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681

Article: Building a Jazz Library

Jazz for Kids!

by AAJ Staff
April 6, 2015

There is some kind of Jazz for everybody. And kids are no different. While the music presented here is by no means only for kids (Silly Rabbit, it's okay) it does happen to have the necessary qualities for kids to gravitate toward it. There's the fun factor; Horace Silver's music is undoubtedly FUN. There's the “head ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

Miles Davis

by AAJ Staff
April 5, 2015

Trumpeter Miles Davis (1926-1991) is perhaps the most influential figure in the history of jazz. He regularly reinvented his sound, changing styles abruptly and pulling the rest of the jazz community along with him. Davis moved from East St. Louis to New York City in 1944, ostensibly to attend Juilliard. But he soon lost ...

Article: Building a Jazz Library

Rare and Unusual Instruments in Jazz

by Hrayr Attarian
March 29, 2015

Historically the cornet was the quintessential jazz instrument but over a century of its evolution other instruments have also become part of the regular jazz armamentarium. These include common ones such as the piano, saxophone, bass and drums to the more occasionally appearing violin, clarinet and other percussion instruments. There are few, however, that exhibit unique ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

Bill Evans: Sublime Sideman

by Nathan Holaway
March 27, 2015

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 ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

Art Pepper

by C. Michael Bailey
March 24, 2015

Alto Saxophonist Arthur Edward Pepper, Jr. (1925-1982) wanted to be known as the “greatest alto saxophonist in the world," a tall order considering contemporaries like Charlie Parker, Johnny Hodges, and Paul Desmond. In spite of this, Pepper outlived all of them while forging a unique and personal sound. Pepper, along with Desmond and Lee Konitz, were ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

The Ten Best Live Jazz Recordings: 1953-1965

by C. Michael Bailey
March 23, 2015

Having recently completed a survey of the Best Live Rock Albums, I have learned a couple of valuable things. One is a list of this sort should be presented in descending order starting with number 10 and descending to number 1. Second, it is better to poll a group for their opinions and develop the list ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

Why Everybody Digs Bill Evans

by Mark Sabbatini
March 20, 2015

Arguably the greatest jazz pianist of the 1960s and '70s, Bill Evans is generally acknowledged as the most influential pianist since Bud Powell and a primary influence on players such as Keith Jarrett and Chick Corea. Evans co-wrote Kind Of Blue with Miles Davis and some consider the pianist's Sunday At The Village Vanguard the best ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

Thelonious Monk

by Chris M. Slawecki
March 8, 2015

Thelonious Sphere Monk is one of the true great jazz originals. Monk's family moved from North Carolina to New York City while he was still an infant. He began piano lessons around age 12, playing Harlem rent parties then graduating to Harlem clubs such as Minton's Playhouse. Monk often played with Dizzy Gillespie and ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

McCoy Tyner

by AAJ Staff
March 7, 2015

Some jazz fans only have a partial acquaintance with McCoy Tyner, that being that “he was Coltrane's pianist." Indeed, it is fairly common to know McCoy Tyner only through his stellar contributions as a sideman in the 1960s, not only with Coltrane but also with Wayne Shorter, Bobby Hutcherson and Joe Henderson. Along with 'Trane, these ...

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Article: Building a Jazz Library

Bulletin Board Members' Picks

by AAJ Staff
March 3, 2015

Since we started the Building a Jazz Library (BAJL) series, we've assembled more than sixty collections, and that number continues to grow. We thought it might be interesting to see what readers would recommend, so we asked AAJ Bulletin Board members to provide a short list of recordings they considered essential, and the 159 different lists ...