The Evolution of Modern Jazz



Shadorne's thread "Outstanding Examples of Musicianship" inspired me to begin this thread. While Shadorne stated that all genre's were welcome, I felt that me and another jazz aficionado were beginning to dominate that thread. Shadorne is a "Rocker", bless his heart. This community functions best when like minded people engage in common dialogue.

The title explains this thread. We will use "youtube" the same as in Shardone's thread to illustrate our examples, and now I begin.

In the beginning, there was Charlie "Bird" Parker, and he said "Let there Be Bop" and thus it began. While walking down the street, Bird ran into John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie, who had similar ideas, so they "Bopped" down the street together; Bird on alto sax and Diz on trumpet. My first illustration of this new music is "Bloomdido" with Bird and Diz. We should cover "Be Bop" in depth before we go to the next phase of this evolution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MCGweQ8Oso&NR=1
orpheus10
World music

This album is one of my favorites of the last few years. I've (literally) played it weekly. I have four of their albums on LP, some very hard to find now.

The accompanying music video is stunning, at least to my senses as a photographer.

Santa Maria (Del Buen Ayre)
To me "world Jazz" does not get much better than Rabih Abou-Khalil (Jazz / Middle Eastern). I particularly like his first album Al-Jadida, but thenagain, I am very favorably predisposed to middle eastern rhytms and melodies. On that note, there is one album by the brilliant Oud player Anuoar Brahem that I would classify as "Jazz" (Khomsa).

Albertporter, I like every detail in that video, including the shoes. That music is destined for my collection. Normally I don't like accordion, but that guy blows me away.
Whether or not "World jazz" is jazz, I'll leave that for purists like Wynton Marsalis to debate. I know I'm enjoying all the music that's been submitted under this category, and the last phase of the music we call"jazz". I also feel that if Charley "Bird" Parker was alive, he would be into world music with us. It's for sure he wouldn't be playing "Be Bop".

I like this music much better than new music by new musicians that can be clearly classified as "jazz". Their music sounds like the same soup warmed over. Don't misunderstand me here, I still like "Bird", Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, and a long list of "oldtimers'; but when someone new comes along trying to do what they did, "It sounds like the same old soup warmed over".

In this last phase of jazz, do not trip over the word "Jazz". If it sounds good, it's good; as a matter of fact I'm submitting the sound track to the best movie ever made, "The Third Man". This is a haunting sound track that's been with me all of my life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OntXTE8Kyq0
Fantastic video, Albert. Thank you. If you like this music, I am sure you like that of the greatest master of the modern tango Astor Piazzolla. His classic recording "Zero Hour" is a must hear.

Orpheus10, the instrument is actually the bandoneon, not the accordion. The second link below includes a discussion with Piazzolla about the bandoneon. Very interesting stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQitw1eG0fg&feature=fvst

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7z40MBS5gFk