The Oxford Companion to Jazz

 

Jazz and its colorful, expansive history resonate in this unique collection of 60 essays specially-commissioned from today's top jazz performers, writers, and scholars. Contributors include such jazz insiders as Bill Crow, Samuel A. Floyd Jr., Ted Gioia, Gene Lees, Dan Morgenstern, Gunther Schuller, Richard M. Sudhalter, and Patricia Willard. Both a reference book and an engaging read, the Companion surveys the evolution of jazz from its roots in Africa and Europe until the present. Along the way, each distinctive style and period is profiled by an expert in the field. Whether your preference is ragtime, the blues, bebop, or fusion, you will find the chief characteristics and memorable performances illuminated here with a thoroughness found in no other single-volume jazz reference.

The Oxford Companion to Jazz features individual biographies of the most memorable characters of this relatively young art form. Sidney Bechet, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, and the divas of jazz song--Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan--come to life in thoughtful considerations of their influences, often turbulent personal lives, and signature styles. In addition, this book looks at the impact of jazz on American culture-in literature, film, television, and dance-and explores the essential instruments of jazz and their most memorable players.

The Oxford Companion to Jazz will provide a quick reference source as well as a dynamic and broad overview for all lovers of jazz, from novices to aficionados.

 

Bill Kirchner (Editor)  

 

VA - Born to Be Wild - The Country & Rockabilly Roots of Ray Campi

 

This album showcases the songs and original recordings that influenced me in my youth and led me down the path to such a long recording career from 1951 to the present.

Several of these multi-talented artists I still revere today for their influence and friendship which grew over the years, especially during my recording days (and nights) with my friend and mentor Ronny Weiser who formed Rollin ’ Rock Records which spread my name and the music around the world during the 1970’s and 80’s. I hope you enjoy this trip through the vaults we are taking together and if you haven’t ridden these rails before you ’re in for an exciting ride.

 

Philippe Saisse Trio • The Body And Soul Sessions

By 2006, the smooth jazz genre's obsession with cover songs was reaching a somewhat ridiculous fever pitch, but the success of recordings like Kirk Whalum's The Babyface Songbook and Rick Braun's Yours Truly proved that listeners loved them. With the intensely likeable, high-spirited, super swinging Body and Soul Sessions, the French born funk-jazz keyboardist whips up an all-cover collection even the biggest skeptic can enjoy. This is due not only to the lively, imaginative arrangements, but also the long awaited opportunity to hear Saisse -- who often favors big swirls of sound, bold sonic textures, and wild. trippy effects -- strip down and play melodies and improvisations straightforwardly on piano and Fender Rhodes. There are a few subtle synth washes here and there -- most notably, on a graceful cover of Bill Withers' "Lovely Day," but these are in perfect service to his gorgeous piano runs and the cool rhythms of acoustic bassist David Finck and drummer Scooter Warner. The song selection is pretty fascinating as well, with a gorgeous rendition of the title track being the only true jazz standard. Otherwise, the trio is balancing pure, playful '60s and '70s pop and soul (the ultra-retro "Do It Again," "September," "Lady Madonna," "We're All Alone") with inspired oddities like "Harley Davidson" (giving a joyous Ramsey Lewis vibe to a clapalong composed by Frenchman Serge Gainsbourg) and "The Dolphin." In his liner notes, vibes master Gary Burton laments the fact that Saisse once upon a time chose piano over vibes as his primary instrument -- to the delight of thousands of fans worldwide. This new trio format finally gives Saisse a chance to just do his thing without the burden of creating a sonic circus around it.

by Jonathan Widran

https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-body-and-soul-sessions-mw0000541987

///////

En 2006, la obsesión del género de smooth jazz por las canciones de portada estaba alcanzando un tono febril un tanto ridículo, pero el éxito de grabaciones como The Babyface Songbook de Kirk Whalum y Yours Truly de Rick Braun demostraron que los oyentes las amaban. Con las intensamente agradables, animadas y súper movidas sesiones de Body and Soul, el teclista de funk-jazz nacido en Francia, crea una colección completa que hasta el más escéptico puede disfrutar. Esto se debe no sólo a los animados e imaginativos arreglos, sino también a la tan esperada oportunidad de escuchar a Saisse - que a menudo prefiere grandes remolinos de sonido, texturas sónicas atrevidas y efectos salvajes. trippy - desnudarse y tocar melodías e improvisaciones directamente en el piano y en Fender Rhodes. Hay unos cuantos lavados de sintetizador sutiles aquí y allá -- más notablemente, en una graciosa portada de "Lovely Day" de Bill Withers, pero estos están al servicio perfecto de sus magníficas ejecuciones de piano y los ritmos geniales del bajista acústico David Finck y el baterista Scooter Warner. La selección de canciones también es fascinante, con una magnífica interpretación de la canción principal como el único estándar de jazz. Por lo demás, el trío está equilibrando puro y juguetón pop y soul de los 60 y 70 (el ultra-retro "Do It Again", "September", "Lady Madonna", "We're All Alone") con rarezas inspiradas como "Harley Davidson" (dando una alegre vibración de Ramsey Lewis a un clapalong compuesto por el francés Serge Gainsbourg) y "The Dolphin". En sus notas, el maestro del vibráfono Gary Burton lamenta el hecho de que Saisse una vez eligió el piano en lugar del vibráfono como su instrumento principal, para el deleite de miles de fans en todo el mundo. Este nuevo formato de trío finalmente le da a Saisse la oportunidad de hacer lo suyo sin la carga de crear un circo sónico a su alrededor.

por Jonathan Widran

https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-body-and-soul-sessions-mw0000541987

 

www.facebook.com/philippe.saisse ...
www.saissemedia.com ...

Harold Baker Quartet ‎• The Broadway Beat

Harold "Shorty" Baker (May 26, 1914 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA – November 8, 1966 in New York City) was a jazz trumpeter.

Harold "Shorty" Baker had a mellow sound and a lyrical style that was the modern successor to Arthur Whetsol in the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Originally a drummer, Baker switched to trumpet as a teenager. A fine section player and a warm soloist, Baker played with Fate Marable on riverboats, Erskine Tate, Don Redman (1936-1938), Teddy Wilson's orchestra (1939-1940), and Andy Kirk (1940-1942). He married Mary Lou Williams (Kirk's pianist at the time). Baker was with Duke Ellington's Orchestra off and on during 1942-1962 (particularly 1943-1951 and 1957-1959), during which he was well-featured despite being in a trumpet section that at times also included Ray Nance, Clark Terry, Taft Jordan, Willie Cook, and Cat Anderson, among others. He was with Johnny Hodges' group in the early '50s, and after the Ellington years primarily led a quartet. Baker also recorded in later years with Bud Freeman and Doc Cheatham.

///////

Harold "Shorty" Baker (26 de mayo de 1914 en St. Louis, Missouri, EE. UU. - 8 de noviembre de 1966 en la ciudad de Nueva York) era un trompetista de jazz.

Harold "Shorty" Baker tenía un sonido suave y un estilo lírico que fue el sucesor moderno de Arthur Whetsol en la Orquesta de Duke Ellington. Originalmente un baterista, Baker cambió a la trompeta cuando era un adolescente. Un buen jugador de sección y un cálido solista, Baker tocó con Fate Marable en barcos fluviales, Erskine Tate, Don Redman (1936-1938), la orquesta de Teddy Wilson (1939-1940) y Andy Kirk (1940-1942). Se casó con Mary Lou Williams (la pianista de Kirk en ese momento). Baker estuvo con la Orquesta de Duke Ellington durante 1942-1962 (en particular, 1943-1951 y 1957-1959), durante la cual estuvo bien presentado a pesar de estar en una sección de trompetas que a veces también incluía a Ray Nance, Clark Terry, Taft Jordan , Willie Cook, y Cat Anderson, entre otros. Estuvo con el grupo de Johnny Hodges a principios de los años 50, y después de los años de Ellington dirigió principalmente un cuarteto. Baker también grabó en años posteriores con Bud Freeman y Doc Cheatham.

Ingfried Hoffmann • From Twen With Love

Ingfried Hoffmann (born January 30, 1935) is a German jazz organist, pianist, trumpeter, arranger and composer. He has released several commercial recordings on a variety of labels, including Columbia Records, Philips Records, Polydor Records, and Verve Records. He has also composed music for several German television films and programs, including most of the music for the German version of Sesame Street and Robbi, Tobbi und das Fliewatüüt.

///////

Ingfried Hoffmann (nacido el 30 de enero de 1935) es un organista, pianista, trompetista, arreglista y compositor de jazz alemán. Ha publicado varias grabaciones comerciales en diversos sellos, entre ellos Columbia Records, Philips Records, Polydor Records y Verve Records. También ha compuesto música para varias películas y programas de la televisión alemana, incluyendo la mayoría de la música para la versión alemana de Plaza Sésamo y Robbi, Tobbi und das Fliewatüt.