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Fast-paced melody
Trait of the `King of Swing', Mr Benny Goodman
— The Benny Goodman Story
Milestone; Rs 100
AMONG THE white bandleaders who picked up the Afro-American art form of jazz, Benny Goodman was the first to be faithful to its spontaneity and energy. Being white in the racist 1930s, he spread the popularity of authentic jazz to the wider non-black audience and was called ``King of Swing''.
Benny Goodman — the Benny Goodman Story has 19 tracks that featured in the popular biographical film, `The Benny Goodman Story'.
The music is fast-paced and exciting, with uplifting solos by Benny Goodman on clarinet, Harry James on trumpet, Lionel Hampton on vibraphone and others on trombone, piano (probably Teddy Wilson) and tenor saxophone. On the medium-tempo, `And the Angels Sing', Martha Tilton's sedate singing precedes a fast-paced trumpet solo.
On the famous `Sing Sing Sing', solos on clarinet, tenor saxophone, trumpet and drums follow one another repeatedly to keep up the fast-paced excitement for over seven minutes.
Equally exciting is the theme tune of the pianist Count Basie, `One O'Clock Jump', which follows the unusual structure of a series of improvised solos (especially piano) preceding the introduction of the basic theme as a finale!
The last six tracks, performed by a sextet (rather than the Goodman big band) including clarinet, vibraphone and piano, are particularly rich in solos from these three. The medium-tempo `Moonglow and Memories of You' are especially beautiful, but they don't overshadow the hot-paced `China Boy', `Avalon' and `Seven Come Eleven'.
Showcase of Hard Bop
Wynton Marsalis: Round 'bout Midnight
Times Music: Rs 100
The trumpeter Wynton Marsalis was just 19 when this cassette was recorded in 1980. The linear notes confirm that the musicians performing were the members — Marsalis was one of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, to whom rather than to Marsalis the album should be credited.
Blakey, the innovator of hard bop, used his band to develop young talent and then set them flying on their own. One of the most famous of them, Marsalis certainly sounds like the star here.
But one cannot belittle the contributions of Bobby Watson (alto saxophone), Bill Pierce (tenor saxophone), Jimmy Williams (piano), Charles Fambrough (bass), and of course the hard-driving Blakey himself on drums. On Thelonious Monk's `Round Midnight (the correct name of the introspective title track), Blakey uses a heavy style to mimic Monk's percussive piano technique. Watson opens the number before Marsalis takes the lead, later ripping off a quick-fire be-bop solo among others by Watson, Pierce and Fambrough.
The gentle Angel Eyes opens very softly with a rhythmless solo by Marsalis before Blakey gets into the act to lay down a punishing pace. On `My Funny Valentine' too, rhythmless trumpet passages alternate with a fast-paced agenda set by Blakey backing solos by Marsalis and Williams.
The other four pieces, One by One, ETA, Time Will Tell and Blakey's Theme, are fast-paced showcases of hard bop.
Blakey, dramatic, and Fambrough together put down a strong beat for Marsalis, Watson, Pierce and Williams to improvise solos on, occasionally taking solos themselves.
JAZZEBEL
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