Jazz for aficionados

Today's Listen:

Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington  --  THE COMPLETE SESSIONS

Imagine a Jazz Sextet in which three of the players are Armstrong, Ellington and Barney Bigard!!!  Got to be a law.  Also with / Trummy Young(trombone), Mort Herbert(bass), Danny Barcelona(drums)


duke's place *
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt1zw81ZbTs  

i'm just a lucky so and so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDIkQVgtShw  

mood indigo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN6usjgA61M  

the mooche
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyTfgNY0kVM   

it don't mean a thing **
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JGp0AzTeiM

And 12 more!!!

Cheers

* 'C-jam blues'  when played without lyrics

**  message for all noise makers and their minions

Keegiam, because 1. the piano is the most important and most versatile in the context of a Jazz ensemble. It is the harmony instrument (guitar could be as well) and can also function as a rhythm instrument. 2. the bass acts as a timekeeper and, in a sense, can fill the musical role that the drums can. Also, while it usually doesn’t play chords, it outlines the harmony with its single note bass lines. 3. Drums typically only play time and while obviously very important, it could be said that it is the least essential instrument.

Those are the traditional roles of the three instruments. Think about how many recordings there are of a soloist with piano (or guitar) and bass. Or, soloist and just piano. Or, even soloist and just bass. Not too many of soloist (including piano soloist) and just drums, no bass.

Looked at from a different angle, one of the ultimate challenges for a horn improviser is playing in a piano-less trio (just bass and drums). No harmonic underpinning. So, it is particularly challenging to improvise in a way that clearly outlines the harmony. No hiding; no room for bs. The recently discussed Sonny Rollins was one of the first and few to have the b@!!s to record in that setting.

When the drummer is the leader, his name is usually listed first.  Sometimes, the leader (no matter the instrument,  including drums), as a show of deference and respect for his sidemen (especially when they are high profile players), will want his name listed last.  

’This very obscure set by the Don Cunningham Quartet (drummer) was originally sold only at the St. Louis Playboy Club at the time of its release in 1965 and only 500 copies of the original Lp were made. The four players are obscure but music is interesting’

’Something for everyone’ from 1965.

https://youtu.be/uOV64BL5vr8

https://youtu.be/42EwChByDtw

https://youtu.be/WYt6k_CB6tM

https://youtu.be/e-5JqOZEAIk

Frogman, of course, thanks for ’classic’ explanations. I was hoping that maybe others will join, but perhaps its quiter on thread without such discussions .

The good stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE3ZELvekzY   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA44kLu_VB0   

Cheers