The Christmas Show

by | Dec 24, 2023 | Holiday

Apologies for a long absence of new posts on our website.  Other obligations have caused me to temporarily divert time and resources elsewhere, but I intend to resume regular music posts in the spring, if not before.  Meanwhile, in the spirit of the season, and with gratitude for your hanging in there with me at the Mark Of Jazz, I have brought The Christmas Show forward from our Jazz Scene Podcast page. I’ll try to be timely in re-posting our New Years program as well. May you enjoy every minute of this musical Christmas card and have the Merriest of all Christmases with the ones you love!

The Christmas Show

by Fred Masey | Jazz Scene Podcast 017

The Shearing Sound – Pt. 2

by | Sep 1, 2023 | Quartet/Quintet, Solo/Duo, Vocal

From 1949 to 1978, The George Shearing Quintet was a household name and a staple in anyone’s record collection.  Between George’s “Locked Hands” style of playing and the addition of vibes to the group, their sound was unique.  The original group was comprised of Margie Hyams (vibes), Chuck Wayne (guitar), later replaced by Toots Thielemans, John Levy (bass), Denzil Best (drums), and of course Shearing himself (piano).  The quintet underwent several changes through the years, until finally it was disbanded, in favor of trio, duo, and solo performances … until toward the end of his career Shearing made several recordings with major vocalists such as Mel Torme, Nat Cole (Pick Yourself Up – bottom), Nancy Wilson, Peggy Lee and others.

Move (above) was one of the earlier quintets after Joe Roland had replaced Margie Hyams on vibes; the tune is one of the less mellow arrangements for which the group became known.  The Duke (below) is a tune written by Dave Brubeck as a nod to the great Duke Ellington.  It’s a live performance with Neil Swainson accompanying Sir George Shearing on bass.

Pick Yourself Up

by George Shearing-Nat Cole | Nat Cole Sings, George Shearing Plays

The Shearing Sound – Pt. 1

by | Aug 26, 2023 | Orchestral, Solo/Duo

George Shearing was a British born pianist who led a popular jazz group that took the country by storm for many years.  Born blind, the youngest of nine children, he started learning to play at the age of three … and went on to compose more than 300 titles during his illustrious career, including the jazz standard Lullaby of Birdland (Uppermost video).  He had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 60s, 80s, and even the 1990s.

Shearing emigrated to the U.S. and founded the first George Shearing Quintet in 1949, which saw a number of permutations over the years and finally led to solo and trio performances later in his career.  He drew upon classical music and the records of Teddy Wilson and Fats Waller for his influences, eventually developing a harmonically complex style––mixing swing, bop and modern classical into his playing.  His technique became known as Shearing’s Voicing … a type of double melody block chord, with an additional fifth part that doubles the melody an octave lower.  This style of playing is also known as Locked Hands.

Henry Mancini’s Dreamsville, like the video above, was recorded in 1992 at the Munich Philharmonie … with Neil Swainson on bass.

George goes solo with John Williams at the Boston Pops with his performance of Look At That Face.  The picture quality is a bit compromised, but the music is near perfect!

 

Sun Valley Serenade

by | Aug 19, 2023 | Big Band, Stuff, Vocal Group

The Glenn Miller Orchestra appeared in only two movies, the first of which was “Sun Valley Serenade” in 1941.  Chatanooga Choo-Choo (top) and a colorized version of In The Mood (lower) are both from that film.  “Chattanooga Choo-Choo” features a lot more than just the band, with performances by the Nicholas Brothers, The Modernaires, Dorothy Dandridge, and skating star Sonja Henie.  The song, which was nominated for a best song Oscar, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1996, and was awarded the first Gold Record for sales of 1.2 million.

“In The Mood” was one of the best known tunes of the 1940s and was the biggest hit of Glenn Miller’s career … helping to make him the top bandleader in the world!  By the way, the other movie that featured the Miller Band was called “Orchestra Wives” the following year, in 1942.

Movin’ Wes

by | Aug 11, 2023 | Quartet/Quintet

A wonderfully natural improviser, Wes Montgomery’s octave playing was more like the sound of the jazz frontline saxophone and trumpet, rather than that purely of a guitarist.  He had a double-jointed thumb that enabled him to play up and down strokes effortlessly –– he chose not to use a plastic pick because he felt it got in the way.  As a jazz musician, his personal habits were as unique as his playing in that he didn’t drink or do drugs. In fact, at one point some of his fellow musicians even called him Reverend Montgomery.

The first two videos were recorded in Belgium in 1965.  John Coltrane’s Impressions (top) features Montgomery on guitar, Arthur Harper on bass, Jimmy Lovelace on drums, and Harold Mabern playing piano.

Here’s That Rainy Day (left) features the same group as above … however, Four On Six (below) was recorded in England with Rick Laird on bass, Jackie Dougan playing drums, and Stan Tracey on piano.

The Great Tony Bennett

by | Jul 28, 2023 | Vocal

Tony Bennett, the jazzy singer of the American Song Book, passed away last Friday, July 21st, at the age of 96.  There have been, and will continue to be, countless tributes honoring his decades of greatness … but, it seems to me, his work and his remarkable legacy speak most loudly for themselves.

The Very Classic Carmen

by | Jul 14, 2023 | Vocal

With her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpretation of lyrics, Carmen McRae is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century.  Her heartfelt rendition of Monk’s ‘Round Midnight in 1962 (above) was only a precursor of the greatness to come.  Carmen is joined here by pianist Norman Simmons, bassist Victor Sproles, and drummer Walter Perkins. 

Nearing the end of her career in 1990, she performed one of my personal favorites –– On Green Dolphin Street –– in Tokyo (below left) at the Good Day Club, together with Eric Gunnison (p), Scott Colley (b), and Mark Pulice (d). 

In 1980, during what some say was her “prime” (never figured how anyone can determine that, especially with the great ones), McRae paints some vivid word pictures (below right) with Miss Otis Regrets; she makes you feel like you personally missed a lunch date, but fortunately, we don’t have to miss Carmen’s impassioned performance of the Cole Porter tune.

The Softer Side of Earl Klugh

by | Jul 9, 2023 | Septet/Octet, Smooth Jazz

Generally know for his ability to play beautiful melodies and spin soft solos, Take It From The Top is one of Earl Klug’s more up-tempo arrangements –– swinging quietly and still maintaining his trademark mellow sound.  It was originally recorded for BET on Jazz on The Jazz Channel which launched in 1996 with the emphasis on smooth jazz, and has undergone several metamorphoses since.

Wishful Thinking, recorded in 2018 during a weekend of jazz at the Broadmoor, features Earl on guitar, Al Turner on bass, Tom Braxton playing sax, David Lee at the keyboards, and Ron Otis on drums.

Since You’re Gone adds the amazing George Benson to an already mellow mix of musicians –– the way smooth jazz ought to be played. Arguably, two of the greatest guitarists of the modern era in a rare appearance together.

Chelsea Bridge – Joe Henderson & Kenny Drew

by | Jun 30, 2023 | Quartet/Quintet

Chelsea Bridge is yet another jazz standard written by the wonderfully prolific Billy Strayhorn.  The tune was originally recorded by Duke Ellington in 1941 –– fast forward to 1968 and the Molde Jazz Festival in Norway, and an impressionistic interpretation of the impressionistic song by Joe Henderson and the Kenny Drew Trio.  Sometimes soft, sometimes swinging, this most creative arrangement features Joe on tenor, Kenny Drew at the piano, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (NHOP) on bass, and Albert “Tootie” Heath playing drums.

Pop Music’s Favorite Jazz Pianist

by | Jun 25, 2023 | Quartet/Quintet, Smooth Jazz, Video

After recording more than 80 albums, and collecting 3 Grammy awards, plus 5 Gold Records, Ramsey Lewis remained a major figure in contemporary jazz until his death just last year at age 87.

While his award-winning 1965 recording of “The In Crowd” established him on the pop charts, his Sun Goddess album remains one of his most sought after by pop music and jazz fans alike.  Both of these selections are live performances of tunes from that album –– beginning with the video of Stevie Wonder’s Living for the City (topmost).

This is Sun Goddess, the title song from the album.  It features Ramsey on piano, Henry Johnson playing guitar, Chuck Webb on bass, Steve Cobb on drums and Mike Logan at the keyboards.