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Jazz For The Serious Connoisseur
by Phillip A. Haynes
In tackling this top ten list for serious students of jazz, the focus was on works that shocked and intrigued upon first and successive listens, striving to understand their meaning, materials, historical context, and influence on contemporary improvisation. “Blackbird" (1980) by Bobby McFerrin, The Voice (Elektra, 1984) When released, McFerrin's astounding virtuosity represented the first revolution in scat since Ella Fitzgerald. His entertaining and breathtaking “man chorale" approach utilizes rapidly juxtaposed tessituras, changeable vocal characters, integrated ...
Continue Reading21 to 40
by Patrick Burnette
Two fifty is as good an artificial milestone as any, so the boys decide it's time for a GOAT episode. First they wrestle a top-twenty artist list into shape, arguing that there's so much consensus out there little work remains to be done and still taking an hour doing it. Then it's on to the tricky bit—picking out 21 through 40. Totems will get tumbled, weird choices will get made, and hearts will get broken. Mostly Mike's. No pop matters ...
Continue ReadingLarge Jazz Ensembles, Past And Present
by Jerome Wilson
This show on jazz orchestras and big bands begins and ends with Duke Ellington. In between, it includes Michael Gibbs, Count Basie, the Either/Orchestra, Chico O'Farrill, George Russell and several others. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I Get Home" from The Complete Novus & Columbia Recordings of Henry Threadgill & Air (Mosaic) 00:00 Duke Ellington “Moon Over Cuba" from 1941 (Classics) 01:03 Chico O'Farrill “Havana Blues" from Carambola (Milestone) 4:12 Antonio Adolfo “Milestones" from Encontros ...
Continue ReadingLatin It All Hang Out
by Patrick Burnette
We start off season ten with neither a bang nor a whimper, but rather the sound of exotic auxiliary percussion and the screams of excitable brass. It's a show devoted to “Latin" music in its many guises, both smooth and bumptious, with looks at an early innovator in the jazz field, a couple of main stream jazzers hoping to strike it rich with the bossa nova craze, and a towering figure in big band jazz who always approached “outside" influences ...
Continue ReadingEllington Holiday: A Swinging Nutcracker + Dance Dates 1940 & '58
by David Brown
Jazz up December with Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn's swinging re-do of The Nutcracker Suite. Then, rev-up for the new year with two historic Ellington Orchestra dance dates: Fargo 1940 & Travis Air Force Base 1958. Put the kids to bed and put on your dancing shoes. Welcome friends and neighbors to The Jazz Continuum. Old, new, in, out... wherever the music takes us. Each week, we will explore the elements of jazz from a historical perspective. Playlist ...
Continue ReadingStructure: Bordeaux Meets Duke Ellington
by Kristen Lee Sergeant
I'll begin with a maxim —Knowledge is Pleasure. The reward of learning (especially about music and wine) is the ability to enjoy what is studied all the more. To me, the mark of a connoisseur is not the expert ability to analyze, but being able to revel in both the nuance and totality of what makes something great. The pursuit of knowledge has hedonistic rewards. Which is to say, welcome to Jazz & Juice. The articles, videos and ...
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