egroj world: Milt Jackson • Bags & Flutes

Thursday, May 2, 2024

Milt Jackson • Bags & Flutes



Biography by Scott Yanow
Before Milt Jackson, there were only two major vibraphonists: Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo. Jackson soon surpassed both of them in significance and, despite the rise of other players (including Bobby Hutcherson and Gary Burton), still won the popularity polls throughout the decades. Jackson (or "Bags" as he was long called) was at the top of his field for 50 years, playing bop, blues, and ballads with equal skill and sensitivity. In its essence, Jackson did for the vibes what Dizzy Gillespie did for the trumpet -- revolutionize its approach. He slowed the speed on the instrument's oscillator, changed its vibrato and perfected slow, cleverly paced blues solos. His floating solos with long, sustained notes and darting rhythms became a bop staple. A former singer, guitarist and pianist, Jackson was an extremely versatile player, cutting big-band dates, working with orchestras, and fighting to maintain a successful solo career yet retain his ties with the Modern Jazz Quartet, the group he co-founded with pianist John Lewis in 1952.

Milt Jackson started on guitar when he was seven, and piano at 11; a few years later, he switched to vibes. He actually made his professional debut singing in a touring gospel quartet. After Dizzy Gillespie discovered him playing in Detroit, he offered him a job with his sextet and (shortly after) his innovative big band (1946). Jackson recorded with Gillespie, and was soon in great demand. During 1948-1949, he worked with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, and the Woody Herman Orchestra. After playing with Gillespie's sextet (1950-1952), which at one point included John Coltrane, Jackson recorded with a quartet comprised of John Lewis, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke (1952), which soon became a regular group called the Modern Jazz Quartet. Although he recorded regularly as a leader (including dates in the 1950s with Miles Davis and/or Thelonious Monk, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane, and Ray Charles), Milt Jackson stayed with the MJQ through 1974, becoming an indispensable part of their sound. By the mid-'50s, Lewis became the musical director and some felt that Bags was restricted by the format, but it actually served him well, giving him some challenging settings. And he always had an opportunity to jam on some blues numbers, including his "Bags' Groove." However, in 1974, Jackson felt frustrated by the MJQ (particularly financially) and broke up the group. He recorded frequently for Pablo in many all-star settings in the 1970s, and after a seven-year vacation, the MJQ came back in 1981. In addition to the MJQ recordings, Milt Jackson cut records as a leader throughout his career for many labels including Savoy, Blue Note (1952), Prestige, Atlantic, United Artists, Impulse, Riverside, Limelight, Verve, CTI, Pablo, Music Masters, and Qwest. He died of liver cancer on October 9, 1999, at the age of 76.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/milt-jackson-mn0000489845#biography

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Biografía de Scott Yanow
Antes de Milt Jackson, sólo había dos grandes vibrafonistas: Lionel Hampton y Red Norvo. Jackson pronto superó a ambos en importancia y, a pesar del auge de otros intérpretes (entre ellos Bobby Hutcherson y Gary Burton), siguió ganando las encuestas de popularidad a lo largo de las décadas. Jackson (o «Bags», como se le llamó durante mucho tiempo) estuvo en la cima de su campo durante 50 años, tocando bop, blues y baladas con igual habilidad y sensibilidad. En esencia, Jackson hizo por el vibráfono lo que Dizzy Gillespie hizo por la trompeta: revolucionar su enfoque. Redujo la velocidad del oscilador del instrumento, cambió su vibrato y perfeccionó los solos de blues lentos y de ritmo inteligente. Sus solos flotantes con notas largas y sostenidas y ritmos vertiginosos se convirtieron en un elemento básico del bop. Jackson, que había sido cantante, guitarrista y pianista, era un músico extremadamente versátil, que tocaba con big bands, trabajaba con orquestas y luchaba por mantener una exitosa carrera en solitario y, al mismo tiempo, conservar sus vínculos con el Modern Jazz Quartet, el grupo que cofundó con el pianista John Lewis en 1952.

Milt Jackson empezó a tocar la guitarra a los siete años y el piano a los once; unos años más tarde, se pasó al vibráfono. En realidad, debutó profesionalmente cantando en un cuarteto de gospel de gira. Cuando Dizzy Gillespie le descubrió tocando en Detroit, le ofreció trabajar con su sexteto y (poco después) con su innovadora big band (1946). Jackson grabó con Gillespie y pronto estuvo muy solicitado. Durante 1948-1949, trabajó con Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee y la Woody Herman Orchestra. Después de tocar con el sexteto de Gillespie (1950-1952), que en un momento dado incluyó a John Coltrane, Jackson grabó con un cuarteto formado por John Lewis, Percy Heath y Kenny Clarke (1952), que pronto se convirtió en un grupo fijo llamado Modern Jazz Quartet. Aunque grabó regularmente como líder (incluyendo fechas en los años 50 con Miles Davis y/o Thelonious Monk, Coleman Hawkins, John Coltrane y Ray Charles), Milt Jackson permaneció con el MJQ hasta 1974, convirtiéndose en una parte indispensable de su sonido. A mediados de los 50, Lewis se convirtió en el director musical y algunos pensaron que Bags se veía limitado por el formato, pero en realidad le servía bien, ya que le ofrecía algunos escenarios desafiantes. Y siempre tenía la oportunidad de improvisar en algunos números de blues, incluyendo su «Bags' Groove». Sin embargo, en 1974, Jackson se sintió frustrado por el MJQ (sobre todo económicamente) y disolvió el grupo. En la década de 1970 grabó con frecuencia para Pablo en muchos grupos de estrellas y, tras unas vacaciones de siete años, el MJQ regresó en 1981. Además de las grabaciones del MJQ, Milt Jackson grabó discos como líder a lo largo de su carrera para muchos sellos, como Savoy, Blue Note (1952), Prestige, Atlantic, United Artists, Impulse, Riverside, Limelight, Verve, CTI, Pablo, Music Masters y Qwest. Murió de cáncer de hígado el 9 de octubre de 1999, a la edad de 76 años.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/milt-jackson-mn0000489845#biography

 
 



1. Bags' New Groove
2. Sandy
3. Midget Rod
4. I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over
5. Ghana
6. Sweet And Lovely
7. Connie's Blues

Personnel: Milt Jackson (vibraphone)
Frank Wess, Bobby Jaspar (flute)
Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan (piano)
Kenny Burrell (guitar)
Percy Heath (bass)
Art Taylor (drums).


Notes:
Recorded in NYC 05/21/57 (1, 7), 06/10/57 (3, 4, 6) + 06/17/57 (2, 5).
https://www.discogs.com/master/view/222425

 

 

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