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Disappearing Jazz?

After years of collecting all types of music except jazz and big band I'm now playing catchup.  Looking at the recordings of Ruby Braff (trumpet), Dick Hyman (piano) Roland Hanna (piano). Art Tatum (piano), Claude Bolling even the great vocalist Sarah Vaughan I find the majority of their catalog is only available used on vinyl.  There are many other names I could have included in this list - I'm gradually getting to them (Thelonious Sphere Monk, etc ).

Beyond the lack of availability what alarms me as a new collector of this genre is that there doesn't appear to be musicians to take the place of these giants.  Not to say there are no more Big Bands or jazz pianists BUT how many new artists have the hundreds of recordings these musicians created?

Is jazz disappearing?  Will streaming services eventually include recordings only available on LP? 

Feel free to offer any suggestions for other artists to collect in the traditional jazz / big band category.  I also have collected Miles, Coltrane and Bill Evans though just starting to dive into Ellington.

Hoping to find this music soon.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

bigquery
zazouswing
149 posts
 

I think a good amount of big band is being preserved by the dancers. I was at a dance this Friday - with a 9 piece live band. Great musicians. 200+ sweaty 20-somethings eating it up. It is not being re-issued as quickly as other genres of music for sure, but there are countless titles available.

Sidney Bechet, Andy Kirk, Lionel Hampton, Leo Watson, Hot Lips Page, Erskine Hawkins, and Charlie Barnet are some lesser known big band leaders worth looking into. Honestly there are too many to list. I transfer my physical media (most being 78's and 33's) to DSD. 32 days of continuous big band and jazz music from my library, according to the JRiver counter.

simao's avatar
simao
1,836 posts
 

I snap up David Kuhn Trio's LPs whenever they're available on AcousticSounds. Beautifully produced and holographic jazz trio circa 2004-2010. 

mikeydee's avatar
mikeydee
48 posts
 

One of the best big bands in history was the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis band.  They played for years on Monday nights at the Village Vanguard in New York City.  To hear this band play live was a real treat, because on any given night, the best horn players in NYC would sit in and blow their brains out.  I heard Marvin Stamm, Lew Solof, Gerry Dodgion and last but certainly not least, the legendary Pepper Adams on baritone.  Jazz musicians on this level where amazing to listen to.  

Listen to some of their albums.  Thad's arrangements are amazing.

 

ssk's avatar
ssk
8 posts
 

KCSM ~ kcsm.org ~ Jazz 91 The Bay Area's Jazz Station.... FREE!!!! 

emann50
17 posts
 

I suggest you take a look at the Downbeat Magazine Reader's Poll and Critic's Poll to discover today's artists. There is no shortage!

More to discover