Great movie, Alex and one of the few times I have enjoyed Sean Penn. Thanks for the reminder.
A little history:
”Sweet and Lowdown”, the tune, by the great George Gershwin, one of the most important American composers.
We tend to forget what a huge influence George Gershwin was in the history of Jazz. He composed so many tunes that helped shape the music early in the 20th century; and, so many that became Jazz standards and are still played today. Many of Gershwin’s compositions were written for, or commissioned by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra. May seem hard to believe that this orchestra was a major force in the evolution of Jazz as we know it today, but it was.
(As an aside, I’m always amazed just how real, in their way, these old 78 rpm recordings sound, as opposed to the more “modern”, hyped “audiophile” sound that we have all become accustomed to. We can still hear every instrument and in a very musically natural way; they sound more like an ensemble and less like individual players. Imagine yourself standing near the back of a club or dance hall full of patrons and hearing this) :
https://youtu.be/sGfbWcrHJ3E
Think the historical stuff above seems far fetched? Duke Ellington, the same year, 1925:
https://youtu.be/QguHGe5acQI
https://youtu.be/E5g8IBsx8t4
A little history:
”Sweet and Lowdown”, the tune, by the great George Gershwin, one of the most important American composers.
We tend to forget what a huge influence George Gershwin was in the history of Jazz. He composed so many tunes that helped shape the music early in the 20th century; and, so many that became Jazz standards and are still played today. Many of Gershwin’s compositions were written for, or commissioned by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra. May seem hard to believe that this orchestra was a major force in the evolution of Jazz as we know it today, but it was.
(As an aside, I’m always amazed just how real, in their way, these old 78 rpm recordings sound, as opposed to the more “modern”, hyped “audiophile” sound that we have all become accustomed to. We can still hear every instrument and in a very musically natural way; they sound more like an ensemble and less like individual players. Imagine yourself standing near the back of a club or dance hall full of patrons and hearing this) :
https://youtu.be/sGfbWcrHJ3E
Think the historical stuff above seems far fetched? Duke Ellington, the same year, 1925:
https://youtu.be/QguHGe5acQI
https://youtu.be/E5g8IBsx8t4