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Part III: The Beat Goes On: Jazz Appreciation 101
band’s big hit song was “Cherokee,” and by some accounts, they were “the
blackest white band of them all.” In jazz, that’s quite an honor. You can find
bios and other stories on these guys at www.redhotjazz.com.
Head to Chapter 6 to find out more about the big band era.
Bebop
Lucky Thompson is my favorite under-appreciated bebop hero. He was
among the few saxophonists of his era to play soprano (along with tenor),
and he was an awesome improviser on both ballads and uptempo tunes.
He possessed Charlie Parker’s speed and ingenuity, combined with lyrical,
romantic phrasings and tone.
Trumpeter Howard McGhee was another major talent who is seldom mentioned.
In mid-’40s Los Angeles, he was at the heart of a thriving club scene.
There are pictures of McGhee with Miles Davis, where McGhee is the cool veteran
and Davis his reverent disciple. McGhee’s CD Trumpet at Tempo (Jazz
Classics) should earn respect from your guests for your hipster knowledge of
jazz.
I give you the full scoop on the bebop era in Chapter 7.
Players on unusual instruments
Saxophones and trumpets are standard tools in jazz, but all sorts of other
instruments have done duty over the years.
� Accordion: Take Leon Sash — the guy made a legitimate jazz instrument
out of the accordion on his 1967 I Remember Newport album (Delmark);
imagine “Pennies From Heaven” and “Our Love Is Here To Stay” channeled
through Sash’s bellows and keyboard.
� Bagpipes: Rufus Harley played the bagpipes, and legend has it that he
abandoned his saxophone and took up the pipes after hearing them on
television as part of President John F. Kennedy’s funeral procession.
Harley’s recordings are tough to find, but you can hunt them down
online. His CD The Pied Piper of Jazz (Label M) consists of recordings
from the 1960s and proves that Harley is much more tasty than a plateful
of haggis (a nice name for the Scottish pudding made from sheep’s
intestines).
� Cello: Cellist Tristan Honsinger creates a blend of music somewhere
near the intersection of improvised jazz and classical music; blow a few
minds wide open with his CDs: Map of Moods (FMP) and Hearth (FMP).
Hearth is a collaborative effort with pianist Cecil Taylor and saxophonist
Evan Parker.