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Part II: Jazz Greats and Great Jazz: An Evolutionary Riff
In 2002, Marsalis released the CD All Rise, a 12-part composition (inspired by
the 12-bar structure of blues) commissioned by the New York Philharmonic
with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Morgan State University Choir.
Live performances of All Rise received reviews that praised the successful
marriage of classical orchestra with jazz ensemble.
Earlier jazz geniuses like Scott Joplin (see Chapter 5) and Duke Ellington (see
Chapter 6) composed similarly ambitious works. The difference now is that
Marsalis, as an African-American jazz artist, has the status among American
artists to get his works produced and presented in top-notch venues.
Other recent jazz and classical connections
Jazz players today often reinvent great classical compositions as jazz
pieces. Classical music offers amazing melodies and challenging harmonies.
Compositions by great composers provide an inspiring framework for improvisation,
and it’s intriguing to see how jazz musicians invent new music
around the classics.
The Classical Jazz Quartet
The Classical Jazz Quartet presents cross-pollination between jazz and
classical music. The group consists of prominent jazz players Kenny Barron
(piano), Ron Carter (bass), Stefon Harris (vibraphone), and Lewis Nash
(drums).
On their CD Nutcracker (Vertical Jazz), the group gives an eight-song tribute
to Tchaikovsky’s famous piece. The traditional ballet’s tale of Clara, a magical
nutcracker, and toys that come to life is re-imagined by Belden as the story of
a modern prince who sweeps his girl away to a happening jazz club. Within
the music, Tchaikovsky’s melodies appear and also serve as a point of departure
for improvisations inspired by the original composition.
Marc O’Connor
Violinist Marc O’Connor is part of the new generation of musicians who don’t
feel restricted by conventional genres. In 2005, he released Hot Swing Live in
New York (Omac), his third CD in the tradition of his mentor, violinist Stephane
Grappelli. This swing is the vintage swing that was popular at Paris’s popular
Hot Club of France during the 1930s — one of the rare instances where a violinist
became a jazz legend. O’Connor also collaborated with classical cellist Yo-
Yo Ma on sweeping cross-cultural recordings such as Appalachia Waltz (Sony),
and in 2005 released Double Violin Concerto (Omac), an original composition.
To hear O’Connor improvise is to hear bluegrass, classical, and jazz seamlessly
combine.