Black History Month and Jazz

[lesterperkins]

Every day for this coming month we'll be featuring a

jazz video that illuminates an aspect of black history.

During Week One, we'll continue to focus on New Orleans

which has been rightly called "The Athens of Black America."

Today we look at the mass migration of black musicians to the northern states between 1910 and 1920 and Storyville, New Orleans in particular.

We hope you enjoy the series.

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/billie-holiday/farewell-to-storyville.html

[lesterperkins]

Black History Month and Louis Armstrong.

A look at Louis' life and the tune "Black and Blue".

Featuring video of Armstrong performing it live in Ghana in 1956.

Enjoy!

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/louis-armstrong/black-and-blue.html

Cold empty bed...springs hurt my head

Feels like ole Ned...wished I was dead

What did I do...to be so black and blue

Even the mouse...ran from my house

They laugh at you...and all that you do

What did I do...to be so black and blue

I'm white...inside...but, that don't help my case

That's life...can't hide...what is in my face

How would it end...ain't got a friend

My only sin...is in my skin

What did I do...to be so black and blue

How would it end...I ain't got a friend

My only sin...is in my skin

What did I do...to be so black and blue

[lesterperkins]

If we are focusing on Black History Month, New Orleans and Jazz then we cannot leave out the Marsalis family. The "first family of jazz" includes father Ellis on piano, with his sons Wynton on trumpet, Brandford on saxophone, Delfeayo on trombone and Jason on drums. All born and raised in The Big Easy.

Proving beyond any doubt that there is something special happening in New Orleans.

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/struttin-with-some-barbecue.html

Ellis was born in New Orleans in 1936 and still calls it home today. After serving in the U.S. Marines Ellis recorded with Cannonball and Nat Adderley in the early 1960s before joining Al Hirt's band in the late '60s. In the 1970s Ellis focused his attention on Jazz education. He works with the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, University of New Orleans and Xavier University of Louisiana. Continuing to pass the rich musical tradition of New Orleans handed down to him, Ellis' pupils include Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, Nicholas Payton, Harry Connick Jr, Kent and Marlon Jordan, his own sons of course and many more. Ellis still performs regularly at the club Snug Harbor in New Orleans.

Wynton Marsalis was born in 1961 in New Orleans and given his first trumpet by Al Hirt. Wynton was playing professionally by the time he was fourteen and joined Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers when he was just nineteen years old. Wynton played with Herbie Hancock in the early 1980s and before he even reached twenty five years old won two Grammys in both Jazz and Classical music. He started a band with brother Branford before co founding the Jazz at the Lincoln Center program in 1987 and leading the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. In 1997 Wynton won a Pulitzer Prize for his work 'Blood on the Fields' about a couple moving from slavery to freedom. He remains at the top today as one of the major spokespersons for Jazz and Jazz education.

Brandford Marsalis was born in 1960 in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana and first studied with his father at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Branford joined the Art Blakey Big Band in 1980, played with Clark Terry, Lionel Hampton and joined Blakey's Jazz Messengers in 1981 with his brother Wynton. He also worked with Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Herbie Hancock before joining Sting's band in 1985. Since then, Branford has led his own groups, directed the Tonight Show band for a period, acted in films and is a radio host on National Public Radio.

Delfeayo Marsalis was born in New Orleans in 1965 and has grow into a mean trombonist in the style of J.J. Johnson. After studying music, producing and engineering at Berklee College of Music he began his career as a record producer in 1985. Since then he has made his mark as a performer working with the likes of Ray Charles, Art Blakey, Abdullah Ibrahim and Elvin Jones.

Jason Marsalis was born in New Orleans in 1977 and began playing drums professionally with his father at age twelve. Jason was one of the founders of he very successful band Los Hombres Calientes in the late '90s before joining up with Marcus Roberts. Jason has also been performing on the vibraphone showing off his full musicianship. He continues to work with Ellis and Delfeayo, Marcus Roberts, John Ellis and Dr Michael White.

[AllenLowe]

"If we are focusing on Black History Month, New Orleans and Jazz then we cannot leave out the Marsalis family"

we sure as hell can - who are the Marsalis family, anyway?

[lesterperkins]

Today we will be looking at two musicians who studied with Ellis Marsalis

in high school and continue to push Jazz ahead while honoring their

New Orleans' roots.

Terence Blanchard and Donald Harrison embody the true spirit

of New Orleans in their lives and music.

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/terence-blanchard-and-donald-harrison.html

Donald Harrison was born in 1960 in New Orleans. Harrison's father is one of the leaders of the Mardi Gras Indians, which performs African call and response chants during Mardi Gras events. Harrison was deeply influenced by the culture of New Orleans growing up as whether it be a wedding, funeral or any type of community event Jazz is present. In his own words, "everything we do, jazz is there...So, jazz is like life to me...". In high school Donald studied under Ellis Marsalis who taught him the basics of bebop and post bop. Harrison knows deeply how the beginnings of Jazz leads down a path to the music we play today and has spoken of Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong and Buddy Bolden in interviews citing how Armstrong and Bolden influenced Charlie Parker and Lester Young, who influenced John Coltrane. "All those guys have passed down a tradition to each other. And hopefully I'm trying to do the same".

In his professional career Donald has played with Roy Haynes, Jack McDuff, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Don Pullen and reformed Headhunters band in the 1990s. Harrison created the Nouveau Swing style of jazz in 1994 which combines traditional swing beat with hip hop and has heavy New Orleans influences as well. This can be heard on recordings of his group The New Sounds of Mardi Gras. Donald won 'person of the year' from Jazziz magazine in 2007 and directed the New Jazz School for the Isidore Newman School in New Orleans.

Terence Blanchard was born in 1962 in New Orleans and his father was a part time Opera singer. Blanchard began playing piano at the age of five and picked up the trumpet at age eight. Terence grew up and played music with childhood friend Wynton Marsalis in summer camps. In high school Blanchard studied at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts with Ellis Marsalis. Terence went on to study music at Rutger University while touring with the Lional Hampton Orchestra until replacing Wynton as the lead trumpet player and musical director in Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the late 1980s the Harrison/Blanchard group was formed and they recorded five albums together in that time before each went on to their solo careers.

In addition to his solo career in Jazz, Terence has scored every Spike Lee movie since Jungle Fever in 1991. Some of these include Malcom X, Summer of Sam and 25th Hour. In 2006 Blanchard scored Spike Lee's documentary on Katrina called 'When The Levees Broke, A Requiem In Four Acts' and an album in 2007 called 'A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina)'. In Blanchard's own words "This is what we are called to do as artists, we document our social surroundings and give our impressions of events. The problem with Katrina is that the devastation is so vast that there’s only been a trickle of art so far. We’re all still digesting what went on and what continues to happen. It’s like an unending story. For me, like so many others, it’s taken me a moment to get my mind around all of this. I knew I needed to express this musically to keep the story alive, but so many important things—the safety of family members, figuring out how to rebuild my mother’s house—never allowed me the time to breathe for a minute. It’s part of the grieving process. Once I wrote some of the music for Spike’s film, I knew I could take it and expand upon it. Meanwhile, guys in my band were writing music that reflected on what happened in the aftermath of Katrina. This provided me with the perfect opportunity to bring the band all together."

Terence has been nominated for eleven Grammy awards and won four, his last in 2009 for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo on the album 'Watts'. He also been nominated for an Emmy and a Golden Globe award.

[lesterperkins]

Jelly Roll Morton was one of the first creators, composers and

innovators of Jazz and introduced the idea of rehearsed arrangements

combined with improvised solos.

While no video footage of Jelly Roll exists,

we receive some help from a young Billy Taylor doing his best impression

followed by some classic recordings of Morton.

And when I say Billy Taylor does an impression, I mean an all out impression.

You'll enjoy this.

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/jelly-roll-morton.html

[AllenLowe]

"Jelly Roll Morton...introduced the idea of rehearsed arrangements

combined with improvised solos."

yes, but who was playing UNREHEARSED arrangements? Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?

[JSngry]

yes, but who was playing UNREHEARSED arrangements? Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?

Ever play any dance/big band jobs where the leader has a book & the players are whoever is available on any given night?

"Rehearsal" = playing the gig a few times...

[AllenLowe]

good point - but in N.O. I have a feeling there were plenty of bands rehearsing arrangements, like Piron's.

on the other hand, sometimes the performance IS the rehearsal.

[lesterperkins]

Sidney Bechet

Sidney performs the beautiful ballad Premier Bal in France in 1958.

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/sidney-bechet.html

One of the first important soloists in Jazz, Sidney Bechet, was born on May 14, 1897 in New Orleans to a wealthy Creole family. A musically gifted youth, he gave lessons to clarinetist Jimmie Noone when Bechet was only thirteen years old. His achievements on the clarinet gave him a reputation as one of Jazzs greatest clarinetists for decades. After leaving New Orleans at twenty, Bechet alternated his time between Chicago, New York and Europe as the base for his musical operations. Bechet is best remembered for being the first great soprano saxophonist, though his mastery of the clarinet was not without notice.

In his career, Bechet composed many jazz and concert-work forms. His hits include 1923s Clarence Williams Blue Fice with Louis Armstrong, popular 1938 Summertime and different recordings of his Petit Fleur. In 1944, 1946, and 1953 he recorded and performed in with Chicago Jazz Pianist, Max Miller, recordings which are part of the Max Miller archive and have never been released. These concerts and recordings are covered completely in John Chilton's great book on Bechet. Sidney passed away in 1959 in Paris at age 62 shortly after completing his autobiography, Treat It Gentle. Bechet was inducted into the Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame and his legend lives on as a New Orleans jazz master.

Edited February 7, 2010 by LesterPerkins

[lesterperkins]

Black History Month - Strange Fruit - The Power of Jazz

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/strange-fruit-1.html

‘Strange Fruit’ was first written by as a poem by Abel Meeropol, a Jewish high school teacher in Bronx, NY, and first published in 1936 in the The New York Teacher. Abel put the poem to music himself and it first gained success as a protest song in New York area when his wife, black singer Laura Duncan, performed it at Madison Square Garden. Barney Josephson founded the first integrated nightclub in New York, and introduced the song to Billie Holiday in 1939 there at Café Society. The song immediately became part of Holiday’s nightly set list as she said the imagery in song reminded her of her father.

Billie asked her record company at the time, Columbia, if she could record the song on her next album. Columbia and their co-owned radio station, CBS, refused out of fear of backlash. Columbia did allow Holiday a one session release from her contract to record the song with the label Commodore. The song was recorded in 1939 and 1944 and not before long ‘Strange Fruit’ became Billie’s best selling record. Holiday would end all her shows with the song and one of her accompanist’s, Bobby Tucker, said she would break down every time after singing it. In 1999, Time Magazine named ‘Strange Fruit’ the song of the century, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978 and in the list Songs of the Century put together by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Southern trees bear strange fruit

Blood on the leaves

Blood at the root

Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze

Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees

Pastoral scene of the gallant south

The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth

The scent of magnolia sweet and fresh

Then the sudden smell of burning flesh

Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck

for the rain to gather

for the wind to suck

for the sun to rot

for the tree to drop

Here is a strange and bitter crop

[AllenLowe]

Lester, are you there? These posts have a machine-like quality. They just keep getting spit out onto the forum. Nothing wrong with that, it's just tough to argue with a machine.

LESTER? LESTER?

WHERE ARE THE POD PEOPLE?

ALSO, BY THE WAY, I THINK ROBICHAUX'S BAND PLAYED REHEARSED ARRANGEMENTS

Edited February 8, 2010 by AllenLowe

[Big Beat Steve]

What do you expect? Press releases (even if on virtual media) are not supposed to be argued with or discussed. They are supposed to be swallowed as is.

[AllenLowe]

well, I've always enjoyed talking to inanimate objects.

[lesterperkins]

Lester is here and like all of you, mostly real. Feel free to post your opinions. It is your right.

Black History Month - Alabama - The Power of Jazz

http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/alabama.html

On Sunday, September 15, 1963, twelve sticks of dynamite were placed in the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. The bomb had been planted by the white supremacy group, the KKK, and killed four young black girls between the ages of 11-14. John Coltrane wrote the song ‘Alabama’ in response to this event and patterned his playing in the song after Martin Luther King’s speech at the funeral for the four girls. Coltrane also performed in eight benefit concerts for King in 1964 and recorded several other songs inspired by the civil rights movement called, ‘Reverend King’, 'Backs Against the Wall’ and his album Cosmic Music dedicated to Martin Luther King.

[Dan Gould]

If you are uninterested in engaging anyone than I suggest that you post this stuff on your own blog. That's a place where you can say whatever you want and not give a shit what other people say.

This is a community where give and take discussion takes place, not pronouncements from on high.

[Christiern]

Lester obviously has a real interest in the music and its history, especially as far as blacks are concerned. Ever wanted to share a special interest with others, Dan? His posts are no skin off your teeth, so why not simply ignore this thread if it bothers you? Try to see that this forum is also one in which we share mutual interests.

[Dan Gould]

Lester obviously has a real interest in the music and its history, especially as far as blacks are concerned. Ever wanted to share a special interest with others, Dan? His posts are no skin off your teeth, so why not simply ignore this thread if it bothers you? Try to see that this forum is also one in which we share mutual interests.

How ironic is it that we get this message from the guy who removed his "from my closet" thread and turned it into his very own blog and did it for the very reason that I have identified: A one-way conversation isn't really a discussion. At least you engaged people who commented on what you shared, as someone else said, Lester's writings are like a press release.

I stand by my comment, even as he is free to keep posting his messages from the mount and ignoring anyone who wants to engage him on what he says.

[lesterperkins]

I appreciate the support.

Dan, I mean no offense to you. Who really has though. I'm just trying to do something nice here. If there is a particular point you would like to discuss or have a question about you can ask. I won't argue with you for arguments sake. But a forum can be a good place for that so I get it.

I do the best I can with the history available to us. But if you have seen other information in other resources please share that as you have been. The Jelly Roll Morton question is a tricky one as I was not alive in the early 1900s and so we just don't really know.

Black History Month - Fables of Faubus - The Power of Jazz

http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/fables-of-faubus.html

In 1957 the Governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus, ordered the state's National Guard to prevent the integration of Little Rock Central High School by nine African-American teenagers. President Eisenhower was slow to react and enforce the Supreme Court's decision, Brown vs Board of Education. Twenty days after the initial incident the President federalized the Arkansas' National Guard and sent in army's 101st Airborne Division to help the nine students enter the school safely. This event marked the first time racism in the South was on network television for the entire country to watch over almost a month long span.

Charles Mingus wrote the song 'Fables of Faubus' as a response to this event and show his anger and disgust at the racism endured by black people in America. The song was first recorded for Mingus' album Mingus Ah Um in 1959 on the Columbia label though they would not allow the lyrics to be included. In 1960 Mingus was able to record the song on the Candid label with lyrics on his album Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus. The lyrics include a call and response between Mingus and drummer Dannie Richmond.

Black History Month – Mississippi Goddamn – The Power of Jazz

http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/mississippi-goddamn-1.html

Nina Simone’s song "Mississippi Goddamn" was influenced by two major events in addition to the usual racism endured by African-Americans in the time this song was written. On June 12, 1963 Medgar Evers was murdered in front of his home by a member of the White Citizens’ Council and the KKK. Evers was a very prominent black leader in the civil rights movement and was a major influence in the desegregation of the University of Mississippi as well Mississippi’s first field secretary. Medgar also led boycotts of white merchants, brought the investigation of the murder of Emmett Till into the public’s eye who was brutally murdered for being accused of whistling at a white woman, and outwardly supported Clyde Kennard who sought out to be the first black student at the University of Mississippi before being framed for a crime he did not commit by the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission and then was denied medical care for colon cancer in prison which led to his death.

The second event that led to Simone composing "Mississippi Goddamn" was the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama on September 16, 1963. This terrorist attack by members of the KKK killed four young black girls. Nina was so upset after these events she actually tried to build a gun out of spare parts around the house left from her ex-husband who was a police officer. But as Nina says “I knew nothing about killing, and I did know about music.” and so she sat down and wrote this song. Simone speaks in the song about that the idea of bringing about change slowly is something of the past and it is time to rise up and fight as any delay would just bring more of the same tragedy against black people in America. Amen.

[lesterperkins]

Black History Month – Four Women – The Power of Jazz

http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/four-women-1.html

“Four Women” was first recorded by Nina Simone on her album Wild is the Wind in 1965. The song tells the story of four African-American women, each verse representing a different women’s experience in America. The first character is named Aunt Sarah who is a representative of the times of slavery and Nina focuses on her strength in the face the long term suffering endured. The second character is names Saffronia and is a woman of mixed race and identity and focuses on the experience of black Americans being at the will of white people in power. The third woman is named Sweet Thing, who is a prostitute that is able to find acceptance from both black and white people alike. Though her acceptance by white men is based on the sexual gratification she provides them. The last woman is named Peaches and most likely reflects Nina Simone herself. Peaches is a product of generations of racism and oppression and is filled with bitterness and rage.

Black History Month – Freedom Day – The Power of Jazz

http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/freedom-day-1.html

In 1960 Max Roach released his album We Insist! – Freedom Now Suite which was one of the most powerful statements from any artist in the Civil Rights Movements. Max had help from Oscar Brown Jr. who wrote the lyrics for the album and singer Abbey Lincoln. Max Roach and Oscar Brown Jr. wrote the album after being invited to contribute to the hundredth anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and they did such a fine job of expressing themselves through this music that Max Roach was blacklisted by the American recording industry for a period in the 1960s. The album itself functions as a musical history lesson beginning in the time of slavery with the song ‘Driva Man’ and ending back in Africa with the final song ‘Tears for Johannesburg’. Even the album cover itself made a strong statement showing three young black students staging a sit-in at a restaurant that refused to serve African-Americans. On February 1, 1960 four black students actually did stage a sit-in in Greensboro, North Carolina and within a week black students all over the south were sitting-in at restaurants that would not serve them in over fifty four cities.

The song featured here is entitled ‘Freedom Day’ and speaks about the time period in when African-Americans were freed from slavery. The song speaks of the disbelief by the black community that freedom could actually be happening but reminds us of the sobering reality of the situation with the last line of the song. “Dim my path and hide the way. But we’ve made it Freedom Day.”

[lesterperkins]

Black History Month – Triptych: Prayer/Protest/Peace – The Power of Jazz

http://jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/triptych-prayerprotestpeace.html

Triptych:Prayer/Protest/Peace is a powerful duo with Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln. The song has no words yet the message is clear and shows just how powerful music can be in expressing and conveying the emotions of even the heaviest and heart breaking experiences. How does a person deal with not only the oppression and racism dealt to them in their own life, but the oppression of their ancestors going back hundreds of years? How does an artist capture that in their music? Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln are two masters of Jazz and self expression and show us. It’s powerful, heartbreaking and beautiful. It’s Art.

Originally from Max Roach’s 1960 album ‘We Insist! – Freedom Now Suite’.

[AllenLowe]

"Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln are two masters of Jazz and self expression and show us. It’s powerful, heartbreaking and beautiful. It’s Art. "

yes, I'm especially impressed with how artfully he beat her up.

[clifford_thornton]

I don't know why, but I never think of that when I listen to Max. Though his compositional style kind of tires me out for whatever reason.

[lesterperkins]

Black History Month – Hazel Scott – The Power of Jazz

http://www.jazzonthetube.com/videos/black-history-month/hazel-scott.html

Hazel Scott was an amazing woman who fought for racial equality in her life and career and never compromised her dream despite the circumstances. Hazel was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad in 1920 and moved to Harlem in 1924 with her mother and grandmother. Hazel’s mother, Alma, was a great musician herself and a classically trained pianist. In Harlem Alma struggled to make money to support her family so she taught herself saxophone and joined Lil Hardin Armstrong’s orchestra in the 1930s. Hazel’s home growing up was a hangout for jazz musicians and she benefitted from being around people like Art Tatum, Lester Young and Fats Waller. Hazel Scott was a musical prodigy and audition for enrollment at Julliard School of Music at the age of eight and by the time she was a teen she was hosting her radio show and gigging at night.

Hazel was raised as a strong, independent black woman and fought for racial equality in every aspect of her life. Scott was one of the first black entertainers to refuse to play before segregated audiences and when her Hollywood career took off she refused to play any roles that might be perceived as demeaning to African-Americans. While filming the movie Heat’s On with Mae West, Hazel refused to wear a dirty apron as she was seeing her ‘sweetheart’ off to war as no woman would wear dirty clothes in those circumstances. Scott staged a strike for three days and the film producers caved and took the aprons out of the scene but her making that stand cost Hazel her film career. In her own words, “I’ve been brash all my life, and it’s gotten me into a lot of trouble. But at the same time, speaking out has sustained me and given meaning to my life.” Scott married Harlem politician Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., the first black congressmen on the east coast, in 1945.

In 1950 Hazel Scott became the first black entertainer to host her own television show and would play piano and sing songs in the seven languages she spoke. Not long after her show began Hazel’s name appeared in the unofficial list of suspected communists called Red Channels. Because Scott was active in the Civil Rights Movement and began her career at Café Society, the first integrated club in New York City, House Un-American Activities Committee investigated her and since she had done no wrong doing she voluntarily appeared before the committee. The committee claimed to have evidence of Hazel being tied to nine communist organizations that hired her to perform even though Hazel had not even heard of any of them. At the end of this ridiculous investigation Hazel told the committee “…may I end with one request—and that is that your committee protect those Americans who have honestly, wholesomely, and unselfishly tried to perfect this country and make the guarantees in our Constitution live. The actors, musicians, artists, composers, and all of the men and women of the arts are eager and anxious to help, to serve. Our country needs us more today than ever before. We should not be written off by the vicious slanders of little and petty men.”

Though there was never anything close to actual evidence presented against her, Hazel Scott lost her show three weeks after the hearing. Her career would never reach the same levels again and Hazel spent some time in Paris before returning to America and ending her career playing small clubs around the country. One of her most notable albums is ‘Relaxed Piano Moods’ with Charles Mingus and Max Roach. Hazel leaves a legacy of what it means to be a strong, caring black women in America and to stand up for what you know is right.

[AllenLowe]

I like Hazel Scott.