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October 2011
| October 2011 Newsletter: A True Birthday of Jazz Drumming and the Continued Evolution of The Blues and the Abstract Truth Celebration Concert
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It could be argued that Tuesday, October 11 is the mother of all jazz drumming birthdays. For on October 11, in 1919 and 1936 respectively, Art Blakey and Billy Higgins entered the world. Between these two men, we have the backbeat of jazz for nearly half a century.
Art Blakey was born in Pittsburgh on October 11, 1919. He taught himself to play in his inimitable aggressive style by studying Chick Webb and Sid Catlett. In the late 1940s and early 1950s he was at the forefront of bebop, playing with Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, and Miles Davis. Blakey continued to hone his powerful and unique style while working with Horace Silver to put together the early Jazz Messengers. Starting with Hank Mobley, Kenny Dorham, and Doug Watkins, the many editions of the Messengers over the years would form a sort of college for generations of postbop players: Donald Byrd, Johnny Griffin, Benny Golson, Lee Morgan, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons, Curtis Fuller, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, Keith Jarrett, Chuck Mangione, and so many more were part of the band in the 1950s and 1960s. Blakey continued working and playing all over the world for decades, and in later years his Messengers continued to introduce newer stars such as Wynton and Branford Marsalis, James Williams, Terence Blanchard, and many others. No drummer drove his bands as hard - on and off stage - as Art Blakey, and few ever played with his intensity. As Rob of ejazzlines says, No one swings like Blakey. Take a listen to Hank Mobley's 1960 masterwork quartet date Soul Station, and you will agreeand very quickly.
Billy Higgins was born on Blakey's 17th birthday in 1936, in Los Angeles. After playing with several R&B and jazz headliners, Higgins joined Ornette Coleman, and was a part of Coleman's early successes, moving to New York with him in 1959. While Higgins always artfully straddled the worlds of the avant-garde and more traditional jazz, it was on a lengthy string of Blue Note dates in the 1960s where he arguably left his greatest mark. Sessions with Donald Byrd, Jackie McLean, Sonny Clark, Herbie Hancock, Dexter Gordon, Grant Green, Hank Mobley, and many more make Higgins perhaps THE drummer of the classic Blue Note era. He played on many of Lee Morgan's greatest dates during this era, leading the trumpeter to proclaim that Higgins never overplays, but you always know he's there. Amen. In 1978 he moved back to LA, and eventually organized workshops and performances under the aegis of his cultural center The World Stage, and also taught at UCLA. Never bombastic, always complementing; never taking over but always enhancing, Billy Higgins was truly among the most tasteful jazz drummers and greatest sidemen in the history of jazz.
We continue to work with our friend Oliver Nelson Jr. on finalizing the lineup for The Blues and the Abstract Truth Celebration Concert, which will take place Saturday night January 7 in Louisville as a featured event at the third annual Jazz Education Network Conference. Thus far, we have proudly confirmed Dr. Larry Ridley on bass, Terell Stafford on trumpet, Shelly Berg on piano, and Ndugu Chancler on drums. Our next newsletter will have the final band lineup (we expect to have an equally exciting alto player to announce) as well as more details on this concert. Oliver will be giving an introduction which will touch on his legendary father's legacy. For all of the relevant info on the JEN Conference, please visit their website: www.jazzednet.org.
We once again thank everyone for your support - it is sincerely appreciated every day of the year!
Rob and Doug at ejazzlines
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October brings several more new Jazz Lines Publications releases, as well as many from the various publishers whose works we proudly offer. In September, Jazz Lines Publications released Benny Carter's Central City Sketches Suite, and all of the pieces are available separately or as a complete set. We also published Benny Carter's Blues in My Heart, Oop Bop Sh'Bam as done by Med Flory and Supersax, Bob Brookmeyer's arrangement of Don't Be That Way as done for Terry Gibbs, and several more in the Don Sickler Jazz Lines Publications Series: Kenny Wheeler's Kayak, Kenny Dorham's Afrodisia, Art Farmer's Write Soon and Ray Bryant's Tonk as recorded by the Jazztet, Tom McIntosh's Ally as recorded by James Moody, and Gigi Gryce's Hymn of the Orient, Basheer's Dream and Wildwood as recorded by Clifford Brown, Kenny Dorham and Art Farmer respectively. Finally, we wholeheartedly recommend the eminent Gordon Goodwin's great new arrangement of the classic That's Life.
All October 2011 New Arrangements
All September 2011 New Arrangements
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A KISS FROM YOU: BENNY CARTER
This enchanting melody originated in a score Carter wrote for television's 'Chrysler Theater' in 1963. It was known as 'Lydia' until Johnny Mercer added a lyric. At a 1973 concert at Princeton University Carter he offered the big band version which was recorded in 1986 by the American Jazz Orchestra. |
FRED'S DELIGHT: ARTIE SHAW/TADD DAMERON
In 1949 Artie Shaw hired Tadd Dameron to write a few arrangements for his band. Dameron composed and arranged So Easy, Lyonia (unrecorded), and this arrangement of Fred's Delight. Shaw recorded this once in 1950. Set in a medium swing tempo, this chart features clarinet in a bop-style melody. There is also a guitar solo and short written trumpet solo. There are no saxophone doubles. |
BACK BAY SHUFFLE: TERRY GIBBS/MED FLORY
This Med Flory arrangement was written for the Terry Gibbs Dream Band and was recorded live in 1959 and then in the studio in 1960. We have included optional Bb or Eb solo parts so that it may be played with any featured soloist. |
HERE COMES JULIAN: PETER HERBOLZHEIMER
Heiner Wiberny wrote this melodious and rhythmically spirited composition for his son Julian - here beautifully arranged by Peter Herbolzheimer. The Latin-influenced piece was inspired by his collaboration as multiinstrumentalist with the WDR Big Band Cologne. |
LAW AND ORDER: JOHN BERRY
One of the signature television themes of our time, this instantly recognizable Mike Post composition adapts perfectly for jazz ensemble in this authentic sounding arrangement from John Berry. Includes brief solos for trumpet and alto sax. |
BRAZIL: MICHAEL PHILIP MOSSMAN
The Latin classic arranged for little big band by Mossman! Featuring a sophisticated level of scoring even within the 6 horn format, Michael Mossman brings a fresh and creative touch to this well-known Latin standard. Includes solos for alto and trumpet. |
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MOTEN SWING: HARRY JAMES
Originally conceived as little more than a riff chart by Bennie Moten, this tune would later become a firm favorite of the Basie band. This version of Moten Swing features piano for the opening chorus before the band picks up the melody in the second chorus. Alto and tenor ad-lib solos puctuate the third chorus. The extended shout (to the finish) features some stunning dynamic contrast writing, with the band alternating 2-measure phrases (from piano to fortissimo across a 16 measure passage). The final shout builds from piano to fortissimo. Not only is this a great swing chart, it also makes a good feature for your piano player, alto 1, alto 2 and tenor 1 players.
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STAIRWAY TO THE STARS: GLENN MILLER/BILL FINEGAN
Here is Glenn Miller's classic ballad Stairway to the Stars, as recorded by the Miller band with Ray Eberle on vocal. It was originally arranged during the earlier days of the band which contained only 6 brass, but we have augmented the chart up to a full 8 brass line-up. The reeds are fully Miller voiced, for CAATT, with alto 1 taking the clarinet part. The chart includes an extra optional baritone (on alto) part, which is a transposition of the tenor 1 part, allowing your tenor 1 to take the clarinet lead if preferred. This is a fabulous romantic chart which works equally well as a concert piece, a slow dance number, or even as a first dance for a bride and groom.
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October's DVD selections also include great new drum DVDs from Neil Peart and Todd Sucherman, Essential Guitar: The Modes Series The Dorian Mode, and a brand new retrospective on the career of Eric Clapton. September's best included new live DVDs from Zoot Sims and Chet Baker; a DVD covering the 1981 Woodstock Jazz Festival; Motown Gold From the Ed Sullivan Show; the re-release of Lionel Hampton and the Golden Men of Jazz; Jimi Hendrix on the Dick Cavett Show; and another rare live DVD from Europe, this one featuring Attila Zoller in two performances, one each with Jim Hall and Jimmy Raney.
All October 2011 New DVDs
All September 2011 New DVDs
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ALL STAR JAZZ SHOW LIVE FROM THE ED SULLIVAN THEATER
Originally broadcast as "The Original Rompin' Stompin' Hot And Heavy, Cool And Groove All Star Jazz Show" on CBS television in 1977. This award-winning DVD from filmmaker Gary Keys contains performances from Lionel Hampton, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Max Roach, Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, and Joe Williams. The witty program traces the birth of jazz from spirituals all the way to the wild sounds of the '70s via live performance, dance and narration. |
CHET BAKER LIVE IN TORINO 1958 AND STUTTGART 1988
Two concerts nearly 30 years apart document jazz great Chet Baker in two very different phases of his career. The first concert features baritone great Lars Gullin. The second showcases pianist Nicola Stilo taking an acoustic guitar as Chet plays piano on Jobim's Portrait in Black and White. An indispensable DVD. |
JOHN JR ROBINSON: THE TIME MACHINE
John JR Robinson has played on records that have sold well over 100 million copies. As one of the busiest studio musicians in history, his concept of time, feel, groove, and style has earned him the title of The Time Machine. These elements are explained in detail, and the DVD features amazing performances with John's band Native Son, made up of world class musicians. This incredible DVD also covers aspects of tuning, miking, technique, and playing with a click track. |
HOAGY CARMICHAEL: HIS LIFE AND MUSIC
Hoagy Carmichael: His Life and Music profiles the rich life and career of beloved American musician Hoagy Carmichael. Carmichael, a gifted composer, lived from 1899 to 1981, penning numerous hit songs, including "Georgia on My Mind," "Thanks for the Memories," and "Stardust." The video looks back over Carmichael's entire biography, from his Indiana boyhood and his first experiences playing and writing music to his rapid rise to fame and fortune and beyond. |
PAT PETRILLO'S LEARN TO READ RHYTHMS...BETTER!
With this groundbreaking 2 DVD set, world class drummer and educator Pat Petrillo has created a complete program that will teach you how to read rhythms in beginning to advanced levels! Topics include basic rhythm notation; quarter, eighth, and sixteenth note combinations; all dotted rhythms and rest combinations; syncopation notation combinations in "straight" and "swing" interpretations; all triplet rhythm combinations; common and odd time signatures; and codas and repeats. |
GUITAR QUICK LICKS - UP TEMPO BLUES IN THE STYLE OF JOE BONAMASSA
Learn killer licks in the style of your favorite players and jam along with superb guitar jam tracks. Each Quick Licks DVD includes an arsenal of licks in the style of the chosen artist to add to your repertoire, plus backing tracks to practice your new-found techniques! Learn killer blues licks in the style of Joe Bonamassa, one of the leading lights in the modern blues guitar scene! Also includes a blues guitar jam track. |
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In addition to the below, October's new releases include Practicing the Jazz Vocabulary from Jamey Aebersold; a great new Wycliffe Gordon trombone book from Kendor; Teaching Music Across the Curriculum and Zoro's The Big Gig from Alfred; a Choro for Big Bands play-along from Mel Bay; and several more from Hal Leonard: Bass Aerobics and Piano Aerobics, thorough programs for improving all aspects of your playing; Men of Christmas and Ladies of Christmas, vocal books with precise transcriptions in the songs' original keys; Mind Matters: Overcoming Common Mental Barriers in Drumming; The Official Guide to Steinway Pianos; and transcriptions from Pat Metheny's Day Trip/Tokyo Day Trip Live. As always, we will be adding to these pages as the month progresses. We encourage another look at September's best, which included a new Bill Evans Play-Along, Chuck Israel's Exploring Jazz Arranging, Tony Dagradi's Sax Solos Over Jazz Standards, and John Daniel's Special Studies for Trumpet.
All October 2011 New Books
All September 2011 New Books
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METRIC MODULATIONS
The follow-up to Intro to Polyrhtyhms (also available, catalog number 21108DP), a method for learning advanced rhythm, polyrhythm, and metric/harmonic superimposition, looks at rhythm through a magnifying glass and enables the student to see, sing and hear various subdivisions and groupings of subdivisions. This book can be used by any and all instrumentalists. Metric Modulation will greatly improve the student's improvisational ability to create and respond to rhythmic musical dialogue. |
PAT METHENY GUITAR ETUDES
One of the most common questions Pat is asked by students is, What kinds of things do you do to warm up before a concert? Over the years, in many master classes and workshops around the world, Pat has demonstrated the kind of daily workout he puts himself through. This book includes a collection of 14 guitar etudes he created to help you limber up, improve picking technique and build finger independence. |
STRAIGHT-AHEAD JAZZ DRUMMING
Author Jeff Jerolamon has gone beyond the mere coordination patterns that comprise most jazz drumming books to combine informative text, realistic musical examples, and audio tracks that clearly and methodically detail such topics as how to: develop a good, traditional cymbal beat; adorn the cymbal beat with comping figures; play and use basic tension figures; play the cymbal in a contemporary (post 1960) fashion; adorn the contemporary cymbal concept with the rest of the drumset; resolve tensions (resolution points); build excitement behind a soloist; and more. |
BIG CHRISTMAS COLLECTION PLAY-ALONG: 10 HOLIDAY GREATS
This brand new and latest edition in the Hal Leonard Jazz Play-Along Series has a fantastic and varied selection of holiday greats for all instrumentalists to learn to play. For use with all B-flat, E-flat, C and bass clef instruments, the Jazz Play-Along Series is the ultimate learning tool for all jazz musicians. With musician-friendly lead sheets, melody cues and other split-track choices on the included CD, this first-of-its-kind package helps you master improvisation while playing some of the greatest tunes of all time. |
MELODIC LINE: A JAZZ WORKBOOK FOR ALL MUSICIANS
Improvised lines in the jazz style (from the bebop period to the present) are essentially formed by using a combination of scales, arpeggios, patterns, and embellishments. Various configurations should be practiced in all keys and at different tempos. The embellishment is basically an ornament which is used to give color to the melodic line. This workbook shows you how to embellish chord tones and is designed to be analyzed and practiced in all keys. |
INTRO TO JAZZ PIANO
From comping to soloing, you'll learn the theory, the tools, and the techniques used by the pros. The accompanying CD demonstrates most of the music examples in the book. The full band tracks feature the rhythm section on the left channel and the piano on the right channel, so that you can play along with the band. Covers: jazz chords and progressions; jazz swing and bossa nova comping; voicings and patterns; melodic treatment; soloing techniques; how to play from a fake book; and more. |
HERE AND NOW!
The Autobiography of Pat Martino. More than just the remarkable story of one of the most original and profoundly influential guitarists in jazz history, this extraordinarily revealing autobiography is also a survival manual, of sorts, in overcoming incredible adversity and learning to live in the here and now. |
HARMONIC EXERCISES FOR THE JAZZ PIANIST
Harmonic Exercises For The Jazz Pianist has been designed to give the student a firm foundation in jazz harmony. Exercises are provided for all of the basic triads and seventh chords. There are exericises for various chord voicings such as drop 2 and block chords. There is a section on harmonic approaches to the ii - V - I progression. It ends with a miscellaneous section which continues with various contemporary jazz piano voicings. |
| As of this newsletter we have added 11 new DVDs for October 2011 and 20 for September 2011; 29 new music books for October 2011 and 49 for September 2011; 26 new big band and combo arrangements for October 2011 and 41 for September 2011.
We continue to work very hard to provide you with simply the very best jazz and jazz-related DVD selection anywhere. This area of our site now contains 2492 titles! We invite you to browse our easy-to-navigate DVD pages today-we have jazz, blues, funk, and soul; live and documentary; method and master class; and much more - we are proud to offer a selection of jazz and jazz-related DVDs that is truly second to none.
As always, please keep in mind that many of our new releases are available in limited quantities. We do our best to predict demand and fill orders as quickly as possible, but we do run out of new releases. Even if we run out of stock, everything featured in this newsletter should be available to ship within 1 to 2 weeks.
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