Barbara Reney

There are as many understandings and thus interpretations of what Jazz is as there are people on the planet and that is what makes it entirely unique and ageless. Jazz reflects the pulse of the people - Local, National and Global. It is a mirror of ourselves, our times. Jazz is a living, breathing, life force, spontaneous, articulate, and so varied that it allows such a wide berth to include styles from all cultures and times. I was first exposed to jazz as a child at home through family record collections of Big Bands and such names as Nat, Ella, Cab, Louis, Frank - in those days it was considered popular music (only later becoming labeled as Jazz Standards). In the 60’s I was made aware of Mile’s Bitch’s Brew and moved along from there through Herbie H, Sonny R, Lester, Ella... the list is endless. In the 60's I snuck into the Black Bottom Club (yes I was underage but family friends worked the place soooo). I saw Trudy Pits, Miles, Grant Green, Lee Morgan, etc then in the 70's there was a great placed called In Concert where worked the back door to the dressing rooms and not only got to see and hear but met such legends as the the Aderlies, Bill Evans, Mcoy Tynner, Eshter Philips, Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Ron Carter, Stanly Clarke, Grover, again, the list is endless. In the later 70's early 80's I would catch shows at the Rising Sun where I met and hung with Bobby McFerrin – while he was singing with LHR, before he became his legend, Better Carter, who I assisted on an interview for a weekly publication. As a budding Jazz singer myself, one of the most important things she shared with me was that she only sang songs that meant anything to her, songs that touched her, songs that she was able to put on herself and sing her own way. The Jazz community I came up in was very traditional, by-the-book but along came Betty and freed me to follow her lead. I can’t say which would be the best show I ever saw, I really don’t know. I was blessed to have seen so many. I am part of the last generation to have experienced the founders and they were all great. Of course each gig is different, some better than others but for me it was all incredibly exiting, marvelous and ultimately master classes. More so than instrumental technique it was hearing, watching, the exchanges, speaking with the musicians – Paul Motion, Jon Schole, Pee Wee Ellis, Esther. I think the first jazz record I bought was Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay, not sure though because I was listening to such a wide range of "Jazz" music – The Jazz Messengers, Herbie H, Bill E, Ron Carter, Larry Coryell,. People gave / lent me Betty Carter's LPs, Miles, Stanly T, had reel-to-reel tapes going all day, etc, etc. The person I listened to the most though was Bill. I was learning to play piano and writing my own compositions then and he was a great influence on me in terms of voicings, phrasing. My advice to new listeners is to come to the genre with an open heart. Leave any and all preconceived notions of what Jazz is or supposed to be and just listen. They may be surprised and come away with a better appreciation for all music. What some people call Jazz other’s may call something else, but the important thing is to start listening to what are considered the Masters and then take it from there; follow their hearts.