Wizard of the Vibes

The great jazz vibraphonist, Milt Jackson, was born on January 1, 1923.

Let's start the New Year off with a heavy dose of coolness. And you can't get any more cool than some old school jazz vibraphone, played by Bags himself.

Yeah, I'm a big fan of the vibes. They have such a rich, mellow sound, so smooth and easy, that I can't help but feel laid-back when I hear them. Sometimes I fancy trying to learn how to play them, but time and money have always got in the way, and the instrument tales up a lot of space, not something that will put away easy in a closet or a case. ;-)

Yet, I'm happy to just be a listener and enthusiast, admiring the artistry of Milt Jackson, who brings out the beauty of the vibes like no other musician. It's magical.

Milt Jackson playing at Parnell's in Seattle circa 1980 (Photo: Steven M. O'Kelley)

Good vibrations for certain!!!

Jezebel of Jazz

Anita O'Day from her album "Incomparable" (1964)

With a style that was as cool as the other side of the pillow, Anita O'Day was the quintessential hipster of '50s era jazz, enchanting her audiences with a voice as rich and sweet as honey.

By turns playful, sultry, or sad, her voice ran deep with passion. Yet, Anita kept a sharp beat driving her lyrics with a percussive tightness. Words were too precious to waste on empty flourishes and, like a “Beat era” poet, she measured her phrases for maximized effect.

And her bebop talents for improvisation were without peer. Other songbirds might have greater range or longer phrasing and that's admirable, but Anita O'Day had precision. She was the unrivaled Mistress of Metre.

Anita O'Day was born on October 18, 1919.



So, let's take this day to remember the classy Queen of Cool.

Well, You Needn't

Thelonious Monk, 1961 (Photo by William Claxton)

It's time to pay homage to another Master of Jazz. On this day in 1917, Thelonious Monk was born. In the history of jazz, there are many peculiar individuals and a few brilliant individuals. Well, Monk was both peculiar and brilliant. In terms of composition, only Duke Ellington has had a greater influence upon the genre.

I've expressed my youthful difficulties in appreciating bebop and its derivatives. I just couldn't get into Charlie Parker or Dizzy Gillespie. Their music didn't click with my conception as to how music was "supposed" to sound. So, what knocked down these mental barriers? The music of Thelonious Monk. It was both intellectually engaging and emotionally accessible.

My newfound enthusiasm for Monk was further developed by the 1988 documentary "Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser", shortly after I "discovered" his music. By learning about the man behind the music, it added a new depth to my appreciation. This is where my interest in music and art history began.

Thelonious Monk was born on October 10, 1917.

Well, that's enough about me. Let's get back to celebrating the great music of Thelonious Monk!

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.