Fads and styles come and go. Jazz “stars” rise and fall. As the Bible says, “He brings one down, He exalts another.” 60 years ago, Benny Goodman was THE star of music. Anyone listen to him now? Right now, Michael Buble’ is the darling of the music cognizenti. Anyone want to bet if people will be buying his reissues? How about Diana Krall? Where will history put her? Will you be listening to her and passing an MP3 (or whatever the music medium is in 20 years) to your kids or grandkids?
So, what I’ve done is make a little list of styles, sounds and artists that I am an absolute sucker for. You put a song that features this artist or style, and you’ve not only got my attention, but my friendship. What are your sweet spots?
1) Texas tenors-Arnett Cobb, Illinois Jacquet, “Lockjaw” Davis. The list is endless, but any time you’ve got a smoky tenor with a swagger, I’m there. Think “Flying Home.” Of course, beefy guys like Ben Webster fit in this category as well.
2) Boogie Woogie-even Tommy Dorsey couldn’t ruin it, but if it’s got Pete Johnson, Albert Ammons, or anything with 8 to the bar, I can’t help but tapping my toes. If you want to add some jump blues to it like with Louis Jordan or Tab Smith, that’s fine by me as well.
3) Ella on her 50s Songbook. This is how you learn what the Standards are. The smile in her voice makes you want to learn the lyrics to these songs. Too Darn Hot!
4) Bossa Nova-Jobim, Gilberto, Getz and then the myriad of imitators in the 60s to the modern stuff put out on Adventure Records. This is the music that saved jazz, my friend.
5) Harmon muted trumpet players. Miles patented it in stuff like “My Funny Valentine,” but every guy with a horn makes it work.
6) The gospel beat. Blakey’s “Moanin,” Adderley ‘s “This Here” or Hank Mobley’s “Uh Huh” are just a few examples that brought the church to the jazz club. If you’re listening to it while driving, check your speedometer, as it’s likely to start revving up. Equally rewarding is the “military” beat as on “Blues March” by Blakey or “Hosses Flat” by Basie. Get your motor runnin’!
7) Velvet toned crooners-Torme, Paris, Baker…swinging with an understated style. Ah!
8) Flute or clarinet features. Reed sections that are all clarinets, or flutes in front. Herbie Mann, James Newton, Buddy Collette, Jane Bunnett. Rare, but always a treat.
9) Pianists that play the high and low notes. Block Chords run a close second. Think Bobby Timmons or Red Garland.
10) Songs that move up a half step or whole step to add tension. Once saw Buddy DeFranco go through the entire collection of major scales on a drawn out solo of “Just One of Those Things.” By the last chorus, the hair on the back of my neck was standing on end.
11) Swinging guitars-Django Reinhardt and Freddie Green give it different app roaches, but the infectious swing grabs your viscera like nothing else.
12) Anything with Stan Getz or Paul Desmond. Saxes that are lighter than air. Of course, this was started by Lester Young, Frank Trumbauer and Johnny Hodges, so anything by them is set in stone. If they form a 4-5 piece sax section, sign me up!
13) Call and response from brass and reeds. It can be in the form of horn sections, as with the big band era (Fletcher Henderson created it), or like a ping pong tournament in a hard bop quintet, such as between Clifford Brown and Harold Land on the driving “Blues Walk.” I fall for it every time.
14) Bluesy and linear guitarists-Kenny Burrell, Grant Green…you get the idea.
15) Tempo or meter changes mid song-Mingus patented and perfected this, but you’ve even got it in material as old as “St. Louis Blues.” It hits just right in the kisser every time.
Find out what you’re loyal to and become a friend of a style!