Oscar Peterson

In a distinguished musical career spanning six decades, Peterson recorded over 200 albums, won eight Grammy Awards, received 16 doctorates from American and Canadian universities, including York University where he served as chancellor and was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada in 1984 after being made an Officer 12 years earlier.

Performer/composer Oscar Peterson, who Duke Ellington once referred to as the Maharajah of the keyboard,was among the celebrated Canadians who were inducted into the national Walk of Fame.
                      Oscar Peterson Remembered Playlist


Oscar Emmanuel Peterson was born August 15, 1925 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His parents were immigrants from the British West Indies and Virgin Islands. His father, Daniel Peterson, was boatswain on a merchant ship when he met Olivia John in Montreal, where she worked as a cook and housekeeper for an English family. Daniel gave up the sailing work and began working as a porter for the Canadian Pacific Railway. He and Olivia married and stayed in Montreal as their family grew.

Oscar was the fourth of five children. Their father insisted that they all learn a musical instrument, and Oscar began to study the trumpet. A childhood bout of tuberculosis forced a fortuitous switch to the piano, under the tutelage of his father and his older sister, Daisy. It soon became apparent that Oscar’s talent surpassed the capabilities of home teaching, and he was sent first to teacher Lou Hooper and then to the gifted Hungarian classical pianist, Paul deMarky. A warm and respectful musical friendship developed between the two, and with Mr. deMarky’s guidance Oscar’s mastery of the instrument grew, along with his dedication to and command of his talent.

The performance career of Oscar Peterson began while he was still a young teenager in high school, as pianist with the Johnny Holmes Orchestra in Montreal. After a few years with the Orchestra, he formed his own trio, the first in a format he maintained throughout his lifelong career. With the trio, he quickly gained fame and popularity throughout Canada. His appearances at the Alberta Lounge in Montreal were broadcast live on the radio. In 1949 impresario Norman Granz heard one of those broadcasts, went to the Alberta Lounge and enticed Mr. Peterson into making a surprise guest appearance with Granz’ all-star “Jazz at the Philharmonic” at Carnegie Hall later that year. Leaving the audience awestruck, Oscar joined JATP in 1950 as a full-time touring member. He formed a piano-bass duo with Ray Brown as well, and began recording for Granz at the same time. He also added Barney Kessel as the first of the guitarists with whom he would create trios, returning to the group format he loved.

He was voted Jazz Pianist of the Year in 1950 by the Downbeat Readers’ Poll, a title he garnered for an additional twelve years. He toured the globe extensively with Jazz at the Philharmonic as well as with his own trio.
                Oscar Peterson - Live In'63,'64 &'65


The Official Website of Oscar Peterson                                                                   
http://www.oscarpeterson.com/

During the busy touring years in the early 1960s he founded a jazz school in Toronto called the Advanced School of Contemporary Music. This attracted students from all over the world. For a few months each year he and his trio, along with Phil Nimmons, a clarinetist from Toronto, would conduct classes at the school. The demands of his touring schedule forced closure of the school after a few years, but students still fondly recall their experiences there.

Oscar Peterson began composing while still a member of the Johnny Holmes Orchestra, and as time progressed he devoted more and more time to composition, while still maintaining a vigorous performance schedule. His “Hymn To Freedom” became one of the crusade songs of the Civil Rights Movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the United States. It is still performed frequently by choirs worldwide. He also composed a salute to his beloved Canada, “The Canadiana Suite,” in the early 1960s. He has composed music for motion pictures, including the Canadian film “Big North,” made for Ontario Place in Toronto, and the feature film “The Silent Partner,” for which he won the Genie Award (Canadian Oscar award) for best original film score in 1978. He composed work for the National Film Board of Canada. His collaboration with filmmaker Norman McLaren on the film “Begone Dull Care” won awards all over the world. He composed the soundtrack for the film “Fields of Endless Day,” about U.S. slaves using the Underground Railroad to escape to Canada. Other compositional projects include a jazz ballet, a suite called “Africa,” and the Easter Suite, commissioned by the BBC in London and broadcast live on Good Friday in 1984, with annual broadcasts after that. “A Salute to Bach” for the composer’s 300th birthday, premiered with trio and orchestra at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall in 1985. He composed a suite for the Olympic Arts Festival of the Calgary Winter Olympics in 1988, and music for the opening ceremony of the Skydome in Toronto. In addition, Oscar Peterson composed more than 400 other pieces, many of which he performed and others continue to perform. Some of these compositions remain unpublished, but hopefully they will be published for future generations to hear.

Oscar Peterson has an extensive discography of his trio and quartet recordings, as well as his recordings with many of the other jazz greats. His varied albums include recordings with Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Roy Eldridge, Ben Webster, Coleman Hawkins and Joe Pass. His worldwide performances and his recordings, particularly those with his trios and quartets, brought him recognition from numerous places all around the world.

Mr. Peterson also made many television appearances during his lifetime. He hosted five different talk show series, and Oscar’s widespread appeal led to his interviewing a variety of guests. The unusual range of personalities to appear on these programs included the former Prime Minister of England, the Rt. Hon. Sir Edward Heath, Twiggy, Anthony Burgess as well as many musicians. He also appeared in television commercials “Tears Are Not Enough,” a musical fundraiser for African famine relief.

Preferring not to use his celebrity status to sway public opinions, Mr. Peterson nevertheless remained dedicated to the belief that his native Canada has a responsibility in leading the world in equality and justice. With this in mind, he took a firm stand to promote the cause of human rights fair treatment for Canada’s multicultural community. In recognition of this effort, Mr. Peterson was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada, Canada’s highest civilian honor. He had been inducted as an Officer of the Order in 1972.

During his life and career Mr. Peterson received many awards and honors. These include the Praemium Imperiale (the Arts equivalent of the Nobel Prize, presented by the Japan Art Association), the UNESCO International Music Prize, 8 Grammy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Grammy), the 1993 Glenn Gould Prize, of which he was the third recipient, the first chosen by unanimous decision and the first ever non-classical musician, and many honorary degrees.

Despite a stroke in 1993 that debilitated his left hand, Oscar Peterson was determined to continue performing, recording and composing. Within a year he had recovered and resumed his worldwide concert appearance schedule.

Oscar Peterson lived in the quiet city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. His hobbies included fishing, photography and astronomy. He was an avid audiophile and synthesist, as music was not only his profession but also his hobby. His home contained his own private recording studio, allowing him to work and still enjoy his family life. His passion for life, love and music remained strong for his entire life, and he continued to perform until shortly before his death. Oscar Peterson passed away at his home on the morning of December 23, 2007. His legacy lives on through his music.
                 Oscar Peterson and Count Basie Live 1974

Clark Terry

                     Clark Terry   
 Grammy Award-winning jazz trumpeter who played in the orchestras of both Count Basie and Duke Ellington and on "The Tonight Show" has died. Clark Terry was 94.

He left us peacefully, surrounded by his family, students and friends. Clark has known and played with so many amazing people in his life. He has found great joy in his friendships and his greatest passion was spending time with his students. We will miss him every minute of every day, but he will live on through the beautiful music and positivity that he gave to the world. Clark will live in our hearts forever.

            Clark Terry Remembered Playlist


He has played with every big name in jazz over the last half-century from the likes of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson, to Ella Fitzgerald…the list could go on forever. With such a rich performing career spanning over seven decades, he continued to play with today’s top musicians and inspire up and coming improvisers.

Clark Terry (born December 14, 1920) was an American swing and bop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, educator, and NEA Jazz Masters inductee.

Clark Terry began his professional career in St. Louis in the early 1940s by playing in local clubs before joining a Navy band during World War II. Afterwards, he played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948-1951), Duke Ellington (1951 to 1959), and Quincy Jones (1960). He also performed and recorded regularly both as a leader and sideman. In all, his career in jazz spans more than seventy years.

"That sound that I had listened to for years on record was coming out of a horn a foot away from me. It was an experience that I will always remember. I don’t know what was more impressive, the fact that I was sitting down with a jazz legend or that Clark, age of 89, came into the music school practice rooms around 10 at night to hang out with students for free. "

Pretty amazing, but then again Clark Terry has been dedicated to educating young jazz musicians for decades. He mentored a young Miles Davis and encouraged Quincy Jones as he was starting out as an arranger and trumpet player. With a track record like that, it’s safe to say that he knows a few things about learning this music.

  There is no mention of him ever retiring or slowing down. When not performing music, he continued to mentor and teach just about every notable jazz musician of the past three decades.

Terry — equally at home with big bands and playing solo — was lauded with every music award and tribute one can win — more then 250 by his count.
Most notably, he has 16 honorary doctorates, knighthood in Germany, induction in several music halls of fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and several times named musician, artist or trumpeter of the year. He also performed for seven US presidents.

After touring with Duke Ellington’s band, Terry joined “The Tonight Show” in 1962 (first working with Skitch Henderson and later Doc Severinsen.) He spent ten years with the program and was often a featured soloist. He became popular to audiences often being referred to by his nickname “Mumbles,” a tribute to his musical sound.

His original compositions include more than two hundred jazz songs, and he co-authored books such as Let’s Talk Trumpet: From Legit to Jazz, Interpretation of the Jazz Language and Clark Terry’s System of Circular Breathing for Woodwind and Brass Instruments with Phil Rizzo.

             Master Class with Clark Terry - The Performance

        In this clip from www.artistshousemusic.org - On Sunday November 28th, 2004 Clark Terry gifted us with the third Master Class in the 2004 fall series offered in conjunction with John Snyder of Artists House Foundation and David Schroeder of NYU. Clark Terry, a legend jazz trumpeter is known as a headliner at the world's premier jazz events, a TV personality featured on national programs and one of jazz's finest educators. In 1951 Clark joined Duke Ellington's orchestra as a featured soloist for eight years. He was also the first black musician on the NBC payroll as a spotlighted player in the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. It was at this time Clark had a smash hit featuring Mr. Mumbles. You will see in the Master Class video Clark gives us a very amusing segment of Mr. Mumbles. Clark is known for his great technical virtuosity, swinging lyricism and his gift as a wonderful dramatist whose musical talent leaves an audience thoroughly delighted.
             Jazz at the Philharmonic 1967 BBC JATP Clark Terry 

Clark Terry, James Moody, Zoot Sims, Dizzy Gillespie, Coleman Hawkins, Benny Carter, Teddy Wilson,
 Louie Bellson , T-bone Walker, Bob Cranshaw

Stanley Turrentine

Stanley William Turrentine was one of the most distinctive tenor saxophonists in jazz. Known for his big, warm, sound, “The Sugar Man” or the original “Mr. T” found inspiration in the blues and turned it into a hugely successful career with a #1 hit and four Grammy nominations -- first in R&B and then in jazz.
               Stanley Turrentine Blue Joy Playlist


Born on April 5, 1934 in Pittsburgh, a city that has produced more than its share of jazz masters, Turrentine hailed from a musical family. His saxophone-playing father was a big influence, as was his stride piano-playing mother and older brother, the late trumpeter Tommy Turrentine.

One of Stanley's earliest influences on sax was tenor great Illinois Jacquet. Jacquet once encouraged a 12-year old Stanley to sit in with him. At 17, Turrentine went on the road with bluesman Lowell Fulson. In 1953, he was hired by R&B saxman and bandleader Earl Bostic to replace John Coltrane.

A consummate musician who learned his craft through disparate experiences and influences, Turrentine received his only formal musical training during his military stint in the mid-'50s. In 1959, he jumped from the frying pan into the fire when he left the military and went straight into the band of the great drummer Max Roach.

Turrentine married organist Shirley Scott   in 1960. When they moved to Philadelphia, they befriended Hammond B-3 organ legend Jimmy Smith and Turrentine quickly immersed himself in the Smith's soulful jazz organ sound. He even recorded on Jimmy's epochal Blue Note album Midnight Special.

The organ-centered soul-jazz that Jimmy Smith and Shirley Scott concocted provided Turrentine the perfect gateway to cross over into pop territory. His first foray in this new, more radio-friendly music began in 1969 when he signed with Creed Taylor's slick and successful CTI label.

Turrentine's first album for CTI, Sugar, was released in 1970 and yielded the classic tune of the same name. He continued with a string a pop-laced crossover albums for CTI including the 1971 hit Don't Mess with Mr. T. His relative success, despite his continued ability to deliver in the straight-ahead jazz vein, led to a predictable critical backlash. Listen to L.A. Times jazz critic Don Heckman, bassist Ray Brown, and Stanley talk about the critical backlash he received after making pop-oriented hit albums

Nevertheless, Turrentine persevered on the ever-changing landscape of jazz, by tapping into his enduring, soulful sound and bluesy approach. He remained a perennial favorite among jazz fans well up to his untimely death on Sept. 12, 2000.

             





Stanley Turrentine - In Concert (1990)

Ben Tankard music for my soul

Ben Tankard who is known as “The Godfather” of Gospel Jazz
He's been called "the Quincy Jones of Gospel," and besides being one of the best-selling instrumentalists in Christian music, keyboard player Ben Tankard has justified this tag.

              Ben Tankard music for my soul Playlist


From Wikipedia
Ben Tankard (born January 24, 1964) is a 6'6" former professional basketball player and an American gospel, jazz keyboardist producer, author, recording artist, and songwriter with over 200 songs recorded. Tankard and his wife Jewel donate their time as non-salary senior pastors of Destiny Center Church of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Tankard is also a motivational speaker for the National Basketball Association D-League and a Reality TV co-star with the Bravo show - Thicker Than Water: The Tankards.

On August 21, 2013 Tankard was nominated for three Gospel Music Dove Awards. These nominations were for Tankard's most recent CD release, Full Tank, and the categories included: Contemporary Gospel/Urban Song of the Year, Contemporary Gospel/Urban Album of the Year, and Instrumental Album of the Year. His WOW Gospel 2006 Collaboration CD with Shirley Murdock, Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, and others climbed to #1 Gospel and #20 on Billboard Top 200 and is certified Gold.

After a brief stay in the Canadian and U.S. professional basketball arena as a 6'6" shooting guard, Tankard left the league with a knee injury and turned to his new love, music. He discovered his gift to play jazz piano in a church miracle service and immediately changed his life's course from sports to music. He considers his keyboard and producer talents gifts from God and has never taken music lessons.

In 1990 at just twenty five years old, Tankard discovered a third grade school teacher named Yolanda Adams, and signed her to his new independent record label, Tribute Records (Ben-Jamin' Universal Music). He produced several of her earlier works including: Through the Storm, Save the World, More Than A Melody, and Yolanda... Live in Washington. They collaborated on over 40 compositions. Tankard credits Yolanda Adams' voice for helping to bring his production style and keyboard playing to a large audience. Tankard has also recorded a series of well received instrumental solo albums and soundtracks, with music styles ranging from pop to R&B to smooth jazz. Tankard was the first artist to dedicate complete instrumental albums to a mixture of gospel and jazz, thus the term "GospelJazz".

Considered an industry trailblazer, Tankard has owned his own record label/production company for twenty five years . His musical accomplishments have earned him three Grammy nominations, eleven Dove Award nominations, and twelve Stellar Awards including 2010's "Best Instrumental Album" for his Mercy, Mercy, Mercy CD.  This high charting release featured an instrumental remake of the Chris Tomlin Christian hit song, "How Great Is Our God". Though many of Tankard's releases have received heavy rotation on gospel and smooth jazz stations, The Weather Channel, XM Satellite Radio and cable TV's Music Choice, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy was the first CD in the history of Billboard Magazine to chart on the gospel, contemporary jazz, and jazz chart all at the same time.

With his ability to assemble talent for his recordings, Tankard has been also been called the "Quincy Jones of Gospel", and is the bestselling gospel jazz instrumentalist of all-time with 18 solo albums to his credit.  In addition to his extensive work with Yolanda Adams, Tankard has produced and collaborated with several other Grammy Award winning, gold and platinum artists including, Take 6, Fred Hammond, Kelly Price, John P. Kee, Shirley Murdock, Twinkie Clark and Gerald Albright. He has earned 15 Gold and 6 Platinum records in his twenty five years in the music business.

Jazz For Christmas

            Jazz  For Christmas

The Heath Brothers Jazz

   The Heath Brothers Jazz for The People Playlist


The Heath Brothers is a jazz group, formed in 1975 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the brothers Jimmy (tenor saxophone), Percy (bass), and Albert "Tootie" Heath (drums); and pianist Stanley Cowell. Tony Purrone (guitar) and Jimmy's son Mtume (percussion) joined the group later. Tootie left in 1978, and was replaced by Akira Tana for a short period before returning in 1982. They also added other sidemen for some of their recording dates.
The group still exists with just two of the brothers, Jimmy and Tootie, and additional sidemen as needed.

The DVD, Brotherly Jazz: The Heath Brothers, recorded in 2004, shortly before Percy Heath's death, was one of the last times the three brothers played together, and chronicled the Heath Brothers' personal lives as well as socio-political issues many jazz musicians dealt with in the later 20th century, including jail, drugs, discrimination and segregation.
The 2009 CD Endurance was the first without Percy, and features seven original numbers by Jimmy, including "From a Lonely Bass", composed in memory of his late brother.


     The Master Class: Heath Brothers Performance


The 4th Master class in the fall series featured two of the incredible Heath Brothers, Percy and Jimmy. The third brother Albert was not attending that day. Coming from a musical family and known as one of the first families of jazz, the Philadelphia brothers are known for their impeccable compositions,

arrangements and love of bebop. Each brother became musically successful in their own right and played with many of the bebop pioneers such as the Dizzy Gillespie Big Band. The rhythm section became known as the famous Modern Jazz Quartet after Percy succeeded Ray Brown, launching a 43 year career. Jimmy also played with Gillespie, exchanging his alto sax for a tenor and is a talented composer-arranger. Throughout the master class, you can sense the love of music the brothers have to this day.

     Master Class: Percy Heath Backstage Interview


     Jimmy Heath: Why Ben Webster Learned the Lyrics - JazzTimes Before and After


     Brotherly Jazz: The Heath Brothers


     An Oral History with Albert "Tootie" Heath

Autumn leaves - Miles Davis

Jazz at the Philharmonic 1967 BBC JATP Clark Terry, Teddy Wilson,ZootSims,

Clark Terry
James Moody
Zoot Sims
Dizzy Gillespie
Coleman Hawkins
Benny Carter
Teddy Wilson
Bob Cranshaw
Louie Bellson
T-bone Walker

Jazz at the Philharmonic 1967 BBC
1967 BBC
full concert

Regina Carter Jazz Violin

Violinist Regina Carter is a highly original soloist whose sophisticated technique and rich, lush tone took the jazz world by pleasant surprise when she arrived in New York from her native Detroit. And jazz fans weren't the only people who heard that mercurial quality in her playing: artists as diverse as Faith Evans, Elliot Sharp, and Mary J. Blige have employed her talents on their recordings, as has filmmaker Ken Burns on his soundtrack for The Civil War. Add this to an extremely long list of jazzers who include Tom Harrell, Wynton Marsalis, and Oliver Lake. 

            Regina Carter Jazz Violin Playlist

Regina Carter (born August 6, 1966) is the cousin of famous jazz saxophonist James Carter.She was born in Detroit and was one of three children in her family. She began piano lessons at the age of two after playing a melody by ear for her brother's piano teacher. After she deliberately played the wrong ending note at a concert, the piano teacher suggested she take up the violin. She suggested that the Suzuki Method was more conducive to her creativity. Carter's mother enrolled her at the Detroit Community Music School when she was four years old and she began studying the violin. She still studied the piano, as well as tap and ballet.

As a teenager, she played in the youth division of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. While at school, she was able to take master classes from Itzhak Perlman and Yehudi Menuhin.

Carter attended Cass Technical High School with a close friend, jazz singer Carla Cook, who introduced her to Ella Fitzgerald. In high school, Carter performed with the Detroit Civic Orchestra and played in a pop-funk group named Brainstorm. In addition to taking violin lessons, she also took viola, oboe, and choir lessons.

Carter was studying classical violin at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston when she decided to switch to jazz, but the school did not have that as a program. She transferred to Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Here she studied jazz with Marcus Belgrave. Through Belgrave Carter was able to meet a lot of people active in the Detroit jazz scene, including Lyman Woodard. She graduated in 1985. After graduating, she taught strings in Detroit public schools. Needing a change of scene, she moved to Europe and spent two years in Germany. While making connections, she worked as a nanny for a German family and taught violin on a U.S. military base.

Regina Carter returned to Michigan to join the all-female jazz quartet Straight Ahead. After two recordings for the Atlantic label, Carter left the band in 1994 in search of a solo career. She had already been doing session work in the city and sought to make the move permanent. Carter found herself working with Max Roach, the String Trio of New York, and the Uptown String Quartet before recording her self-titled debut recording on Atlantic in 1995. Its mixture of R&B, pop, and jazz confused jazz fans and delighted pop critics. It sold well enough for her to record Something for Grace, which leaned in a jazz direction though it featured an R&B sheen in its production. Carter left Atlantic for Verve in 1998 and recorded two more outings under her own name, the last of which, Motor City Moments, is her finest session. In 2001, Carter recorded a duet session with Kenny Barron that has been universally acclaimed for its lyrical qualities and stunning range of dynamics and harmonic invention.

She has since released  the classically influenced Paganini: After a Dream in 2003 and the American songbook album I'll Be Seeing You: A Sentimental Journey in 2006 as a tribute to her late mother.

She won a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in September of that year. After much time spent touring and a sojourn in Africa, Carter emerged with Reverse Thread in 2010 on the E1 imprint. The album is comprised mainly of African folk tunes from countries as diverse as Mali, Uganda, and Senegal among others. Her sidemen on this recording include accordionists Will Holshouser and Gary Versace, guitarist Adam Rogers, acoustic bassist Chris Lightcap, electric bassist Mamadou Ba, kora master Yocouba Sissoko, and drummer Alvester Garnett. Using many of the same musicians, Carter furthered her exploration of earlier musics on Southern Comfort, which explored in detail as well as in concept the roots of American music. It was released in March of 2014.


       
              Regina Carter Interview


               Atlanta Jazz Festival Regina Carter Special class HD


               Interview with Regina Carter at the Jackie Robinson Foundation Afternoon of Jazz 1996

               

Regina Carter Clip - Discussing her musical inspirations & practice

Herbie Hancock..Esperanza Spalding..Leo Genovese..Wayne Shorter..Terri L...

Jazzy Marvin Gaye Playlist

             

       Jazzy Marvin Gaye Playlist

Gene Ammons will make you FEEL

Eugene "Jug" Ammons also known as "The Boss", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, and the son of boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons
         

          Gene Ammons will make you FEEL

Gene Ammons, who had a huge and immediately recognizable and captivating tone on tenor, had the natural ability to take a tune and make it his own. He was a flexible and technically proficient player who could play in many musical idioms as well as being an incredible balladeer. He proved to be very much his own man, developing a distinctive, warm sound that nevertheless fitted well into the hard-edged playing of his colleagues. Some of his ballad renditions became hits and, despite two unfortunate interruptions in his career, Ammons remained a popular attraction for 25 years.

Born April 14, 1925 – July 23, 1974 in Chicago, Illinois, Ammons studied music with instructor Walter Dyett at DuSable High School. Ammons began to gain recognition while still at high school when in 1943, at the age of 18, he went on the road with trumpeter King Kolax's band. In 1944 he joined the band of Billy Eckstine (who bestowed on him the nickname "Jug" when straw hats ordered for the band did not fit), playing alongside Charlie Parker and later Dexter Gordon. Notable performances from this period include "Blowin' the Blues Away," featuring a saxophone duel between Ammons and Gordon. After 1947, when Eckstine became a solo performer, Ammons then led a group, including Miles Davis and Sonny Stitt, that performed at Chicago's Jumptown Club. In 1949 Ammons replaced Stan Getz as a member of Woody Herman's Second Herd, and then in 1950 formed a duet with Sonny Stitt.

Ammons had an ability to infuse originals and standards with preachy yet elegant clouds of sound, contributing to what became known as “soul jazz”. A pioneering tenor saxophonist in bebop jazz, cool school jazz, and, later, soul jazz, Gene “Jug” Ammons played alongside several of the bebop and postbop eras’ most noted players, including Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Art Blakey, Fats Navarro and Sonny Stitt to name a few. Ammons worked as a single throughout his career, recording frequently in settings ranging from quartets and organ combos to all-star jam sessions.
Drug problems kept him in prison during much of 1958-1960 and, due to a particularly stiff sentence, 1962-1969.

When Ammons returned to the scene in 1969, he opened up his style a bit, including some of the emotional cries of the avant-garde while utilizing funky rhythm sections, but he was still able to battle Sonny Stitt on his own terms. Ironically, the last song that he ever recorded (just a short time before he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1974) was “Goodbye.”

    Gene Ammons - Canadian Sunset (Original LP Remastered) (Full Album)


          Gene Ammons - Nice And Cool (Full Album)

Gene Ammons - Angel Eyes

Najee Morning Tenderness ( Full Album )

Will Downing & Gerald Albright

Will Downing & Gerald Albright ' Smooth' Playlist

Summer Horns Live at Java Jazz Festival 2014

Summer Horns feat. Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair & Richard Elliot live at the Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival 2014, Saturday March 1st - A3 Hall JIExpo Kemayoran, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Sunday Afternoon Jazz Playlist

                         Sunday Afternoon Jazz Playlist

What is Cool Jazz, Anyway?

Definition: a term sometimes given to the music inspired by bebop but played by white musicians after World War II such as Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz, Lennie Tristano, and Warne Marsh. However, Miles Davis, with his album Birth of the Cool, helped spread the popularity of the style, which tended to be more subdued and cerebral than hard bop, a parallel post-bebop movement.

Billy Taylor Productions Presents Jimmy Owens, flugelhorn; Billy Taylor, piano; Chip Jackson, bass and Steve Johns on drums.

Streetwize - Smooth Playlist

                     Streetwize  -  Smooth Playlist
 Bio by Wade Kergan
A smooth jazz studio supergroup led by saxophonist Kim Waters, Streetwize feature a roster including singer Maysa Leak and guitarist Ken Navarro. The idea of collaboration is nothing new to jazz -- smooth or otherwise -- the twist here is that Streetwize perform contemporary rap and R&B radio hits. Their first album, Streetwize: Smooth Urban Jazz, was released by Shanachie in 2002 and featured versions of Mystikal's "Shake It Fast," Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat," and D'Angelo's "Brown Sugar." A second album, Work It, appeared the next year with Kim Waters and company polishing the edges off tracks made popular by Missy Elliott, Erykah Badu, and Jennifer Lopez. In 2004, Streetwize delivered the sultry Slow Jamz featuring the Isley Brothers tributes "Don't Say Goodnight" and "Between the Sheets." Two years later, the band returned with Does Dre which included songs associate with rapper Dr. Dre such as Eminem's "My Name Is," Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice," and "Nuthin' But a G Thang." The band continued in the slow jam cover song vein with 2007's Sexy Love, 2008's Streetwize Does Mary J Blige, and 2009's Put U to Bed. In 2012, Streetwize released its eighth studio album, Feelin' Sexy, featuring covers of songs by Robin Thicke, R. Kelly, Frank Ocean, and others. Body Party followed in 2013 with versions of Ciara's song of the same title, Drake's "Hold On, We're Going Home," and Tamar Braxton's "The One."

John Coltrane

 

    John Coltrane represents the ultimate uncomprimising musician. An art not created for entertainment or commercial ambitions but rather a spiritual pursuit, a connection with the infinite. The last period before his death was marked by that search through some of the most explorative free jazz there is. 
               
                                          His Story
                          click full screen

Merely mention the name John Coltrane and you’re likely to evoke a deeply emotional, often spiritual response from even the most casual jazz fan. John Coltrane was the most revolutionary and widely imitated saxophonist in jazz.

Born September 23, 1926 in Hamlet, North Carolina, John Coltrane was always surrounded by music.Coltrane grew up in High Point, North Carolina, his father played several instruments sparking Coltrane’s study of E-flat horn and clarinet. While in high school, (at about the age of 15) Coltrane’s musical influences shifted to the likes of Lester Young and Johnny Hodges prompting him to switch to alto saxophone. After moving to Philadelphia, he continued his musical training  at Granoff Studios and the Ornstein School of Music. He was called to military service during WWII, where he performed in the U.S. Navy Band  (1945-46) .

After the war,he played alto saxophone in the bands led by Joe Webb and King Kolax, then changed to the tenor to work with Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson (1947-48). He performed on either instrument as circumstances demanded while in groups led by Jimmy Heath, Howard McGhee, Dizzy Gillespie (with whom he made his first recording in 1949), Earl Bostic, and lesser-known rhythm-and-blues musicians, but by the time of his membership in Johnny Hodges's septet (1953-54) he was firmly committed to the tenor instrument. Coltrane began playing tenor saxophone with the Eddie "CleanHead" Vinson Band, and was later quoted as saying, "A wider area of listening opened up for me. There were many things that people like Hawk, and Ben and Tab Smith were doing in the ‘40’s that I didn’t understand, but that I felt emotionally." Prior to joining the Dizzy Gillespie band, Coltrane performed with Jimmy Heath where his passion for experimentation began to take shape. However, it was his work with the Miles Davis Quintet  with Red Garland, Paul Chambers, and Philly Joe Jones (1955-57)  that would lead to his own musical evolution. " Miles music gave me plenty of freedom," he once said. During that period, he became known for using the three-on-one chord approach, and what has been called the ‘sheets of sound,’ a method of playing multiple notes at one time.
                               John Coltrane - Playlist

Coltrane next played in Thelonious Monk's quartet (July-December 1957), but owing to contractual conflicts took part in only one early recording session of this legendary group. He rejoined Davis and worked in various quintets and sextets with Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Chambers, Jones, and others (1958-60). While with Davis he discovered the soprano saxophone, purchasing his own instrument in February 1960.
Throughout the 1950s addiction to drugs and then alcoholism disrupted his career. Shortly after leaving Davis, however, he overcame these problems.
Having led numerous studio sessions, established a reputation as a composer, and emerged as the leading tenor saxophonist in jazz, Coltrane was now prepared to form his own group; it made its debut at New York's Jazz Gallery in early May 1960. After briefly trying Steve Kuhn, Pete La Roca, and Billy Higgins, Coltrane hired two musicians who became longstanding members of his quartet, McCoy Tyner (1960-65) and Elvin Jones (1960-66); the third, Jimmy Garrison, joined in 1961. With these sidemen the quartet soon acquired an international following. At times Art Davis added a second double bass to the group; Eric Dolphy also served as an intermittent fifth member on bass clarinet, alto saxophone, and flute from 1961 to 1963,eventually adding players like Pharoah Sanders. The John Coltrane Quartet created some of the most innovative and expressive music in Jazz history including the hit albums: "My Favorite Things," "Africa Brass," " Impressions," " Giant Steps," and his monumental work "A Love Supreme" which attests to the power, glory, love, and greatness of God. Coltrane felt we must all make a conscious effort to effect positive change in the world, and that his music was an instrument to create positive thought patterns in the minds of people.
Coltrane turned to increasingly radical musical styles in the mid-1960s. These controversial experiments attracted large audiences, and by 1965 he was surprisingly affluent. From autumn 1965 his search for new sounds resulted in frequent changes of personnel in his group. New members included Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane (his wife), Rashied Ali (a second drummer until Jones' departure), several drummers as seconds to Ali, and a number of African-influenced percussionists. In his final years and after his death, Coltrane acquired an almost saintly reputation among listeners and fellow musicians for his energetic and selfless support of young avant-garde performers, his passionate religious convictions, his peaceful demeanor, and his obsessive striving for a musical ideal.

In 1967, liver disease took Coltrane’s life leaving many to wonder what might have been. Yet decades after his departure his music can be heard in motion pictures, on television and radio. Recent film projects that have made references to Coltrane’s artistry in dialogue or musical compositions include, "Mr. Holland’s Opus", "The General’s Daughter", "Malcolm X", "Mo Better Blues", "Jerry McGuire", "White Night", "The Last Graduation", "Come Unto Thee", "Eyes On The Prize II" and "Four Little Girls". Also, popular television series such as "NYPD Blue", "The Cosby Show", "Day’s Of Our Lives", "Crime Stories" and "ER", have also relied on the beautiful melodies of this distinguished saxophonist.
In 1972, "A Love Supreme" was certified gold by the RIAA for exceeding 500,000 units in Japan. This jazz classic and the classic album "My Favorite Things" were certified gold in the United States in 2001.In 1982, the RIAA posthumously awarded John Coltrane a Grammy Award of " Best Jazz Solo Performance" for the work on his album, "Bye Bye Blackbird". In 1997 he received the organizations highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award.


On June 18, 1993 Mrs. Alice Coltrane received an invitation to The White House from former President and Mrs. Clinton, in appreciation of John Coltrane’s historical appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival.

In 1995, John Coltrane was honored by the United States Postal Service with a commemorative postage stamp. Issued as part of the musicians and composers series, this collectors item remains in circulation.

           John Coltrane (1926-1967) - Documentaire - Documentary


              John Coltrane - Stellar Regions (1967) [Full Album]


                                    Saint John Coltrane


                     1964 - John Coltrane - A Love Supreme


                  John Coltrane - Giant steps full jazz album

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