My Explanation and Interpretation of Free Jazz
Free jazz is a subgenre of jazz music that was made popular in the 1950’s and 60’s by jazz musicians like Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, Cecil Taylor, and John Coltrane. It completely abandones the uses of set chord changes and written sheet musc and relies heavily on the musician’s ability to improvise and take musical ideas in new and different directions. Aurally, free jazz may sound very atonal and dissonant, and at times polytonal or polyrhythmic that is a truly creative art form which can be interoperated in many different ways. Some feel that, in a way, free jazz music’s interpretation of a literary technique known as stream of consciousness, which shares many of the same characteristics and follows the same basic principle of thought and creativity.
As a big fan of free jazz myself, I believe that the best way to experience it is to go see it live and more than once. One of the most exciting elements of listening to free jazz is never hearing something played the same way twice. Ornette Coleman, one of the greatest jazz saxophone players and pioneers of free jazz, once stated that free “jazz is the only music in which the same note can be played night after night but differently each time.” Another aspect that attracts many people to free jazz is its certain unpredictability and escape from mainstream music. However, the same reasons that attract many people to the music turn others off. Due to its absence of melodic structure, free jazz is disliked by many music lovers, especially by those who are not musicians themselves. Despite many negative responses, free jazz has maintained large number of loyal followers over the years. Its presence exists primarily in large cities, such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The Concert
On Wednesday, March 24, 2008, the Branch/Riordan Duo gave a small, intimate performance in The Brooks Center’s recital room 115. This young and exceptionally talented “free-jazz” duo is based out of Chicago, where they are a staple on the city’s jazz scene. The duo also manages to do a fair amount of touring and have played in most major cities and big college towns across the country. While touring much of the southeast this past winter, the Branch/Riordan Duo brought a very unfamiliar sound to Clemson University, known as free jazz. They received a wide variety of responses from the students and professors in attendance. As an active jazz musician and music student, at Clemson, I had been anticipating their visit since January, when it was booked. That afternoon, performers Jamie Branch, on trumpet, and Marc Riordan, on drum set/percussion, electrified the room with their interpretations of free jazz that made a strong impression on my own musical development.
Jamie Branch grew up in a Chicago Suburb where she found her passion for music at a very early age. Brach moved to Boston in 2001 following high school graduation to attend the prestigious New England Conservatory. It was at this time the trumpeter met fellow music student and jazz studies major, Marc Riordan, a drummer and native to the Boston area. While at NEC, the two surrounded themselves in jazz and studied with Joe Maniere, a world renowned professor and pioneer of microtonal music. They both openly credit Maniere as being their greatest influence, particularly in how he completely transformed their understanding and approach to music. Branch and Riordan continued to play together in various musical settings around Boston before fully engulfing themselves in free jazz. After the pair graduated from NEC in 2005, they left Boston and made the move to Chicago, due to its rich and deeply rooted music scene.
I couldn’t help but notice that the two musicians began to look a little confused and uncomfortable as the students came pouring in. The atmosphere of the room probably couldn’t have been more contradicting to the smoky jazz clubs and bohemian poetry lounges the duo was clearly used to playing in. Despite the strange time and location of the performance, and with an audience of diligent note-takers, the duo became very intense and focused once they started playing. Jamie’s horn sounded the first few notes, which I believe was a diminished arpeggio that was quickly followed by a bluesy mixolydian phrase in a totally different key, creating a very unconventional sound. The drummer soon began to tap on strange wooden blocks placed on the head of his snare drum. As the music intensified, it became evident that this was one of the fastest and most articulate drummers I had ever seen. Many people would think a trumpet only accompanied by drums would sound thin and weak, but somehow these two made it work. The notes coming out of the trumpet at times were hard to follow, but always resolved well. Branch played long and intricate phrases and made her instrument sound larger than life. As for the rest of the set, it followed no planned format. The key changed at least every two measures, there was no sheet music in front of them, and it was the most raw and creative sound I have ever heard in my life.
The one element of the performance that impressed me most was Branch’s use of microtones and microtonal scales. Microtonal music, according to Edward Burns, is “all music which contains intervals smaller than the conventional contemporary western semitone. The idea here is that the music contains microtones, i.e., very small intervals” (Intervals, Scales, and Tuning - In the Psychology of Music). This was the first performance where I was able recognized with use of microtones, and possibly the first time my ears were exposed to it, other than on a recording.
The Branch/Riordan Duo’s performance affected me on both musical and personal levels. My personal experience, which I set from the more technical and artistic experience, centered on my awe of their musical abilities. My focus was immediately drawn to their young ages in comparison to their advanced musical abilities, and then in comparison to my own. Beforehand, I learned that both performers were just barely older than me, which was very humbling. As they began to play, I quickly came to the realization that, while their level of musicianship was very conceivable to me, their skill level was at an overwhelming distance from my own. Their comfort and ease with the highly complex and improvised music was similar to what I would expect from a jazz musician with over 30 years of experience. As their set concluded, my first reaction was to go back to my apartment and start re-writing some of my own musical goals. During this performance it became clear to me that if I want to reach their level I have to amplify my intensity toward studying my instrument.
The reaction of the audience was exactly what I expected, what the performers expected, and probably what Monty expected, which stone cold silence, confusion, and an urgency to leave. However, this gave me the opportunity to stick around and pick the musicians’ brains. They couldn’t have been more nice and helpful. We sat around and talked for about an hour while I extracted a lot of useful information from them. The Branch/Riordan Duo was one of the best small performances I have ever attended and the experience forced me to raise the bar in my own musical journey.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
CU Jazz Ensemble
On Friday, February 29, 2008, I performed at the Brooks Center with the Clemson University Jazz Ensemble for the annual “Jungaleers” Reunion Concert. This has been my first semester serving as the guitar player for the Jazz Ensemble so I was understandably a little nervous for my first Brooks Center concert with them. The ensemble is fairly advanced, and harbors some of the best musical talent that the Clemson student body has to offer. Under the direction of Dr. Brian Sproul, our large repertoire covers a wide variety of jazz styles and big band music, ranging from swing to contemporary. Our 20 piece band consists of five saxophones, five trombones, five trumpets, and a rhythm section that includes piano, bass, drum set, auxiliary percussion, and guitar. Recently, we have also added a female vocalist who sings on a few select songs. My job, as the guitarist, is to add depth to the rhythm section by playing rhythm guitar and take solos when the piece calls for one. I look at our rhythm section as the backbone of the band, mostly due to our ability to lay down a solid foundation for the other instruments to layer on top of. The rhythm section, in my opinion, is the most important part of any big band and was certainly a large factor in the success of the night’s performance.
As a guitar player, my role is to be a part of the rhythm section. In a big band setting, the guitar generally takes a backseat position and is often shut out by the piano and saxophone section. Many big band arrangers don’t even write parts for guitar since it shares the same tonic range as the piano. The two instruments playing simultaneously in a big band can often lead to harmonic disaster. The best big band guitarists play very conservatively, making proactive effort to not step on anyone else’s feet. I feel that jazz guitar legend Freddie Green put it best by stating, “Rhythm guitar is like vanilla extract in cake. You can't taste it when it's there, but you know when it's left out.” Since hearing that quote a few months ago for the first time, I regularly say it myself before big band rehearsals and late night jam sessions.
We opened the evening with the George Gershwin standard, Summertime. The arrangement we perform, from Bill Potts, is played very fast compared to the original recorded version most people are familiar with. This hard swinging tune was followed by Black Orpheus, a Latin-infused bossa that always wins over the crowd. After playing a few more modern arrangements, we ended the first set with Charlie Mingus’ Moanin’, which features a sultry baritone sax solo for the introduction and during the solos section.
The second set was a completely new experience for most of us because we were joined by the “Jungaleers.” The Jungaleers are a musical group of Clemson Alumni who graduated from the university when big band music was actually considered “popular.” The older musicians make the trip to Clemson once a year, usually in decreasing numbers, specifically to play in this concert. Despite their age, the Jungaleers are a fun group of guys who make generous donations several times a year to keep Clemson’s music program afloat. It is very gratifying to share the stage with them knowing it this is the only thing these ask for in return for their generosity.
For the second set, with the geriatric Jungaleers joining use on stage, we played a very traditional, swing style set. We hit all the popular standards that made big band music famous. My personal favorite was Moonlight in Vermont, a song written by John Blackburn that has been recorded by artists such as Elle Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, Nat King Cole, and Ray Charles. The arrangement we play of it is very slow and stays true to its original version. We then followed that with a few blues standards in F, Bb, and E which gave a chance for a lot of us to take solos. One of the old guys later got up to say a few things about the Clemson music program.
For the encore, which concluded the evening, we played an exciting arrangement of the cliché, but highly requested, In the Mood, a song written and performed by the Glenn Miller Orchestra. This famous standard earned us a standing ovation from the entire audience which was more than appreciated. The night was and overall success and everyone onstage, as well as in the audience, seemed to enjoy themselves.
As a guitar player, my role is to be a part of the rhythm section. In a big band setting, the guitar generally takes a backseat position and is often shut out by the piano and saxophone section. Many big band arrangers don’t even write parts for guitar since it shares the same tonic range as the piano. The two instruments playing simultaneously in a big band can often lead to harmonic disaster. The best big band guitarists play very conservatively, making proactive effort to not step on anyone else’s feet. I feel that jazz guitar legend Freddie Green put it best by stating, “Rhythm guitar is like vanilla extract in cake. You can't taste it when it's there, but you know when it's left out.” Since hearing that quote a few months ago for the first time, I regularly say it myself before big band rehearsals and late night jam sessions.
We opened the evening with the George Gershwin standard, Summertime. The arrangement we perform, from Bill Potts, is played very fast compared to the original recorded version most people are familiar with. This hard swinging tune was followed by Black Orpheus, a Latin-infused bossa that always wins over the crowd. After playing a few more modern arrangements, we ended the first set with Charlie Mingus’ Moanin’, which features a sultry baritone sax solo for the introduction and during the solos section.
The second set was a completely new experience for most of us because we were joined by the “Jungaleers.” The Jungaleers are a musical group of Clemson Alumni who graduated from the university when big band music was actually considered “popular.” The older musicians make the trip to Clemson once a year, usually in decreasing numbers, specifically to play in this concert. Despite their age, the Jungaleers are a fun group of guys who make generous donations several times a year to keep Clemson’s music program afloat. It is very gratifying to share the stage with them knowing it this is the only thing these ask for in return for their generosity.
For the second set, with the geriatric Jungaleers joining use on stage, we played a very traditional, swing style set. We hit all the popular standards that made big band music famous. My personal favorite was Moonlight in Vermont, a song written by John Blackburn that has been recorded by artists such as Elle Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, Nat King Cole, and Ray Charles. The arrangement we play of it is very slow and stays true to its original version. We then followed that with a few blues standards in F, Bb, and E which gave a chance for a lot of us to take solos. One of the old guys later got up to say a few things about the Clemson music program.
For the encore, which concluded the evening, we played an exciting arrangement of the cliché, but highly requested, In the Mood, a song written and performed by the Glenn Miller Orchestra. This famous standard earned us a standing ovation from the entire audience which was more than appreciated. The night was and overall success and everyone onstage, as well as in the audience, seemed to enjoy themselves.
My Gear
Heritage Sweet 16 (2006)
This is my main guitar, a beautifully crafted Heritage archtop with solid carved back and sides. For strings, I use flatwound D'Addario Chromes, guages .012-.052. with a wound .024 G. I use for mainly for jazz and fusion but its seen its share of blues/rock gigs. To fight feedback, I put custom made Doug's Plugs in the f-holes (www.dougsplugs.com/). I either run this guitar direct through my tube amp or with a subtle combinition of effects (see below).
Fender American Std. Stratocaster (1995)
This was my first "real" guitar that my parents have me for Christmas when I was 12. It's a timeless classic that I use in various ensemble, trio, and solo situations. I replaced the original stock pickups with a set of Suhr Fletcher-Landau pickups (http://www.suhrguitars.com/news2.aspx?story=FL). I have this guitar set up with D'Addario EXL116 roundwound strings, gauges .011-.052.
Effects Pedals:
Ibanez TS9
ProCo Rat 2
Boss Super Chorus
Boss Digital Delay
Boss Equalizer
Boss Loop Station
Ernie Ball Volume Pedal
Fender Pedal Tuner
Placed on an SKB PS-45 Power conditioning Stereo Pedalboard, I use various combinations of these effects. The TS9 is still an old favorite that gives me that classic tube overdrive sound. In certain jazz and fusion situations, I suppliment the TS9 with the Rat 2 distortion pedal. This gives me the signature disortion sound of John Scofield, Bill Frisell, and Kurt Rosenwinkel. Its a very versitle disortion pedal that requires constant tweaking. I add a little delay and chorus to my sound with the respective Boss pedals. As for the Loop Station, I still haven't completely figured out how to use the f-ing thing....
Fender Deluxe Reverb - 65 Reissue (2007)
I recently bought this amp to replace my Tech 21 Trademark 60. It has a beautiful clean sound on the first change and amazing reverb and vibrato on the second. I generally play this amp clean and/or with my effects pedals.
Godin Multiac Duet (2000)
I bought this guitar off one of my guitar teachers, Steve Girardi, a few years back. I play both fingerstyle and with a pick on this guitar, mainly in trio or solo jazz environments. I string it with Savarez 520J nylon strings. This guitar sounds best when plugged straight into a mixer with an XLR cable.
Other Gear:
Taylor 514 Limited Edition Koa-back and sides (1998)
Steinberger Synapse SS-2F Custom (2007)
Mele Tenor Ukulele (2006)
Godin A8 Electric Mandolin (2005)
UltraSound AG-30 30 watt Acoustic Amp (2007)
Pat Metheny's "Have You Heard" Big Band Score Analysis
"Have You Heard"
Composed by Pat Metheny
Arranged by Bon Curnow
as recorded on Letter From Home (Geffen) by the Pat Metheny Group
Original Recording
“Have You Heard” is one of the many compositions written by contemporary jazz guitar prodigy, Pat Metheny. The original recording was released on the Pat Metheny Group’s 1989 studio album, Letter from Home, which combines Brazilian and rock elements in to jazz. “Have You Heard” was first recorded with a sextet, and included various world percussion instruments, many of them over-dubbed in. Besides Metheny’s lightning fast and highly distinguishable guitar playing, the P.M.G. recording of “Have You Heard” features a trumpet solo played by Lyle Mays, along with tenor saxophone, pipes, and marimba. The song employs a strong Latin-rock feel, which should not be abandoned when played by a big band. The melody is written in 7/4 meter, which changes to 4/4 for the solos. Metheny does this to make his composition more unpredictable to the listener.
Big Band Arrangement
“Have You Heard,” was arranged for a big band by Bob Curnow, who transcribed it directly off of the original studio recording before arranging it. The instrumentation for Curnow’s arrangement includes five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, and a rhythm section consisting of piano, guitar, bass, and drums. Clarinets can be substituted for saxophones, and flugelhorns for trumpet. I prefer saxophones and trumpet, but either will work. The melody is slightly re-harmonized from the original, and is written with ¾ and 4/4 meters alternating each measure; the nine bar introduction uses the same meter changes. There are two places in the melody where there is one measure meter change to 5/4 (bars 16 and 51). I will conduct those measures in a 3-2 beat pattern. Curnow also adds in 12-14 bar phrases of 4/4 to help build the melody in certain places (bars 22-35, and 56-70), something not done on the original. There is a long crescendo from measures 78-86. For other specifics, follow my conducting and/or read the suggestion page written by the arranger (I will provide a copy to everyone).
Soloists
A major element to this arrangement is the solo section. Curnow recommends two soloists, each soloing over the 44 measure chorus twice (in 4/4). As Curnow explains, the chorus consists of 44 measures broken down into two twelve bars blues, followed by and eight bar interlude, and then one more twelve bar blues. I do not like this, and instead will use the first twelve bar blues as one chorus, that can be repeated as long as the soloist chooses. Each soloist will play an improvised solo for as many twelve bar choruses as they choose, and I will use the eight bar interlude between soloists, piano can fill during that time. This is done so both experienced and inexperienced improvisers can take a solo. Many young or non-professional jazz players do not have enough jazz vocabulary to improvise for 44 measures. The solo section is a simple C minor blues. A C minor blues scale or C Dorian scale will work for improvising. I will let each soloist run free but watch very closely and interpret what he or she is trying to do. Then I will conduct the rest of the ensemble to what ever the soloist is doing, so that soloist can be accompanied in way that will make their solo sound the best it possibly can. I will use a standard 4/4 pattern to do this. I would like the soloist to cue me with a head nod at the turn-around of the last chorus he or she decides to take (8th measure of 12 bar blues, on the A flat #11), so I can prep the ensemble for the eight bar interlude. I will do this by keeping my left hand raised in the air over the turn-around, and then use my left hand to prep the down beat on the first measure of the eight bar interlude. After the solos are concluded we will go into the eight bar interlude (look for second ending) before the transition from measures 174-181, then returning to the melody (head). Look for a long crescendo that will end at measure 121. Follow the conductor closely from measure 121 to the end (24 bars).
Conducting Issues
The most important step in learning how to play a new jazz standard or arrangement is to listen to the song first, before playing a single note. I will play the original Pat Metheny Group recording before doing anything else.
Other issues and/or problems that may occur will most likely be during the transitions between soloists, and again going back to the melody. I would rehearse those separate areas until they are perfect.
Any problems with the rhythms during melody, I would stop the group and have that section clap it. I may also “mouth” the correct rhythm the next time through.
Clip
A Youtube clip of Metheny plays his original arrangement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApI-zA6suXE
References
Levine, Mark. Sherman Music Co (1995)
The Jazz Theory Book
Labuta, Joseph A. Pearson Prentice Hall (2004, 1982)
Basic Conducting Techniques, Fifth Edition
Methent, Pat-Composer, Curnow, Bob-Arranger. PAT METHENY MUSIC CORP (1989)
Sierra Music Publications (1990)
"Have You Heard" Full Score
Composed by Pat Metheny
Arranged by Bon Curnow
as recorded on Letter From Home (Geffen) by the Pat Metheny Group
Original Recording
“Have You Heard” is one of the many compositions written by contemporary jazz guitar prodigy, Pat Metheny. The original recording was released on the Pat Metheny Group’s 1989 studio album, Letter from Home, which combines Brazilian and rock elements in to jazz. “Have You Heard” was first recorded with a sextet, and included various world percussion instruments, many of them over-dubbed in. Besides Metheny’s lightning fast and highly distinguishable guitar playing, the P.M.G. recording of “Have You Heard” features a trumpet solo played by Lyle Mays, along with tenor saxophone, pipes, and marimba. The song employs a strong Latin-rock feel, which should not be abandoned when played by a big band. The melody is written in 7/4 meter, which changes to 4/4 for the solos. Metheny does this to make his composition more unpredictable to the listener.
Big Band Arrangement
“Have You Heard,” was arranged for a big band by Bob Curnow, who transcribed it directly off of the original studio recording before arranging it. The instrumentation for Curnow’s arrangement includes five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, and a rhythm section consisting of piano, guitar, bass, and drums. Clarinets can be substituted for saxophones, and flugelhorns for trumpet. I prefer saxophones and trumpet, but either will work. The melody is slightly re-harmonized from the original, and is written with ¾ and 4/4 meters alternating each measure; the nine bar introduction uses the same meter changes. There are two places in the melody where there is one measure meter change to 5/4 (bars 16 and 51). I will conduct those measures in a 3-2 beat pattern. Curnow also adds in 12-14 bar phrases of 4/4 to help build the melody in certain places (bars 22-35, and 56-70), something not done on the original. There is a long crescendo from measures 78-86. For other specifics, follow my conducting and/or read the suggestion page written by the arranger (I will provide a copy to everyone).
Soloists
A major element to this arrangement is the solo section. Curnow recommends two soloists, each soloing over the 44 measure chorus twice (in 4/4). As Curnow explains, the chorus consists of 44 measures broken down into two twelve bars blues, followed by and eight bar interlude, and then one more twelve bar blues. I do not like this, and instead will use the first twelve bar blues as one chorus, that can be repeated as long as the soloist chooses. Each soloist will play an improvised solo for as many twelve bar choruses as they choose, and I will use the eight bar interlude between soloists, piano can fill during that time. This is done so both experienced and inexperienced improvisers can take a solo. Many young or non-professional jazz players do not have enough jazz vocabulary to improvise for 44 measures. The solo section is a simple C minor blues. A C minor blues scale or C Dorian scale will work for improvising. I will let each soloist run free but watch very closely and interpret what he or she is trying to do. Then I will conduct the rest of the ensemble to what ever the soloist is doing, so that soloist can be accompanied in way that will make their solo sound the best it possibly can. I will use a standard 4/4 pattern to do this. I would like the soloist to cue me with a head nod at the turn-around of the last chorus he or she decides to take (8th measure of 12 bar blues, on the A flat #11), so I can prep the ensemble for the eight bar interlude. I will do this by keeping my left hand raised in the air over the turn-around, and then use my left hand to prep the down beat on the first measure of the eight bar interlude. After the solos are concluded we will go into the eight bar interlude (look for second ending) before the transition from measures 174-181, then returning to the melody (head). Look for a long crescendo that will end at measure 121. Follow the conductor closely from measure 121 to the end (24 bars).
Conducting Issues
The most important step in learning how to play a new jazz standard or arrangement is to listen to the song first, before playing a single note. I will play the original Pat Metheny Group recording before doing anything else.
Other issues and/or problems that may occur will most likely be during the transitions between soloists, and again going back to the melody. I would rehearse those separate areas until they are perfect.
Any problems with the rhythms during melody, I would stop the group and have that section clap it. I may also “mouth” the correct rhythm the next time through.
Clip
A Youtube clip of Metheny plays his original arrangement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApI-zA6suXE
References
Levine, Mark. Sherman Music Co (1995)
The Jazz Theory Book
Labuta, Joseph A. Pearson Prentice Hall (2004, 1982)
Basic Conducting Techniques, Fifth Edition
Methent, Pat-Composer, Curnow, Bob-Arranger. PAT METHENY MUSIC CORP (1989)
Sierra Music Publications (1990)
"Have You Heard" Full Score
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Jazz Guitar Recordings
Here are some of my favorite jazz guitar albums:
Vignola plays Gerswin - Frank Vignola (2007)
Pat Martino/Live! - Pat Martino (2001)
The Latin Bit - Grant Green (1962)
Within Inside - Steve Girardi (2002)
Time Line - Ralf Towner (2006)
Conciert0 - Jim Hall (1975)
A Sandole Trilogy - Dennis Saldole (1858)
Jazz in Paris , Vol. 59: Django's Blues, Blue Star Session 1947 - Django Reinhardt (2004)
Live in Saluda, NC - Monty Craig Trio (2007)
Vignola plays Gerswin - Frank Vignola (2007)
Pat Martino/Live! - Pat Martino (2001)
The Latin Bit - Grant Green (1962)
Within Inside - Steve Girardi (2002)
Time Line - Ralf Towner (2006)
Conciert0 - Jim Hall (1975)
A Sandole Trilogy - Dennis Saldole (1858)
Jazz in Paris , Vol. 59: Django's Blues, Blue Star Session 1947 - Django Reinhardt (2004)
Live in Saluda, NC - Monty Craig Trio (2007)
Jazz Music in Hollywood
Jazz Music in the Film Industry
by CJ Colandrea
Music and film have been closely related ever since the first motion picture was created in the late 1800’s. Original and recorded music play a major role in the production and delivery of a film. All kinds of music is heard in movies; popular music, classical music, and jazz. It is important for a film composer to have a large musical vocabulary and sense of emotion to write the proper score for a movie. Film composers have an enormous amount of control over the emotional direction of a film. Using music as a storytelling mechanism, composers will often incorporate period music and music of multiple genres in their scores to represent time and the era in which a film takes place.
Jazz first made its way onto the pages of the score for a major hollywood film in 1951, with the adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play, A Street Car Named Desire. Jazz music fit very well into the score, composed by Alex North, mainly because the entire plot takes place in New Orleans, a well known jazz epicenter. New Orleans has harbored some of the most famous jazz musicians of all time, including jazz pioneer Louis Armstrong. A Street Car Named Desire never reached nation wide success, even though it is regarded as the first jazz movie score in history. The first jazz score to ever reach the charts was Elmer Bernstein’s score for Man with the Golden Arm, in 1955. "Until now jazz has been used as a specialty or a culmination of a plot point," Hollywood Reporter critic Jack Moffitt wrote in1955.
Over the next few decades jazz music was widely used for film scores and theme songs, putting many classical composers out of work. Musicians who have heavily studied jazz are generally excellent interpreters of emotion and can replicate period music well using counterpoint techniques. Jazz musicians are known for having large musical vocabularies and being able to translate different styles of music into their playing. One composer, specifically, that fits right into the category is Henry Mancini. Mancini’s first major success was in 1958 for the TV show, Peter Gunn. The Peter Gunn theme song made Mancini a star. It also featured the young, and not yet well known pianist, John Williams, who was merely a session musician at the time who was randomly hired to play on the original. Through this, Williams became a protégé of Mancini, studying jazz piano and composition with him. In years to come, John Williams would go on to become one of the most famous and successful film composers of all time. In many cases, the best film scores are written when the composer and movie director form a relationship. The best known example would be the relationship between Steven Spielberg and John Williams. When both people are tied into the same ideas, the best scores can be written. Good directors are able to tell the composers exactly what he or she needs and the composer must be able to execute it properly.
Two of the most famous movie directors, who are also avid jazz fans, and utilized jazz music in their movies, are Clint Eastwood and Woody Allen. Both Eastwood and Allen have incorporated jazz composers and performers into their movies, featuring real life jazz players in their movies as characters as well as using them for source music. Source music is music in a film that is heard by both the audience, and the characters in the movie. Perfect examples of source music are heard in the movies, Bird, and Sweet and Lowdown. Clint Eastwood’s movie Bird is a biographical story based on the tragic life of jazz great, Charlie Parker. Eastwood uses actual Charlie Parker recordings when the character of Parker is playing music in a scene, as well as using it as background music in other scenes, often combining the two together.
Sweet and Lowdown is written and directed by Woody Allen, who also happens to be a semi-professional jazz clarinetist. The movie’s plot centers around a fictional jazz guitar player named Emit Ray. Allen uses Sean Penn as the character of Ray. For the musical aspect of the movie, Allen hired jazz guitar prodigy Howard Alden to record all of the source music for Emit Ray’s guitar playing. Alden’s talents were also utilized in coaching Penn looking the part of a on screen jazz guitar player. The film Round Midnight, directed by Bertrand Tavernier, is another major motion picture about the life of a fiction jazz musician. However, the main character in Round Midnight, Dale Turner, is played by jazz legend Dexter Gordon. Gordon also plays all of the source music for the film, some prerecorded and some of it right on camera. Most of the music was written by Quincy Jones, who is credited as the films composer. There are many other movies that feature jazz music such as Ray, Mo’ Better Blues, and The Color Purple; however, these three provide the best examples, and are my personal favorites.
Music is an extremely powerful artistic device that affects people on many levels. It can make or break a movie, and is considered to be one of the crucial aspects in delivering the message of a film. The music of a film can either give a movie great success or absolute failure. Many styles and genres are heard in the scores of all of our favorite movies. Jazz dominated the industry from the late 1950’s to 1975, when John Williams’ score for Jaws brought classically written film scores back into focus. Jazz music is one of the greatest original American art forms and will be listened to and studied for many years to come.
References
Davis, Richard. Berklee Press (1999)
“The Art and Business of Writing Music for Movies and TV”
Complete Guide to Film Scoring
Prendergast, Roy M. WW Nortan & Company, Inc. (1992)
“A Neglected Art”
Film Music
Morgan, David. HarperEntertainment (2000)
“Film Composers Talk About the Art, Craft, Blood, Sweat, and Tears of Writing for Cinema” Knowing the Score
by CJ Colandrea
Music and film have been closely related ever since the first motion picture was created in the late 1800’s. Original and recorded music play a major role in the production and delivery of a film. All kinds of music is heard in movies; popular music, classical music, and jazz. It is important for a film composer to have a large musical vocabulary and sense of emotion to write the proper score for a movie. Film composers have an enormous amount of control over the emotional direction of a film. Using music as a storytelling mechanism, composers will often incorporate period music and music of multiple genres in their scores to represent time and the era in which a film takes place.
Jazz first made its way onto the pages of the score for a major hollywood film in 1951, with the adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play, A Street Car Named Desire. Jazz music fit very well into the score, composed by Alex North, mainly because the entire plot takes place in New Orleans, a well known jazz epicenter. New Orleans has harbored some of the most famous jazz musicians of all time, including jazz pioneer Louis Armstrong. A Street Car Named Desire never reached nation wide success, even though it is regarded as the first jazz movie score in history. The first jazz score to ever reach the charts was Elmer Bernstein’s score for Man with the Golden Arm, in 1955. "Until now jazz has been used as a specialty or a culmination of a plot point," Hollywood Reporter critic Jack Moffitt wrote in1955.
Over the next few decades jazz music was widely used for film scores and theme songs, putting many classical composers out of work. Musicians who have heavily studied jazz are generally excellent interpreters of emotion and can replicate period music well using counterpoint techniques. Jazz musicians are known for having large musical vocabularies and being able to translate different styles of music into their playing. One composer, specifically, that fits right into the category is Henry Mancini. Mancini’s first major success was in 1958 for the TV show, Peter Gunn. The Peter Gunn theme song made Mancini a star. It also featured the young, and not yet well known pianist, John Williams, who was merely a session musician at the time who was randomly hired to play on the original. Through this, Williams became a protégé of Mancini, studying jazz piano and composition with him. In years to come, John Williams would go on to become one of the most famous and successful film composers of all time. In many cases, the best film scores are written when the composer and movie director form a relationship. The best known example would be the relationship between Steven Spielberg and John Williams. When both people are tied into the same ideas, the best scores can be written. Good directors are able to tell the composers exactly what he or she needs and the composer must be able to execute it properly.
Two of the most famous movie directors, who are also avid jazz fans, and utilized jazz music in their movies, are Clint Eastwood and Woody Allen. Both Eastwood and Allen have incorporated jazz composers and performers into their movies, featuring real life jazz players in their movies as characters as well as using them for source music. Source music is music in a film that is heard by both the audience, and the characters in the movie. Perfect examples of source music are heard in the movies, Bird, and Sweet and Lowdown. Clint Eastwood’s movie Bird is a biographical story based on the tragic life of jazz great, Charlie Parker. Eastwood uses actual Charlie Parker recordings when the character of Parker is playing music in a scene, as well as using it as background music in other scenes, often combining the two together.
Sweet and Lowdown is written and directed by Woody Allen, who also happens to be a semi-professional jazz clarinetist. The movie’s plot centers around a fictional jazz guitar player named Emit Ray. Allen uses Sean Penn as the character of Ray. For the musical aspect of the movie, Allen hired jazz guitar prodigy Howard Alden to record all of the source music for Emit Ray’s guitar playing. Alden’s talents were also utilized in coaching Penn looking the part of a on screen jazz guitar player. The film Round Midnight, directed by Bertrand Tavernier, is another major motion picture about the life of a fiction jazz musician. However, the main character in Round Midnight, Dale Turner, is played by jazz legend Dexter Gordon. Gordon also plays all of the source music for the film, some prerecorded and some of it right on camera. Most of the music was written by Quincy Jones, who is credited as the films composer. There are many other movies that feature jazz music such as Ray, Mo’ Better Blues, and The Color Purple; however, these three provide the best examples, and are my personal favorites.
Music is an extremely powerful artistic device that affects people on many levels. It can make or break a movie, and is considered to be one of the crucial aspects in delivering the message of a film. The music of a film can either give a movie great success or absolute failure. Many styles and genres are heard in the scores of all of our favorite movies. Jazz dominated the industry from the late 1950’s to 1975, when John Williams’ score for Jaws brought classically written film scores back into focus. Jazz music is one of the greatest original American art forms and will be listened to and studied for many years to come.
References
Davis, Richard. Berklee Press (1999)
“The Art and Business of Writing Music for Movies and TV”
Complete Guide to Film Scoring
Prendergast, Roy M. WW Nortan & Company, Inc. (1992)
“A Neglected Art”
Film Music
Morgan, David. HarperEntertainment (2000)
“Film Composers Talk About the Art, Craft, Blood, Sweat, and Tears of Writing for Cinema” Knowing the Score
Friday, August 1, 2008
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra - Concert Review
This past September, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra played Clemson University’s Brooks Center for the first time ever. The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is a big band-style jazz group that hails from New York City. Regarded as one of the greatest big bands in the history of music, their performance at Clemson fell nothing short of amazing. The night was filled with compositions and arrangements mostly from Thad Jones, an original member, with a few exceptions, including the Wayne Shorter tune E.S.P. The music was everything I expected, and the solos swept me off of my feet. I felt that the performance was excellent and I would definitely see them again if the opportunity presented itself.
Formed in 1966 by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra was first called the Mel Lewis – Thad Jones Orchestra, and later, just simply The Jazz Band. The Jazz Band originally booked three nights at NYC’s west village jazz club, The Village Vanguard, in February 1966. Those three nights became legendary, and the start of what would be an over four decade existence. After world-wide tours and several replacements of band members, the big band went on to become the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. The VJO currently plays the Village Vanguard every Monday night, while still managing to play different venues around the world.
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra flew down to South Carolina just hours after its regular New York City gig on September 10th. At 4:00pm on Tuesday, September 11th, the VJO was on stage at the Brooks Center for rehearsal and sound check. I personally got to witness this, and it was incredible. The group consisted of 16 musicians; four trumpets, four trombones, five saxophones, and a rhythm section of piano, bass, and drums.
Their warm-up was very standard of a big band, playing through a few Thad Jones tunes with no solos being taken. They mainly practiced their harmonies, tweaking and fine tuning a few things. After about 20 minutes, or so, they stopped playing and focused their attention on the handful of students, including myself, that were on were on stage watching them rehearse. They interacted with us a lot and answered all of our questions. They were polite and very eager to share some of their musical knowledge with us.
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra opened the evening with “Mean What You Say,” a Thad Jones tune. The intro was a vamp played by the rhythm section (piano, bass, and drums). The horns came in on the second chorus. After the head, there were solos from one saxophone and one trumpet. The second tune of the night was “E.S.P.,” a very well known jazz standard, written by Wayne Shorter. The solos on “E.S.P.” were great, featuring a trumpet solo accompanied only by the bass for one chorus, and a saxophone solo. Following the Shorter tune was another Thad Jones composition, “The Little Rascal on a Rock.” This tune uniquely featured three flutes, played by three random members of the horn section. The bass, piano, and baritone sax all took solos. The forth tune was the lively classic “A Frame for the Blues,” written by Slide Hampton. The entire horn section played the melody in harmony, a trademark of the swing era. “A Frame for the Blues,” a 16 bar 1-4-5 blues, featured several soloists whaling for several choruses each. The last tune of the first set was another Thad Jones original, called “Cherry Juice.” The fast, walking bass stole the attention on this tune, even over the several horn solos that were taken. Somewhere in the first set I recall one of the horns teasing the melody of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Salt Peanuts” during their solo, I just can’t remember what tune it was on.
The second set was even better than the first, starting with another jazz blues tune arranged by Thad Jones. After the long blues jam that kicked off the second set, the VJO started playing more avante garde and contemporary jazz tunes, very familiar to the current New York jazz scene. The standout of the set was “Don’t Eat Ash,” which featured a long bass solo played very “outside” and incorporated certain nuances very unfamiliar to the upright bass. After that, the VJO played another Thad Jones tune that was originally written for Rich Perry, called “The Interloper.” The sound was very reminiscent of the big band swing era and was a nice change of mood after hearing a few contemporary compositions.
For the finale, the VJO to end the night with, of course, another Thad Jones tune, except this time a ballad. “To you” was dedicated to the victims of the World Trade Center attacks, which was only appropriate since it was the six year anniversary.
The highlight of the performance, for me, was the drums/percussion, played by New York great John Riley. They put on a great show, play a good variety of tunes, and have excellent soloists. I personally would have liked to see a guitar in the band, but there has never been a guitarist with them in the 40+ years they have been around. If given the opportunity, I would definitely see them again and hope they come back to the Brooks Center in the future.
Formed in 1966 by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra was first called the Mel Lewis – Thad Jones Orchestra, and later, just simply The Jazz Band. The Jazz Band originally booked three nights at NYC’s west village jazz club, The Village Vanguard, in February 1966. Those three nights became legendary, and the start of what would be an over four decade existence. After world-wide tours and several replacements of band members, the big band went on to become the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. The VJO currently plays the Village Vanguard every Monday night, while still managing to play different venues around the world.
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra flew down to South Carolina just hours after its regular New York City gig on September 10th. At 4:00pm on Tuesday, September 11th, the VJO was on stage at the Brooks Center for rehearsal and sound check. I personally got to witness this, and it was incredible. The group consisted of 16 musicians; four trumpets, four trombones, five saxophones, and a rhythm section of piano, bass, and drums.
Their warm-up was very standard of a big band, playing through a few Thad Jones tunes with no solos being taken. They mainly practiced their harmonies, tweaking and fine tuning a few things. After about 20 minutes, or so, they stopped playing and focused their attention on the handful of students, including myself, that were on were on stage watching them rehearse. They interacted with us a lot and answered all of our questions. They were polite and very eager to share some of their musical knowledge with us.
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra opened the evening with “Mean What You Say,” a Thad Jones tune. The intro was a vamp played by the rhythm section (piano, bass, and drums). The horns came in on the second chorus. After the head, there were solos from one saxophone and one trumpet. The second tune of the night was “E.S.P.,” a very well known jazz standard, written by Wayne Shorter. The solos on “E.S.P.” were great, featuring a trumpet solo accompanied only by the bass for one chorus, and a saxophone solo. Following the Shorter tune was another Thad Jones composition, “The Little Rascal on a Rock.” This tune uniquely featured three flutes, played by three random members of the horn section. The bass, piano, and baritone sax all took solos. The forth tune was the lively classic “A Frame for the Blues,” written by Slide Hampton. The entire horn section played the melody in harmony, a trademark of the swing era. “A Frame for the Blues,” a 16 bar 1-4-5 blues, featured several soloists whaling for several choruses each. The last tune of the first set was another Thad Jones original, called “Cherry Juice.” The fast, walking bass stole the attention on this tune, even over the several horn solos that were taken. Somewhere in the first set I recall one of the horns teasing the melody of Dizzy Gillespie’s “Salt Peanuts” during their solo, I just can’t remember what tune it was on.
The second set was even better than the first, starting with another jazz blues tune arranged by Thad Jones. After the long blues jam that kicked off the second set, the VJO started playing more avante garde and contemporary jazz tunes, very familiar to the current New York jazz scene. The standout of the set was “Don’t Eat Ash,” which featured a long bass solo played very “outside” and incorporated certain nuances very unfamiliar to the upright bass. After that, the VJO played another Thad Jones tune that was originally written for Rich Perry, called “The Interloper.” The sound was very reminiscent of the big band swing era and was a nice change of mood after hearing a few contemporary compositions.
For the finale, the VJO to end the night with, of course, another Thad Jones tune, except this time a ballad. “To you” was dedicated to the victims of the World Trade Center attacks, which was only appropriate since it was the six year anniversary.
The highlight of the performance, for me, was the drums/percussion, played by New York great John Riley. They put on a great show, play a good variety of tunes, and have excellent soloists. I personally would have liked to see a guitar in the band, but there has never been a guitarist with them in the 40+ years they have been around. If given the opportunity, I would definitely see them again and hope they come back to the Brooks Center in the future.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Pat Martino
This video provides some slides and music from Pat Martino in relation to his career and major hurdle.
Most of the pictures are taken from http://www.patmartino.com/
Music Excerpts:
Sunny - Pat Martino, recorded in 1968
Footprints - Pat Martino, recorded in 1975
Catch - Pat Martino, recorded in 2001
Most of the pictures are taken from http://www.patmartino.com/
Music Excerpts:
Sunny - Pat Martino, recorded in 1968
Footprints - Pat Martino, recorded in 1975
Catch - Pat Martino, recorded in 2001
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