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Popular Jazz Artists and Their Music

admin2 — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:27:17 +0000

Many people consider jazz as the one true original American music. However, just as the country is a hodge-podge of different cultures, its music a mixture of different beats and melodies. In fact, jazz is a combination of African beat and European melodic influences. The combination is so unique only to America, which is why it cannot be considered as something that came from somewhere else. Jazz was first heard in the suburban areas in the south during the late 1800’s, in communities that were largely populated by Afro-Americans.

Because of its origins, the early popular jazz music artists were blacks. The genre was still at its inception stage with ragtime as its earliest form. The usual instruments used to create such music were banjo and piano. The popular artists then were Ernest Hogan and Tim Turpin, who published the Harlem Rag. By the end of the century, jazz developed further with the innovations created by Scott Joplin. Being a pianist trained in the classical music, he created a beautiful fusion of his specialty and ragtime. By the beginning of the 20th century, the blues came into being, with W.C. Handy as one of the most popular artists of such genre.

Big bands usually play jazz music during the early years. However, when swing music, another new jazz form, rose to prominence in the 1930’s, soloists became more popular too. Swing music highlights the skills of the trumpeter. Because of this, the trumpet player usually ends up becoming more famous than the other musicians in the band. During this time, the genre’s icons, such as Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington grew so popular that any jazz lover should know them and their music.

From the danceable swing music, jazz evolved further in the 1940’s to 1960’s with bebop. Bebop is known as the musician’s music because it gave emphasis on the talents of the instrument players. Every musician in the band was provided with moments to shine, from the piano, the base, to the wind instruments in the band. Among the top trumpeters were Clifford and Dizzy Gillespie. The most popular among the pianists were Thelonius Monk and Bud Powell. Even drummers gained recognition, with Max Roach as one of the more famous ones.

The 70’s saw the development of jazz fusion, a bold attempt to combine the elements of rock and roll with the classic jazz sound. These were the times when the jazz artists, such as Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Tony Williams became very famous. Not only did they develop a new jazz sound. They also influenced even the rock and roll artists of the time, such Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and the Grateful Dead.

By: Jim Oneil

The Dawn of Marvelous Music – Jazz in the 20’s

admin2 — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:49:01 +0000

Considered as part of history, the dawn of Jazz music started as early as the 1920’s. This is the same decade when the radio was born. Both have invaded our homes and captivated us with a different relaxing rhythm. Here are some factors that led to the revolutionizing music of those times.

The Dawn
As a result of the exploration of musical instruments from Europe, Afro-American musicians derived its own style of music rendition. This was way back the nineteenth century. New Orleans was believed to be the starting point of Jazz Music until it extends its impact to New York, Kansas and Chicago during these times. In the same decade, the music industry sprung paving the way to the spread of the Jazz music influence in most independent recording companies. These companies were also known as Indie records. Both Indie records and Jazz music complemented each other as they helped one another in the stairs of fame. Jazz dance progressed as a result of this partnership. Despite the ghost of racism, Jazz music and dance spread all over the United Nations. The beginning of Jazz music was treated as threat to the society. To refresh your memories, these were the times when the law prohibits women to cast their votes on national elections hence critiques from both sides came out to put down the blooming music genre.

The Performers
It has become unstoppable for Jazz music. Unnoticeably, the number of Jazz artists and fanatics has grown exponentially. Paul Whiteman, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong were few names that became famous during those times. Most artists preferred going on tandem or in band instead of solo flight. It appears that Jazz during these times must consist of combination of more than two voices and rhythm. At this early stage, Jazz instruments like trombone, clarinet and cornet were the most popular.

The Evolution
Long before Jazz was totally accepted by the society, it has evolved in numerous forms. Different states derived the main concept then created their own style. Some of these styles were big band style, Latin Jazz, Acid Jazz, and later on, even hip style of Jazz.

These were the factors that contributed to the age of Jazz. It was even considered as a music that plays from the heart going straight to the soul. Until now, Jazz continues to invade the music industry. Regardless of its form, you can still distinguish the original concept as soon as it is played. Not only that it invaded the industry of music but also, you will notice its influence on our fashion and sense of style. With its impact, it has been considered as the long time played genre of our age. Music instruments have been designed to ensure that it will follow the same style as before. People from different nations have shown its support and admiration to this holistic genre. Who will not be captivated by its rhythm? You can consider it as synonymous to relaxation and lasting harmony.

By: Jim Aldridge

Vacation Ideas – Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame

admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 13:06:58 +0000

The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame is located in the historic Carver Theater on 4th Avenue Business District in Birmingham, Alabama. The museum is in the Civil Rights District at 1631 4th Avenue North, in Birmingham, Alabama. Admission is free, and the hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The Carver Theatre is a popular spot for local jazz artists. They have been host to jazz legends like Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. The Carver Theatre is open to the very best in entertainment that includes anything from theatrical performances to jazz jam sessions to swing dance classes.

The Carver Theatre for the Performing Arts was built in 1935. The present theatre includes 1,300 of the latest model theatre chairs and the newest development in air conditioning, sound, and projection. It was also one of several theatres in the Fourth Avenue area that offers first-run movies to African-Americans.

In 1990, the City of Birmingham began renovation of the Carver Theatre as a performing arts theatre and the new home of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and museum. It now operates as a non-profit, multi-use community theatre, which is open for bookings by local and national groups.

The art-deco museum is a place for entertainment as well as honoring great jazz artists with ties to the state of Alabama. Exhibits of accomplished jazz artists include:

o Nat King Cole

o Duke Ellington

o Lionel Hampton

o Erskine Hawkins

Visitors of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame travel from the beginnings of boogie woogie with Clarence “Pinetop” Smith to the jazz space journeys of Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Space Orchestra.

If you add the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame to your vacations ideas and become a visitor you will have a chance to get lost in Alabama’s rich jazz heritage. There are more than 2,200-square-feet of exhibits.

What you will see as parts of these vacation ideas include:

o Priceless jazz memorabilia: Paintings, quilts, instruments and the personal effects of artists like Ella Fitzgerald and W.C. Handy

The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame welcomes tour groups of any size. Their hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Guided Tours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:00a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and on Saturday after 1:00 p.m. The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame is closed Sunday and Monday. Admission is $2 per person for the self-guided tour and $3 per person for a guided tour.

If you bring a large tour group, look forward to both a tour and a showing of “Jazz in the Magic City.” “Jazz in the City” is a jazz documentary outlining the Jazz progression in Birmingham, Alabama.

For more information about the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame tours call 205-254-2731. You might want to add this to your vacation ideas as well.

Who does the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame honor? Inductees include:

o Performers

o Promoters

o Music publishing and recording leaders

o Broadcasters and others have had a significant impact on jazz music.

o Inductees into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame must also have been born in the state of Alabama or spent a considerable amount of time in Alabama developing, producing and influencing jazz.

If you are a lover of jazz music, you might want to add the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame to your list of vacation ideas.

Source: Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in Birmingham, Alabama

Important Disclaimer: The URL address in the resource box of this article is not associated with the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. This article and the web site is a resource to help you formulate vacation ideas.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Toronto Jazz Clubs by Dj Babylon

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Jazz lovers in Toronto are spoilt for choice given the numerous jazz clubs in the city. Compared to other cities such as Mississauga, Markham, Niagara Falls, Brampton and Toronto, Ontario has its fair share jazz clubs and frequent jazz concerts attended by leading jazz artists. Couples planning Toronto weddings are lucky because the high turnout of wedding DJs implies that some of the Toronto DJs perform in some of the city’s top jazz clubs. These can be of immense help in securing the services top-notch jazz artists to perform during one’s Toronto wedding.

Couples planning to have a Toronto wedding this summer need to watch out for the Summer Music festival at Toronto Music Garden, one of the leading jazz clubs in Toronto. If they are jazz lovers, they can engage the management of various jazz clubs to either hold their wedding reception there or have the artistes to perform at their wedding reception at different venues in Toronto. However, before considering other choices, they could consider, Toronto Music Garden seriously because it has key features that could make their Toronto wedding reception a huge success. In addition, the jazz club is next to the botanical garden that provides a serene environment that makes it comfortable enough for the newly wedded couple to enjoy their reception in the background of some very smooth music played by top Toronto wedding DJs.

The jazz club also has a picturesque surrounding thus making it an ideal choice for wedding pictures and wedding videos. In effect, with a good wedding videographer one can end up with a high quality wedding video that they will enjoy for years to come. The jazz club has a lively environment that encourages the revelers to party thus providing a good opportunity for the wedding photographer to capture some once in a lifetime wedding photos. The jazz music will help all the guest to relax thus have a good time during the reception. In fact, most Toronto wedding videography and Toronto wedding photography companies experience no problems shooting wedding photos in these locations. This is because most couples having Toronto wedding are making jazz clubs their venues of choice for hosting their Toronto wedding reception.

Many couples intending to hold their reception at leading jazz clubs in Toronto will be glad to know that these clubs designed in a manner that they allow for a memorable event. This will appeal to newly weds who not only love jazz but also want to a memorable event one they leave the confines of their wedding limousines. Jazz lovers can therefore enjoy the music these clubs provide for their wedding reception on their Toronto wedding event. Because most jazz clubs in Toronto offer high quality live performances often, many newly weds will opt for a wedding reception at these establishments. Such an arrangement will enable them to spend their Toronto wedding in bliss listening to the lovely tunes provided by jazz music. This clubs hence, offer a serene backdrop for an enjoyable wedding reception.

By: Rafi Michael

Jazz Piano

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:36:00 +0000

Jazz piano is one of the most vibrant, energetic, specialized types of music. Famous jazz artists you may want to listen to are Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarret, Bill Evans, to name but a few. To learn jazz piano you need to take some time to listen to jazz CD’s and maybe watch DVD’s as well. To learn jazz piano, one needs to be very patient and dedicated to practicing the genre.

Jazz piano is characterized by a lot of improvisation. A jazz musician can be given a fake music sheet or chord chart and he can improvise on the spot over those chord progressions. It is recommended that a jazz musician know or have standard songs in their repertoire. Standard songs include songs like “Willow Weep for Me,” “Summertime,” and “Georgia on My Mind” to name but a few. Standard songs are songs that have been covered by many recording artists in the past, usually every year. For example one may consider the gospel song “Amazing Grace” a standard gospel song because a lot of artists have covered the song throughout the years.

Knowledge of scales and chords are essential tools needed to be a good jazz musician, let alone the technique needed to play this genre. As a jazz musician you will need to practice different types of scales, chords, arpeggios, staccato playing, legato playing, playing chords on the left hand while playing scales in the right hand at the same time.

To learn jazz you need to start with the basics: minor and major scales and minor and major chords. Once you master these then you can go forth to learning advanced chords(jazz chords) and scales. These chords include diminished, dominant, major nine, tritone chords, etc. Advanced scales will entail learning lydian, diminished, chromatic, melodic minor scales, for example.

You must remember that when it comes to playing the piano, it is not how you play but how you play is very essential as well. This is the reason why you need technique: how hard or soft do you play the notes, how you sit at the piano, breathing, how you position your hands and fingers on the piano, playing chords and scales, etc.

You will definitely need resources to play the piano, someone to hold you by the hand. The key to mastering jazz piano is to learn (get as much information as possible), patience and practice!practice!practice!

By: Jay Mtimkulu

WNUA 95.5 FM Chicago’s choice for Jazz

admin — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:09:12 +0000

When it comes to Jazz music, the city of Chicago has a lot to be proud of. Much of the history of Jazz music is rooted here in the windy city. When it comes to Jazz music stations, Chicago listeners will have high expectations. WNUA works to meet those expectations and offer much more. 95.5 FM plays all of the Jazz greats as well as the up and coming Jazz artists of today. They play a great mix of Jazz classics as well as the softer sounds of today’s light Jazz. Whatever your tastes in Jazz music may be, you find something pleasing to your ear on 95.5 WNUA FM.

Chicago morning commutes can be some of the worst in the country. For those of you that are early risers there is the Ramsey Lewis morning show. From 6 am to 10 am you’ll have an all jazz experience guaranteed to start your day of right. For those of you who are late to bed, there is lights out Chicago with Annie Ash. After a long day at work or wherever, this is the perfect way to unwind and relax before it starts all over again.

For the very best in Jazz music news you should definitely stay tuned. If there is a major Jazz concert happening or a music event at the many fine jazz clubs in the area, you will hear about it first in 95.5 WNUA FM.

For the very best variety, choice and jazz music for the area keep your dial firmly at 95.5 FM. WNUA plays the best in Jazz of all the Chicago radio stations. Get your day off to a great start and keep the momentum flowing with the help of 95.5 FM. With all it has to offer it is no wonder, Chicago’s choice is WNUA 95.5 FM.

By: Danae Martin

Where Can I Hear Live Jazz Music?

admin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 13:04:45 +0000

Jazz is a dying breed of music. Today’s genre of music has drifted from the classics and ran towards rap, pop, and rock and roll. Jazz will never be forgotten though. Jazz music is some of the greatest American music to this day. The other day I was wondering where I can hear live jazz music? So I did some investigating to find out some options for those classic jazz lovers.

Jazz is still popular world wide, but you have to really look in some areas to find what you are looking for. Some times it is just best to go back to where jazz grew up. Get back to the roots of music itself to find some great jazz classics. Kansas City, Boston, and New Orleans are three major cities that pride themselves on their great jazz clubs. At these clubs you can hear live performances of originally made jazz music and live renditions of your favorite jazz artists from the past. Jazz clubs are a great place to have a few drinks and just step into a time machine. Jazz music is music with a soul of its own and gave birth to many new styles of music today.

Others have asked me, “Where can I live jazz music without leaving the house?” This is a very good question and not to difficult to answer either. If you want to hear the live styles of your favorite jazz musicians you can always look up some great jazz stations on your radio. It may not be as great as hearing them live and in person, but you can still hear great live performances from the comfort of your own home. Some of these radio stations can really bring jazz to life and by closing your eyes you can actually feel like you are at a true jazz concert with your favorite oldies.

Jazz is a style of music that really moves people. It is really catchy and great to move your feet to. A lot of major cities in America have areas commemorated to the time of jazz. In Chicago, one of my favorite places where I can hear live jazz music, you can hear great musicians playing jazz on nearly every street corner. Jazz has a lot of heart and will never really die and definitely will never be forgotten. You can find people on corners with their saxophone case open on the sidewalk as people leave donations while they play away the blues.

Jazz will forever go down in history as one of the greatest styles of music ever created. As long as America still knows music jazz clubs will always be around. These clubs have become a shrine to the greats who started jazz and help keep these greats close to the heart of America. So the next time someone asks you, “Where can I hear live jazz music?” You can say, “Just around the corner.”

By: Ian Pennington