Symphony In Black – Duke Ellington

by | Apr 5, 2024 | Big Band, Video

In September 1935, Paramount Pictures released a nine-minute movie that was particularly remarkable for the times … Symphony In Black: A Rhapsody of Negro Life.  It was one of the earliest cinematic explorations of African-American culture made for a mass audience.  It features Duke Ellington and his orchestra performing ‘The Duke’s’ first extended composition, “A Rhapsody of Negro Life”.   Just as noteworthy, it stars Billie Holiday in her first filmed performance.

The film represents a landmark in musical, cultural, and entertainment history and is a member of the first generation of non-classically arranged orchestral scores.   Perhaps most significantly, Symphony In Black is one of the first films written by an African-American, describing African-American life, to achieve wide distribution.

The Hot Sardines

by | Feb 23, 2024 | Septet/Octet, Vocal

The Hot Sardines is not a typical name for a serious jazz group so, even though they’ve been around since 2007, I’ve overlooked them until recently when a friend strongly suggested I check them out. My mistake. A bit glitzy, and more than a little offbeat, their main musical mission is to make old sounds new again … and whether recording on a moving New York City subway or adding a tap dancer to their rhythm section, they’re succeeding.

There have been several permutations of The Sardines, with band members too numerous to mention here, but their music remains timeless and their performances always a feast for your soul as well as your senses.  Take the topmost video rendition of Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen –– the group’s official video –– or the bottom-most video of After You’ve Gone as examples: refreshing and energetic in “let your hair down” settings, bound to bring together people with a common love for just plain good music!

With a hint of nostalgia and a touch of New Orleans jazz in their sound, The Hot Sardines add their own flavor to Duke Ellington’s 1936, Caravan … recorded at WFUV (Fordham Univ).

The sound is infectious, the tune is After You’ve Gone, recorded at The Shanghai Mermaid in Brooklyn, New York. It features Elizabeth Bougerol with vocals and Evan Palazzo on piano.

The Irresistible Peggy Lee – Pt. 2

by | Feb 16, 2024 | Big Band, Vocal

(Upper left) is an early Peggy Lee, in 1943 with the Benny Goodman Orchestra offering a classic rendition of Why Don’t You Do Right? She joined the Goodman band in August 1941 and made her first recording, singing “Elmer’s Tune.”  Peggy stayed with Benny for two years, having replaced Helen Forrest … she left in ’43 to become a housewife and mother, but fate and her talent told her the best was yet to come. (Upper right) finds Peggy Lee on the Frank Sinatra Show in 1957, singing a duet with Frank … Nice Work If You Can Get It. See if you notice a little ‘spark’ between them, just a touch beyond mere performance.

(Below) Peggy’s eventual trademark –– the original 1958 version of –– Fever.  I took the liberty of adding some video from several of her incarnations as a legendary performer … singer, songwriter, actress, and composer.

The Irresistible Peggy Lee – PT. 1

by | Feb 11, 2024 | Vocal

Born Norma Deloris Engstrom, Peggy Lee recorded over 1,100 masters and composed over 270 songs during her career, which spanned seven decades as a jazz and pop singer, songwriter, composer, and actress.  Once they’ve heard it, her gentle yet compelling voice and inimitable style, will forever be instantly recognizable to any music fan.

(Upper left) Peggy flexes her womanly muscles with I’m A Woman on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1962.  In 1973 (Upper right) she’s on a man-hunt with I’m Gonna Go Fishin’.  Finally (Below), she demonstrates a rather blasé attitude toward life’s rollercoaster in a captivating 1969 performance of Is That All There Is?

Dancin’, Drummin’, & Swingin’

by | Jan 19, 2024 | Solo/Duo, Stuff, Vocal

Combine four of the top drummers in jazz: Louis Bellson, Philly Jo Jones, Shelly Manne, and Irv Cottler –– with the flying feet of the multi-talented Caterina Valente –– and you have the formula for a truly unique performance on 1964’s popular Hollywood Palace television show (top).  Then (bottom), Caterina and Ella Fitzgerald are joined by (believe it or not) Perry Como, in a spirited scat version of Al Jolson’s 1920’s swinging hit Avalon.  Vintage television!

One Part Chivas, One Part Cement

by | Jan 12, 2024 | Quartet/Quintet, Vocal

Roy Hargrove was known as one of the premier players in jazz for the past quarter-century.  As an incisive trumpeter, doubling on flugelhorn, Roy was discovered by Wynton Marsalis in the 1980s.  He embodied the brightest promise of his jazz generation, both as a young steward of the hard bop tradition and a savvy bridge to both hip-hop and R&B.  His assertive sound embodied a tone that could evoke either burnished steel or silk and satin.  Here we have both.

The topmost video I’m Not So Sure, recorded in 2007 at the New Morning in Paris, features Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Justin Robinson on alto sax, Gerald Clayton playing piano, Danton Boller at the bass, and Montez Coleman on drums.  It’s funky beat is guaranteed to treat your feet!  Below that to the left, Top of My Head moves all your parts with some straight ahead bop and features Roy adding a bit of vocal.  The performance was for a public radio gig … and along with Hargrove on trumpet and Robinson on alto, Tadataka Unno played piano, Ameen Saleem played bass, and Quincy Phillips was at the drums.  Finally, at the lower right, silk and satin are served well as flugelhorn replaces trumpet and Chivas replaces cement in the very mellow What a Wonderful World, recorded by the quartet in 1999.  Roy Hargrove takes up the flugel, Mulgrew Miller is on piano, Pierre Boussaguet plays bass, and Alvin Queen is at the drums.

The Joy of Samara

by | Jan 5, 2024 | Video, Vocal

I have only two words for you … Samara Joy.  Samara is a marvelous young jazz singer from a musical family in the Bronx New York, who has an incredibly bright future and might even out-Ella Ella one of these days!  Samara’s album “Linger Awhile,” was released in September 2022, winning the award for Best Jazz Vocal Album, and she also won Best New Artist at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

The first tune (top) is the Billy Strayhorn tune Lush life … one of my perennial favorites.  Next (middle left) listen to her impeccable phrasing on Can’t Get Out of This Mood, followed by Lady Be Good (middle right) as she channels Ella and adds a few ear-popping twists of her own.  Finally Samara’s poignant video of Guess Who I Saw Today (bottom), a song originally composed for the Broadway musical revue New Faces of 1952.  She was a new face on the jazz scene in 2021, now at the tender age of 24, if she stays on the straight-and-narrow this chanteuse is going places!  Currently, she is touring the globe.

Days Of Auld Lang Syne

by | Jan 1, 2024 | Holiday

Again, please forgive the long absence of new posts on our website.  Other obligations have caused me to temporarily divert my time and resources to a different endeavor, but I intend to resume regular music posts in the spring, with occasional random postings before that whenever possible. Meanwhile, continuing in the spirit of the season, and with gratitude for your continuing interest in the Mark Of Jazz, I have brought Days of Auld Lang Syne  forward from our Jazz Scene Podcast page … my way of wishing you a healthy and HAPPY NEW YEAR!  May 2024 bring you all the peace, joy, and success you could wish for.

Days Of Auld Lang Syne

by Fred Masey | Jazz Scene Podcast #018

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