On The Bookshelf
Hard Bop: Jazz & Black Music 1955-1965
It’s nineteen fifty-something, in a dark, cramped, smoke-filled room. Everyone’s wearing black. And on-stage a tenor is blowing his heart out, a searching, jagged saxophone journey played out against a moody, walking bass and the swish of a drummer’s brushes. To a great many listeners–from Black aficionados of the period to a whole new group of fans today–this is the very embodiment of jazz. It is also quintessential hard bop.
In this, the first thorough study of the subject, jazz expert and enthusiast David H. Rosenthal vividly examines the roots, traditions, explorations and permutations, personalities and recordings of a climactic period in jazz history.
Beginning with hard bop’s origins as an amalgam of bebop and R&B, Rosenthal narrates the growth of a movement that embraced the heavy beat and bluesy phrasing of such popular artists as Horace Silver and Cannonball Adderley; the stark, astringent, tormented music of saxophonists Jackie McLean and Tina Brooks; the gentler, more lyrical contributions of trumpeter Art Farmer, pianists Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan, composers Benny Golson and Gigi Gryce; and such consciously experimental and truly one-of-a-kind players and composers as Andrew Hill, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, and Charles Mingus.
Hard bop welcomed all influences–whether Gospel, the blues, Latin rhythms, or Debussy and Ravel–into its astonishingly creative, hard-swinging orbit. Although its emphasis on expression and downright “badness” over technical virtuosity was unappreciated by critics, hard bop was the music of black neighborhoods and the last jazz movement to attract the most talented young black musicians.
Fortunately, records were there to catch it all. The years between 1955 and 1965 are unrivaled in jazz history for the number of milestones on vinyl. Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue, Charles Mingus’s Mingus Ah Um, Thelonious Monk’s Brilliant Corners, Horace Silver’s Further Explorations. Rosenthal gives a perceptive cut-by-cut analysis of these and other jazz masterpieces, supplying an essential discography as well. For knowledgeable jazz-lovers and novices alike, Hard Bop is a lively, multi-dimensional, much-needed examination of the artists, the milieus, and above all the sounds of one of America’s great musical epochs.
Hard Bop | Jazz & Black Music 1955~1965: 1992 | David H. Rosenthal
Oxford University Press
Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Graham Leslie Lionel Clark was born on December 16, 1959 in England. He plays the violin as his first instrument, sings and also the electric guitar. As a freelance violinist he is adept in most styles of jazz, rock, blues and pop, however, he specializes in improvisation.
He worked with Daevid Allen from 1988 to 2014, and has also worked with Andy Sheppard, Keith Tippett, Tim Richards, Phil Lee, Paz, Brian Godding, Elbow, Lamb, Bryan Glancy, Little Sparrow, Jah Wobble, Graham Massey, Louis Gordon and Liz Fletcher.
Violinist Graham Clark, who has been featured on seven albums, continues to perform and record.
More Posts: guitar,history,instrumental,jazz,music,violin,vocal
JANE MONHEIT
The Merriest Holiday Show
One of jazz’s most beloved voices, Jane Monheit returns with a warm and enchanting holiday project designed to stir feelings of nostalgia, family, and home. The Merriest is a personal collection hand-picked by Jane herself, expressing her love for the season in a way that feels like a gift from her to listeners. With lush orchestrations, intimate vocals, and timeless songs, Jane invites everyone to celebrate the merriest season of all.
A self-described Christmas fanatic, Jane has released two highly acclaimed seasonal albums: The Season (2005) and The Merriest (2022). Each December, she tours to widespread acclaim, bringing her bright, swinging holiday show to audiences across the country. With fresh arrangements of classic favorites and joyful performances, Jane’s holiday shows have become a cherished tradition, delighting fans of all ages and cementing her status as one of jazz?s most enchanting vocalists.
Lineup: Max Haymer ~ piano, Neal Miner ~ bass, Rick Montalbano ~ drums
Cover: Sold Out
More Posts: bandleader,club,genius,jazz,music,preserving,travel,vocal
JOHN PIZZARELLI
World-renowned guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli has dedicated many of his albums to the great songwriters and performers who have helped to establish the Great American Songbook and the pop music canon: Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, Richard Rodgers, and Duke Ellington, to name a few. With his new album, Pizzarelli and his remarkable new trio cast a wider net to explore other sources for the most immortal songs of the past century: the Broadway stage and the silver screen.
Cover: $48.05
More Posts: adventure,bandleader,club,genius,guitar,instrumental,jazz,music,preserving,travel,vocal
GABRIELLE CAVASSA
Gabrielle Cavassa is an American vocalist-composer of Italian descent who is garnering attention for her distinctive voice and intimate expression. She was crowned a winner of the International Sarah Vaughan Jazz Vocal Competition in 2021 after the independent release of her critically acclaimed debut album. Gabrielle is featured on celebrated saxophonist Joshua Redman’s inaugural album with Blue Note Records, Where Are We.
Cover: $41.30
More Posts: adventure,bandleader,club,composer,genius,instrumental,jazz,music,preserving,travel,vocal