Rest in Peace, Joe Zawinul (1932-2007)

From Cannonball Adderley to Miles Davis, with Weather Report and Zawinul Syndicate, Joe Zawinul leaves us after a very full, incredibly innovative career in music.  I would think that most listeners know Joe Zawinul from his two arguably most-famous songs, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy for Cannonball Adderley's group, and Birdland from the Weather Report album Heavy Weather, but I also count his tune Directions, recorded by both Miles Davis and Weather Report, as another of his masterworks. Also an innovator in the areas of technology and world music, one could argue that Joe Zawinul played a major role in helping to define the concepts of "world jazz" and "fusion". I first read about his passing in the Washington Post article, but NPR's quite comprehensive look at Joe Zawinul has to be the highlight of online tributes that I've seen thus far. For our own contribution, here is a great collection of videos from the many points in Zawinul's varied career, including some interviews from the last few years.  We will miss you, Joe Zawinul.  Rest in peace.

Happy Birthday, Raymond Scott (1908-1978)

Not a figure that most jazz fans know, but certainly Raymond Scott's music left an indelible mark on me as a kid in much the same way Bird and Diz did. While not considered a composer for cartoons, as he never actually scored for Warner Brothers or the other big animation houses, his melodies like Powerhouse and Toy Trumpet were often used by such legendary cartoon music composers as Carl Stalling (another of my favorite composers of all time).  While you may not know any of his compositions by name, Raymond Scott's melodies will most likely be familiar to you if you've ever seen old cartoons from the 1930's and 1940's.  He was also an early experimenter in electronic music in the 1950's and 1960's.  For a bit more musical insight, Soho the Dog recently talked about a tune Scott wrote in tribute to Cootie Williams leaving Duke Ellington's band. Take a look at the videos -- they range from performance footage of his band, cartoons with his music, details on his electronic music, and even a funny remix of how Soylent Green might have sounded if they used Raymond Scott's music. Happy Birthday, Raymond Scott - I look forward to the parties in honor of your centennial next year!

New Gear for Music Geeks III

It's time for the next installment of one of our semi-regular features, New Gear for Music Geeks.  As I've mentioned before, while I can't often afford to purchase them, I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting ways that modern technology can improve our ability to enjoy music. Sometimes I don't find them, but I find some other interesting reference to music mixed with technology, or maybe an insane home-made project.  Here is the latest collection of music geek gear:

• A gramophone-style MP3 player, made for portable use
• A cell-phone piano (see above), made to actually dial while you play the tones
• A computer case built from a drum, built by Spotswood Custom Computers
• A one-off double keyboard piano from Steinway (with video)
• A condenser mic built in a tin can for you MAKE fans

Enjoy the gear! Anything you'd like to see covered here? Let me know -- post some comments.

Happy 77th Birthday, Sonny Rollins

Sonny Rollins -- he's one of those voices that almost unanimously is named when you ask tenor saxophone players who influenced them.  It took some time for me to dig back into my grey matter and figure out the first Sonny Rollins recordings I heard -- it must have been those classic Bud Powell recordings for Blue Note, like Dance of the Infidels and Bouncin' with Bud, so full of energy, virtuosity and excitement.  To think that Sonny Rollins was about to turn nineteen when he made those recordings! So many classic recordings for Prestige, moments like The Bridge and Sonny Rollins on Impulse, and a decade-ago concert for Earshot Jazz at the Moore Theater -- these are the things that first strike my mind when thinking of Sonny Rollins, who at 77 today is still out there kicking out chorus-after-chorus of improvisations. Enjoy our usual celebratory video collection:

Jazz Names for a New Baby

If you couldn't tell from my crack about 10 Songs to Induce Labor in a Pregnant Woman, I've had babies on the brain lately: my brother Thomas and his wife Lisa are expecting at the end of October, and I recently went to a baby shower for them. While everyone jokes about the possibility of a "Harriet Marriott" in the family, I thought I'd bring along some jazz-related suggestions. What do you think?

If it's a boy, call him Jasper.

If it's a girl, call her Jasmine.

Either way, the kid's nickname can be Jazz!

A bit corny, I concede, but it did get a laugh from the family and friends. Okay, not much of a laugh.  For a more serious take on jazz-related baby names, take a look at Baby Names from Early Jazz and Blues by Brenna Lorenz.

Concept Albums Started In Jazz Recordings

I'm a big fan of making concept albums - my own Septology: In the Beginning being my first foray into the genre - so today when I found this informative article from Associated Content discussing the history of concept albums, I was immediately pulled in after reading this quote:

Those with more limited knowledge of music history would maybe utter "That's easy...it was Frank Sinatra" as guessing the inventor of the concept album. Well, they'd almost be right -- but be off by about 15 years and find out it started with a female jazz singer...

The article continues to discuss the evolution of the concept album, but also talks about the waning of concept albums from the pop/rock world, seemingly because of the effort it takes on the part of the listener to appreciate. Kudos to writer Gregoriancant for this valuable piece of writing.

New Jazz DVD: Norman Granz Presents Improvisation

Norman Granz was perhaps best known for the "Jazz at the Philharmonic" or JATP concert series, but in recent years we've been flooded with numerous DVDs of his many productions. Now, a number of his classic video productions have been collected into this two DVD set, Norman Granz Presents Improvisation. The collection includes a variety of settings and groups, including Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Parker from 1950, various performances from the 1977 Montreux Jazz Festival, Duke Ellington at the Cote D'Azur, and as a bonus, the 1944 film titled Jammin' the Blues, featuring such luminaries as Jo Jones, Harry 'Sweets' Edison, Lester Young, and many more in an open jam-session setting. As a fan of jazz history, this is a must-own collection of videos, if only for the Bird and Hawk, but the package as a whole covers a wide range of the jazz history spectrum. You could do a lot worse than starting your jazz DVD collection with this one. Enjoy!

Mega-List of Music Lists I

I see these kinds of articles all the time -- "Top 10 Songs for Inducing Labor in a Pregnant Woman" -- and end up clipping them for later use, so now it's time to put them to that very use!  Here is my first Mega-List of Music Lists: read at your own peril.

• Best Music-in-Movie Moments
• 10 Unlistenable Albums
• 10 Best Bands That Never Existed
• 20 Jazz Songs You Should Know (also country, classical and pop/rock)
• 100 Days That Changed Music
• Top 10 Guitar Solos
• 10 Love Songs That Could End Your Relationship

The Mad Trombonist: MythBusters and Trombone Demolition Experiments

As a trombone player, I have learned to laugh at myself via being the butt of countless jokes (yes, I owned a pager in 1993). I stumbled onto this video over the weekend, and I had to post it here. I've always loved the MythBusters guys and their many projects and deconstructions -- one of my favorites is their holiday Rube-Goldberg contraption -- so when I found them trying to send a mute and the slide flying off of a trombone at the height of the 1812 Overture, I had to share it with you, my readers.  The video is a shortened version for an Australian program, Beyond Tomorrow. Enjoy the carnage!

Blog Day 2007: Five New Blogs You Might Enjoy

I stumbled onto this today and felt compelled to join in the fun. It's Blog Day 2007, and I'm sharing five new blogs you might also enjoy. They are, in no particular order:

1. Greenleaf Music - If you are a fan of Dave Douglas, look no further.  His new label is called Greenleaf Music, and they have a feature-filled blog of stuff on Douglas' latest adventures, including video of him playing Dave Douglas in Solo concert at Mount Cevedale in Val di Pejo Trentino Italy. I saw Dave Douglas at the Nippon Kan in 1998, with Mark Turner, James Genus and Ben Perowsky, touring the Magic Triangle music and it changed my perspective on how to play music, and what "jazz music" was or could be, in a profound way. I was excited to discover this blog recently, and thought you might be, too.

2. jazz::animated - Though posts only seem to come in waves every couple of months, jazz::animated is a wonderful collection of posts on the fusion of jazz music and film animation. I've long been a fan of this idea since getting the DVD, Art and Jazz in Animation, and have always meant to create something of my own in this medium. jazz::animated is a great resource on this sadly overlooked music-film blend. Let's all plead with them to post more often!

3. Destination Out - One of my favorite blogs for more experimental sounds (Cecil Taylor, Anthony Davis, and Max Roach of late), the website describes itself thusly:

An mp-free jazz blog focusing on rare or out-of-print music. We generally publish twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays (or so). Songs will be available for about two weeks, and are for evaluation purposes only. Attend concerts. Buy music.

Those last few words say so much -- attend concerts, buy music.  Enough said -- except: visit Destination Out.

4. Intervals -- Intervals is saxophonist and educator Dave Liebman's monthly newsletter, finally being transformed into a blog for those of us that are RSS friendly. Dave was one my main teachers during my masters and doctorate study at Manhattan School of Music, and he helped me "open my soul" to the music in a much deeper way than I had known.  Sure, he also showed my tons of crazy, really intellectual stuff to play as well, but the bigger effect on me had more to do with learning how to connect with the music at any given time.  He is also a great storyteller, and this translates wonderfully to the blog format. For words from a true warrior for jazz music, visit Intervals.

5. Jazz Beyond Jazz - Veteran jazz journalist and writer Howard Mandel launches into the blogsphere with a great blog on jazz music at large (and small) in Jazz Beyond Jazz. I read his book, Future Jazz, a few years ago, and have tried to follow his writing whenever possible in Down Beat or (while I was living in New York) The Village Voice. I also have to give him credit for linking to the video of Keith Jarrett going bonkers in Italy -- props for that, Mr. Mandel. This guy is a guru-level journalist, and in true Chicago/New York fashion, he tells it like it is. Please take some time and read Jazz Beyond Jazz over this Labor Day weekend; I'm sure you'll come away with something new.

Well, there it is! Five exciting new blogs for you to visit! Happy Labor Day weekend everyone!