Holiday Cheer: Epiphany

A snowman and a penguin go skiing past a golden angel under the colorful holiday boughs.

Today marks Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas. So, I think it's time to end our seasonal celebration. Take down those trees. Toss out the eggnog. Dim those lights. It's been fun, but it's time to turn to other affairs.

I don't generally make a big deal about the holidays, but this year brought a change of pace. I hope you all enjoyed the posts and pictures. And the music, my favorite part of the season.

So, since we're celebrating Epiphany today, let's listen to some appropriate music. ;-)

Somethin' Else

Julian Edwin "Cannonball" Adderley, jazz alto saxophonist, was born on September 15, 1928.


Cannonball Adderley was one of my favorite jazz musicians. His 1958 record, Somethin' Else, is definitely in my Top Five Jazz Albums. His rendition of "Autumn Leaves" with Miles Davis is one of the essential works of the jazz repertoire.

Sadly, Cannonball passed away at the young age of 46 years. His soulful, blues-inspired playing and his distinct, imaginative compositional style promised great things to come, but it wasn't to be. However, we can be grateful for the fine music that he left us in his short but prolific musical career.

Cannonball Adderley from the cover of Know What I Mean? (1961)

Let's listen to some music.

Ornithology

Charlie "Bird" Parker, Jr.

Today marks the birth date of another jazz legend, Charlie "Bird" Park. Of all the jazz greats, his music was the toughest for me to appreciate. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I once considered it to be chock-full of noise. I could intellectually appreciate it, but listening to his innovative approach to chordal techniques and improvisation just wasn't to my tastes. I couldn't "dig" it. ;-)

But as my jazz sophistication and familiarity with bebop's musical lexicon developed, I came to enjoy the music. Where previously I heard histrionic chatter, I now hear complex but compelling musical phrases. Is Bird my favorite jazz musician? No, but I can recognize his innovative genius and enjoy its expression.



Charlie "Bird" Parker and Miles Davis


Enough talk. Let's listen to some music.

Pinnacle of Modal Jazz

Kind of Blue (1959) by Miles Davis

It's been 52 years since the release of Miles Davis' great album, Kind of Blue. We can't let the anniversary of such a Jazz classic go uncelebrated. Although it isn't my favorite record, it certainly is one of my favorites. Kind of Blue has often been called the greatest jazz album ever. I think that is a fair claim.

For those jazz enthusiasts who like dividing up the genre into "Ages", Kind of Blue and the modal style that it represents marks the twilight years of the "Silver Age" which started with the development of Bebop in the mid-'40s and ends with the passing of John Coltrane in 1967. I see jazz history as a smoother continuity than the "Ages" paradigm suggests. Nevertheless, it is fair to say that the modal style is a distinct part of the post-Swing jazz dialectic and Kind of Blue makes an early and powerful aesthetic statement that fully initiates this era of jazz experimentation.



Miles Davis' So What is the opening track to Kind of Blue


So let's listen to some music. ;-)

Birth of the Cool

On this date in 1926, Miles Davis was born. Without a doubt, Davis was among the most influential of jazz musicians. He was a leading innovator from the post-Swing era to jazz fusion. His creative legacy not only remains a vital force in contemporary jazz, but has spread out to influence the broader musical tradition.

When I first started studying jazz, the music of Miles Davis was my guide. The early history of jazz is easy to follow. You start off with the roots of Ragtime and the blues, then enter into traditional jazz (New Orleans/Chicago style), which transforms into Swing and the Big Band era. Then it wraps up into bebop. After this point, things get a bit complicated. You have a mix of wildly diverse styles and techniques competing with each other.

However, this is the era of Miles Davis. And he explores the entirety of the jazz scene through his music. Just listen to his albums and you can hear the trends and techniques of the day.

So, let's get to the music