Doc's Jazz Music Reviews

John Coltrane, it can be argued, was and is the greatest saxophone player of all time. I tend to agree. His album, "A Love Supreme", is in my top ten jazz albums of all time. Coltrane believed that he was an instrument that God used to express music. In his brief life you can see the polar extremes of heroin addict to mystic.

He has been credited with changing the face of modern jazz and being the primary influence on following generations of saxophonists. It would be hard to argue against this. Doing this blog has had a interesting effect upon my life. Listening to the music and seeing the artists brings back memories of days long past.

The Bible states that eternity is in the heart of man. I can see clearly now that I was trying to touch this eternity but all the booze and drugs in the world will not satisfy this need. A lot of this music was first listened to under the influence of things really not necessary to appreciate where creativity really flows from, which is the heart.

Here is a clip of Trane playing Naima in 1965:

Here is Al Jarreau singing with a vintage band live. I think the only way to watch Al is live. Some of the videos they did with him back in the days are comical to look at now. My favorite song by Al is "We got by". The collaboration with George Benson that he did recently was a good one. To find out more about Mr. Al Jarreau and his long history of making music check out this link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jarreau

Oh, by the way - did I mention that this dude has won 7 grammy awards?

As always, if you watch the video clip all the way through you will find some others waiting for you.

I know Al Green is associated with R&B, Soul and Gospel but I'm a fan. Here is a bonus clip of Al at his best. Enjoy

This is Norman Brown. I love how Jazz music goes from one generation to the next. It’s not hard to see that George Benson influenced his style.

Norman Brown released his debut album "Just Between Us" in 1992. He followed this with the album "After the Storm" in 1994, which gained critical success; and then followed this with the 1996 release "Better Days Ahead" which earned him an even broader audience.

In 2002, he formed BWB with saxophonist Kirk Whalum and trumpeter Rick Braun, and released "Groovin'".

In 2003, he and his producer Paul Brown won Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album for 2002's "Just Chillin'". This was followed by the 2004 release "West Coast Coolin'".

During the summer of 2007, Brown had a No. 1 smooth jazz radio hit, "Let's Take A Ride," taken from the album "Stay With Me.

Living for the Love of You




You may want to check out the montage at the end of this clip. Each picture is a link to another performance by Norman Brown.

Dianne is one of my favorite jazz vocalist. Her voice is definitely an instrument. If you have a chance, check her out in the movie, “Goodnight and Good Luck”. You’ll see her again on this site, you can count on it. View the alternate take of "In Your Eyes" recorded at the Bern Jazzfest in 2000. The link is at the end of this clip.





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianne_Reeves

One of my favorite jazz movies is “Around Midnight” starring Dexter Gordon. The sadness that is frequently linked with jazz music usually centers around addiction and the problems related to it. If you want to see the all too real side of jazz musicians then check out this movie. Dexter basically played himself although the characters and names were changed. Here is a clip of him playing Skylark. He is a shadow of himself and far past his prime but it is still good music, very good music. A few bars are missing at the end but I thought it was worth sharing. If you take the time to view the entire clip you will see a virtual retrospective of his music in the links at the end. Check it out. I really like the short tribute clip with Wynton. It speaks to me of how jazz is passed on from one generation to the other.

I just took the time to check out all of my video links and they are working great. Do yourself a favor and experience them. Why don’t you get a cup of tea or coffee and take the journey. Oleo on the Herbie Hancock clip has Branford Marsalis on the sax and it is hot.

The clip with the Lincoln Jazz orchestra is straight jazz and what this genre is all about. In case you didn’t know, Wynton Marsalis is the director of the orchestra and program at the Lincoln Jazz Center in NYC.

I am trying to scour the internet and find the best Jazz links for you. In addition to the video links I am linking websites. Look under the heading on the left and check them out.

I just thought about how I came to love Jazz. I remember way back in the 70’s when I first heard Wes Montgomery playing jazz guitar. I was so hooked that I went to a pawn shop and bought me a guitar and amp – determined to play like him. It only took a couple of weeks to realize that it was not happening, and my five year old son got a guitar, but I never lost my love and appreciation for the music after that.

Here is a video clip of Wes playing around midnight. Enjoy!

Here is a bonus video of the great B B King for your trouble. The Blues are a close cousin to Jazz so I thought I would slip this one in.

Here is a take of the classic tune played by contemporary artists David Sanborn and Chris Botti. Kick back, take your shoes off, and just relax. You are in for a real treat.

Kirk Whalum is a great jazz saxaphone player and on this video his brother kevin is featured. Enjoy



Yes! It is possible to love Jesus and love Jazz at the same time. I do not limit my love of Jazz to just the Gospel variety but when I find it there is joy on my part.

Kirk Whalum and Jonathan Butler are two of my favorite musicians. Check out this video and be blessed.




esto es muy bueno

Do you like good music, sweet soul music? One of my favorite singers is Gladys Knight. We go way back - all the way to the Pip days. I found a clip of her singing with Chris Botti. You can find this cut on Botti's "To Love Again". Listen to the profound words by Chris at the end of the clip - I think he makes a good point.

Here is a classic video clip from Miles Davis and John Coltrane. This is a follow up to our post two days ago. It is on the Kind of Blue Album:



For more information on "Kind of Blue" including who the sidemen were:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kind_of_Blue

“It's always been a gift with me, hearing music the way I do. I don't know where it comes from, it's just there and I don't question it.”- Miles Davis

This is a favorite of mine. Sometimes I will put it on for a long trip in the car and when I get to my destination it is still playing. The more I hear it the more I like it. This is one of my top ten jazz albums and I do not hesitate recommending it. You will not be disappointed if you add this to your collection. The original remaster is less expensive and works for me.

Amazon.com essential recording

This is the one jazz record owned by people who don't listen to jazz, and with good reason. The band itself is extraordinary (proof of Miles Davis's masterful casting skills, if not of God's existence), listing John Coltrane and Julian Cannonball Adderley on saxophones, Bill Evans (or, on "Freddie Freeloader," Wynton Kelly) on piano, and the crack rhythm unit of Paul Chambers on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Coltrane's astringency on tenor is counterpoised to Adderley's funky self on alto, with Davis moderating between them as Bill Evans conjures up a still lake of sound on which they walk. Meanwhile, the rhythm partnership of Cobb and Chambers is prepared to click off time until eternity. It was the key recording of what became modal jazz, a music free of the fixed harmonies and forms of pop songs. In Davis's men's hands it was a weightless music, but one that refused to fade into the background. In retrospect every note seems perfect, and each piece moves inexorably towards its destiny. --

John Szwed From Jazziz

"As the painter needs his framework of parchment, the improvising musical group needs its framework in time," says Bill Evans in the liner notes to Kind of Blue. "Miles Davis presents here frameworks which are exquisite in their simplicity and yet contain all that is necessary to stimulate performance with a sure reference to the primary conception." Amen. During the past 40 years, the performances Davis' stimulated from Evans, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, and Wynton Kelly have become some of the most storied in jazz, and all of them - classics such as "Freddie the Freeloader," "All Blues," "Blue in Green," and, of course, "So What" (featured) - are featured on this Columbia/Legacy reissue.

No one says it better than the author of the book, "Kind of Blue:

In his book, Kind of Blue: The Making of a Miles Davis Masterpiece, author Ashley Kahn wrote that "still acknowledged as the height of hip four decades after it was recorded, Kind of Blue is the premier album of its era, jazz or otherwise. Its vapory piano introduction is universally recognized" (Kahn 2001:16). Producer Quincy Jones, one of Davis' longtime friends, wrote: "That [Kind of Blue] will always be my music, man. I play Kind of Blue every day — it's my orange juice. It still sounds like it was made yesterday" (Kahn 2001:19). Pianist Chick Corea, one of Miles' acolytes, was also struck by its majesty. He said: "It's one thing to just play a tune, or play a program of music, but it's another thing to practically create a new language of music, which is what Kind of Blue did" (Kahn 2001:19).

From Ken Burn's Jazz: