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Marvin "Doc" Holladay
Marvin "Doc" Holladay: Sweetness and Light
by Jack Bowers
Picture in your mind's eye Gerry without Chet but with a dash more rhythm. Got it? Okay, that's not precisely what we have here (Holladay's temperament and purpose are quite unlike Mulligan's, for one thing) but the over-all feeling prevails. This is a pianoless quartet with conguero Ozzie Orengo sitting in for Chet on Sonny Rollins' lively samba, “St. Thomas," and Holladay playing baritone, bass clarinet ("Pas de Deux"), ashanti flute ("St. Thomas") and Ewe double bell. “Pas de Deux" ...
Continue ReadingDoc: The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
From 1957 to 1965, photographer W Eugene Smith lived in loft space at 821 Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. Smith had already established himself as a pioneer of the journalistic photo essay—a collection of images that told a story in magazines, most notably Life. Before the rise of the documentary in the early 1960s with the advent of the portable shoulder camera, Smith's photo montages served the same purpose in still images. In 1957, Smith left his wife and four children ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Marvin “Smitty" Smith's birthday today!
Marvin “Smitty" Smith, Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). “It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin “Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house. At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father's ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!
One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music's classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...
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Tal Farlow Doc and 10 Tracks
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Tal Farlow is widely considered the father of the modern jazz guitar. His commanding attack and speed had much to do with the large size of his hands. As for his robust sense of swing and rich jazz-chord voicings, they were unbeatable. Born in 1921, Farlow was self-taught and deeply influenced by Benny Goodman's guitarist Charlie Christian. His first major recording session was as a member of the Red Norvo Trio in 1950, featuring Norvo on vibes and Charles Mingus ...
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Doc: Art Pepper - Notes From a Jazz Survivor
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Loneliness on the road and the dread of performing live in the early 1950s drove Art Pepper to snort heroin. What followed was a lifelong addiction. As he said regarding his stage anxiety, “I'd get sick to my stomach, and the only way I could handle it was getting loaded." It's hard to believe when you listen to Pepper play that he could be hampered by nerves. Such anxiety was more common than not, not only among jazz musicians under ...
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Doc: Shirley Horn Sings & Plays 'Here's to Life'
Source:
JazzWax by Marc Myers
Vocalist Shirley Horn's 1992 album Here's to Life (Verve) is a jazz masterpiece. The album has long been considered Horn's most emotionally penetrating album and Johnny Mandel's greatest triumph as a string arranger and orchestra conductor. He won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for the album. Unfortunately, Horn lost in the Best Jazz Vocal Performance category that year to Bobby McFerrin for his vocal of 'Round Midnight on his Play album with Chick Corea. Many fans of ...
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Jazz Musician of the Day: Marvin "Smitty" Smith
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Marvin “Smitty" Smith's birthday today!
Marvin “Smitty" Smith, Born June 24, 1961 in Waukegan (Illinois). “It was a very natural inclination for me to play drums," says Marvin “Smitty" Smith. A glance at his early life validates that truth. Born the son of a drummer, Marvin, Sr., was always surrounded by music in the house. At six months old, he would climb up on the large lounge chair positioned directly in front of his father's ...
read more
Jazz Musician of the Day: Doc Cheatham
Source:
Michael Ricci
All About Jazz is celebrating Doc Cheatham's birthday today!
One of the very last survivors of the early days of jazz, trumpeter Adolphus “Doc" Cheatham attracted attention from the historically- inclined right up to his death in 1997 at the age of 91. His career recapitulated much of the history of jazz as a whole: he came of age hearing and playing with the New Orleans masters of the music's classic period; he participated in the big band movement that ...
read more
Music
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson
