jazz LEGEND

JOHN LESLIE  "WES"  MONTGOMERY was born on this day 3/6/1923. He was one of  the greatest jazz guitarists of all time.

jazz birthdays for OCTOBER

10/10/1917 - THELONIOUS SPHERE MONK - JAZZ PIANIST AND COMPOSER

10/20/1890 - JELLY ROLL MORTON - RAGTIME AND EARLY JAZZ PIANIST, BANDLEADER AND COMPOSER

10/21/1917 - DIZZY GILLESPIE - JAZZ TRUMPETER, BANDLEADER, COMPOSER, AND OCCASIONAL SINGER.

To learn more about these jazz legends GOOGLE their names.

BIRTH of a LIVING JAZZ LEGEND

9/16/1921 - JON HENDRICKS is a jazz singer and lyricist who was born on this day in Newark, Ohio.

Singing since the age of seven, HENDRICKS is considered by many to be one of the greatest jazz singers of all times.

In 1957, along with Dave Lambert and Anne Ross, they formed a singing group, HENDRICKS, LAMBERT and ROSS, which became a legendary vocal trio, who at one time was dubbed as the number one vocal group in the world.

HENDRICKS wrote lyrics to melodies and instrumental solos, helping to form a genre of jazz singing called "vocalese." This style was invented by EDDIE JEFFERSON who, along with HENDRICKS was one of the pioneers of this style.

His career has spanned over several decades and countless singers have cited him as a major influence in their development.

JON HENDRICKS, at the age of 94 is indeed a LIVING JAZZ LEGEND.

For the details of his storied career and to sample his discography GOOGLE his name

BIRTH of a JAZZ LEGEND

9/15/1928 - CANNONBALL ADDERLEY was an alto saxophonist. He was one of the best improvisers to play the instrument after CHARLIE PARKER died. His style, in fact, was partly derived from Parker's.

When Adderley played with the MILES DAVIS group, tenor saxophonist JOHN COLTRANE was one of the members.  The fact that ADDERLEY could keep up with COLTRANE and sometimes surpass him is a measure of his improvisational prowess.

Cannonball had an inventive mind combined with the high-level instrumental proficiency of both PARKER and COLTRANE.

ADDERLEY died in 1975





For more info and a discography GOOGLE his name

birth of a LIVING JAZZ LEGEND

9/7/1930 - SONNY ROLLINS,  legendary jazz tenor saxophonist, was born in New York City on this day in 1930.

ROLLINS took up the alto saxophone in high school and played in a neighborhood band that included the likes of JACKIE MC LEAN and WALTER BISHOP .

By 1947  he switched to the tenor sax, and in 1948 started recording with various musicians. To this date his career continues. Although ROLLINS, over the past six decades, has been known to stay busy, playing with others as well as groups of his own, he has also been known to take the occasional withdrawal from the working arena for self-contemplation. 

ROLLINS'S full bodied saxophone sound was formed by BIRD, PREZ  and others, but has evolved into one of the most personal sounds in jazz. 

When you hear SONNY ROLLINS, you know it's SONNY ROLLINS!

To  read the highlights of his career and listen to the sounds of his music GOOGLE his name 

JAZZ LEGENDS

AUGUST


8/7/1935 Rahsaan Roland Kirk

8/25/1933 Wayne Shorter

8/27/1937 Alice Coltrane

8/27/1909 Lester Young

8/28/1920 Charlie Parker

For bios and discographies GOOGLE their names

JAZZ LEGEND - BIRTHDAY IN JULY

(EDWARD) LEE MORGAN was born on July 10, 1938 in PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. On his 13th birthday, he was given his first trumpet by his sister Ernestine.

He began recording for Blue Note Records in 1956, where he recorded more than 25 Albums. In 1963 he recorded "THE SIDEWINDER."  This record became Lee Morgan's greatest commercial success, and is a jazz classic.

GOOGLE his name to read a bio and discography of his music

A JAZZ LEGEND IS BORN

ERNEST HOGAN was born in 1865 in the Shake Rag District of Bowling Green, Kentucky. He was the first Black entertainer to produce and star in a Broadway show (The Oyster Man in 1907), and helped to create the musical genre of RAGTIME.  In 1895  he published several songs in this new genre, one of which included "All Coons Look Alike To Me."

The success of this last song created many derogatory imitations, known as "coon songs," because of their use  of racist and stereotypical images of Black people. Before his death. Hogan stated that he "regretted" using the racial slur in his song.



To read his bio and success story GOOGLE his name.

JAZZ LEGENDS - BIRTHDAYS IN MAY

5/14/1897 - SIDNEY BECHET







5/26/1926 - MILES DAVIS

FOR A COMPREHENSIVE BIO OF THESE JAZZ LEGENDS AND A DISCOGRAPHY, GOOGLE THEIR NAMES AND CHECK OUT ALL THE ENTRIES.

JAZZ LEGENDS - BIRTHDAYS IN APRIL

4/22/1922 - CHARLES MINGUS

4/29/1899 - DUKE ELLINGTON

FOR A COMPREHENSIVE BIO OF THESE JAZZ LEGENDS AND A DISCOGRAPHY: GOOGLE THEIR NAMES AND INDULGE IN ALL THE ENTRIES.

BIRTH OF A JAZZ LEGEND

BILLIE HOLIDAY was born on April 7, 1915           100TH ANNIVERSARY 

Ms Holiday was also known as "LADY DAY,"  to millions of her fans. In 1956, her autobiography, "LADY SINGS THE BLUES," was published.

FOR MORE INFO GOOGLE HER NAME

APRIL IS JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH

APRIL IS...

JAZZ APPRECIATION  MONTH

                

JAZZ EVENT - NEW YORK CITY

WBGO 88.3FM | WBGO.org
Home | Listen to WBGO | Listen to WBGO HD2 | Download the WBGO App | Events |News | Blog | Program Schedule | Become a Member | Host Profiles
Clark Terry	Clark Terry: 1920-2015 WBGO mourns the loss of Clark Terry, who passed away on Saturday, February 21 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, surrounded by his family, students and friends. He was known internationally for his signature musicianship and deep gratitude for his fans and supporters. For nearly half a century, Clark's greatest passion was helping to make young musicians' dreams come true. He was a tremendous source of inspiration, of love, of respect, of decency, and of human rights. He was one of the first recruits of the United States Navy when black musicians were given the Rating of Musician in 1942. From being one of the few musicians who played as a featured soloist in both the Count Basie and the Duke Ellington Orchestras, to being the first black staff musician at NBC, Clark had multiple bands including big bands, youth bands and other ensembles. He was one of the most recorded jazz musicians in history, appearing on more than 900 albums. Clark's devotion towards mentoring young musicians influenced the lives of worldwide master talents such as Quincy Jones, Miles Davis, Wynton Marsalis and Dianne Reeves amongst countless others. He inspired everyone by example. As he was quoted in the documentary about his life and love for mentoring students, Keep On Keeping On, "Your mind is a powerful asset. Use it for positive thoughts and you'll learn what I've learned. I call it getting on the plateau of positivity." Services for Clark Terry will be led by Reverend Calvin Butts this Saturday, February 28th at 10am at Abyssinian Baptist Church, located at 132 W 138th St, New York, NY.

HISTORICAL NEWS JOURNAL

BLACK CHURCH GROWS
        FROM EXCLUSION

Philadelphia, Pa., Feb., 1793 - Two highly respected
Philadelphia men of color, Richard Allen and Absalom
Jones, have announced plans to establish black churches
here.
     Despite strong opposition from white Methodists,
they have purchased and broken ground on two lots...
For several years after the late war with Britain, black
Methodists worshipped harmoniously with whites in
Philadelphia's leading Methodist church. But they
found themselves increasingly scorned and insulted.
First required to sit around  the outer walls of the
church they had helped build, they were one day
expelled to the upper gallery...
----------------------------------------------------------

MASONS IN BOSTON

     White exclusion has also prompted Prince Hall
of Boston to establish the Black Masons. At first
refused admission to the White Masons of
America, he joined a British lodge. After the war,
in 1784, Mr. Hall formed this country's first black
masonic lodge.
---------------------------------------------------------------
                     MASONS
Attend a Meeting on Thursday
Next, Mar. 7, 1793,
        
     To be discussed:

WHAT SHOULD BE the
ATTITUDE of  BLACK
MASONS towards WHITE
AMERICAN MASONS?

Any Black man wishing to join
the AFRICAN GRAND LODGE
is WELCOME TO ATTEND

                                    Prince Hall
----------------------------------------------------------

                      THOMAS 
                     JEFFERSON
                           Slave
                           Owner

February, 1793 - Despite his misgivings about
slavery, Thomas Jefferson himself owns over
200 slaves. An often quoted reason for his
reluctance to free them is that he might face
financial ruin by doing so...

--------------------------------------------------------------------

DO NOT USE
     SUGAR
    OR OTHER
PRODUCTS OF
SLAVE LABOR

--------------------------------------------------------------
SIX POUNDS
   REWARD

The following ad was printed
yesterday by the Federal
Gazette.
RAN-AWAY on the sixth of
September last a FRENCH
NEGRO LAD, about eighteen
years of age, about five feet
high; has a mark on his left
cheek.

________________________________________________________
***The preceding were actual newspaper articles

ANOTHER JAZZ LEGEND

+++++++++++++++

Jay McShann was born on this day in 1916, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. He was a musician, composer, and bandleader, who played jazz, blues, and swing music.

A the age of twenty he moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and a year later had formed his own band, the Jay McShann Orchestra, which featured among others, Charlie "Bird" Parker, Ben Webster, and the blues shouter, Jimmy Witherspoon, who wrote and recorded with the band.

During the 1960s, McShann became popular as a singer and pianist, and was still performing at the age of 80. His recording career spanned over 60 years.

He died in 2006 at the age of 90.

To read his complete bio Google-search his name

JAZZ NOTES

RAGTIME STYLE

At the end of the 19th century a new style of music became the rage. It was called RAGTIME.

It started in St. Louis and New Orleans from around 1895 where it was very popular in cafes and saloons.

Black musicians spread the music to other areas of the country. The music combined African rhythms with marching band music.  

Ernest Hogan was an innovator and key pioneer who helped develop the musical genre and is credited with coining the term Ragtime.

One of the most important ragtime musicians was Scott Joplin.  He started writing this new kind of music when he lived in Missouri.

In 1899 Joplin named his first "rag" song "The Maple Leaf Rag."  When the song was published, it became an instant success.

Ragtime started to fall out of favor around 1917 when JAZZ claimed the public's imagination.

For further details Google-search their names.

JAZZ NOTES

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
THE INSTRUMENTS OF JAZZ

Many of the earliest jazz groups derived their instrumentation from the 

European brass band model that included trumpet, trombone, clarinet, saxophone, and tuba. Some of the bands in the earliest groups of New Orleans, used violin, guitar, bass, and occasionally, cornet or clarinet. These instruments and the style they played were basically European.

The Black fraternal bands that were plentiful in turn-of-the century New Orleans used  European brass band instrumentation, as they played marches and the pop tunes of the day for parades, picnics, funerals and dances.

As time went on most jazz groups began to include a drummer, who played a set of assorted instruments and provided almost continuous timekeeping sounds, as well as generating musical excitement.

Jazz has been played by solo pianists; by pianists in duo with cornet, with clarinet, with string bass; by piano with the accompaniment of string bass and drums; by quasi-brass bands of from five to eight pieces; by quartets and quintets of horns plus rhythm; by "big bands" of twelve to eighteen pieces, and by entire orchestras.

The instruments of jazz, as you can see are varied. A typical group of jazz musicians may have more or less of these as is necessary for their performance. Their main objective is to entertain. The music they play is presented in settings as varied as the instruments they use: concert halls, ballrooms, restaurants, night clubs, and coffee houses, just to name a few.

Jazz is played in hundreds of schools, universities and conservatories and has evolved into a fine and delicate art. It requires the musicians to create the parts they play with their instruments as they are playing them. This makes for excitement because the players are creating something unique in our very presence, and taking us along with them , involving us in the action of making up fresh sounds with their instruments.

ANOTHER JAZZ LEGEND

=======================================

DIZZY GILLESPIE was born on this day in 1917, in Cheraw, South Carolina. He was a trumpet player, band leader and composer, and sometimes he even used his voice  as an instrument. Yeah, Dizzy was a singer too.

Dizzy, whose real name was John Birks Gillespie, learned to play several instruments from his musician father, James. He played the piano at the age of 4, took a liking to the trombone in his mid-teens, then he taught himself to play the trumpet. He received a scholarship to Laurinberg Institute in North Carolina where he studied harmony and theory for  two years.

Dizzy worked with local bands in Philadelphia in 1935,before getting his first professional job with the Frank Fairfax Orchestra. In 1937, at the young age of 20, he played in England and France with Teddy Hill, and soon made his first recording.

During his early years he also played with the likes of Cab Calloway, Roy Elderidge, Earl Hines, and Billy Eckstine.  At this time Dizzy began writing big band music for band leaders like Woody Herman and Jimmy Dorsey. He also started  experimenting with a more sophisticated approach to harmony and soon moved away from his early influences.

In 1945, Diz co-led a quintet with the legendary Charlie "Bird" Parker, and ushered in a new force in jazz, bebop, which became known as the first modern jazz style.

Always the innovator, Diz also was involved in the Afro-Cuban Movement, bringing those musical elements to a whole new audience of jazz, pop and dance listeners all over the globe.

A personality, as well as a master musician, Diz has received many honors in recognition of his contribution to the world of music.

                                                               

To read more of his remarkable story, Google his name

A JAZZ LEGEND

/////////////////////////////////////////////////

JELLY ROLL MORTON was born on this day in 1890, in New Orleans, Louisiana, that is according to his baptismal certificate. Morton claimed that he was actually born on September 20, 1885.  Other documents list various days and dates, so it's not really clear. 

What is clear, however, is that he was a jazz pianist, bandleader, and composer. He is  most notable as jazz's first arranger.

Morton began his musical studies on the guitar at the age of 7, and 3 years later he took up the piano. While still in his teens, he was reputedly a working "professor" in the bordellos of New Orleans' Storyville district; there was always a demand for  "professors" at the piano in their many sporting-houses. Morton was one of the best.

He started with the Ragtime style, and developed it by bringing to it all that his huge musical memory stored. He played rhythms so subtle that critics who didn't understand his style, said he had no sense of timing.

Morton believed that the piano when played solo, should be able to emulate a whole band , and his solo compositions with his Morton's Red Hot Peppers band shows his belief being put incredibly, into practice.   

Morton produced a markedly individual piano sound, and composed jazz of a type that has never been bettered. He understood the music, he understood the instruments, and he wrote for the musicians he chose to play with him.

A series of recordings done with his band between 1926-30 firmly established him as a exemplary jazz composer, arranger, and leader.

 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////

To read a full bio Goggle his name

JAZZ NOTES

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

STYLES OF JAZZ

Since the last world war, every country has made some contribution to the music of jazz. As the music has spread across the globe, it has drawn on local, national and regional musical cultures in varied environments. This exposure has given rise to many distinctive styles. These different styles of jazz co-exist with each other, no matter which ones are in vogue at any given time.

Jazz, then, encompasses a loose collection of many streams.  Offshoots of some streams form streams of their own; sometimes streams remix; sometimes they consolidate by imitation of a particularly distinctive innovator. But more often, styles come from gradual overlapping of approaches and a host of influences that even the players themselves are frequently unaware of it.

Jazz and many of it's related styles have also been affected by almost all musical idioms to which it's players and composers have been exposed: folk and popular musics, "light classics," and even some not-so-light classics. Such influences have also gone in the other direction. American music of all kinds, and indeed, many of the world's music have felt Black influences at least since the 1860s.

As a result, jazz has spawned a variety of subgenres. These subgenres have their stylistic and cultural origins in the Blues, Folk, March, and Ragtime music of New Orleans. 

From the early 1910s we have Dixieland. Then there is the big band-style swing from the 30s and 40s, bebop from the mid-1940s, free jazz from the 50s and 60s, jazz fusion from the 70s, acid jazz from the 80s, Nujazz from the 90s, and so on.

As you explore these relationships between styles and genres, you will discover a remarkable continuity.  Jazz, however, cannot be accurately described as a single stream evolving from Dixieland to swing to bop. There is no neat line of succession, with each subsequent style rendering the previous one obsolete.

 By studying the history of jazz you will learn principles of stylistic evolution  that apply to all art forms, and not just jazz. By studying and listening to jazz it will lead you to related styles that you will also enjoy.