In entertainment, few events are as exciting to witness as ‘live’ performances. Of all the live performing arts, few match the spontaneity and excitement created by a good live Jazz performance.
The nature of Jazz is such; it is based on technically accomplished musicians playing music which gives them the freedom and license to improvise while performing on stage. Contrast this with carefully rehearsed music performances or even finely crafted live stage dramatic performances which are meticulously planned and performed with little, if any, variation.
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A personal interpretation
Jazz is actually not a type of music, as for instance, popular music (Pop), Hip Hop, Reggae or Rock ‘n’ Roll. Jazz is rather a style of playing music and is based on personal interpretation of any tune or song.
The history of Jazz music is about 120 years old, the same age as cinema. Like cinema, Jazz also absorbs from its surroundings and constantly adapts to the times. While most music is composed, scripted, orchestrated, arranged, and rehearsed to be performed in exactly that way each time, Jazz is slightly different in nature.
While the chosen composition is adhered to as rehearsed in its opening few bars, space is given to the various instruments and voices in the band to improvise within that structure. A pianist, saxophone player and other instrumentalists thus have the scope to interpret and play the melody in their own personal way. Improvisation thus becomes the main thrust of a jazz performance, and since it is done on the spur of the moment, it becomes an exciting component of the performance.
The surprise element
As an example of this, it might be worth hearing tenor saxophonist John Coltrane play the old familiar tune My Favourite Things from the Sound of Music. Coltrane plays the opening lines of the song in the conventional way but, once having enunciated the tune he takes off with a long, improvised solo.
The great jazz vocalist Billie Holiday once said, “No two days of my life are the same; why should I sing the same song twice in the same way?”
We have assembled here a few interesting Jazz songs/tunes for you to discover your own ‘surprise’. This is a suggested playlist from a varied background of Jazz recordings.
The Jazz playlist
THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET: The Cylinder
This is a fine example of a tune composed from an everyday ambient sound and developed into a well improvised, melodic performance.
THE DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET: Take Five
Perhaps the most recognisable Jazz tune ever. It was composed almost 70 years ago but still sounds new and fresh. Notice how the band is playing to different time cycles, making for a lively, yet melodic tune.
ELLA FITZGERALD: Mack the Knife
This is a happy, effervescent version of a song which has become a Jazz classic. Singing this in a live concert in Berlin, Ella Fitzgerald improvises on even the original lyrics.
CARMEN McRAE: Satin Doll
Another great Jazz vocalist, McRae sings and swings this classic tune from Duke Ellington. Taking liberties with the ‘straight’ rendition of the song, her interplay with bassist Chuck Damonico is worthy of note.
MILES DAVIS: Someday My Prince Will Come
Taken from the Walt Disney movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, the Miles Davis band turns this tune into a Jazz classic. Wynton Kelly’s piano introduction here is beautiful.
HERBIE HANCOCK: Cantaloupe Island
This tune instantly transports one to an island, probably somewhere in the Caribbean. Along with the same artist’s Watermelon Man, this tune incorporates an easy, Latin lilt from warm, happy regions.
RAY CHARLES & BETTY CARTER: Baby, It’s Cold Outside
A beautiful musical dialogue between these two legends tells a short story and conveys a mood from a cold, snowy night.
LES MC CANN: Compared To What
Bringing into play the essence of the blues and their role in the Jazz idiom, McCann plays piano and sings a tune which is rhythmic and danceable. Eddie Harris plays a soulful saxophone solo.
THE CANNONBALL ADDERLEY QUINTET: Mercy, Mercy, Mercy
Adderley brings out the elements of gospel music and their influences on modern Jazz with a piece written, seemingly by someone down and out on their luck.
THE DIZZY GILLESPIE BAND: Manteca
One of the very first collaborations between Jazz and Cuban music, Manteca was composed when trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie met and exchanged ideas with Cuban percussionist Chano Pozo in the 1940s. Another enduring Jazz classic.
MOSE ALLISON: V-8 Ford Blues
Pianist and vocalist Mose Allison takes you on a Jazz journey in his trusty old car. The lyrics and piano passages are fun. This tune was apparently written in just one sitting by Allison.
COLEMAN HAWKINS: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
This old-time classic tune is given an introspective interpretation by the great saxophone master. A beautiful tune, a beautiful rendition.
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Eat well, laugh often, love a lot, and listen to Jazz!
Expect groovy times ahead with these wizards of Latin Jazz!
TravelDine Jazz Nights at The Leela Palace Chennai all set to shake up the city’s live music scene