Jazz for aficionados

Today's Listen:

Theodore "Fats" Navarro -- THE FATS NAVARRO STORY

One of the all time greats.   Was considered a peer and equal to Dizzy.   Died age 26.
4cd set.   These clips are from disc one.  

with Billy Eckstine and his Orchestra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js0J6Vt9z10  

with Kenny Clarke and his 52nd street boys  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSBr4QOSF24

with the Be Bop boys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfcCvxGA05I   

with Coleman Hawkins and his Orchestra 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWghK0Exagg

As he progresses in his career, the names in the bands become more recognizable.

Cheers

Remember, the Good Book says, man can't live on be-bop alone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJvgQSa6D2Y

Cheers

Great clips. Navarro was definitely one of the all time greats. Except for Dizzy’s high chops, probably an even better trumpet player from an instrumentalist point of view. Dizzy’s equal, but ultimately not, as far as overall influence (died too young).

The Kenny Clarke (1946) clip is particularly interesting from a historical point of view. It shows players who were transitioning from Swing to Bebop. The solos, with one notable exception, and even the tune itself show experimentation with what would become “bebopisms”; stretching of harmony and interesting little melodic twists. Only one player, Sonny Stitt, sounds fully ensconced in the language of Bebop. Good stuff.

frogman,
I have listened to John Coltrane’s version of Giant Steps many times over the years. But a month or two between listens.

I plan on listening to it repeatedly through my headphones over and over until I "get it". Then I will compare other players improvisations over the melody. I think this is the best way for me to learn the "Mystery of soloing to Giant Steps"

What did you think of the duo playing organ and drums. Did you think they played the melody and rythm of Giant Steps adequately?


On Coltrane’s studio recording the final release had Tommy Flanagan on piano on all songs except "Naima" in which Wynton Kelly played piano.

Art Taylor played drums on all the songs except "Naima" as well. Jimmy Cobb played drums on that song.

Lex Humphries and Cedar Walton played drums and piano, respectively, on "alternate versions" of 2 songs - Giant Steps and Naima.

Paul Chambers played bass on everything that was put down on wax including alternate versions.

What do you think were the factors for replacing Flanagan and Taylor for just the one song Naima?

If you have the time check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCJh-7BVkRc

Do not skip the nearly 5 minute advertisement which is interesting and would suggest that James Carter, while technically brilliant, has not trained his "mental state" adequately enough. 

16 measures ?, 3 tonal centers?..... G major 7, chord structure upper minor 3rd - down a 5th? I leaned a lot and now I know why the song is titled "Giant Steps"

Another thing, which you may already know, Trane used to go to Thelonious Monk's apartment daily and sit for hours on end practicing with him. Do you think this helped him with all the compositions he wrote with "melodic shifts" ?