Now, my grandson, put down your ipod and come sit on my lap as I tell you about the good old days. Once upon a time, we used to listen to a thing called the “radio” in order to know what the current trends in music were. And I don’t mean just pop trends like Beyonce nowadays. Besides hiking 10 miles in the snow to get to school (where we actually got an EDUCATION), we could hear JAZZ on the pop radio. Now, don’t give me that look! I’m telling you the truth…and not only that, jazz artists actually played music that was POPULAR to both young and old people. Not only that, but you could SING ALONG to it, or at least tap your toes to the beat. Yes, it was a different world.
See, back then, when people could afford to see a doctor, you would buy a single record that had an “A” (popular) and a “B” (lesser known) side to it. You’d buy this record, take it home and listen to the 2-4 minute song on your record player over and over and over again until you had every part and nuance of it memorized, or as they’d say, “‘Til the grooves were worn off.” Thus, a song like Lester Young’s “I Cover The Waterfront” or Charlie Parker with Strings performing “Just Friends” could get embedded into your dna instead of it just being another in a series of background songs. This is how you “got into” music. And material that is now considered “classic” jazz was simply the popular music of the time, and it was probably the last time that the most artistic music was also commercially viable.
Still don’t believe me? Here, listen to the music on this 5 cd boxed set put out by Verve. Look, actual instrumentals by jazz artists were “hits”, such as “Perdido” which had a famous sax solo by a guy named Flip Phillips. Then, you think you guys invented rap? Wait until you hear a guy that was doing it before you were even a gamete! Slim Galliard does an “Opera in Vout” by singing in a jive language that will make your head spin with joy. Then, there were big bands with guys that really SANG! None of this whiney navel gazing you get nowadays. Joe Williams with Count Basie swings out the mega hit “All Right, OK, You Win” by hitting each note like it’s a punching bag. And who nowadays sings with as much feeling as Billie Holiday, as on “You Go To My Head”? And the lyrics actually have an art to them. She made this work without a single dance sequence video on MTV!
Then, there was a lady named Ella Fitzgerald who is only the greatest female vocalist, and she does some amazing material on her own, such as a take of “Bill Bailey” that is so convincing he actually goes home. Then you’ve got her scatting like there’s no tomorrow, and she hits an apotheosis with Louis Armstrong on a cozy “Stars Fell on Alabama.” Are you paying attention to me? Stop texting your friends!!!
Jazz artists even started musical trends back in the day, such as bossa nova. That’s music from Brazil, you know, the country we import oil from. Stuff like “Desifinado” by Stan Getz or “Corcovado” by Tom Jobim were songs that everyone from 15 to 50 played on their record players. And who now has a voice as sensuous as Astrud Gilberto, who coos through “Agua de Beber” or “Girl From Ipanema”? That’s another lecture from another time. Then, movies actually had theme songs and soundtracks, not just rehashes of songs from your parents childhood. Themes from Goldfinger or Hello Dolly were performed by actual artists, and not by electronic keyboards.And just wait until you hear what Jimmy Smith does to “Virginia Woolf” as well as when he burns his B3 on a boogalooing “What’d I Say?”. Don’t give me that look! Yes, movies had music you could enjoy! Yes, we had cars then; don’t be such a wise guy.
Just listen to this music for a few hours. You’ll end up with a bit more respect for your old grandpa and you’ll want me to take you to hear this music someday. Do you think there will be a 5 disc retrospective of stuff like Eminen? Don’t kid yourself!! Pay attention to me! Stop downing those soft drinks!
www.umusic.com