Articles by Nathan Holaway
Newport Jazz
by Nathan Holaway
This article was first published in 2005.The summer seeks scintillating sounds from the jazz sectors. Indeed, it is at this minuscule place that massive talents come together. Who could possibly hypothesize that such a small stretch of land could be the breeding ground for new ideas, the ideal place for musical re-unions, or the pre-destined landmark for one of the greatest comebacks in jazz history. Whether you have actively been in the crowd, heard the crowd on record, ...
read moreFilm Scores
by Nathan Holaway
Ah, the cinema. We know so many cliches, certain scenes, and can even quote entire passages of movies. Music in film works the same way. As people who are conditioned through a dominantly visual culture, we tend to remember certain themes alongside certain movie scenes. This subject deserves much more attention! Film composers are often underrated and overlooked, even though they must be versed in all styles of music, from jazz to rock, classical to country. Here are just some ...
read moreTag Team Jazz, Part 1-2
by Nathan Holaway
Part 1 | Part 2 Jazz has always celebrated rugged individuality, praising those who appreciate others but stay on their own path. So what happens when two (or more) intelligent and original musicians come together? Most of the time, pure magic. Stellar tag teams have made some of the finest records in jazz history. Louis Armstrong / Duke Ellington: The Great Summit: Master Takes (Blue Note, 2001) An absolute “must have" for any ...
read moreTag Team Jazz, Part 2-2
by Nathan Holaway
Part 1 | Part 2 Jazz has always celebrated rugged individuality, praising those who appreciate others but stay on their own path. So what happens when two (or more intelligent and original musicians come together? Most of the time, pure magic. Stellar tag teams have made some of the finest records in jazz history. Lester Young: Lester Young with the Oscar Peterson Trio (Norgran, 1954) One of Young's greatest sessions, with Prez in ...
read moreAngels on Earth: Best Living Jazz Chanteuses
by Nathan Holaway
Let's begin by saying that jazz has definitely been swarmed by a plethora of female vocalists. Just because they can sing a Cole Porter or a George Gershwin tune, and remember all the words... does that make them great? No. Just because they look terrific, does that mean that they'll be the next Billie Holiday? Absolutely not! This may work in pop music, but most jazz fans can tell if a female jazz vocalist has hope or is just hype. ...
read moreDo You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?
by Nathan Holaway
This article was originally published in September 2005. Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? The Big Easy. The Crescent City. N'awlins. Some adore it, some despise it. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans continues to be the testimonial travesty of the United States. With certain political officials claiming that jny: New Orleans is “not worth rebuilding, I would have to strongly object. Anyone who has ever enjoyed a beignet with ...
read more1959: The Most Creative Year in Jazz
by Nathan Holaway
1959 was arguably the most creative year in all of jazz history. Bird had already passed away, and this year would see the passings of Lester Young and Billie Holiday. Musically speaking, when we read jazz history texts or see the labels among the many diverse styles of jazz (i.e “Free Jazz," “Modal Jazz," “Third Stream," etc...), we tend to separate these different styles into alternate universes. In fact, many of the contributions we now consider to be jazz “classics" ...
read moreBill Evans: Sublime Sideman
by Nathan Holaway
We already know what a tremendous voice Bill Evans has had in jazz history, and most of the major jazz pianists that he has influenced. Most jazz aficionados know most of the tunes Evans has composed and most of the tunes that were in his ever-changing repertoire. But, a subject that hardly gets enough attention concerning Evans are his superlative skills as a consummate sideman. What we're discussing are two totally separate categories. It takes a certain kind of mentality ...
read morePat Metheny: Quantum Musician
by Nathan Holaway
If Pat Metheny never plays another single note, he would have already lived a “bright size life." Pat Metheny was born in Lee's Summit, MO in 1954 and first picked up his guitar at the age of twelve. By age fifteen, he was already playing with the top jazz musicians in town. In 1974, he became a part of the international jazz scene and joined a band led by vibraphonist Gary Burton. During this three year stint, he ...
read moreRetrieval Records: Treasures Lost and Found
by Nathan Holaway
“The memory of things gone is important to a jazz musician. Things like old folks singing in the moonlight in the back yard on a hot night or something said long ago."-- Louis Armstrong “You hear about the Duke Ellingtons, the Jimmie Luncefords, and the Fletcher Hendersons, but people sometimes forget that jazz was not only built in the minds of the great ones, but on the backs of the ordinary ones."-- Cab CallowayThose two quotes ...
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