I am fascinated to the point of being obsessed by "drum rhythms". I have traced them from Africa to Brazil and the Caribbean. We can divide the Caribbean into Cuba, Haiti, The Dominican Republic, and all of the smaller islands in the Caribbean. The singular most unique thing about these African rhythms, is the fact that they got lost in the U. S. of A. I don't hear any African rhythms emanating from here, maybe someone else does, but I don't.
Of course we can incorporate anything we want to in jazz, but I'm speaking of what was originally in "modern jazz"; that's jazz from the 50's to the present; it was "influenced" by Charley "Bird" Parker, more than any other single individual. Of course there were others, and they will tell you the same thing; he was the "High Priest".
"Le Liasons Dangerous" Recorded in 59.
Bass – Jimmy Merritt*
Bongos – John Rodriguez* (tracks: 2 to 10)
Congas – Tommy Lopez (tracks: 2 to 10), William Rodriguez* (tracks: 2 to 10)
Drums – Art Blakey
Piano – Bobby Timmons, Duke Jordan (tracks: 3)
Soprano Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Barney Wilen (tracks: 1, 3 to 9)
Trumpet – Lee Morgan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw_8i22pBcs&list=PLUJ7V33M1wR0kn82R1Xp6WwvZ47aK-2BPThis music is typical of "Hard Bop", if there is anything typical about any Hard-Bop. These artists are uniquely gifted; I'm saying that going to school and practicing won't get you there, either you got it or you don't.
This music began as "African American" music from our great cities, that aren't so great anymore. Whereas I can hear something "African" in the music from Cuba, Brazil, and the Islands, I don't hear that from American jazz. Why this is so, or not so, could be debated until the next millennium, but the reality would remain the same.
I hear Chicago, I hear New York, I hear Detroit, and the rest of our cities that were great places to live, love, and create; that's where this music began.
In addition, I'm going to add some of my favorites, and in this music I'm celebrating "Pepper Adams". Although he's not the leader, he's one of the other individuals who make this music great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_0wBTUvM6M https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__OSyznVDOY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo0P2YugUnUEnjoy this music.