Even one of the worlds greatest players knows all about loving and losing;
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1325443/Ava-Gardner-lover-Frank-Sinatra-tame.html
Jazz for aficionados
Even one of the worlds greatest players knows all about loving and losing; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1325443/Ava-Gardner-lover-Frank-Sinatra-tame.html |
I find it amazing how the lyrics to so many songs bring the reality of our existence into sharp focus, like a photographs taken at different times in our life. It's also interesting how so many others share the same emotions that the song brings into focus. Rich or poor, we all ride life's roller coaster with it's steep drop offs and sharp twists and turns; sometimes we don't think we will ever recover, but we do; only to get right back on for the thrill of the ride. In my mind, jazz lyrics are the most universal, followed by the Blues; however, with the Blues, it's the intensity of emotion projected by the artist, rather than the lyrics themselves. With Jazz, the music can express the words as well as the lyrics; take Lee Morgan, "Since I Fell For You"; I can hear Lenny Welch's lyrics through Lee Morgans horn; that's incredible, and beautiful at the same time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EjBJvYIj5Q Enjoy the music. |
Race and jazz: Art Pepper overheard some jive turkeys putting him down because he was white, and since he had heard that the word on the street was the ultimate word, he assumed this was it. While this is true, it's the word on the streets of New York, Chicago, and all major cities where jazz is heard. When he played with "The Rhythm Section" that should have settled his allegations of reverse racism, as well as shut down any African American claims that he was a lesser jazz artist than many other African American jazz artist. As far as I'm concerned it did. (plus I like his jazz) Chet Baker: There is a lot of controversy that swirls around Chet Baker, and my personal opinion wont help it any. Maybe this will settle it. https://artmodel.wordpress.com/2009/09/13/jazz-art-context-and-iconography/ Enjoy the music. |
Excellent article. Insightful and beautifully written; I loved it. The author touches on many of the themes that have come up here and I agree with just about every point made including her final verdict; "Well, I like Chet Baker; I just don't love him". I particularly liked her description of his playing from both technical and expressiveness standpoints and their respective limitations. She does a great job of putting it all in the context of how an artist is perceived by audiences who, for better or worse, inevitably factor in things like physical appearance and personal habits. I like his playing (maybe a lot); I just don't love it. |