Yes, I don't know what all the criticism was about! This thing is tremendous, so far. Excellent. I've got my 76 year old dad staying up past 8:30 to watch it, I know people rushing home from work to see it, and so I hope it's getting some good ratings.
One interesting, and kind of troubling thing... note how all of the big playaz had people making moves on there behalf. So, for instance, you've got Louis, who might have never been anything other than a 2nd trumpeter to King Oliver, were it not for his wife's persistence. And, you've got the Duke, who always remained grateful to Irving 55% Mills for working him into the Cotton Club and those live radio feeds.
On the other hand, you've got Bix Biederbecke, who I always liked better than Louis, who never got the play he deserved. Ditto Bubber Miley and some of the other cats in Duke's band, who never really became stars in their own rite. There's more to the music business than meets the ears, eh? It makes me resolve to seek out the good good regardless of the hype machine.
OK, here's the first 5 jazz records I ever heard that really turned me on....
1. Duke Ellington Orchestra. Jingle Bells. My mom bought me an album called "Christmas In New Orleans." Hearing the Duke's band play this simple tune I could kind of play on the piano at age 8 or so had the same effect on me as if the Harlem Globetrotters had done layup drills on my elementary school basketball court. Damn! So loose. So swinging. So awesome!
2. Jack Fina with Freddie Martin Orchestra. Bumble Boogie. I don't know if anyone's heard that piece, but it still makes me smile. It's a boogie-woogie takeoff on "Flight Of The Bumble Bee" and it's got some rocking piano.
3. George Gershiwn. Rhapsody in Blue. My dad's favorite piece of music. I fell asleep with it every night for about 4 years. Not technically jazz, but awesome nonetheless, and I still love it, after about 50,000 listenings (and performing it at my senior recital.)
4. Weather Report. Birdland. In '83, I got a job at a college radio station where they had a big music library. Liked the cover. Put it on. Wow. Lost my DJ shift after playing it on-air 7 times in a row.
5. Herbie Hancock. Headhunters. The perfect fusion of jazz and funk. Well, you know, the rest is history....
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Jan 11 2001 - 17:37:27 CET