then.....................
1. Give a brief 2 - 3 sentence Bio about your musician, recording
2. Give a one paragraph explanation of what you like about this recording. What do you find interesting or what do you not find interesting. Take time to listen and think about what you are responding with.
Here is my choice and it is even Canadian! This is the great Montreal Trumpet/Flugelhorn player Guido Basso playing Someday My Prince Will Come. Guido is probably one of the most emulated flugel players in the world for his tone and melodic style of improvisation. He is joined on this recording by Joey DeFrancesco (Organ) Lorne Lofsky (Guitar) and Vito Rezza, (drums). This comes from the CD/DVD One Take Volume One (Alma Records)
What I love about this is Guido's sense of phrasing and melodic ideas. He has one of the most warm and mellow flugel sounds in the world that so may have been inspired to try and copy. As far as his soloing I love his lyrical approach. The lines just flow together in such a nice melodic way, which is so true of his soloing style. He also has the ability to add these very cool breathy effects and large drops into notes. What is truly amazing is this clip is live off the floor. The whole CD was recorded in the studio, one take!!!!! There are no alternate solos or second chances. What they did is what they recorded and published. AMAZING!!! I hope you enjoy and I look forward to hearing your submissions and reading your comments.
First Submissions must be in by October 22nd, 2008
35 comments:
My choice is J.J. Johnson playing the song My Funny Valentine. When he was alive, Johnson composed, played and arranged jazz music. He was regarded as one of the best trombonist of the post-swing era. In this recording, he plays live with a pianist, bassist and drummer. They performed this piece in 1991 at the Fujitsu Concord Jazz Festival in Japan.
What I liked about this piece is the how Johnson played so smoothly with a warm and pleasant sound. He used notes from the whole trombone range and still made the song soothing to listen to. He had the ability to be playing low then all of a sudden perform a high and loud shot note that still makes the piece sound smooth. The way Johnson’s music flows lets me enjoy the tune even more. I also liked how he never rushed his solo and did not try to fill in time by playing a bunch of notes.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLa1XPQGg7w&feature=related
Nathan Curiale
My choice is Hubert Laws Jr. playing "I Had A Dream". Hubert Laws was one of the jazz artists who made the jazz flute popular. He had worked both solo and with the company of other jazz artists. He was able to play in several genres, including: classical, pop and RB but is most known for jazz. In this recording he plays with Don Grolnick who plays keyboards, piano, and clavinet, and Doug Bascomb who plays bass. This piece was recorded in 1974 on the album “The Chicago Theme”.
What I liked about this piece was his range, he would go from one of the lowest notes attainable on the flute to one of the higher notes, and all the while controlling the sound and not squeaking. The melody flowed very well together and I liked the grace notes that he's added, they complimented the song very nicely. The melody was very catchy and I enjoyed listening to it. The song itself was light and full of dynamics and articulation. I liked how the feel of the song varied, sometimes it was laid back and relaxing while other times it was upbeat and staccato. Even though I enjoyed this song very much , I found that he filled the song with too many notes and I think that he could have taken more breaks throughout the song.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3K8eJXY8_4A
The artist I chose is also a Canadian one. Her name is Diana Krall and she has become one of the more popular jazz musicians in the last 20 years. Her talent is very broad, as she can both sing and play jazz with passion and feeling, all while bringing new ideas to the table. She was recognized by a man named Ray Brown who was very well known and respected in the jazz community, and to this date she was released seven albums her first being in 1989. The piece I have selected is a well known standard entitled; Fly Me To The Moon. This video is of Krall performing it live on the show "Live with John Clayton".
What I love about this version of the song is how effortlessly Krall seems to match up her vocals with her piano solo. Her ability to connect her melody lines is incredible. She is also able to effectively utilize her voice in order to match her playing. The way she phrases her playing throughout the entire piece is awe inspiring. The best part of this performance is how Krall is able to keep the audience interested by playing around with her dynamics and allowing the bass to fully round out the direction of the piece because there was no drummer to add splashes color.
Video:http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=qVCgf6_M7i4
Feel free to check out other versions by older artists such as:
Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Nat King Cole or Nina Simone.
I chose Slide Hampton as my trombonist, playing the song Con Alma with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Band. Slide Hampton is a colossal figure when it comes to jazz, having played, composed and arranged jazz since the age of 12. In the song Con Alma, performed live in 2007, some of the best jazz players in the world are featured and Slide Hampton's playing is remarkable.
GREAT SLURS! But what I really enjoyed about this piece was the quality of the sound and the players. Slide Hampton has an amazing tone, he always seems to hit the centre of the pitch. He is so relaxed when he plays the trombone that his slide movements appear almost effortless. He used the entire range of the trombone through out his solo! I could not believe how high he was able to play, he hit notes that aren't even supposed to exist on the trombone. His tonguing and sense of rhythm is also unequaled. He plays extremely clearly at a fast pace with rhythms that are thought out and very catchy. His talent and composure really showed in this solo.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp5DaJSAhoI
For this, I chose the American Flugelhorn player, Chuck Mangione. Chuck Mangione achieved internation success in 1978 with his hit single, "Feels So Good" and has released more than 30 albums since he started his career in 1960. His compositions "Chase the Clouds Away" and "Give it All you Got", were used in the Winter Olympics of 1976 and 1980 respectively.
Personally, what I like about his playing is just how relaxed he is while playing. He never seems to lose his calm for even the slightest moment, and yet he maintains a nice full sound (different to that of many other flugelhorn players).
So here is a video of him playing Feels So Good.
-Aaron Lee
I chose the well-known jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock playing Chameleon. Hancock was known for incorporating musical elements from rock and soul into his music, as well as utilizing the keytar and synthesizers. He has redefined the importance and role of the rhythm section in jazz music. In this performance, he is playing with Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), Matthew Garrison (bass), Darrel Diaz (keyboard), Wallace Rooney (trumpet), and DJ Disk (turntables) during a live show for his Future 2 Future tour in 2002.
In this performance, I liked how he started out with a simple rhythmic motif in his right hand, only adding octaves in his left hand to emphasize certain notes. Though this is an upbeat tune, he begins with a more lyrical line, but quickly builds up to complex chords that span the entire keyboard. He adds arpeggios and numerous repeated notes with ease, as the dynamic grows to a forte for an incredible ending. I like how each repetition of the riff is different, as he adds notes to fill out the chord and change the colour. This piece really showcases his incredible technique and sense of rhythm.
Both videos are great examples :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5737qtNpFc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bg6WcDHcJv0
The artist I chose for this assignment is Sonny Stitt playing Samba de Orfeu. Sonny was a renowned bebop player but was also effective with blues and ballad pieces. The "Lone Wolf" was very prolific, recording over 100 records in his lifetime. In this recording, he is playing with Amilton Godoy (piano), Luis Chaves (bass), Rubens A. Barsotti (drums).
What I really liked about the piece was how relaxing it felt. Sonny was so smooth with his playing. He started the solo simple and slowly built it up to more interesting playing. He made good use of the saxophone's range. He did add some of the typical sax solo scales but for the most part he kept it on the simpler side. This made it much easier to listen to and also kept the flow and style of the piece intact. Every note sounded like it fit and every rhythm went hand in hand with the notes he played. Everything he did seemed to fit perfectly.
My choice is a jazz guitarist whom I have long held in high regard by the name of Herb Ellis. In this particular recording, he is playing “Georgia (On My Mind)” along with Tal Farlow and Charlie Byrd as featured on their DVD, “Great Guitars of Jazz” (Vestapol). Ellis, born in 1921 on the outskirts of Dallas, has enjoyed a long career, playing with many of the greats and as a prominent member of the Soft Winds (1947-1952) and the Oscar Peterson Trio (1953-1958). He also toured with Ella Fitzgerald in 1959 and 1960. Since then, he has played with countless greats including Duke Robillard, Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie.
This particular recording intrigues me largely because of his technique. As I watched, I noticed that he picks with his thumb only, plays with a flat right wrist and wraps his left thumb all the way around the neck of the guitar, all of which are rather tiring techniques but also give his playing an tone that is both percussive and smooth. His sense of melody is rather interesting as well, because here, as with most of his work that I have heard, he almost never uses the same riff twice, keeping the melody and his embellishments thereof always sounding fresh. Played without the rest of the piece as context, one might mistake his playing for arrhythmic noodlings; played as is, however, results in a beautiful blend of flowing, liquid melody and steady, solid bass. Also, if you look at his face while he plays, you will notice that he actually sings along a la Glenn Gould! It’s easy to see - just from this recording - why Herb Ellis is hailed as one of the best jazz guitarists of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTnIM5TlfAM
The artist I chose is an American drummer, Buddy Rich, a very famous and arguably the greatest jazz drummer of all time, that’s right I said it. Buddy Rich was born September 30, 1917 and started playing the drums when he was only 18 months old and as amazing as Buddy Rich was he never received a formal lesson. At the age of 4 he performed regularly on Broadway and was a seasoned solo performer with his vaudeville act “Traps the drum wonder.” In 1939 he had joined Tommy Dorsey's band and he later went on to play with such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Ventura, Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa. This video is a drum solo by him in 1970.
What I really enjoyed about this is how he can keep his speed up to lightning fast and still keep a wide range of dynamics. Also it is very interesting how he can keep at the same tempo throughout the whole solo without slowing down or speeding up (with exceptions to when he meant to speed up), it’s almost like he has a built in metronome in his head. He plays like it is second nature and never looks like he’s thinking about what to do next. I find it interesting however how his snare drum is set up (angled backwards) perhaps to make rim shots easier? He also shows that you don’t need a 10 piece set with 8 symbols to be “the man” (although it does look awesome). This is an amazing solo and the only thing I’d say is missing is… yes I’m going to say Mr. Stevenson, DOUBLE BASS!!! :P :P :P
Go to this to be amazed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgeX9iYOFSQ
I chose to do William "Cat" Anderson, an american jazz trumpeter well known for playing in Duke Ellington's orchestra. He is known as a great "high note" trumpeter, his range stretching more than 5 octaves. He was also extremely good at half-valve and plunger mute playing.
What I liked about the solo in this video is that it is slightly more slow moving and relaxed than others. He spaces it out with rests and doesn't go extremely high, like he can. I'm not a fan of the high octave, fast moving trumpet solos, so that's why this appeals to me. I also think his use of the mute along with the bass in the background makes it sound more like a smooth, more laid back jazz tune.
and my video....:P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_55RJopDEIc&feature=related
Here is Clifford Brown, a well-known jazz trumpeter, playing "Easy Living". He died very young (at the age of 25), but left behind an amazing legacy and influenced other famous jazz trumpet players such as Lee Morgan, Wynton Marsalis, and Freddie Hubbard. "Easy Living" was recorded in 1953 with Clifford Brown on trumpet, Gigi Gryce playing the flute, Charlie Rouse on tenor sax, John Lewis on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Art Blakey playing the drums.
This piece is a great sample of Clifford Brown's trumpet-playing skills. He had excellent technique as well as a warm, full tone, and sometimes it can be difficult to achieve both. I really liked when he played a quick, complex solo at the end of some of the phrases. It fit very nicely and gave the song a bit more listening interest. He also managed to use a good portion of the trumpet's range and different dynamics that kept it interesting to listen to. Brown moved very smoothly from note to note, even when he was going from the top of the trumpet range to the bottom. Everything he did seemed to be appropriate in this tune. He was very original and inventive. I also enjoyed the tempo shift he added about two and a half minutes into the song. This created a little bit of a different taste that was very nice.
Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNHmGcHAuYo
Ray Charles, an American pianist and singer, was one of the most influential figures in the history of popular music. Even though he lost his eyesight by the age of seven, he was referred to as “The Genius” in the 1950s. He fused gospel music with rhythm and blues (R&B) to pioneer a distinctive style that came to be known as soul music. He also recorded in and helped shape a wide variety of other musical genres, including blues, jazz, country, and rock. I’m not sure if this is a song or not, but I think it’s just a solo performance by him.
The one of the things that makes him one of my favourites is that while he performs is that he really enjoys what he does, and this is evident from his body language which seems to flow with the music. Though the beginning had more of simple and catchy rhythms but song his focus shifted to more complicated melodies. Moreover the trills and grace notes add the extra bit to the piece and made it much more enjoyable. He generally chooses high notes and plays at a fast pace, but all this just adds to his brilliance. The most remarkable thing about this solo was that he produced such a good sound after having lost his eyesight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-Wi_-vdSAE&feature=related
I have chosen the song “Blue Monk,” performed by Anders Boström, who is a jazz flutist. He began his flute studies in Stockholm, Sweden, at the Royal Academy of Music. His improve interests brought him to Boston, where he won the “Down Beat Magazines” outstanding performance award, within his first year. He is one of the best jazz flutists in the world, known for his fast and warm sounding playing, as well as his outrageous artistic abilities.
I love this piece, because there is so much in it, getting bored seems impossible. The range of notes he can hit, is higher then I ever imagined possible, and the fact he can stay at those high notes for a long period of time, amazes me. The speed at which he plays is absolutely incredible and his quality of sound is amazing, with the use slurs and accents, adding a lot of interest to the piece. Overall, in my opinion, his playing is remarkable, and he is a very “tasty” jazz musician
Here is a link to Blue Monk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T80Y3Whp8c&feature=related
My choice for musician for is Cuban trumpet player Arturo Sandoval. Arturo was born in Cuba in 1949. He is a trumpet player and a pianist. Dizzy Gillespie was Arturo's favourite influence and later he became his mentor when he left Cuba with the United Nations Orchestra. He toured through the U.S.A. for nine years before being a citizen in 1999. He began trumpet at age 12 and by 16 was in the national band and was already getting into Jazz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TChocbG_TTI
Favourite part of the whole video is definitely Dizzy's face after Arturo's one squeal when they were trading. I also enjoy the amazing complex and high trading followed by the extremely simple and low head. I love the way the two of them interact and the sound together is absolutely amazing. The squeal at the end was just crazy and Arturo's rendition of the classical British piece whose name escapes me was simply amazing. I thought Arturo seemed to fill his solos up more than Dizzy and sometimes it seems Dizzy's lip failed him while trying to upstage Arturo.
I have chosen the song "Hot House" performed by Charlie Parker. As well as Dizzy Gillespie. The first half focuses on Charlie Parker and he is on the alto saxophone in this particular tune (although he also played Tenor Sax)
Charlie Parker was born in Kansas city, Kansas. He was influenced by his father to become a musician, at the age of 11 he began playing the saxophone. Charlie Parker had a cymbol thrown at him by a drummer who grew impatient with his playing, this caused Charlie to become more determined and practice in all 12 keys. He was a pioneer of beebop.
I liked this tune, the sounds of Dizzy on the trumpet and Charlie on the sax complement each other. The beginning of the tune focused much more on the alto, with some interesting rhymthic things and changing tones, the second half focuses on the trumpet with Dizzy playing some interesting licks on the trumpet with impressive speed. There is something else i can't quite put my finger on, but i enjoyed it
Here it is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91dolWWdetI&feature=related
I chose Nat King Cole for my jazz musician. Born in Montgomery, Alabama on March 17, 1919, Nathaniel Adams Cole entered the world a star. Nat King Cole, his professional name began his career as a pianist and eventually switched to vocals. Nat King Cole's first mainstrem vocal hit was "Straighten up and fly Right" in 1943. Nat King Cole topped the charts with his smooth vocals being backed by a large string orchestra. His numerous hits lead him to begin his own television show. This was a success and he lived a full-filling musical life, dying of lung cancer due to cigarettes at the age of 46.
I chose the video L-O-V-E because this song has a little sentimental value to me. When I was younger this was a very popular song I danced to in dance class. I love this song because Nat King Cole has such an easy listening voice. Jazz singing is best when it sounds effortless and Nat King Cole's singing fits that description. His low full sound is breath-taking and floats so easily. Another quality of his performance I appreciate is his delayed vibrato, where his sound is clean a full first then the vibrato follows. Overall Nat King Cole's song L-O-V-E is a very enjoyable and talented piece.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JErVP6xLZwg&feature=related
I chose to do Buddy DeFranco. Buddy began to play clarinet at the age of nine. When he was fourteen, he won the national Tommy Dorsey Swing contest. He was later discovered by Johny "Scat" Davis, and his career as a jazz clarinetist began in 1939.
I chose the song "Flying Home" because it's a fun song to listen to. The tempo is upbeat and fast. When Buddy plays in the high register, the clarinet doesn't sound shrill. The notes flowed smoothly, making the song even more enjoyable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLDwpS1YTyo&feature=related
My tasty jazz player is John Coltrane, a renowned axophone player. He was born in Hamlet, North Carolina in 1926. After playing the Navy's jazz band, he studied jazz theory. Coltrane would later make recordings with such musicians as Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. His unique playing style and his variety of influences helped reshape the way the saxophone was used in jazz music. Like many other jazz musicians, Coltrane had a heroin addiction. John Coltrane died in 1967 due to liver cancer.
The song that i picked was a piece called Naima peformed live in 1965 with his quartet. The piece begins slow with Coltrane's playing sounding very crisp and clean. His proficient use of slurs adds to the effect of the piece. The lick is slured, causing it to have a smooth flowing sound, thanks to that slur. After the piano solo, the tempo picks up and John's playing becomes more raw. The saxophone makes more of a growling noise. The sound is still audible and it actually sounds very interesting and it intrigues the listener even more. The tempo once again slows down and Coltrane begins to play the slured lick's he performed earlier in the piece.
I throughly enjoyed the piece because of the changing tempos as well as the intricate saxophone playing. The sax solo remained interesting the whole time. Everything he did worked and he kept coming up with new rhythms during it to prevent it from becoming boring.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6WwuxqXPOg
PS. I think the drummer is excreting smoke.
I forgot my video so here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdKGPxm1OmM
I like Kittens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZAHl5_LTGQ
My choice for this assignment is the jazz guitarists Charlie Hunter. Charlie Hunter was born May 23, 1967. He wasn’t discovered until recently in the 90s. He is most noted of the instrument he plays which is a custom built 8 string guitar that acts as both a bass and a guitar and is known for his style of play by play bass lines and guitar lines at the same time.
What first introduced me into Charlie Hunter was an add for guitar strings that had a picture of him on it and his guitar look really odd so I wanted to find out more about it. As I researched I found he is a jazz guitarist and of great talent. What I love about him is that he play the bass line and the guitar part at the same time on an 8 string guitar to do this he basically reinvented the guitar to allow it to be played like a bass. Why i hold him in such high regard is because the amount of technique he has and not just that but to play the 8 sting guitar he developed an entirely new technique of how to play. the amount of time that he must of put into perfecting this art is just unimaginable to me. now only if we could play like him we wouldn’t need a bass for class. ;
here is a video of Charlie Hunter playing a solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B7btsk6ASE
I love kittens......kittens on heroin
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ860P4iTaM&feature=related
HEY WUZZUP!! IT"S CAM!! a.k.a. pin head #2
I had a couple choices that I wanted to do for my blog, but I decided on Stanley Jordan. He is a jazz fusion guitarist based on a two handed technique of touch/tapping giving him the ability to play the chords, bass line, melody, harmony all at the same time along with improvising the melody the comping every now and then. He was born July 31 in 1959 and has been an active jazz musician/song writer since 1982.
What I really lie bout this artist is that he's definitely stretching the boundaries of what his instrument is cable of doing. I find it unimaginable that he can simultaneously play the chords and melody so smoothly especially with the complexity of jazz and improvise both at the same time and he definitly has built his own technique system to make this work like tapping harder on the guitar when he wants a specific note smoothly sounded out through the melody. He's definitely one musician giving us a view into the future of what jazz guitar might be like in the future and we can definitely learn a lot from.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvMrBYlwHqU
Cam Bereznick
For my project on a professional Jazz (pronounced YA-zz) Flute player, I chose to do a song called East Harlem Shakedown in E flat. It is played by Ron Burgundy, a talented man who also moonlights as a news anchor for local television. Ron is well-known for his articulation and profound effect on society. He is a people person, and always will be. You will realize his playing style is just an extension of his unique personality as he bounces through this song.
Rons preparation techniques are well beyond those of his comrades. His entertainment skills are also endless. Keeping the audience intrigued is definitely a forte of Ron's. He has been known to use rare entertainment techniques such as "table walking" and "fire breathing." His solo in this piece is incredible, as he uses the full range of notes in his repetoire. Flutter-tonguing also accentuates his playing and raises the bar for flute players everywhere. In order to play at Rons calibre flute players are now required to practice at least 15 hours a day. That does not include theory. Ron also endorses "Band in a Box" and agrees that it was the main catalyst in elevating his already spectacular natural ability. The use of scales in his solo are extraordinary and I have devoted my time to learning the rare chronological scales and 12-flat fourth diminished persian scales used in this piece. I believe that Ron Burgundy is the best thing to happen to flute players since the transition from the wood flute to the metal one. Stay classy, Ron.
Magdaleina Kozalchuk
Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF5vlT01JNc
Max Roach, is an american jazz percussionist and composer who was considered one of the most important drummers of the 1940's, he collaborated with video artists, gospel choirs and hip-hop performers and has played a diverse range of music. He quickly established himself as both the most imaginative percussionist in modern jazz and a pioneer for the new form of jazz known as bebop.
Max roach has a unique solo
style.. i thought his face was funny... he had a stare of triumph that was quite suiting to the personality of his playing.. i liked how he changes tempos in the middle and TRYS his best to cover up his jittery handwork.. i was suprised by the spazz he takes at 0:41.. he uses crucendo's and deminuendo's that make good stepping stones into the next section of his solo. overall i enjoyd the clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIr76FDpOjM
The saxophonist I’ve chose is Julian "Cannonball" Adderley playing a song called “Jive Samba” written by his brother, Nat Adderley. He was born on September 15, 1928 and he was introduced to music at a young age because his father taught music and by 1955, his success has got him to work with many legends such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane. He died on August 8, 1975 of a stroke at the age of 46.
For his song, the band is set with a very warm sounding rhythm section but as the saxophone enters with the solo, Cannonball’s rough sound and his dynamics cuts through the rhythm section and attracts the attention of the listener. He pays very close attention to the rhythm of the song which makes him sound very melodic even though he is playing fast and his developed articulation is used very well in his interesting rhythms.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHFn0vHF6-c
The alto saxophone player I chose was Paul "The Stork" Desmond. He was born November 25 1924 in San Fransisco and died May 30 1977 of lung caner. In addition to being a sax player he was also a composer and played the clarinet. He was classed as one of the West Coast's "cool jazz" scene players. He led several of his own musical groups and took part in significant collaborations with people such as Gerry Mulligan and Jim Hall. His most famous musical group was the Dave Brukeck Quartet. He spent three years in the military before professionally starting his career as a musician. His nickname was derived from how he used to play the sax standing on one leg while he leaned against the piano.
The peice I chose was Take Five, which Desmond performed in 1961 with the Dave brubeck Quartet. What I really like about this peice is the overall style of the peice and the mellow sort of feeling it had. Even though the majority of the peice was fast playing, the rhythm helped the song seem calmer. Although Desmond tended to play higher up, he still was able to demonstare his skill with range. I also enjoyed how the entire peice wasnt soley saxophone and the other instruments were given solo time. One thing I didnt like about the peice however was how some of the solos seemed to throw off the feel of the peice. It also seemed at points that the song repeated itself too much, but overall I really liked the peice.
Heres a link to the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwNrmYRiX_o&feature=related
I chose sax player, Joshua Redman performing the song “Blues on Sunday.” Redman was born in Berkeley, California in 1969. He was exposed to all kinds of music at a very young age. In 1991, Redman graduated with honours from Harvard University and won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, which jump started his musical career.
I chose this piece because it really exemplifies Redman’s range as you see him tear through the scales, and push his sax to the limit. He starts the tune off slowly, but gradually builds and works his way into the upper register. Fast approaching the very peak of his register you can tell that he wants nothing more than to keep going. Notes soon turn into squeaks and squawks but this doesn’t hold him back. Soon melodies are formed using these noises only, that (in retrospect) fit the tune perfectly. Shortly after, he takes a few minutes to catch his breath as the bass and piano get some time to shine. Redman then joins them once more to finish off the song with a cliché ending.
Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ2UomKctPs
The artist that I FINALLY chose to do my blog on, is a Trumpet and Flugalhorn player from Toronto, Ontario named Kenny Wheeler. He is highly respected by his peers because of his amazing tone and large range on both the trumpet and flugelhorn. He has written over one hundred compositions and is a very skilled arranger for small groups and large ensembles
Kenny is playing this recording with Evan Parker (tenor sax), Steve Beresford (piano), Phil Waschmann (violin), performing at the Paul Rutherford Memoraial Concert, held at the Red Rose in London. This is a very unique recording because of the amount of range that he is able to use through out his solo's. My computer is really slow, so it was hard for the video to play cleanly, but the parts that did play as they were supposed to were very interesting, and different from what we would be used to hearing even in the jazz world.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMnOxSMjtD4
Oscar Peterson was the forth out of five children. He was a musical prodigy and even auditioned for the CBC national ameture contest (which he won). Peterson is know for his quick fingers and their Bebop nature. Today, he has passed on, but was still a key part in the formation of jazz, and is a name to be remembered.
One thing that I really enjoyed about this playing was the speed of his fingers. He always knew what notes to play, and never hesatated. Amazing technical ability and had a very nice tone on the piano. It was very interesting how he always sung what he was playing. Also, it's very cool how relaxed he was and how he never gave what he was doing a seccond thought! His playing is that of a true genious and he knows the piano better than the own back of of his hand. The glissandos at the end of the peice were very impressive as well and were not overdone by any streach of the immagination (which they sometimes can be.) Truly amazing pianist!
Forgot the site!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHr6ZZxb3G4
Shamwow!
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