The Peter Beets trio performs Waltz in C#m with the world famous Residentie Orkest The Hague (The Hague Philharmonic) at Paard (The Hague). Jazz improvisations on Chopin music were arranged for trio and symphony orchestra by Rob Horsting and Marijn van Prooijen. The trio consists of Peter on piano, Marius Beets playing double bass and Gijs Dijkhuizen on drums.
The first video is one of only two existing pieces of footage of Charlie Parker in performance. This session was recorded in October 1950 in an effort to add video to some previously recorded audio tracks. Bird was smiling because Hawkins, Rich and company were trying to mime their own improvised solos and it wasn’t working out so well. Bird had a good time with it until he got into “trouble” with the producer for laughing at Hawkins. I believe the tune they are attempting to re-dress is called Celebrity.
The second video is the other piece of performance footage and is entitled Hot House. It was recorded in 1951 and ‘co-features’ Dizzy Gillespie in the days before his trumpet developed its trade mark distinctive ‘curve’. The two audio selections, Lover Man and They Can’t Take That Away From Me are simply more ‘Bird’ at his best, including a cut from his album with strings.
In this session Bird was, of course, on alto, Coleman Hawkins on tenor, Hank Jones played piano, the great Ray Brown played bass, and you’re sure to recognize Buddy Rich on drums.
When Parker got together with Dizzy Gillespie to jam, you knew the music had to be hot, so the tune was bound to be a few degrees above normal, too! If you look closely toward the end, you’ll spot Dick Hyman at the piano.
Unsquare Dance is a song written by Dave Brubeck in 7/4 time … a most unusual time signature that seems to be as much fun to play as it is to hear! Brubeck recorded the video for PBS broadcast in 2001, live with the London Symphony Orchestra. His son Chris appears at the piano as well. Below that is the original 1961 recording of Unsquare Dance by Dave and his quartet. If you listen closely at the end, drummer Joe Morello sighs relief from the intensity of the tune with a quiet laugh and a “Yaaa!”
To open we have three musical icons, Wynton Marsalis and Sarah Vaughn teaming up to present the classic September Song. The third legendary artist is John Williams conducting the Boston Pops Orchestra … or is that four musical icons?
Next Wynton is in Marciac France with his Septet in another live performance. 2:19 Blues was recorded in 2015 and features Marsalis doubling on trumpet and handling vocals … together with Walter Blanding and Victor Goines playing saxophones, Sam Chess on trombone, Dan Nimmer at the piano, Carlos Henriquez with his bass, and Jason Marsalis on drums. It’s down and dirty blues at its best!
Thad Jones’ composition Three and One was recorded by The Czech National Symphony Orchestra as part of its “Trumpet Summit” program, with the St. Blaise’s Bigband. Featured soloists were Bobby Shew, Randy Brecker and Jan Hasenöhrl, as brass and reeds shook the usually classical foundations of the historic Municipal House in Prague. You might think of them as “The Three Tenors” of jazz … with trumpets!
I’ll Remember April was recorded in 2005 at the Marciac Jazz Festival in France. Phil Woods and his alto are joined by Ben Aronov (piano) Reginald Johnson (bass) Doug Sides (drums) and the lush strings of The Orchestre du Conservatoire National Regional de Toulouse.
Señor Blues is a Horace Silver composition that has become something of a jazz standard. This recording is from the Legends Of Jazz television series hosted by Ramsey Lewis on PBS in 2006. This arrangement adds the distinctive sound of David Sanborn to the already solid Phil Woods Quartet.
It’s classic upon classic! First, Kenny G. takes a walk down memory lane with scenes from classic Christmas movies and his lush arrangement of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas. Then a classic clip from the 1967 Bing Crosby television special featuring a duet of White Christmas with Frank Sinatra, as the magic of the holiday season unfolds.
After that, the only thing left to say is MERRY CHRISTMAS! I wish you and yours Christmas rainbows all through the new year!
Harlem Nocturne was written in 1939 by Earle Hagen and Dick Rogers for the Ray Noble Orchestra, of which they were members at the time. It quickly became a jazz standard and has since been recorded by nearly 100 artists! Here are just 5 different versions, including the very first recording of the tune on Columbia Records by Ray Noble. Then there was a recording by The Viscounts that ran up the Billboard charts, not once but twice … in 1959 and again in1966. Lyrics were eventually added and in 1963 Mel Torme painted a lonely picture of nighttime in New York. While many of the others smack of a certain “stripperesque” quality, the fourth arrangement imparts a certain elegance we’ve learned to expect from Duke Ellington. Finally, a treatment of Harlem Nocturne by Illinois Jacquet that makes all the hairs on the back of my neck stand at full attention!
Natalie Cole is one of only a handful of performers whose apple didn’t fall very far from the tree. In the top video she proves it by singing a duet with Nat that was cleverly constructed in 1991, by mixing his 1951 recording with Natalie’s live performance. It’s Unforgettable … and it really is! Like her dad, she was probably best known for her work in ‘pop’ music but, oh, she could swing!
As for Nat ‘King’ Cole, many who only knew him as a singer didn’t realize that he was one helluva piano player. In fact, some might say he was a great piano player who just so happened to know how to sing. In the bottom video, sample both the voice and fingers of ‘The Velvet Rasp’ himself.
Clifford Brown, also known as “Brownie”, is often regarded as the finest jazz trumpet player to ever perform on the American music scene. Certainly he is the benchmark against whom all others are judged. Brownie died tragically at the age of 25 in a car accident on a rainy night in Pennsylvania, leaving behind a recorded legacy that spans a mere four years. He profoundly influenced later jazz trumpeters including Booker Little, Freddie Hubbard, and the great Lee Morgan. He was also a composer of note, with two of his compositions, “Joy Spring” and “Daahoud” becoming jazz standards.
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