Jazz is a niche market, and the folks who love jazz really love jazz. Their passion, and the cult-like nature of jazz, has given rise to a certain snobbery regarding jazz music. That snobbery is limited almost exclusively to the years 1947-1967.
That was the golden age of bebop and all its children (modal, hard-bop, post-bop). Bebop is fine, but it’s not the only form of jazz. The sounds of ragtime and New Orleans, say, are as important as anything recorded on Blue Note in 1962. Especially in the history of blues and rock.
What really matters is what moves you. The following jazz tunes move me, and sometimes physically. Hopefully they move you, too.
10) “It Might as Well Be Spring” (1959) Blossom Dearie
Forgotten vocalist Dearie sings this Rodgers and Hammerstein classic entirely in French. Miles Davis called her “the only white woman with soul.” While Chris Connor, Kay Starr, Julie London and Helen Merrill would disagree with the “only” part, he’s right about the soul. Soothing and relaxing.
9) “Them There Eyes” (1957) Anita O’Day
Dearie’s Verve label-mate O’Day was another white woman with soul. The Oscar Peterson Trio makes this song a tongue-twister with their breakneck speed, and O’Day keeps pace the whole way, scatting like a pro wherever the spirit leads. Precise and amazing.
8) “Cantaloupe Island” (1964) Herbie Hancock
Chances are you’ve heard this one and didn’t know the title. From Empyrean Isles, a hard bop concept album based on mythology that put pianist Hancock on the map. Hancock’s currently 86 and still performs.
7) “Manteca” (1947) Dizzy Gillespie
Gillespie said bebop was an attempt to simulate rhythms of black life that white musicians couldn’t duplicate. He included the Hispanic world, and “Manteca” melded African melody and Cuban rhythms years before Carlos Santana picked up a guitar. Cowritten with percussionist Chano Pozo and big-band arranger Gil Fuller. I saw Gillespie play this live in 1989 at the age of 72 — he still had it.
6) “Echoes of Primitive Ohio and Chili Dogs” (1975) Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Columbus native Kirk was a blind genius who played three (or more) instruments at once, practiced circular breathing and had a love of New Orleans jazz. Critics dismissed Kirk because he was an original who had too much fun — both qualities you can hear, here.
5) “Push Push” (1971) Herbie Mann
Fusion tends to be bass-heavy and muddy-sounding. This 10-minute fusion composition is surprisingly light, with flautist Mann beautifully complementing Duane Allman’s guitar. A good example of what musicians can do when they think outside the box.
4) “Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)” (1938) Benny Goodman
Goodman and his orchestra tear up Louis Prima’s 1936 swing classic in this 13-minute version from the historic Carnegie Hall concert. It was the first time jazz musicians played the hallowed venue, and it wouldn’t be the last. Worth it for Gene Krupa’s drums alone.
3) “Unsquare Dance” (1961) Dave Brubeck Quartet
The Quartet’s five albums of time-signature experiments from 1959-1966 probably did more to popularize “cool” jazz than anything during that decade — except maybe the Stan Getz Brazilian records. This is from their second, Time Further Out.
It’s in 7/4 time — that is, seven quarter beats per measure. It’s the rare Brubeck tune without sax man Paul Desmond, but the rhythm section of Eugene Wright (bass) and Joe Morello (drums) shine on this one. Clapping hands never sounded cooler.
2) “(I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead) You Rascal You” (1956) Louis Prima
Trumpeter Prima bridged the gap between the big-band era and the rocking 1950s and he did it in style. His backing band Sam Butera and The Witnesses are cooking on this standard by Prima’s mentor, Louis Armstrong. Check out his call-and-response with the orchestra, both instrumental and vocal. His wife and stage partner Keely Smith sings backup.
1) “Soul Bossa Nova” (1962) Quincy Jones
Big Band Bossa Nova (1962) was a pop-jazz interpretation of Brazilian music arranged by Quincy Jones. You may recognize his composition “Soul Bossa Nova” as the theme from the Austin Powers movies. Contributed
There’s a reason Frank Sinatra sounded so good in the 1960s and that reason is Quincy Jones. The composer, who died two years ago at the age of 91, is most remembered as the mastermind behind “Off The Wall” and “Thriller.” He was also Sinatra’s favorite arranger.
Jones was head of A&R for Mercury when he wrote this bubbly confection — and he wrote it in only 20 minutes. You may recognize it as the theme from the Austin Powers movies. It also blares out of a radio in Sidney Lumet’s movie The Pawnbroker (1965). The flute was played by the one and only Roland Kirk — see No. 6 — whom Jones wisely signed to the label that same year.
Brian Hess