Sonny Rollins live in Perugia!

My guitar player asked me if I'd like to go to a Sonny Rollins concert in Perugia and to be honest I couldn't believe that the man himself would give a concert! Turns out, he's really playing in Perugia at the Umbria Jazz 2007 - the jazz festival in Perugia. Lucky me! The concert will be held on 14th July 2007 and we got really nice seats so I'll be giving you feedback after the concert, when I'll probably be full of impressions. I mean seriously, the man who played with all the cats like John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Art Blakey and who is one of the cats, is going to give us the opportunity to see him live! How good can this get?

If you somehow don't know who Sonny Rollins is let me tell you a little something about this amazing musician. His full name is Theodore Walter "Sonny" Rollins. He was born in 1930 in New York and started his career at the age of 11 playing with piano legend Thelonious Monk before he was 20. He really started as a pianist, then changed to alto saxophone and finally switching to tenor sax in 1946. The highlight of his career which gave him that kick on the scene was recording with Miles Davis in 1951 and then with Thelonious Monk in 1953. He joined the Clifford Brown - Max Roach quintet in 1955 and after Brown's death in 1956 he mainly works as the leader.

His most widely acclaimed album, Saxophone Colossus, was recorded on June 22, 1956, featuring Tommy Flanagan on piano, former Jazz Messengers bassist Doug Watkins and his favorite drummer Max Roach. This was only Rollins' third outing as a leader in the recording studio, but it was a date on which he recorded perhaps his best-known composition "St. Thomas", a Caribbean calypso based on a tune sung to him by his mother in his childhood: "St. Thomas is a song my mother used to sing, it is a traditional tune."

John Coltrane was yet to become a major figure, and Rollins was the leading modern jazz saxophonist in America. In 1957 he pioneered the use of bass and drums (without piano) as accompaniment for his saxophone solos. This texture came to be known as "strolling". Two early recordings in this format are Way Out West (Contemporary, 1957) and A Night at the Village Vanguard (Blue Note, 1957). Throughout his career, Rollins used the technique, even backing bass and drum solos with sax licks.

By this time, Rollins had become well-known for taking relatively banal or unconventional material (such as "There's No Business Like Show Business" on Work Time, "I'm an Old Cowhand" on Way Out West, and later "Sweet Leilani" on the Grammy-winning CD This Is What I Do) and turning it into a vehicle for improvisation. He is quite well-known as a composer; a number of his tunes (including "St. Thomas", "Doxy", "Oleo" and "Airegin") have become standards.

In case you didn't get your ticket, I suggest you hurry and get one now! If it's not a good time for you or you are not near Italy, he will be playing in other locations as well, which you can check at his website - http://www.sonnyrollins.com/itinerary.php

I think it would be a big pity to miss this concert and seeing this legendary sax player and a jazz man in person, because we should consider ourselves lucky he has the energy to still play and travel the world! Honestly, I'm not sure if I would be doing the same thing if I were his age! So, this is an amazing opportunity people and use it!!!

If you want to learn more about Sonny go to this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Rollins

More about Umbria Jazz festival: Umbria Jazz 2007
Sonny Rollins - the official website: Sonny Rollins

Jazz + Ars = ?

I have decide to give a simple explanation of the name of this blog since many people asked me what it means and I've heard many different meanings of the word ars. So JAZZ is quite simple. I think this is an universal word in all languages, but ars can be quite a lot of things.
Let me give you several examples of the meanings of the word ARS.

According to Bartleby.com it's an ABBREVIATION: Agricultural Research Service
Infoplease says that, apart from the above mentioned abbreviation, it also means advanced record system.

Then there are several other definitions such as: acute respiratory syndrome, American Radium Society devoted to the study and treatment of cancer, Agricultural Restructuring Scenario, Archive Retrieval System and autonomously replicating sequence, Argentinian currency (Argentinian pesos)...

Wikipedia says ARS, which stands for Air - Roll - Spin, is a bodyboarding trick. It is a combination of El Rollo and a 360º spin while the bodyboarder is in the air. The bodyboarder starts off by approaching the lip and doing the el rollo, and during the rotation throws him/herself into a forward 360º spin.

Similarly written and something a friend of mine from Ireland pointed out was

arse

A British word that allows one to distinguish between a part of the body and an animal called an ass (to say nothing of ass). Because most British accents have a weak arr, however, the distinction in speech is noted mostly in the vowel.

He said that all the British will laugh at this because it reminds them of ass. Not really written properly then, if we want to say that, is it? Lucky me! :)

From the botanical dictionary we found out there is an American Rose Society (abr. ARS) which is an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the cultivation and enjoyment of roses. Imagine that!

And finally the real meaning of the word, the original word, the roots, the one I meant was from Latin - ars, -tis, f. = ART !
Or more concretely, the definition goes:

ars -tis f. (1) [skill , method, technique]; 'ex arte', [according to the rules of art]. (2) [an occupation, profession]. (3) concrete, in plur., [works of art]. (4) [conduct, character, method of acting]; 'bonae artes', [good qualities].

So the name of this blog would be: jazz art. All because I wanted to put here things related with jazz and arts related to jazz. It can be anything really since art is such a broad term.

I hope I've cleared out some confusions. ;)

What is jazz really?

So I was wondering about the origin of the word jazz and thank god we have Internet, because that made my search pretty easy. Anyway, jazz has many different meanings and the origin is also not certain. There are many versions related to the etymology of this word and I thought it would be nice to share it with you. These definitions are taken from the Online Etymology Dictionary.

JAZZ

1909, Amer.Eng., first recorded in lyrics of song "Uncle Josh in Society" ("One lady asked me if I danced the jazz ..."), where it apparently refers to a style of ragtime dancing; as a type of music (originally to accompany the dance), attested from 1913. Probably ult. from Creole patois jass "strenuous activity," especially "sexual intercourse" but also used of Congo dances, from jasm (1860) "energy, drive," of African origin (cf. Mandingo jasi, Temne yas), also the source of slang jism.

"If the truth were known about the origin of the word 'Jazz' it would never be mentioned in polite society." ["Étude," Sept. 1924]

The verb meaning "to speed or liven up" is from 1917; all that jazz "et cetera" first recorded 1939; Jazzercise is 1977, originally a proprietary name. Jazz Age first attested 1922 in writings of F. Scott Fitzgerald, usually regarded as the years between the end of World War I (1918) and the Stock Market crash of 1929.

As far as the meaning is concerned we also have several options. You would be surprised!

The definitions below are taken from OneLook Dictionary Search. So these meanings are taken from different dictionaries, as many of them say the same thing.

Quick definitions (jazz)

noun: a style of dance music popular in the 1920s; similar to New Orleans jazz but played by large bands noun: a genre of popular music that originated in New Orleans around 1900 and developed through increasingly complex styles noun: empty rhetoric or insincere or exaggerated talk (Example: "Don't give me any of that jazz") verb: play something in the style of jazz verb: have sexual intercourse with

So there you have it! Funny, no? I was pretty shocked with that intercourse thing, to be honest. Now jazz and swing really do go together, don't you think? ;) Keep on jazzin'...

Concert of Bebel Gilberto - commentary

The concert was a really special experience but I have heard many complaints about the sound. Supposedly the sound at the back was pretty lousy and her voice was pretty distorted. Hard to believe since I was near the stage the whole time and heard everything perfectly. However, the people who didn't hear so well at the back were not so pleased and started talking, which was really disturbing because Bebel Gilberto's music is not hard stuff but more sophisticated soft Brazilian style. That spoiled the atmosphere a bit, but all in all it was a pretty relaxed environment, she sat in her chair and at some point even lied down on the stage singing in a horizontal position! As if she were at home jamming with friends! That was cool, people really responded nicely and she gave everyone a lot of support and motivation to feel comfortable and relaxed. The music was amazing. She was promoting her new album Momento but she played some other tunes, one of my personal favorites August Day Song from Tanto Tempo and some standard bossa nova tunes...

The band that performed before her was Forro in the Dark, a Brazilian band located in New York that also played pretty cool sound. Plenty of rhythm, percussion, nice boys...what can I say - a nice introduction! :)

Finally, it was an honor to be there and listen to this great Brazilian lady with a wonderful voice. All of you who missed it should regret it! All you who will still have a chance to see here somewhere else (as this was her last concert in Europe!) GO AND ENJOY THIS CONCERT!!!

Hotel gigs

If you are a jazz musician you know that hotel gigs can be a drag. They don't really want you to jam and solo. What they really want you to do is to play soft tunes that the guests can enjoy while they are having a meal or a drink. Meaning, people really didn't come there to listen.

If you get an applause, it's a miracle! Could it be there are some people that came to hear what you are playing? It would be an even greater miracle if you get an applause after a solo! That would mean there is someone in the audience that actually listens to jazz! But I love the brave audience, and that could be just one person, who dares to clap after the song is finished. Those ones are not embarrassed to be heard appreciating music and what they do is make others that simply forgot to clap and ignored the musicians embarrassed for not doing that. Then the gig gets better. When we get such a feedback, we try harder and play like crazy. We do all the licks, the singer starts scatting, solos get more complex and longer...then we start to jam! You wouldn't believe what a little feedback can do. No feedback does just the opposite. You get bored, there's a lack of motivation to play, or you simply think "what the hell, I'm just gonna have fun!" and then play with the tunes just because you can.

Hotel gigs may not be the greatest thing for a musician's ego, but it sure is great for his technique because one can practice more by performing regularly. It could be a good thing if you don't let them take away your creativity. It could also be a bad thing if you get into one routine and then after a while you forget what real jazz is about. Then you go to a jam session and your solo isn't impressive anymore...furthermore, it's a bit lame.
So be careful with the hotel gigs and keep the jazz feelin' in your playing!

Having said all this, I invite you to hear my gigs at the Hotel Regent Esplanade in Zagreb, Croatia every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night! :)
More on - www.myspace.com/majazzy
The photo was taken by Tvrtko Stuka. Check out his work!

Bebel Gilberto

BIG NEWS!
For Croatians and some other lucky people anyway...Bebel Gilberto, an amazing and legendary Brazilian vocalist is going to have a concert in Zagreb, Croatia (among other places) which makes me really happy. The concert will be held in Tvornica on 11th June at 20h and I will be there!

Just to give you some basic info about her background, because maybe some of you don't know this. She is from a famous musical family in Brazil. Her father is João Gilberto, her mother is the singer Miúcha, and her uncle (Miúcha's brother) is Chico Buarque de Hollanda. She learned how to sing with Miúcha, and since she was a child, she was already participating in professional musicals like Saltimbancos and Pirlimpimpim. At seven she had her recording debut on one of her mother's albums. At nine she performed together with her mother and Stan Getz at Carnegie Hall. (extract taken from http://www.vh1.com)

So you can imagine how this went on afterwards if she managed to impress at such an early age! Anyway, she will be going to other places as well which you can check on her myspace site (or official website) and I would suggest you to go there!

Bebel Gilberto on Myspace
Bebel Gilberto - the official website

Jazz workshops

Living in Croatia I have realized that there were not any jazz workshops around! Until I went to Sarajevo to my first jazz workshop. Anyway, after that workshops became a regular thing for me because it was the only way I could learn something about jazz. I got in touch with some people and these guys do great workshops on an international level, meaning that you can participate no matter where you come from and on top of everything - on a really nice location! :)

Anyways, I thought I could give them a spotlight on my new blog so here it is. Global Music Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded by professional musicians who offer the opportunity to anyone who'd like to learn more about music and jazz through workshops. This year they have several interesting topics and locations on the menu, such as:

The Percussion Summer School in Leeds, UK
Tuscany Jazz Vocal Summer School in Certaldo, Italy
Rhythms of the world - Samba, in Certaldo, Italy
Tuscany International Jazz Summer School & Arts Festival, Certaldo, Italy
International Seminar of Jazz and Latin Music - Benicasim, Spain

These are just some of the activities that you might enjoy! I think there is enough for everyone! :)

Global Music Foundation

I simply love this article and thought to share it with you as the first thing to mention on this blog. Then we will move on to other more useful things.
You will be amazed how true it can be...good work Bill! ;)
Have fun reading this!

How Jazz Works
by Bill Anschell (www.billanschell.com)

Cast of Characters

Saxophone
Saxophonists think they are the most important players on stage. Consequently, they are temperamental and territorial. They know all the Coltrane and Bird licks but have their own sound, a mixture of Coltrane and Bird. They take exceptionally long solos, which reach a peak halfway through and then just don't stop. They practice quietly but audibly while other people are trying to play. They are obsessed. Saxophonists sleep with their instruments, forget to shower, and are mangy. If you talk to a saxophonist during a break, you will hear a lot of excuses about his reeds.

Trumpet
Trumpet players are image-conscious and walk with a swagger. They are often former college linebackers. Trumpet players are very attractive to women, despite the strange indentation on their lips. Many of them sing; misguided critics then compare them to either Louis Armstrong or Chet Baker depending whether they're black or white. Arrive at the session early and you may get to witness the special trumpet game. The rules are: play as loud and as high as often as possible. The winner is he who plays the loudest and highest. If you talk to a trumpet player during a break, he might confess that his favorite player is Maynard Ferguson, the merciless God of loud/high trumpeting.

Trombone
The trombone is known for its pleading, voice-like quality. "Listen," it seems to say in the male tenor range, "Why won't anybody hire me for a gig?" Trombonists like to play fast, because their notes then become indistinguishable and thus immune to criticism. Most trombonists played trumpet in their early years, then decided they didn't want to walk around with a strange indentation on their lips. Now they hate trumpet players, who somehow get all the women despite their disfigurement. Trombonists are usually tall and lean, with forlorn faces. They don't eat much. They have to be very friendly, because nobody really needs a trombonist. Talk to a trombonist during a break and he'll ask you for a gig, try to sell you insurance, or offer to mow your lawn.

Piano
Pianists are intellectuals and know-it-alls. They studied theory, harmony and composition in college. Most are riddled with self-doubt. They are usually bald. They should have big hands, but often don't. As adolescents, they were social rejects. They go home after the gig and play with toy soldiers. Pianists have a special love-hate relationship with singers. If you talk to the piano player during a break, he will condescend.

Bass
Bassists are not terribly smart. The best bassists come to terms with their limitations by playing simple lines and rarely soloing. During the better musical moments, a bassist will pull his strings hard and grunt like an animal. Bass players are built big, with paws for hands, and they are always bent over awkwardly. If you talk to the bassist during a break, you will not be able to tell whether or not he's listening.

Drums
Drummers are radical. Specific personalities vary, but are always extreme. A drummer might be the funniest person in the world, or the most psychotic, or the smelliest. Drummers are uneasy because of the many jokes about them, most of which stem from the fact that they aren't really musicians. Pianists are particularly successful at making drummers feel bad. Most drummers are highly excitable; when excited, they play louder. If you decide to talk to the drummer during a break, always be careful not to sneak up on him.

Guitar
Jazz guitarists are never happy. Once they wanted to be rock stars, but now they're old and overweight. In protest, they wear their hair long, prowl for groupies, drink a lot, and play too loud. Guitarists hate piano players because they can hit ten notes at once, but guitarists make up for it by playing as fast as they can. The more a guitarist drinks, the higher he turns his amp. Then the drummer starts to play harder, and the trumpeter dips into his loud/high arsenal. Suddenly, the saxophonist's universe crumbles, because he is no longer the most important player on stage. He packs up his horn, nicks his best reed in haste, and storms out of the room. The pianist struggles to suppress a laugh. If you talk to a guitarist during the break he'll ask intimate questions about your 14-year-old sister.

Vocals
Vocalists are whimsical creations of the all-powerful jazz gods. They are placed in sessions to test musicians' capacity for suffering. They are not of the jazz world, but enter it surreptitiously. Example: A young woman is playing minor roles in college musical theater. One day, a misguided campus newspaper critic describes her singing as "...jazzy." Voila! A star is born! Quickly she learns "My Funny Valentine," "Summertime," and "Route 66." Her training complete, she embarks on a campaign of musical terrorism. Musicians flee from the bandstand as she approaches. Those who must remain feel the full fury of the jazz universe. The vocalist will try to seduce you-and the rest of the audience-by making eye contact, acknowledging your presence, even talking to you between tunes. Do not fall into this trap! Look away; make your distaste obvious. Otherwise the musicians will avoid you during their breaks. Incidentally, if you talk to a vocalist during a break, she will introduce you to her "manager."

Picking the Tune
Every time a tune ends, someone has to pick the next one. It's a fundamental concept that unfortunately runs at odds with jazz group processes. Tune selection makes a huge difference to the musicians. They love to show off on tunes that they know and tremble at the threat of tunes unknown. But to pick a tune is to invite close scrutiny: "So this is how you sound at your best? Hmm." It's a complex issue with unpredictable outcomes. Sometimes no one wants to pick a tune; sometimes everyone wants to pick a tune. The resulting disagreements lead to faction-building and, under extreme conditions, even impromptu elections. The politics of tune selection makes for great entertainment.

Example 1: No one wants to pick a tune
(Previous tune ends.)
(Silence.)
Trumpet player: "What the f#@k? Is someone gonna to pick a tune?"
(Silence.)
Trumpet player: "This s%!* is lame. I'm outta here." (Storms out of room, forgetting to pay tab.)
Rest of band (in unison): "Yea!!"
(Band takes extended break, puts drinks on trumpet player's tab).
Example 2: Everyone wants to pick a tune
(Previous tune ends.)
(Pianist and guitarist simultaneously): "Beautiful Love!" "Donna Lee!"
Guitarist to pianist: "You just want to play your fat, stupid, ten-note chords!"
Pianist to guitarist: "You just want to play a lot of notes really fast!"
Saxophonist: "'Giant Steps!'" (a treacherous Coltrane tune practiced obsessively by saxophonists)
Guitarist and pianist (together): "Go ahead, asshole."
Trumpet player: "This shit is lame. 'Night in Tunisia'." (a Dizzy tune offering bounteous opportunities for loud, high playing.)
Saxophonist: "Sorry, forgot my earplugs, Maynard."
(Long, awkward silence.)
Pianist, guitarist, saxophonist, trumpet player all turn to drummer: "Your turn, Skinhead."
(Drummer pauses to think of hardest tune possible, a time-tested drummer ploy to punish real musicians who play actual notes.)
Drummer: "Stablemates."
Trumpet player: "F#@k this! I'm outta here." (Storms out of room. Bartender chases after him.)
("Stablemates")
Trombonist: "Did someone forget to turn off the CD player?"

Not only are these disagreements fun to watch; they create tensions that will last all through the night.

Copyright 2001, Bill Anschell.