Hardbopjazz

I know the quality of the image is not that great.

It is a duo of Erroll Graner and a unknown bass player. Any idea who he is?

Happy Birthday Johhny.

Thanks for the music Jimmy. You'll live on through that. RIP.

Just suppose that one of these are really legit. “Damn, I can’t seem to give away any of this money”

Thanks. I still wish I knew all the musicians. There were 15 players plus Jimmy.

I just caught the first set of the Jimmy Heath's Bing Band at thr Iridium. This band was on fire. My problem, Jimmy didn't introduce all the band memebrs. The flyer at the Iridium didn't list any of the musicians. Did anyone catch this band? I was wondering if anyone knew who was in the band.

Here's one that I bet many think Reid Miles did. It sure looks like one.

I was talking to someone that saw Keith Jarrett back in the early 80's. He was tell me how Jarrett was angry at someone in the audience for coughing and even told the guy to leave. The other musician that pops into my mine is Buddy Rich. Any others?

Dizzy's Club Coca Cola is having a 90th birthday bash for her. It has been sold out shortly after it was announced.

The Ruttles.

I only wish this was a true aritcle. If it is, wow, I had jazz wrong all my life. Nope. Even Charlie Parker was a Kenny G fan. Read the interview in the "Peoria Herald", dated 10/28/06, written by Max Vintage and published in rec.music.bluenote: "Charlie Parker was a KennyG fan!" KennyG, saxophone genius and all-time jazz great, recently came through Peoria to play a series of sold-out concerts for his adoring fans. He graciously agreed to an interview. I meet "the G-man" as all jazz musicians call him, in his posh dressing room. Kenny, ponytail bouncing and flashing in the light, explained the history of jazz and his place in it. "You see," he said, pouring himself some organic beet juice, "most music has vocals. But jazz music doesn't have vocals. It's what we call 'instrumental.' That's why it's jazz," because there isn't any singing." Wow--to have a master of jazz explain the genre was a rare treat. "Is all instrumental music jazz," I asked? "Almost all," said Kenny. "jazz has to have a solo in it. If it has a solo in it, and no vocals, then it's jazz. Or if I play a solo in it, then it becomes jazz. Because I'm a jazz musician. That's it--jazz is when there's no vocals and I play a solo." I asked the G-man how he knows what to play in his solo. "The melody," said G: "I play the melody, the part that the singer would sing if there was a singer, which there isn't, because it's jazz. I play the melody and then I play some of my much beloved the world over licks." He picked up his saxophone and demonstrated. "Charlie Parker gave me this sax," the G-man continued; "he was a really good sax player from back in the past, when they didn't understand about jazz being simply the melody plus licks. So he never made any money or sold 200 billion albums like me. But one day he was walking along the street and he heard me playing-I was six at the time. He rushed into the house and said 'here is the future of jazz.' He gave me his sax right then and there and never played again." "Parker didn't understand that the key to jazz is just playing the melody plus some licks. He thought you were supposed to play something original, something 'challenging,' something people have not heard 1000 times before. So he really didn't play jazz. Jazz is soothing, familiar, comfortable, and bland-that's what people want. That's why jazz is such universally beloved music. You hear it in elevators, hotel lobbies, supermarket aisles, playing in the background at the dentist's waiting rooms-if you're on hold, and you here music with no vocals and instruments play the melody and some licks, it's jazz. Probably it's me, and then it's definitely jazz." At that moment a stagehand walked by and said "Ask him how he met Bird when bird died the year before he was born." I looked at the G-man. "Critics," he said. "I've heard it all before. They're jealous of my success. A real jazz musician, like me, plays from the heart. The heart, and the wallet-I play from the wallet too. And the wallet says 'play the melody, G, and then your licks.' Charlie Parker never made any money, because he didn't understand about the wallet. The wallet is a part of you-it's just as important to me as my heart. In fact, I can't tell the difference any more. Critics are just jealous of my success. They can't play from the wallet." I thanked G for clearing it all up. Next time I see a guy in a club, trying something new, taking chances, moving away from the melody, I'll remind him of the G-Man's advice. "Find the wallet, my son. And call it jazz."

From another board. KennyG is probably the greatest jazz musician of all time. In 1997, KennyG earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for playing the longest note ever recorded on a saxophone. KennyG held an E-flat for over forty five minutes! No wonder he hasn't any time to listen to music, he's busy getting in the Guinness Book of world records.

From the annals of Kenny G. This may have been posted here before. I laughed my ass off after reading this. B&N.com: What are some of your favorite Washington, Coltrane, and Parker recordings? KG: The Grover Washington one that I listened to a lot when I was a kid was called "Inner City Blues." As for Coltrane, of course, "Giant Steps" is the main one that he did, and he also did a rendition of "My Favorite Things." With Charlie Parker, there are just so many different records. I don't say this to be disrespectful, but when you listen to Charlie Parker, on pretty much any record he's going to sound the same. He's going to be unbelievable. He'll be playing the fastest lines in that style. He was the fastest. Nobody played faster and more cleanly than him. Except that there was another saxophone player named Sonny Stitt. He was actually an almost exact duplicate of Charlie Parker, except he played it even cleaner. Charlie Parker would squeak a lot, and that's why they called him Bird, because his reed would chirp. B&N.com: You think that's why they called him Bird? That's interesting. KG: That is why they called him Bird. That was the deal. He played so fast, and his reed would chirp because it...I don't know, it just couldn't take the speed of his fingers. But Sonny Stitt used to do it without the chirping thing, and played beautiful. But I don't think he ever got the same accolades that Charlie Parker did, mainly because Charlie Parker was the first one. Anyway, I know a lot about that kind of music, and I admire those players. But I am not motivated to try to copy what they do or play in that style, because there's no way that anybody can play better than Charlie Parker. You can't. So what's the point? I mean, even if I played every note exactly the way he played it, at exactly the speed, it's not going to be better.

This is going to be a killer show for a good cause. Anyone plans on attending? Friday,--January 25, 2008 ALL STAR BENEFIT TRIBUTE FOR PIANIST GEORGE CABLES Special Set Times: 8PM, 10PM, Midnight and 2AM Important: Please Note $25 Music Charge Per Set (Cash or Check Collected At The Door - This Goes Directly To George Cables) $10 Food Or Drink Minimum Per Set Also: A Portion Of The Proceeds From The Sale Of All Sweet Rhythm Tee Shirts and Sweat Shirts This Evening Will Be Donated To Geroge As Well! All Star Benefit Tribute for George Cables Featuring: Kenny Barron Randy Brecker Michael Carvin Joe Chambers Sonny Fortune Billy Harper Winard Harper Louis Hayes Pete Laroca Victor Lewis Ronnie Mathews Cecil McBee Eric Reed Rufus Reid James Spaulding Steve Turre Cedar Walton Jeff Tain Watts Lenny White Buster Williams Steve Wilson Reggie Workman And many others The great jazz pianist George Cables recently underwent a double-transplant operation, receiving a new liver and kidney. While his recovery appears to be on-track, even in a best-case scenario it’s likely to be six months before he can begin working again. The "George Cables Healing Fund" has been set up to help offset some of George's expenses. The money will go directly to George with no operational costs (except what PayPal takes out) or administrative costs. George will also get a copy of every donation made, and you have an opportunity to write a short note with your donation. If you prefer sending a check, please make it payable to: GEORGE CABLES c/o JazzCorner.com 245 West 25th St. #2F New York, NY 10001 Important: Please Note $25 Music Charge Per Set (Cash or Check Collected At The Door - This Goes Directly To George Cables) $10 Food Or Drink Minimum Per Set

several of us manage to get together every year at the jazz festival on labor day weekend. of course, that's a long way off, so you're welcome to get something going before then. I tried convincing some folks to come up to the place I was playing at after the fest on the Friday last year, and I got stone cold ignored by everyone. THAT boosted the self esteem, to be sure. Well, if you're playing when I'm in town, I would come to one of your sets.

I remember the cold war chess matches with Fisher.

Thanks Paul for that information. What other clubs can you go see some jazz in the Chicago area? I would be in Oakbrook, IL. That should be close to the city proper.

I may be in Chicago in the spring on busniess and thought of catching some music if I'm there. I recall the Jazz Showcase was closing, but I thought he had re-opened. Does it still exist?

Thank you to all.

I went to see Randy Weston and his group last night at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola. Ley me tell you, this band played their butts off. If you have a chance to see them this week, don't miss them.

I'll be tuning in.

I'm trying to do a search on MAX ROACH in artists section. Th software returns the message that 1 or more words in my search is 3 characters or less. What do I have to do to get this to work?

The past few days I've been listening to Free Jazz. I have never been a big fan. I don't know exactly why; to borrow a quote from Horace Silver, " I need to have a melody." How much of the music pre-thought? I know jazz is spontaneous, but for most other styles of jazz, the spontaneity is based upon cord progression. How can Ikeep an open mind when listening to free jazz and not feel like it is just noise?