Tom's Jazz Page
Tom's Jazz page
Recommended examples of genre
Big Band Jazz
Acid Jazz
Trad/Dixie Jazz
Fusion Jazz
Free-form Jazz
Cool Artists
Big band Jazz
A Big Band will consist of about 16-18 members. They have been going since the thirties really, but now have suffered a decline due the expense of running so many people in a band, and the advert of MIDI means that you can replace a whole brass section with a disk. Anyway here are some of my favorite artists.Buddy Rich - One of my favorite drummers and arguably one of the best Big Band drummers of all time. Speed, dexterity, technical skill AND swing, this guy had it all. Renowned as a very harsh task master. He had a way of making the music really burn. If you ever see a video of this guy, look out for one-handed rolls and the like. I particularly recommend the Album "Mercy Mercy." Listen to "Channel One suite" on that and you'll never look back. Also, anything, be it arrangements or compositions by Bill Reddie are really worth listening to. The Reddie version of "West Side Story" is tops.
Buddy Rich Discography
Count Basie - one of the best examples of a band that can really "swing," Basie's band are at their strongest on "The Atomic Basie."
Go to Count Basie site
Duke Ellington- one of the genre most influential characters, a genius composer and player.
Go to Duke Ellington site
Acid Jazz
Although some would argue with me that this isn't strictly a genre, Acid Jazz is that sort which leads you to the dance floor. It concentrates on groove, and being a drummer, that kinda hits the spot. For some funky stuff, listen out for the James Taylor Quartet - but make sure you listen to the album before you buy it. Simply because their material ranges in quality and style.
JTQ Website
Also look out for Spyro Gyra, who have now made about twenty albums. these guys do verge on the commercial side a bit though, so again, listen before buying.
Syro Gyra WebsiteFor a slightly more hammond orientated sound, anything by "Mother Earth" and for pure rhythm - look out for Snowboy (JTQ's percussionist) when he plays solo. Brian Bennett is doing some good stuff - his version of Soul Mission rules, as is the Jazz Renegades. They are well worth listening to. A cool blend of Hammond style and Funk.
Trad/Dixie Jazz
The real origin of what we call Jazz today, this music is characterised by a strong 2 in a bar feel. Most examples are played up tempo. I started out playing this stuff in one of the Jazz bands I'm in, and you tend to get fairly bored with fairly quickly. Perhaps I'm too harmonically perverse, I don't know. On the other hand, I've seen people love it when we play nothing else! look out for Louis Armstrong, Chick Webb, and Sydney Bechet and the Original Dixie Land Band.
Go to Sidney Bechet site
Fusion Jazz
The word Fusion in this instance is talking about the fusion between Jazz and another genre of music. For Rock and Jazz, look for the Mavishinu Orchestra, and especially look out for "Spectrum" by Billy Cobham. He was M. Orchestra's drummer, and can be heard in fine form with them on "Birds of Fire." Go to Cobham site
For more Latino orientated music, look for Chick Corea's solo artist works, especially when he works with his wife, Flora Purin. Verve currently have a "Best of" collection of his out, well worth a look.Go to Corea site
For Hip-Hop and Jazz, listen to Courtney Pine. I especially recommend his new album "Underground." I had the pleasure of seeing him live last year at the "Camden Jazz Cafe"(UK). He was quite incredible, doing things on the soprano sax which defied belief. And the Tenor and Baritone saxes, and on occasion, two of them at the same time!
Free-form Jazz
Notoriously hard listening, but is you like it, then enjoy it and don't let anyone else tell you it's crap. Perhaps the best introduction would be Miles Davis on "In a Silent Way" - written by J.Zawinwul. this albul is slightly easier on the ear then say, "Bitch's Brew," which although as revolutionary as it was, just hurts the ears sometimes"
Cool Artists
I recently had the pleasure of listening to a talk on Stan Getz by Richard Palmer, who writes biographies on the likes of Getz, Oscar Peterson and Sonny Rollins, so as a consequence I'm feeling rather biased towards his playing at the moment. Getz plays the Tenor Saxophone like no-one I've quite heard before. He plays it like an Alto. It can be smooth in tone, and downright sexy aswell as powerful and ominious. For the original Bossa Nova, check out "The Girl from Ipanema" and "Desinfinado" (I doubt I've spelt that right, but hey). A recommended discography to follow soon.
On a slightly different note, I've recently been to Ronnie Scott's club (the one in Soho) and seen the Charlie Mingus Big Band. Although to some people, ghost bands, such as the Mingus band, are not deemed a valuable contribution to the composers' life, I must say that this band are an exception. They are superbly energetic, and swing like the clappers. Mingus's music is well preserved with this talented group of musicians. Special Credit must go to the Band for having the guts to start the whole gig with a Baritone Sax Solo!
Back to Index
This page hosted by 
Get your own Free Home Page