Term
| "Doodling" by the Jazz Messengers, incl. Horace Silver |
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Definition
| Hard bop - a reaction to bebop with lots of gospel/blues influence. The Messengers would become a jazz proving ground for 40 years under Art Blakey's leadership. |
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Term
| "I get a Kick out of You" - Clifford Brown and Max Roach |
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Definition
| More hard bop - Brown left a huge clean-living legacy in the short time he was around and alive. |
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Term
| "Django" by the Modern Jazz Quartet |
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Definition
| Composer John Lewis wrote this in tribute to Django Reinhardt, who'd just died. This was the only jazz group signed to Apple in the late 60s. |
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Term
| "Take 5" by the Dave Brubeck Quartet |
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Definition
| This was recorded in 1959, at which time it was very unique and new. Paul Desmond wrote this around an odd-metered genre and it was one of the most unlikely songs to hit the top 10 ever. |
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Term
| Giant Steps by John Coltrane Quartet |
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Definition
| "Sheets of sound" - the piano player is named Tommy Flanagan. |
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Term
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Definition
| Modal playing from "Kind of Blue", the best selling jazz record of all time, which sent quadruple platinum. He didn't like doing multiple takes so this is the only complete take of this song ever recorded. |
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Term
| "Chronology" by Ornette Coleman |
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Definition
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Term
| "Original Faubus Fables" by Charles Mingus |
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Definition
| Mingus was a badass bass player and composer, and Duke was a huge inspiration to him. |
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Term
| "Acknowledgement (From a Love Supreme)" by John Coltrane Quartet |
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Definition
| Coltrane had some commercial success with "My Favorite Things"; this came after and was only successful because of that prior success/support base. |
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Term
| "Hello Dolly!" by Louis Armstrong |
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Definition
| Actually knocked the British Invasion off the charts! |
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Term
| "Desafinado" by Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd |
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Definition
| This was a defining moment for Getz (and for Bossa Nova as a genre); it was the first recording to really intertwine jazz with Brazilian music. |
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Term
| "In a Sentimental Mood" by Duke and John Coltrane |
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Definition
| Duke's composition, mellow. |
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Term
| "ESP" by the Miles Davis Quartet |
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Definition
| Davis was very educated on musical/temporal rules, which was why he felt he could break them. |
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Term
| "Spanish Key" by Miles Davis |
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Definition
| This was a less spontaneous piece of music for Miles, with different recording techniques since he was going for something deliberate. His popularity was waning, so in reaction to that Miles recorded this and the rest of "Bitches Brew" two days after Woodstock. Critically reviled but very successful and influential. |
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Term
| "Birdland" by Weather Report |
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Definition
| Electric bassist was Jaco Pastorius. Many didn't respect fusion because it wasn't traditional rock or jazz. This track, on the album "Heavy Weather", was a commercial success. |
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Term
| "Un Ange en Danger" by MC Solar and Ron Carter |
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Definition
| Carter lent jazz legitimacy to hip hop (which has heavy improv in common with the jazz genre) by doing this. |
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Term
| "Last Season" by Maria Schneider |
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Definition
| Big band style instrumentation, with Schneider a very European-educated and acclaimed big band composer. She was GIL EVANS' ASSISTANT IN HIS FINAL YEARS! |
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Term
| "Long Yellow Road" by Toshiko Akiyoshi |
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Definition
| One of few successful female jazz instrumentalists and huge in the composing world. Her partner and husband, Lou Tobaccan, was a Tonight Show musician. She mixed jazz with Japanese influence. |
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Term
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Definition
| A modern Basie Band person. His music but written with Basie and his band in mind. |
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Term
| "Big Dipper" by the Thad Jones and Mel Lewis Orchestra |
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Definition
| not touring, they would just get together and play once a week but no top notch talent. Modern Big Band. Both namesakes are dead but the band carries on. |
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