3 Shades of Blue

by | Mar 29, 2024 | Audio, Stuff

3 Shades of Blue

by Dion Graham, Nar. | Book - Print and Audio

“3 Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and the Lost Empire of Cool” is a superb book by renowned biographer James Kaplan. It chronicles the story of how jazz arrived at the pinnacle of American culture in 1959 … following the sometimes difficult paths of three legendary artists––Davis, Coltrane, and Evans––who came together to create the most iconic jazz album of all time, Kind of Blue.  It’s a book about music, business, the towns that gave jazz a place to call home, and the challenges faced during the journeys of three musical giants as they climbed to the mountaintop of 1959 and beyond.

Above is an excerpt from the “3 Shades of Blue” audio book. Below are a pair of tunes in their entirety, So What and All Blues, from the historic Kind of Blue Album … featuring Miles Davis (t), Cannonball Adderley (as), Paul Chambers (b), Jimmy Cobb (d), John Coltrane (ts), and Bill Evans (p) alternating with Wynton Kelly (p).

So What

by Miles Davis | Kind of Blue

All Blues

by Miles Davis | Kind of Blue

Another Auld Lang Syne

by | Dec 30, 2022 | Audio, Holiday, Video, Vocal

Since our first posts back in 2017, Mark Of Jazz has treated entrance into the New Year nostalgically, even reverently.   With the current state of the world so uncertain and more than a little hectic, I thought we could all use a few gentler moments to ring in 2023.

In the video, Diana Krall quietly wonders What Are You Doing New Years Eve … while you can close your eyes and see the snowy evening and crackling fire as Ray Charles tries to make the case for Betty Carter to stick around because, Baby It’s Cold Outside. 

Baby It's Cold Outside

by Ray Charles & Betty Carter | Ray Charles and Betty Carter

Finally I have brought my Days Of Auld Lang Syne podcast forward from our Jazz Scene Podcast page. Auld Lang Syne is a song we all know and nearly always sing to say goodbye to the old year and welcome in the new … but what do those words mean?  It’s a jazzy adventure that answers questions about the tune that has played with people’s heads for generations.  Speaking of generations, we even have a nostalgic visit with Fay Wray … the lady who monkeyed around with that big ape in the ORIGINAL 1933 classic King Kong!

Here’s wishing you a HAPPY, HEALTHY and PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR … and hoping that you thoroughly enjoy our little MOJ celebration!

Days Of Auld Lang Syne

by Fred Masey | Jazz Scene Podcast

We Need A Little Christmas

by | Dec 23, 2022 | Big Band, Vocal, Vocal Group

‘Tis the season to be snowy!  New York Voices is the Grammy Award winning vocal ensemble renowned for their excellence in jazz and the art of group singing. Like the great groups that came before, such as Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Singers Unlimited, Manhattan Transfer and, of course, The Four Freshmen, they have learned from the best and taken their musical form to new levels.  I couldn’t resist adding some visuals to their marvelous rendition of the Sammy Cahn – Jule Styne tune, Let It Snow … written in July 1945!

Marshmallow World may not be jazz, but it is definitely Christmas … and these two characters are definitely Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra (in a 1967 TV special).

Finally, I have brought The Christmas Show forward from our Jazz Scene Podcast page.  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

Joe Williams and Count Basie Together

by | Feb 11, 2022 | Big Band, Vocal

On March 20, 1981 the great Joe Williams joined the Count Basie Orchestra for a star-studded concert in New York at Carnegie Hall, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Basie’s illustrious career.  Also on board were Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett and George Benson.  The concert later became a television special and eventually a performance DVD … Going To Chicago Blues is one of three songs Joe contributed to the performance that evening.  Posting the audio cut of Smack Dab In The Middle from his album The Greatest – Count Basie Plays, Joe Williams Sings Standards, was irresistible.  I double dog dare you to keep your feet still!

Smack Dab In The Middle

by Joe Williams & Count Basie | The Greatest

Houston: A Person Worth Listening To

by | Jan 23, 2022 | Sextet

Silk and cement … that’s the way I would describe Houston Person’s tenor voice.  After more than half-a-century, he can still touch you or growl at you during the same musical passage and I’ve always liked what he had to say.  In 2017 Houston appeared in Spain at the San Javier International Jazz Festival with his sextet, Jim Rotondi (t), Dena DeRose (p), D.J. Foster (b) Marc Miralta (dr).  The two videos are from that performance:  The topmost cooks comfortably with the popular 1966 tune Sunny, while the video below it is a wonderfully soulful treatment of the familiar standard Since I Fell For You.  Finally, Person treats our ears and our hearts to the wonderfully gentle But Beautiful, audio from his album The Art And Soul Of Houston Person.

But Beautiful

by Houston Person | The Art And Soul Of Houston Person

Dreams Of Christmas

by | Dec 24, 2021 | Holiday

Arguably, the greatest Christmas movie ever made is Irving Berlin’s star-studded White Christmas.  The topmost video is the grand finale from that motion picture, guaranteed to catapult you into the Christmas spirit … in case you’re not already there.  Below that are performances by young Joey Alexander and The Swingle Singers in a medley from one of their two spirit-inspiring Christmas albums.  Finally I have brought The Christmas Show forward from our Jazz Scene Podcast page.  May you enjoy every minute of this musical Christmas card and have the Merriest of all Christmases with the ones you love!

Joey Alexander was already an accomplished piano genius at the tender age of 14 in this performance of My Favorite Things.  Clearly, jazz is one of his favorite things … and his music is one of mine! 

The Incredible Swingle Singers take a step back from their usual jazz interpretations of classical music to perform a Christmas Medley in a more traditional fashion.

The Christmas Show

by Fred Masey | Jazz Scene Podcast

Stan Kenton’s West Side Story

by | Mar 17, 2021 | Big Band, Soundtrack

In 1961 The Stan Kenton Orchestra recorded a spectacular jazz album of music from West Side Story that rivaled even the soundtrack of the movie and the Broadway play.  Kenton West Side Story was one of the first ‘mellophonium‘ albums, featuring the newly-developed trumpet/French horn hybrid instrument and won Stan his first Grammy Award in 1962 for Best sound track LP and Best large ensemble jazz LP. Here are three songs from that album:

Kenton’s beautifully mellow rendition of Maria is music from the album itself.  Prologue [on the left] and Cool [on the right] are videos recorded during a live 1961 performance of the album material.

Maria

by Stan Kenton | Kenton's West Side Story

Opus de Jazz – Frank Wess & Milt Jackson

by | Oct 17, 2020 | Quartet/Quintet

At the impressionable age of fourteen, Opus de Jazz was the first jazz album I ever bought.  While the other kids were rocking to Buddy Holly, The Del Vikings and The Platters, I was getting hooked on the likes of Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck and Count Basie!  It wasn’t until I became a disc jockey (Back when we actually played those round things made of vinyl) that I developed a nodding acquaintance with Rock music … but my love affair with jazz has only intensified to this day.

Opus de Funk and Opus And Interlude were recorded at a Savoy Records session in New York, October 1955 and were released on the album Opus de Jazz (subtitled A Hi-Fi Recording for Flute, Vibes, Piano, Bass, Drums) along with two other songs in 1956.  All featured Frank Wess on flute (tenor sax on one tune), Milt Jackson on vibes, Kenny Clarke playing drums, Hank Jones at the piano and Eddie Jones on bass.

Opus de Funk

by Frank Wess & Milt Jackson | Opus de Jazz

Opus And Interlude

by Frank Wess & Milt Jackson | Opus de Jazz

Andre Previn & His Friends

by | Aug 21, 2020 | Audio, Trio

Andre Previn actually started out playing jazz but ultimately became primarily known for his classical piano, conducting, composing and arranging in other genres, including Hollywood films (He scored more than 50 during his career).  So, when someone says “Wow, he plays jazz too!” … I say “Wow, he plays classical too!”  On Black & Blue Previn teams up with his friends Shelly Manne and Leroy Vinegar, while A Toujours hands the bass over to Red Mitchell.  Through the years, with these trios, he recorded an entire jazz series of show tunes, piano standards and works of legendary composers. On Ellington’s Cotton Tail Andre is joined by Joe Pass and Ray Brown for some masterful syncopation!

Black and Blue

by Andre Previn | Andre Previn Plays Fats Waller

Cotton Tail

by Andre Previn | After Hours

A Toujours

by Andre Previn | Gigi

Here’s To The People / I’m An Old Cowhand – Sonny Rollins

by | Jul 11, 2020 | Quartet/Quintet, Trio

For nearly 70 years, Sonny Rollins has been one of the most influential saxophonists in jazz. Like Miles Davis, he has experimented with many different sounds and evolved through several stylistic periods … but I prefer his more straight ahead stuff the most, as exemplified here.

Here’s To The People is an original tune, recorded live in 1992 at the Philharmonic Hall in Munich, Germany. Sonny’s sextet includes Clifton Anderson on trombone, Mark Soskin at the piano, Jerome Harris on electric guitar, the great Bob Cranshaw on electric bass, and Yoron Israel playing drums. If you like a driving tenor sax, this one’s for you!

I’m An Old Cowhand incorporates Rollins and a couple of the most innovative collaborators in jazz, with a highly creative effort that will take you back to the cowboy movies of your kidhood. Listen for Shelly Manne on drums and Ray Brown on bass escorting you across musical lines to the days of Bob Steele, Lash LaRue and Johnny Mack Brown!

I'm An Old Cowhand

by Sonny Rollins | Way Out West