith on Guitar, Paul Motian on drums, Milt Hinton on bass, Art Farmer on Trumpet, Hal McKusick on sax.  I especially like how George Russell says at 11:10 that tonally it is an unadventurous piece.  His book "Lydian Chromatic Concepts of Tonal Organization"  changed the landscape of jazz.  Tonal Gravity!    He gives a brief explanation of that here at 11:30.

What is on your i-pod playlist?

Apparently we have formed some pretty strong stereotypes that link people to the music they listen to.  HERE is the full study out of Cambridge University.  It's a hard read so you should probably just skip to this thing HERE.  It's a video clip and summary of the article.  Another study out of Heriot-Watt University adds to the mix.  Check it out and give a listen to it's author HERE.

"Mom, I want to grow up and be a jazz musician."
"Now son, you have to pick one or the other, you can't do both."

A classic!

This is a classic tune, and one of the all time best selling songs of jazz.  It's called "Take Five" because it's written in 5/4 time.  It is the title track from the album of the same name.  If you don't own it, you should.
 The song was written and made famous by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.  Dave is on piano, Joe Morello is the drummer (and he plays one of the most famous drum solos in the history of jazz on the album), Paul Desmond is on alto sax and Eugene Wright is on bass.  JAZZ GIG TIP #67:  If you want to clear a dance floor, play something in 5!

Monkey Business

Apparently monkeys don't go for music, unless it's made for them.  Click HERE to take an auditory journey like no other.


Which do you prefer...happy or fearful monkey music?  I know you're probably asked that a lot, but indulge us after you check out the snippets.

The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.  Maybe it's better that way?  This is a clip of a guy named Phineas Newborn Jr. doing some left hand blues.

GO HERE NOW!

How do I, your blog, get you to to click HERE now?  This is the best.  This is what the internet was invented for.  Well, for this and other stuff.  I'm guessing this link probably only works in the evening when the jazz set is under way.  

PROJECT IDEA #1:  For added fun, rearrange the living room furniture to face the computer, invite your friends over, dim the lights, have your friends wear their shades and make comments to each other in between songs like "they should take this uptown, where the bread is at."

Some thoughts on learning the trombone in 1878

We here at the blog like to keep it old school.  Click HERE to view this article.  It's from the NY Times in 1878.  It starts about halfway down the page on the left and then continues into a second column.  Why?  Why not?   Below are two excerpts  that might raise your eyebrows...

"Of all of the various brass instruments which have been devised by musical or malevolent ingenuity, there is none which in it's capacity for inflicting both torture and delight is comparable to the trombone."

Agree or disagree?  Here is another...  

"Central Africa is clearly the place designed by nature for students of the trombone.  There alone they can practice in safety, and there alone will their brazen discords aid the march of civilization."

"...lets see what we can do here."

Ingrid Jensen is a trumpeter you should check out.  As a musician, she lives in the moment and interacts with what she hears, which is what you should strive to do.  She also has a pleasant, down to earth attitude.  Let her show you the way.

I'll bring it to you.

Click HERE for the Smalls jazz club live video feed.  It's pretty much the coolest thing since sliced bread.  The best part is you won't miss the last train home.

Now play me some blues!

I'm not sure it's accurate, but I like this quote from Bleeding Gums Murphy on the Simpsons as he was teaching Lisa to play..."The blues isn't about feeling better. It's about making other people feel WORSE, and making a few bucks while you're at it."

Click HERE to tryout a slow blues in F

Click HERE to live dangerously with a fast blues in F

Ears...more than odd looking skin flaps on the side of your head.

So I was thinking, which is beyond what a computer can do BTW, but I was thinking... these ears of yours need growth, and I don't mean in a Dr. Spockish way.  I mean it would be nice to do more with those things up there than hang glasses, accessorize them and pump in the latest singles.  

I am loving THIS SITE right now.  Here's the game plan for your ears...step 1 - go set up your instrument, step 2 - go to the LINK, step 3 - click on melodies and choose 3 notes (or 5 notes if your feeling frisky), step 4 - hit play and then robotically play those notes back to the computer.  It's at least as entertaining as Simon, isn't it?   Do that until it's old, and then move on to the rhythm section tab...Select all progressions and jazz lick mode under call and response with short phrases to start.  In no time you'll be calling your girlfriend "man."

The only video of Clifford Brown

The great trumpeter Clifford Brown a.k.a. "Brownie" was 25 when this clip was made.  Listen to his clear articulation and dazzling lines.  He was a young master who's life was tragically cut short in a car crash in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Fred Wesley!

James Brown's right hand man Fred Wesley keeps it funky on this clip.  Notice how he plays call and response with himself.  He shoots out a little rhythmic phrase, then answers it.  Back and forth, back and forth.  Then look what it does to people, like that lady at :53 seconds in... 

Don't choke the reed!

Reeds aren't always cooperative, but maybe if you choke them less, they'll work with you.  This is sax guru Jerry Bergonzi telling you how to create a perfect embouchure.  If you are like me, you will find that Italian subtitles spice up the dish.

Lambdoma?!

Is a Lambdoma a tasty Turkish treat? Not quite. I may have stumped myself on this one. THIS SITE by Drew Lesso is for the math major in you.  It is complete with music clips to illustrate whatever it is that I'm looking at.

Thank you sir, may I have another?

So you enjoyed last week's post did you, you little bald friend of mine? Well HERE is another site to help you use your ears for more than holding up your glasses or looking suave.

Train your ears

Do one's ears need training? Yes. They do. Practice THIS, young bald monkey.

My left foot

I know there are a lot of drumming clips on this blog of mine. Further, I know that you are not all drummers. Yet there is something to be said for playing rhythmically above all else on whatever it is that you play. It's a primal thing. Somewhere in our DNA we are forced to connect with a good groove.

This clip is all about the CLAVE. A clave, according to Wikipedia, is a rhythmic pattern used as a tool for temporal organization in Afro-Cuban music, such as salsa. It's the Latin version of the groove. There are many many different claves, most of which represent specific types of dance. Rhumba, Salsa, Bossa-Nova and Mambo are a few well known claves. Now that I'm done explaining, dig Horatio Hernandez's left foot as you listen to him solo, that's where the clave is at. BTW, claves are often played on actual claves, but not always.

Give me a reason...

Need a reason for playing? How about this...SUPERHUMAN HEARING! Click on that to check out the latest study.

Back in action!

I don't know why, but I, your blog, feel a certain pressure to post something a little extra special after this long break. I've missed you, and I know you've missed me too. So let's enjoy this moment together. Aaah. That's it. Hug it out. We're reunited, and it feels so good. Now let's cherish the love we have of jazz.

O.K., now that you are in the mood, let's talk about your sound. Think of your sound as your voice. Have you ever lost your voice? It's a really important part of communication, isn't it? Now think about how you can change the sound of your voice. What is your best voice? What do you do differently with your mouth and breathing to create your "best voice"? Could you play with that "best voice" on your instrument? I think you'll like this extra special clip from the Smithsonian I've cooked up for you...

Enjoy your summer!

I'll try and put some stuff on the old bloggy from time to time, but for now I'm just going to take in the skywriting on this beach in India.

"Sing it Jared!"

Odd, in Bb

This link is odd, and will save you a trip to the east village or Brooklyn.

More Muppets!

"What if you and I just get right down to it and do this little beauty, eh?" Zoot Sims is on the honks. "Forgive me Charlie Parker where ever you are." Classic.

Jazztown Heights, NY

Feeling lost now that AP exams are done and the concert is over? Are you a senior perhaps? Before you take up needlepoint check out a few HS jazz band alumni. They were just like you not too long ago.

Let's start with some La Strada, an amazing band in Brooklyn. I feel like I'm listening to the Beatles when I hear this, wow. Devon Press, the bassist and Ted Lattis, the guitarist have both been forced to play the 12 bar blues in their pasts.

Now let's get hip to some Dorian Charnis, a composer, pianist, and all around fun guy to be around. Be sure to visit his music page, you'll be impressed.

Alright, you want to burn on some bebop right? No one is as burning as alto saxophonist Mike Dopazo. This is sickness...listen to Cherokee, listen to Chelsea Bridge, yikes.

On to some of saxophonist Dave Carroll's stuff with the band Love in Stockholm. Dave is an instrumental music teacher in Quincy, Massachussetts right now. I love the tune Allston, but it's all very funky and in the pocket. Pull the shades, or your neighbors will see you getting down with your bad self.

Speaking of your bad self, check out Jason Press's funk band...Joe Mamma's
Jason knows how to break it, break it, break it down.

That's all for the moment, but we'll keep you posted...literally.

The Economy...of notes

This is what beautiful music is all about. Listen to Chet Baker sing (self taught), then listen to Chet play (mostly self taught) and then ask yourself how did he do that?
I'll give you the answer..........wait for it...........wait for it...(put a biscuit on your nose and salivate just staring at it's yumminess, it's more fun that way)...he's a great listener. He's using and trusting his ears! AND...it turns out you have a set of your own. Good job...eat your biscuit. Now start listening to yourself when you play, and create something cool.

"Pretty" Purdie

Bernard "Pretty" Purdie is the world's most recorded drummer. Dig his pfft pfft on this clip. If you are surprised by the pfft, pfft, don't fret. He is surprised too, even after all these years. Pfft pfft. Surprise is where it's at.

Star Wars!

I'm not sure what to say about this one, other than it's amazing!!! Stacy Hedger (a.k.a. Miss Douglas) is playing outside of the changes most of the time on this one. Fortunately, she can win you back with expressive choreography.

Autumn Leaves on the first day of spring!

Enjoy this by clicking HERE, it rules! Look around while you're in there. Remember, 3rds and 7ths, 3rds and 7ths, back and forth. Look at the whole notes in the melody then figure out where those notes are in the scale for each chord and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Hey! Try this little exercise... pick a note and try and stay on that note for as long as you can as the chord changes move along. Jam out on it. Play it a few times to find a good note that works. Discover the relationship of that note to each chord. Make it your note. You own that note. You raised it. You pulled it out of obscurity. You and that note can hang out on the weekends. You and that note have a special bond. You and that note are going to prom together. Then solo, but always go back to your note, because you have history, you and your note.

Graph it!

If "Duran Duran" had a board meeting, this is what you might find on the easel. Click HERE for some wonderful graphs illustrating your favorite songs. There are too many good ones to pick a favorite, but having lived through the eighties, I do lean towards the "Billie Jean" pie chart.

The importance of music

Karl Paulnack is a pianist and director of the music division at Boston Conservatory. Click HERE to get his beautifully worded explanation as to why music is so important. It's an interesting read.. there is a little history, a little anecdotal stuff, and some touching moments that bring the whole point home. Special thanks to Mr. Goetz, master bassist and teacher extraordiare for passing this one along to us in Jazztown Heights.

The "Tristano" school

A lot of players are heavily influenced by Lennie Tristano, most notably alto saxophonist Lee Konitz, who was a pupil in his "New School for Music". He is often considered part of the West Coast "Cool Jazz" movement, but his technique is certainly coming from a different place than Miles Davis or Chet Baker. His lines are are long and windy roads that take your ears on a complex harmonic journey. Not really the laid back West Coast thing that we're used to, right? Check him out.

Baby steps to "Giant Steps."

You're probably wondering what this "Giant Steps" tune is that you keep hearing and reading about. Here is what you need to know...It's one of John Coltrane's most famous recordings, and one you should own a copy of. If a tune were a mountain, this one is a peak improvisers often attempt to climb.

In it, John Coltrane introduced a new way of improvising (and playing over a ii-v) using tonal centers a Major 3rd apart from one another. Let me explain...
If you start on G and go down a Major 3rd, it brings you to Eb. Then go down a Major 3rd and it will bring you to B, right? From there, another Major 3rd down takes you back to G. So it's G-Eb-B-G. Big steps, eh? One might say "Giant Steps." It's a tritonic way of splitting up an octave. (It's also an Augmented triad, but who cares? Not me.) So in his composition he substitutes this tritonic stuff for good old fashioned ii-v's and voila, a whole new thing.

Here is the subtitution for the first move from G to Eb. The regular ii-v would be Fmin7 to Bb7 to Eb. He does this...In the key of G, start with BM7 to D7 to GM7 to Bb7 and end on Eb. Up a minor third, down a fifth, over and over to the target. These are called "Trane changes." Sound complicated? They are and they aren't. Go HERE, this link will play it for you and visually show you what's up.

Listen up!

Where do you hear music? As a deaf percussionist, Evelyn Glennie has a truly unique perspective on how we perceive music. In her presentation she asks the audience to "experience the journey of the life of the sound." Not a bad idea.

Now vs. Now

Music is always changing. As Chris Rock said to the audience at the MTV music awards a few years back..."Don't make no plans for next year 'cause a lot of y'all ain't going to be here.... You know how it is in music: fickle. Here today, gone today!'' I feel like the drummer in this clip is on to something new. He has a garage band-ish sound like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers or The White Stripes, yet with his unbelievable chops and feel he's taken that sound in a different direction (and a different time signature - this little vamp is in 7). Let this clip heat up, it gets crazy. Notice how he keeps the hits together, despite going loco on his kit. The guys name is Mark Guiliana and he began playing music at 15. I think you might enjoy this little interview of him HERE. So this is jazz now.

Freddie Hubbard!

If you've never checked out Freddie Hubbard before, or if you're looking to buy your first jazz album (and the store is out of Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue,") you should go pick up Oliver Nelson's "Blues and the Abstract Truth." On it you'll hear Freddie Hubbard, the 24 year old trumpeter in this clip, tearing up some blues based modal tunes. It's a classic album, but so are all of Freddie's albums. What I (your favorite blog) love about Freddie is the element of surprise that he brings to every solo. He is constantly challenging the listener- playing fiery, tight and intense one moment, laid back and free the next. He always keeps you wondering...what is he going to do next? Hey, what are you going to do next? Let's have a sandwich.

Duke Ellington and the band

The one and only Duke Ellington. This clip features Cat Anderson on trumpet playing some ridiculously high notes, Paul Gonsalves (more on him later) on tenor sax, and Buster Cooper burning on the baritone. Yes, I said baritone! This tune is called "The Opener."

A super clip for Trumpeters with writers block...

The Pencil Exercise
You're in AP English, staring down at the blank sheet of paper in front of you. Time is slipping through your hands, your mind drifts...Wait! Quick! Stick your pencil in your mouth Jack Kerouac! If your trumpet playing doesn't improve, your kissing might, and just in time for Valentine's Day. Special thanks to trumpeter, teacher and composer Mr. Torrente for this, and the previous two clips.

Shot to the heart, and you're to blame...and by you, I mean the drummer. You give love a bad name?

Do you own one of THESE or THESE? Ever see THIS? I don't know why I'm fascinated, but I am. THIS is easily my favorite though, it's for when "shots are required for accentuating certain effects in a piece of music." Just don't stand too close to the band. Also, is it me or does it look like a fish?

Album Art

Jazz had some of the hippest album covers. Dig them HERE. Oh, by the way... album covers were cardboard sleeves that fit over records...and records were vinyl disks that contained recorded music you could play on a record player...a record player was this thing that had a small stylus that would amplify the grooves cut in the above mentioned vinyl disks as they spun around an axis.

Pure Invention

Wondering what to play on a two chord tune? Maybe George Garzone can give you some ideas, his solo starts about 3 minutes in. This is part 2 of a 3 part clip. This is a modern extension of Trane's work (John Coltrane). Garzone is a favorite teacher at Berklee, and has taught many of the leading musicians of our generation. You'll get a marriage of technique and thought on this clip. If you can't play the ideas in your head, you're finished. Check it out, then ask yourself if you think he's spent a lot of time in the shed.

Hey Hey, I feel alright...Uh!!!

You need this clip. The world needs this clip. JB on Letterman. By the way, when was the last time you saw something like this on a talk show? If you're pressed for time, go to 3 minutes in, I almost fell off my chair. UH! He's about 50 here, the same age as your parents. Maybe you can talk mom and dad into some new moves.

Get down with your bad self!

After a long hiatus, the blog is back in action. My apologies to both of it's regular readers - Ms. Kluga and Mr. Whalen. I figured the blog needed to come back strong. Fortunately the blog has just what you need...the "Camel Walk."

James Brown, the hardest working man in show business...RIP. By the way, he saved Boston, find out how HERE