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
One last point:

In my opinion all improvised music is not JAZZ. Can music be seperated from it's roots/history/culture and remain what it is? Jazz is an American art form, and we define it. Others have been very successful in playing Jazz, but true inovation has come from the U.S. I know about the afro-cuban and all the others, but it all came from this country. Stephane Grappelli, a great player, was well aware of this and stated it many times. World Jazz is no more a valid concept than 'world Country & Western' or 'world blues.' It's ours because the social climate and events converged to allow it's creation, and they can't claim it. the 'everyone and thing is equal' folks nowithstanding.
While someone can claim title to a song, no one can own a genre of music. Although "Jazz" originated here, the many "fusions" with music from around the world have made it much better. As far as the word "Jazz" is concerned; on one hand it's too confining, and on the other it's too amorphous to have a definitive definition; therefore, I would concede any argument in regard to the word "Jazz". For those who want to claim exclusivity to the word "Jazz", I say "let them have it". The music, however; is what we hear and feel around the world.. Let's call it "The free peoples music".

As someone once stated, "Free your mind, and the rest of your body parts will follow".
Taking your argument to its logical conculsion, would mean that Armstrong, Ellington, Coltrane and all the rest actually played 'world Jazz' since they played on planet earth.
I distrust anything or any concept with the word 'Peoples" or 'World' in it. Reminds me of the commies, or the whacky so-called governments in the third world.
Let me put this trolly back on it's intended track. "Latin smooth Jazz" is the title of this youtube link, it offers romantic guitar and beautiful photography.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlLpNQCCLf4

Next we have Duke Ellington in a very unusual mode. This music is at the very roots of "JAZZ", it has the flavor of Harlem and Africa, plus the pure "JAZZ" sound of the Duke of Ellington; I give you "Afrique".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5Wdvo6Qvz8