Today in Music (1963): Recording of Getz/Gilberto completed

Getz/Gilberto Stan Getz & João Gilberto

Recorded: March 18-19, 1963 Released: March 1964 Charted: June 6, 1964 Peak: 2 US, -- UK Sales (in millions): 0.5 US Genre: jazz

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. The Girl from Ipanema [with Astrud Gilberto] (6/6/64, 5 US, 29 UK, #1 AC, airplay: 4 million) Doralice Para Machuchar Meu Coração (To Hurt My Heart) Desafinado (9/29/62, 15 US, 4 AC. Airplay: 1 million) * Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) [with Astrud Gilberto] So Danço Samba (I Only Dance Samba) O Grande Amor Vivo Sonhando (Dreamer) * Chart information is for original version; featured on this album in a new version. Total Running Time: 33:38 The Players: Stan Getz (tenor saxophone) João Gilberto (guitar, vocals) Antônio Carlos Jobim (piano) Sebastião Neto (double bass) Milton Banana (drums, pandeiro) Astrud Gilberto (vocals on “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Corcovado”)

Rating: 4.687 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings) Quotable: “Bossa nova’s finest moment” – Steve Huey, All Music Guide Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “One of the biggest-selling jazz albums of all time, not to mention bossa nova’s finest moment, Getz/Gilbertotrumped Jazz Samba by bringing two of bossa nova’s greatest innovators – guitarist/ singer João Gilberto and composer/ pianist Antonio Carlos Jobim – to New York to record with Stan Getz. The results were magic. Ever since Jazz Samba, the jazz marketplace had been flooded with bossa nova albums, and the overexposure was beginning to make the music seem like a fad.” AMG “Getz/Gilberto made bossa nova a permanent part of the jazz landscape not just with its unassailable beauty, but with one of the biggest smash hit singles in jazz history – The Girl from Ipanema, a Jobim classic sung by João's wife, Astrud Gilberto, who had never performed outside of her own home prior to the recording session.” AMG “Beyond that, most of the Jobim songs recorded here also became standards of the genre – Corcovado (which featured another vocal by Astrud), So Danço Samba, O Grande Amor, a new version of Desafinado. With such uniformly brilliant material, it’s no wonder the album was such a success but, even apart from that, the musicians all play with an effortless grace that’s arguably the fullest expression of bossa nova’s dreamy romanticism ever brought to American listeners.” AMG Getz himself has never been more lyrical, and Gilberto and Jobim pull off the harmonic and rhythmic sophistication of the songs with a warm, relaxed charm. This music has nearly universal appeal; it’s one of those rare jazz records about which the purist elite and the buying public are in total agreement. Beyond essential.” AMG Notes: In 1997, a reissue added the single versions of “The Girl from Ipanema” and “Corcovado.”

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Stan Getz AMG All Music Guide review by Steve Huey WK Wikipedia First posted 4/6/2008; last updated 3/15/2024.

Today in Music (1959): Dave Brubeck Time Out charted

Time Out Dave Brubeck

Charted: November 28, 1959 Recorded: June 25, July 1, and August 18, 1959 Peak: 2 US, 11 UK Sales (in millions): 1.0 US Genre: jazz

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. Blue Rondo a la Turk Strange Meadowlark Take Five (9/11/61, 25 BB, 5 AC, 6 UK, air: 1 million) Three to Get Ready Kathy’s Waltz Everybody’s Jumpin’ Pick up Sticks Total Running Time: 38:30 The Players: Dave Brubeck (piano) Paul Desmond (alto saxophone) Eugene Wright (bass) Joe Morello (drums)

Rating: 4.346 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings) Quotable: “This belongs in even the most rudimentary jazz collection.” – Steve Huey, All Music Guide Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: Dave Brubeck’s “name is spoken with the same reverence as Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and between the three of them they all but defined jazz in the middle of the century.” CS He was “appreciated for his thick chord structures, complex improvisations, and his ability to dip a toe into dischord and atonality without drenching himself in chaos.” CS His “defining masterpiece, Time Out is one of the most rhythmically innovative albums in jazz history, the first to consciously explore time signatures outside of the standard 4/4 beat or 3/4 waltz time. It was a risky move – Brubeck’s record company wasn’t keen on releasing such an arty project, and many critics initially roasted him for tampering with jazz’s rhythmic foundation.” SH However, “for once, public taste was more advanced than that of the critics.” SH The album got to #2 on the Bilboard album chart and stayed on the chart for more than three years, “something wholly unexpected from an avant-garde jazz album.” CS It “still ranks as one of the most popular jazz albums ever.” SH One of the factors that helped the album catch on with the public was the unexpected success of Take Five. It was the only song on the album not written by Brubeck. Alto saxophonist Paul Desmond wrote the hit single which was initially planned to be a drum solo for Joe Morello. CS “Brubeck’s classic Blue Rondo à la Turk blends jazz with classical form and Turkish folk rhythms, while ‘Take Five,’ despite its overexposure, really is a masterpiece; listen to how well Desmond’s solo phrasing fits the 5/4 meter, and how much Joe Morello’s drum solo bends time without getting lost.” SH “The other selections are richly melodic as well, and even when the meters are even, the group sets up shifting polyrhythmic counterpoints that nod to African and Eastern musics. Some have come to disdain Time Out as it’s become increasingly synonymous with upscale coffeehouse ambience, but as someone once said of Shakespeare, it’s really very good in spite of the people who like it. It doesn’t just sound sophisticated – it really is sophisticated music, which lends itself to cerebral appreciation, yet never stops swinging. Countless other musicians built on its pioneering experiments, yet it’s amazingly accessible for all its advanced thinking, a rare feat in any art form. This belongs in even the most rudimentary jazz collection.” SH

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Dave Brubeck SH Steve Huey, All Music Guide CS Chris Smith (2009). 101 Albums That Changed Popular Music. Oxford University Press. Pages 13-15. WK Wikipedia First posted 2/17/2010; last updated 3/20/2024.

 

Today in Music (1959): Ornette Coleman The Shape of Jazz to Come recorded

The Shape of Jazz to Come Ornette Coleman

Released: November 1959 Recorded: May 22, 1959 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: jazz > avant garde

Tracks: Lonely Woman Eventually Peace Focus on Sanity Congeniality Chronology Total Running Time: 37:59 The Players: Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone) Don Cherry (cornet) Charlie Haden (bass) Billy Higgins (drums)

Rating: 4.781 out of 5.00 (average of 9 ratings) Quotable: “A watershed event in the genesis of avant-garde jazz” – Steve Huey, All Music Guide Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “Ornette Coleman’s Atlantic debut, The Shape of Jazz to Come, was a watershed event in the genesis of avant-garde jazz, profoundly steering its future course and throwing down a gauntlet that some still haven’t come to grips with. The record shattered traditional concepts of harmony in jazz, getting rid of not only the piano player but the whole idea of concretely outlined chord changes.” AMG “The pieces here follow almost no predetermined harmonic structure, which allows Coleman and partner Don Cherry an unprecedented freedom to take the melodies of their solo lines wherever they felt like going in the moment, regardless of what the piece’s tonal center had seemed to be.” AMG “Plus, this was the first time Coleman recorded with a rhythm section – bassist Charlie Haden and drummer Billy Higgins – that was loose and open-eared enough to follow his already controversial conception. Coleman’s ideals of freedom in jazz made him a feared radical in some quarters; there was much carping about his music flying off in all directions, with little direct relation to the original theme statements. If only those critics could have known how far out things would get in just a few short years; in hindsight, it’s hard to see just what the fuss was about, since this is an accessible, frequently swinging record.” AMG “It’s true that Coleman’s piercing, wailing alto squeals and vocalized effects weren’t much beholden to conventional technique, and that his themes often followed unpredictable courses, and that the group’s improvisations were very free-associative. But at this point, Coleman’s desire for freedom was directly related to his sense of melody – which was free-flowing, yes, but still very melodic. Of the individual pieces, the haunting Lonely Woman is a stone-cold classic, and Congeniality and Peace aren’t far behind. Any understanding of jazz’s avant-garde should begin here.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Ornette Coleman AMG All Music Guide review by Steve Huey WK Wikipedia First posted 5/3/2008; last updated 3/14/2024.

Today in Music (1959): Charles Mingus completed recording on Ah Um

Ah Um Charles Mingus

Released: October 1959 Recorded: May 5-12, 1959 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): 0.17 US, 0.06 UK, 0.23 world (includes US and UK) Genre: jazz > avant garde

Tracks: Better Get It in Your Soul Goodbye Pork Pie Hat Boogie Stop Shuffle Self-Portait in Three Colors Open Letter to Duke Bird Calls Fables of Faubus Pussy Cat Dues Jelly Roll Total Running Time: 45:53 The Players: Charles Mingus (bass, piano) John Handy (alto sax) Booker Ervin (tenor sax) Shafi Hadi (tenor and alto sax) Willie Dennis (trombone) Jimmy Knepper (trombone) Horace Parlan (piano) Dannie Richmond (drums)

Rating: 4.241 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings) Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: “Charles Mingus’ debut for Columbia, Mingus Ah Um is a stunning summation of the bassist’s talents and probably the best reference point for beginners. While there’s also a strong case for The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady as his best work overall, it lacks Ah Um’s immediate acccessibility and brilliantly sculpted individual tunes. Mingus’ compositions and arrangements were always extremely focused, assimilating individual spontaneity into a firm consistency of mood, and that approach reaches an ultra-tight zenith on Mingus Ah Um.” AMG “The band includes longtime Mingus stalwarts already well versed in his music, like saxophonists John Handy, Shafi Hadi, and Booker Ervin, trombonists Jimmy Knepper and Willie Dennis, pianist Horace Parlan, and drummer Dannie Richmond. Their razor-sharp performances tie together what may well be Mingus’ greatest, most emotionally varied set of compositions.” AMG At least three became instant classics, starting with the irrepressible spiritual exuberance of signature tune Better Get It in Your Soul, taken in a hard-charging 6/8 and punctuated by joyous gospel shouts. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat is a slow, graceful elegy for Lester Young, who died not long before the sessions. The sharply contrasting Fables of Faubus is a savage mockery of segregationist Arkansas governor Orval Faubus, portrayed musically as a bumbling vaudeville clown (the scathing lyrics, censored by skittish executives, can be heard on Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus).” AMG “The underrated Boogie Stop Shuffle is bursting with aggressive swing, and elsewhere there are tributes to Mingus' three most revered influences: Open Letter to Duke is a suite of three tunes; Bird Calls is inspired by Charlie Parker; and Jelly Roll is an idiosyncratic yet affectionate nod to jazz’s first great composer, Jelly Roll Morton. It simply isn’t possible to single out one Mingus album as definitive, but Mingus Ah Um comes the closest.” AMG

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Charles Mingus AMG All Music Guide review by Steve Huey WK Wikipedia First posted 10/7/2008; last updated 3/14/2024.

This Month in Music (1957): Miles Davis Birth of the Cool released

Birth of the Cool Miles Davis

Released: February 1957 Recorded: January 21 and April 22, 1949; March 9, 1950 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): 0.28 US, 0.06 UK, 0.34 world (includes US and UK) Genre: cool jazz

Tracks: Move Jeru Moon Dreams Venus de Milo Budo Deception Godchild Boplicity Rocker Israel Rouge Darn That Dream (with Kenny Hagood on vocals) * * bonus track added to 1989 CD reissue Total Running Time: 35:29 The Players: Miles Davis (trumpet) Kai Winding, J.J. Johnson (trombone) Junior Collins, Sandy Siegelstein, Gunther Schuller (French horn) Bill Barber (tuba) Lee Konitz (alto sax) Gerry Mulligan (baritone sax) Al Haig, John Lewis (piano) Joe Shulman, Nelson Boyd (bass) Max Roach, Kenny Clarke (drums)

Rating: 4.646 out of 5.00 (average of 13 ratings) Quotable: “Where the sound known as cool jazz essentially formed” – Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

About the Album: An argument can be made that Miles Davis is the most influential artist in the history of jazz music. He was at the forefront of every major movement in the genre from the mid-‘40s until his death in 1991. The renowned musician was born in 1926 and raised in an upper middle class home in East St. Louis. He took up trumpet at age 9 and by 16 was playing gigs. After high school, he got to play with other jazz greats like trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and saxophonist Charlie Parker. He was part of bands assembled by Benny Carter, Billy Eckstein, and Parker before moving from sideman to frontman in 1948. After landing a contract with Capitol Records, he went into the studio in January 1949 to record the first of three sessions which would become The Birth of the Cool. The title refers to the idea that it was out of these sessions that “the sound known as cool jazz essentially formed.” AMG It is one of the “defining, pivotal moments in jazz.” AMG The music has “a hip, detached elegance, never getting too hot, even as the rhythms skip and jump.” AMG Cool jazz marked the point “where the elasticity of bop was married with skillful, big-band arrangements and a relaxed, subdued mood that made it all seem easy, even at its most intricate.” AMG Cool jazz dated back as far as the mid-‘30s with tenor saxophonist Lester Young and pianist Leonard Joseph Tristano. However, it was Davis who “took the form ahead a generation, inspiring an entire school of jazz artists to move the music forward.” CS That first session, in New York on January 21, 1949, produced Jeru, Move, Godchild, and Budo. ON April 22 of that same year, Davis & Co. produced Venus De Milo, Rouge, Boplicity, and Israel. The third session birthed Deception, Rocker, Moon Dreams, and Darn That Dream. Jazz legend and big band innovator Gil Evans collaborated with Davis on the project, helping him to assemble the musicians and serving as arranger on some of the material. CS The sessions also highlighted what became a lifelong talent “as a collector of similarly brilliant musicians who would bring about radical changes in musical direction.” CS The assembled musicians for The Birth of the Cool keep “things short and concise (probably the result of the running time of singles, but the results are the same), which keeps the focus on the tones and tunes. The virtuosity led to relaxing, stylish mood music as the end result – the very thing that came to define West Coast or ‘cool’ jazz – but this music is so inventive, it remains alluring even after its influence has been thoroughly absorbed into the mainstream.” AMG The four tracks from the first session were released as singles, as were “Israel” and “Boplicity.” In 1953, Capitol released eight of the tracks on a 10” LP called Classics in Jazz – Miles Davis. WK In 1957, eleven songs from the three sessions were released as The Birth of the Cool. In 1989, a CD reissue added “Darn That Dream,” the only remaining song from the sessions.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Miles Davis AMG, All Music Guide review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine CS Chris Smith (2009). 101 Albums That Changed Popular Music. Oxford University Press. Pages 7-9. WK Wikipedia Other Related DMDB Pages: First posted 3/28/2008; last updated 3/17/2024.