[Monday’s Note No. 5] Billie Holiday had a troubled existence, full of suffering. Many men enriched themselves by exploiting her, only to turn their backs on her in times of trouble. Among her few genuine friends was Lester Young, to whom she owes the nickname ‘Lady Day’. Let us analyse their interpretation of Without Your…Continue readingBillie Holiday e Lester Young, Without Your Love
[Monday’s Note No. 4] Louis Armstrong is one of the most charismatic characters in jazz history. Of humble origins, he survived a childhood full of dangers, and it almost seems as if a guardian angel lived on his shoulder and that nothing could disturb his extraordinary optimism. We listen to and analyse his performance of…Continue readingLouis Armstrong, West End Blues. Trumpeter singer and showman
[Monday’s Note No. 3] Jelly Roll Morton boasted that he had invented jazz, he had a diamond in his tooth, and he often used to exhibit his gun to persuade his musicians to play his way. Eccentric and over-the-top, the character long overshadowed the musician. Let’s listen to his curious composition Hyena Stomp.Continue readingJelly Roll Morton, Hyena Stomp. Laughter is contagious
[Monday’s Notes No. 87] Sometimes after a first romantic date it can happen that one of the two falls madly in love, totally unrequited. This is what fears the protagonist of Ligia, who fights a battle against love that he cannot win. The song is performed here by Joao Gilberto and Stan Getz.Continue readingStan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Ligia. Rendezvous in Ipanema
[Monday Note No. 86] Claus Ogerman was a great arranger who made wonderful orchestral albums with Bill Evans, Antonio Carlos Jobim and many others. His collaboration with Wes Montgomery produced the 1966 album Tequila, from which we now hear Little Child (Daddy Dear).Continue readingClaus Ogerman & Wes Montgomery, Little Child Daddy Dear
[Monday Notes no. 85] Maiden Voyage is the title of a song and album by Herbie Hancock, a rather unusual record because it is inspired by a theme that is not really typical of jazz music: the sea.Continue readingHerbie Hancok, Maiden Voyage. Jazz music dedicated to the sea
[Monday Note No. 84] Lady Bird is one of the most famous pieces composed by Tadd Dameron, one of the most important pianists and arrangers for the rise of bebop. Lady Bird is an extremely simple and compact piece, consisting of only 16 measures in which, however, a lot happens.Continue readingTadd Dameron, Lady Bird. 16 measures for playing jazz
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King Crimson, I Talk to the Wind
[Monday Notes no. 83] I Talk to the Wind is the second track on King Crimson’s historic album In The Court Of the Crimson King, an authentic masterpiece as well as a manifesto of progressive rock. This track and the entire album are a real enigma, for this concept album many interpretations are possible, none…Continue readingKing Crimson, I Talk to the Wind
[Monday Notes no. 82] Scott Joplin was the main inventor of ragtime. The composer wrote on his sheet music ‘Don’t play this piece too fast. It is never correct to play Ragtime too fast’, an instruction rarely respected by pianists. In fact, ragtime is often considered a virtuoso exercise and is played at excessive speed…Continue readingSolace Mexican Serenade, Scott Joplin recommends: don’t play too fast
[Monday Notes no. 7] There have been many virtuoso pianists in the history of jazz, Art Tatum, however, represents a unique and unparalleled case. Art Tatum mastered both the classical piano repertoire, from Chopin and Listz to Ravel, and the masters of the stride piano such as Fats Waller, James P. Johnson and Jelly Roll…Continue readingTea For Two, Art Tatum the unsurpassed virtuoso