JAZZ
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A caveat to remember while interpreting an interest in a broad art form like
"Jazz" etc:
The bottom line of any art form for me is that it has to appeal to my soul
and penetrates into the subconscious level and evoke a sublime feeling of pure
artistic satisfaction. This satisfaction has many facets corresponding to
the various emotional planes that a mind can shift through. These emotions
and perceptions symbolize: (1)Beauty/Aesthetics/Romanticism(Not Maudlin)/Tenderness/
etc (2)Strength/Energy/Spirit (Graceful and Disciplined) (3) A feeling of awe/pathos/
fear/fascination for the unknown/mysterious/mystical etc and finally (4) An inherent
yearning to experience the abstract and platonic world beyond the mundane world
of senses, i.e the surrealistic aspect of jazz as an art
form. So Jazz as an art form is a medium for evoking feelings and emotions that
represent the above four classes. Now it is not only important that the music I like
should evoke those emotional sensations but it should do so in an artful/aesthetic/
melodic way (Being subjective here). For example earthly blues music is usually
credited with evoking the feeling of pathos/sadness etc. But to me it is not
aesthetically satisfying for the evocation. There are some complex jazz pieces
written by classically trained jazz composers who have written haunting ballads
and blues style music that I find very musically fulfilling in evoking pathos. Same
is true for other elements of the emotions. There is always the artistic way of
representing each of the above emotions. Now it is quite possible that a work/piece
of music may be classified as jazz by the mainstream tradition but yet fail to evoke
any one of the above four emotions in an effective way. So that particular piece
will have no appeal to me and I will not spend my time listening to it, regardless
of how well known it is and how high it is the popularity chart. On the other hand
an obscure piece may very strongly impact me yet can nowhere be found or heard in
the mainstream jazz scene. It is even possible that within a single work some part
of it may appeal to me while other part may not, in which case I will edit the piece
and record it with edited portions and enjoy in its entirety (Call me perverse. But
I find it quite natural to do it). It is also quite possible that a work/piece
that is classified as "pop" or "classical" or some other nondescript class
(sometimes with names such as third stream, avant guarde, modern music etc) which
may be mistakenly included in one or the other standard category depending on
the mindframe of who is classifying it, but which may nevertheless succeed in
evoking the above feelings and would be my favourite. It just so happens that
most (Not all) of what I like in music are classified as Jazz. It also happens
that I find most of the contemporary jazz as heard in concerts and in popularity
charts as totally unappealing to me. So all these qualifications have to be
taken into account when I say my I am interested in "Jazz". Having said all that
now let me list SOME of my favourites in "Jazz".
Favourites tunes in Jazz: (w. approx. date of recording)
Trios: (Piano/Bass/drums)
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1. Riverbed: Composed by Joe Zawinul, performed by Friedrich Gulda (mid sixties)
2. Tones For Joan's Bones: Composed and performed by Chic Corea in 1966
3. Late Report: Composed and performed by Jack Scalese (1977).
4. Air from Another Planet: Composed and performed by Friedrich Gulda (1964)
5. "Carnival", "Mirage": Composed and performed by Denny Zeitlin (1964-66)
Piano Solos:
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1. Reflection in D: Composed By Duke Ellington, performed by Bill Evans (1978)
2. Finity: Composed and performed by Wally Cirillo (1976)
3. Lament: Composed By J.J. Johnson, performed By Friedrich Gulda (1966)
4. Reflection: Composed and Performed By Stan Kenton (1973)
5. Trajectory: Composed and Performed by Mal Waldron (1981)
Favourite Piano Interludes:
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1. Herbie Hancock in "Limbo" (1967)
2. Stanley Cowell in "Spiral" and "Patterns" (1968)
3. Wally Cirillo in Level Seven and Transeason (Jazz Workshop, 1955)
4. Chic Corea in "Guijira", "Inner Space" (1966)
4. George Shearing in "Sorry, Wrong Rhumba" (1949)
5. Jaki Byard in "Sallie" (1960)
6. Jonny King in "The common Law" (1995)
7. Hall Overton in "Signal" and "Motion" (1953)
8. Lennie Tristano in "Crosscurrents", "marionnette" and other pieces (mid-late 40's)
9. Jimmy Jones in "Mad thad", "Lust for Life" and other mid-late 50's pieces
10. Kirk Lightsey in "Waltz for Doris" (1981)
11. Bill Evans in "Transformation" (1956)
12. Stan Kenton in "Artistry Jumps" (1945) and "Artistry in Rhythm" (1955),
Collaboration('56), Interlude ('47), Blues in Riff ('51), Machito('47)
13. Geoff Keezer in "Heading off a pass" and "Its the thought that counts" (1984?)
14. Geri Allen in "Stardust" accompanying Betty carter (1987?)
15. Noreen Grey in the Album "Generations" by Pepper Adams (1985)
16. Claude Thornhill in "Robin's Nest" (1947)
FAVOURITE PIECES IN ITS ENTIRETY (Or most of it):
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1. "Spiral", "My Joy", "Subtle Neptune" and "Patterns" by Bobby Hutcherson quartet (1968)
2. "Motion" and "Signal" By Stan getz quartet (1953)
3. "Artistry in Rhythm" by Stan Kenton Orchestra (1955, 1972)
4. "Transformation" by Gunther Schuller conducting the Brandeis Jazz Festival
Orchestra. (1956)
5. "Level Seven" and "Transeason" by Wally Cirillo and the Jazz workshop quintet
of Charles Mingus (1955)
6. "Fox" by the Harold Land Quintet (1956)
7. "Thing what is" by Alan Dawson performed by Jaki Byard quartet (1965)
8. "Brass Suite" by J.J. Johnson (Late 1950's)
9. "Collaboration","Interlude","Shelly Manne", "Theme for Sunday", "Concerto to
End All Concertos" by Stan Kenton Orchestra (1947-56)
10. "Reflection in D" by Duke Ellington, performed by Bill Evans (1978)
11. "Igor Beaver", "Impressionism","Chorale for Brass, Piano and Bongo",
"Polytonal Blues" by Pete Rugolo and his orchestra (1958)
12. "November Seascape" and "Sorry Wrong Rhumba" by George Shearing quintet (1949)
13. "Key Chain" by the Westchester Jazz workshop (late 1950's)
14. "Cool" (From the West Side Story) by the Scarborough Strings and orchestra (60's?)
15. "Robin's Nest" by Claude Thornhill Orchestra (1947)
16. All the tunes in the Album "The Birth of the Cool" (1949)
17. "Petite Poem" (Paul Moer) By John Graas Nonet (1957)
18. "Kharisma for Keiko" and "New Jass" (Dennis Kalfas/Jim Dukey) By the SanFrancisco
State College Jazz Quintet (1967).
20. "Medicine for a Nightmare" by SunRa Orchestra (1956).
SOME PICTURES OF MY FAVOURITE JAZZ COMPOSERS:
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City of Glass by Bob Graettinger
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