Remember that there is no ranking system here, and if you don’t see your favorite jazz album yet, it doesn’t mean it won’t show up.

Hopefully these lists will inspire you to seek some of these albums out that perhaps you haven’t heard before, or revisit an old favorite. And as always, we want your thoughts on any or all of these albums. Let’s get started with this week, and in no particular order, albums 881 through 890.

881. In The Night – George Shearing (Capitol Jazz, 1958) CLICK HERE TO BUY

882. It’s a Matter of Pride – Billy Taylor (GRP, 1993) CLICK HERE TO BUY

883. French Jazz – Claude Bolling (Harkit Records, 1956) CLICK HERE TO BUY

884. Live at the Haig – Bud Shank (Candid, 1956) CLICK HERE TO BUY

885. Black Coffee – Peggy Lee (Decca, 1956) CLICK HERE TO BUY

886. Seasons – Pete Jolly (Dusty Groove, 1970) CLICK HERE TO BUY

887. Truly Wonderful – Al Grey (Vintage Jazz, 1978) CLICK HERE TO BUY

888. Tal – Tal Farlow (Universal Distribution, 1956) CLICK HERE TO BUY

889. At the Manne-Hole, Vol. 1 – Shelly Manne (Contemporary/OJC, 1961) CLICK HERE TO BUY

890. The Fabulous Doc Cheatham – Doc Cheatham (Parkwood, 1983) CLICK HERE TO BUY

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die (871-880)

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die – The First 750

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die – The First 500

Photo by Sally Sheldon

I had the opportunity to interview vocalist Halie Loren by phone this week. Her most recent release, Heart First (CLICK HERE TO BUY) rose to number one on the ITunes Canada Jazz chart, and has not only received increased popularity in the U.S., but high praise in Japan as well. Halie, who will be performing this weekend (Sunday and Monday, May 27th and 28th) at the Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts in Port Angeles, Washington, talked to me about her path to becoming a jazz singer, her success in other countries, and what it takes to convincingly sing a song that she didn’t write.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW

From Alaska to Oregon

Halie Loren grew up in Alaska, and moved to Oregon in her early teens. She told me that the move wasn’t necessarily a career move, but it certainly didn’t hurt her development. Her father wanted to have a job that didn’t require him to travel so much, and the family landed in Oregon. Halie, who had been singing since “birth” as she put it, and had her talents recognized by her family at an age as young as four years old, consequently had an opportunity for more exposure than she would be able to receive on a small island in Alaska.

The Jazz Influence

Loren did not have parents who were musicians, but there was always music around the house, including an eclectic album collection with a substantial amount of jazz and blues in it. The combination of that, combined with one of the lone radio stations where she grew up being a jazz station, was enough for her to fall in love with the genre. Halie also noticed something about her voice that contributed to choosing jazz as a genre.

“I would listen to Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James and Diana Krall. I totally loved the music, but I also realized that my (vocal) range seemed to lend itself to a lot of those vocalists. It was really low for a young person…and I’ve always really had a lot of fun singing it.”

International Success

Halie has seen a rise in popularity in Canada and Japan, and I asked her what the difference was between these countries and the United States. I also suggested that she had been treated like a “rock star” in Japan.

“Well maybe not a “rock star”, but perhaps a “jazz star”. Is there such a thing? I think we should invent that if there isn’t.”

“Fair enough”, I replied. Loren suggested that aside from her signing with a Canadian label, which has contributed to her success up north, that the musical landscapes and the different appreciations that these countries have might also help. In Japan specifically, Loren hints that the language barrier might be outweighed by their appreciation for authenticity.

“I definitely create music from a very authentic place, and have musicians around me who do the same. I think they are able to pick up on the authenticity and the creative place that it is coming from. It creates something pretty honest, and I think that appeals to people.”

Creating Authenticity When Covering a Song

I suggested to Loren that I felt that when a singer was recording or performing a song that they didn’t write, it is always the most convincing when they can somehow tap into the heart and the meaning of the song and has made it personal when they sing it. I asked her how she goes about making songs personal, and she told me that there are very few songs, especially jazz, that she can’t find at least some small connection with.

“I see a lot of my role in singing standards as being a storyteller and as an actress. There is always a seed of an idea in every song that I have experienced or that I can understand. And I feel that my goal in performing that piece is to bring that out, and as a result, it becomes my own story.”

Authenticity on Stage Versus Studio

I asked Halie if it was easier to tap into that authenticity on stage or in the studio, and she explained that every single album it is the struggle to do so in the studio. She explained that sometimes it can be difficult to be as spontaneous in the studio, and not have to worry about all the technical details.

“The (live) performance aspect…being in the moment entirely really helps with feeling almost transported into the song. My goal every time I go to the studio is to get a little bit closer to that feeling.”

Halie Loren will be performing this weekend at the Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts in Port Angeles, Washington this Sunday and Monday, May 27th and 28th. Her new album is Heart First which can be purchased by clicking here. To listen to the full interview, which includes how Halie Loren approaches her songwriting, click here. Her website is www.halieloren.com. She can be followed on Twitter @halieloren and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/halielorenmusic.

In 2005, as part of its continuing support of music education in the schools, KPLU developed a mentoring program involving bands from 10 high schools and one middle school, and the participation of 11 local jazz professionals.  The fruits of this partnership yielded the first KPLU School of Jazz CD release.

Beginning with Volume 2 (2006), the project has included only high school jazz bands.  Each year, a core group of bands from the inaugural group is featured on the project along with one or two new participating school jazz bands and guest artists.

The complete list of participants on KPLU School of Jazz – Volume 8 (2012): Stadium High School (Tacoma), North Thurston High School (Olympia), Jackson High School (Mill Creek), Bellevue High School (Bellevue), Mount Si High School (Snoqualmie), Mercer Island High School (Mercer Island), Roosevelt High School (Seattle), Mountlake Terrace High School (Mountlake Terrace), Edmonds Woodway High School (Edmonds), Mount Vernon High School (Mount Vernon), Kentwood High School (Kent) and the advanced ensemble from Seattle JazzED under the direction of Clarence Acox.

Guests artists included on KPLU School of Jazz – Volume 8: Mark Taylor, Anton Schwartz, Matso Limtiaco, Jeff Hay, Greta Matassa, Stuart MacDonald, Syd Potter, Dawn Clement, Tracy Knoop, Jim Sisko and Steve Treseler. All proceeds benefit Western Washington school music programs.

 KPLU School of Jazz – Volume 8 includes songs by Joey Calderazzo, Radiohead, Fred Sturm, Cole Porter, John Green, Neal Hefti, Astor Piazzolla and Matso Limtiaco.

KPLU School of Jazz – Volume 8 will be available for purchase beginning May 29 at KPLU’s website, www.kplu.org.

Shows range from concerts at the Theatre at Meydenbauer — with its ideal acoustics and intimate setting — to tableside sets in downtown bars and hotels. Also hear some of the best school jazz bands from around the Seattle area — an area noted for its depth of student and instructional talent.

The 2012 Festival will showcase an all-star lineup of featured shows by the Clayton Brothers Quintet, Booker T. Jones, and the Hubert Laws Quintet.

Award-winning high school jazz programs will be featured in the festival’s Student Showcase. Groups will perform 45-minute sets highlighting the rich and diverse offerings presented by members of the local high school jazz scene.

KPLU School of Jazz and the Bellevue Jazz Festival have teamed up to extend the learning of the region’s top jazz students. The Rising Stars ensembles will rehearse prior to the culminating event of the program on Sunday, June 3 – a performance at downtown Bellevue’s newest music venue Bake’s Place. Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner reservations with the show starting at 7 p.m. The concert also coincides with the official 2012 KPLU School of Jazz CD release party.

In addition, more than 40 shows in various locations will keep the music flowing throughout the weekend, featuring top local and regional artists.

Individual tickets and packages for the 2012 Bellevue Jazz Festival headline performances are now on sale! Purchase your tickets today to guarantee the best seats in the house. Tickets are available for purchase online through Brown Paper Tickets. $34 per show or $78 package for preferred seating to all three performances.

Why Jazz Happened

In an absorbing narrative enlivened by the commentary of key personalities, Marc Myers shows how events such as the draft, World War II, and, later, the G.I. bill, profoundly influenced jazz’s sound, feel, and mystique. He describes the myriad of events and trends that affected the music, among them, the American Federation of Musicians strike in the early 1940s, changes in radio and concert-promotion, the introduction of the long-playing record, the suburbanization of Los Angeles, the Civil Rights movement, the “British invasion” and the rise of electronic instruments. This groundbreaking book deepens our appreciation of this music by identifying many of the developments outside of jazz itself that contributed most to its texture, complexity, and evolution.

Marc Myers is a frequent contributor to the Wall Street Journal, where he writes about jazz, rock, soul, and rhythm & blues as well as art and architecture. He blogs daily at www.JazzWax.com.

The 38th Annual Jazz Record Collectors Bash will kick off Friday, June 29th at the Hilton Woodbridge in Iselin, New Jersey, and run through Saturday June 30th. Those attending will be able to buy, sell, swap, and trade 78′s, LP’s, CD’s and memorabilia, as well as view some very rare jazz films.

On Friday, jazz collector and film historian David Weiner will present two hours of rare film and TV clips, showcasing jazz and pop artists of the1920s through the 1960s. Among the featured performers will be the big bands of Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, the Dorsey Brothers, Noble Sissle, Les Brown, Jack Payne, Ray Noble and Jack Hylton; soloists Louis Armstrong, Billy Strayhorn, Cootie Williams, Benny Goodman, Johnny Hodges, Stan Getz, Ben Webster, Cannonball Adderley, Red Norvo and Gary Burton; and vocalists Ethel Waters, Al Bowlly, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash and the Three Flames.  There will also be vintage cartoons, and comedy from Jimmy Durante, Joe E. Brown and Max Linder. After the films, there will be rare record playoffs and challenges hosted by Henry Schmidt.

On Saturday, Ron Hutchinson, co-founder of The Vitaphone Project, will present a largely previously unseen collection of early sound jazz and vaudeville short subjects. Two different shows: First show from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM and second show beginning at 8:00 PM. Both shows will include recently restored 1926-30 Vitaphone shorts.

Reservations: Call either the toll free number 1-800-HILTONS (800 445-8667) or the Hilton Woodbridge (732) 494-6200.  Mention JAZZ RECORD COLLECTORS GROUP to get discount.
Email: reservations@hiltonwoodbridge.com.

The competition has made listening and watching the bands perform this weekend very accessible. They have an interactive page which will be video streaming the three competition segments live (May 5th, 2:30-6:30 PM EST; May 6th, 10-11:30 AM EST; May 6th, 1-2:30 PM EST). The announcement of the three top-placing bands will be made Sunday, May 6th at 4 PM EST.

In addition to the live video stream, the page will feature live ongoing Twitter and Facebook conversation for viewers to participate in all weekend long.

To go to the Essentially Ellington webcast page, click here.

To get involved in the conversation, use the hash tag #EssEllington, and you can follow the festival on Twitter @EssEllington.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN THE FULL INTERVIEW

A Guaraldi nut before a Peanuts nut

I asked Derrick Bang if his inspiration for this book initially came from his fascination from the Peanuts. Bang told me that he remembers being parked in front of the television set on the evening of Dec. 19, 1965 (the first time A Charlie Brown Christmas was televised). He said that while he can’t say that he was immediately a Peanuts fan, he could say with assurance that after the show he did become a Guaraldi fan. During the next several years Bang made a point of visiting the local record store, becoming aware of Guarladi’s previous works such as Cast Your Fate to the Wind.

Guaraldi more than just a Charlie Brown soundtrack

Bang discussed some of the important works that Vince Guaraldi recorded outside of his work for Peanuts. Guaraldi toured twice with Woody Herman in the 1950′s; and, as Bang told me, that was no small thing. Additionally in the 1950′s, Guaraldi spent time in a variety of small groups and combos, including one fronted by Cal Tjader.

“What fans noticed when listening to Guaraldi perform with Tjader’s groups was the fact that during his keyboard solos, Guaraldi had the enviable talent to take a piano improv and turn it into its own little melody.”

Talent like that led Guaraldi to be able to go off on his own and lead his own groups, which led to recordings such as Cast Your Fate to the Wind, and the resulting Grammy win.

Cast Your Fate to the Wind leads to next big assignments

Television producer Lee Mendelson wanted to produce a documentary special in 1963 on Charles Schulz and Charlie Brown, and knew that he wanted a jazz musical background for this debut show. Bang explains that both Cal Tjader and Dave Brubeck were initially asked to do the music, but both declined, stating they were too busy.

“Years later, they (Brubeck and Tjader) both admitted that they regretted claiming that they were too busy for this assignment.”

Bang says that later Mendelson tells the story of driving across the Golden Gate Bride and Cast Your Fate to the Wind came on the radio, and his mind was made up on who he wanted to the do music for the Peanuts special.

Bang says similarly in 1964 Reverend Charles Gompertz had been assigned the task of putting together a musical performance to celebrate the Year of Grace that was coming up in tandem with the upcoming consecration and Year of Celebration experienced by the Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.

 ”Gompertz insists looking back that he had no idea what he was going to do, so he did what he would normally do when faced with that sort of crisis: He took a soothing bath, and he remembers sitting in the bath, listening to the radio, and Cast Your Fate to the Wind came on the radio. It was the same thing (as with Mendelson). He said ‘that’s it!’”

Gompertz contacted Guaraldi and asked him to “write music for God.” Bang says that Guaraldi responded with “Bach, Beethoven … why not me?” Guaraldi composed, rehearsed, and debut the Grace Cathedral Mass on May 21, 1965.

The transformation from “boogie-woogie” influence to the Guaraldi we know now

I had heard that Guaraldi was influenced early by boogie-woogie piano playing, a sharp contrast to the style of playing most are familiar with.

I asked Bang if he know how the transformation from one style to the other happened. Bang said that while he was heavily recruited to perform boogie-woogie piano in high school for parties because he could liven things up, Guaraldi made a habit of soaking up all different styles of music as he heard it.

Performing with Cal Tjader as his band explored Afro-Cuban styles allowed Guaraldi to branch out, and as Bang explains it, the music to the film Black Orpheus changed Guaraldi’s life.

Being a “cartoon musician” never bothered Guaraldi

I asked Bang if Guaraldi’s work for animated features ever overshadowed his other work and if being known as a musician who made music for cartoons bothered Guaraldi at all. Bang said that Lee Mendelson’s quick answer to this was:

“If it had bothered him, he would have gone out on the road and further expanded his horizons.”

Bang suggests that by being affiliated with the Peanuts “machine”, it gave Guaraldi the financial stability to not have to go out on the road. This gave Guaraldi the opportunity to experiment more with music (hanging out with rock bands and playing on early first generation electric keyboards).

That financial freedom also allowed him to continue playing in Northern California jazz clubs during the late ’60s decline of jazz. Bang suggests that he did this not only as a “holy cause” to help keep these clubs open, but because he loved it.

“There are a lot of performers who achieve a certain level of fame, and from that point on, all of their work is done in the studio cutting albums rather than touring or performing locally. He (Guaraldi) loved it. It seemed to be as important as breathing.”

Guaraldi credited with the success of multiple Peanuts specials

I asked Bang how different the Peanuts shows would have been with a different musician creating the music for them.

Bang said that Mendelson credits Guaraldi as the reason for their being more than one animated special. He said that largely due to the fact that everyone (Schulz, Guaraldi, animator Bill Melendez, and Mendelson as the director) were left alone to work their own individual magic, which helped make it a success.

Following Guaraldi’s death in 1976, Bang says the specials simply weren’t the same, despite courageous efforts from those who tried to compose for them.

Derrick Bang, the author of several books on Charles M. Schulz and Peanuts, has written film, television, Internet, and general entertainment commentary for local newspapers since 1974. He also supplies regular columns and features to The Davis Enterprise. Bang lives in Davis, California.

His new book, Vince Guaraldi at the Piano (McFarland), is now in stores and can be purchased by clicking here.

The day will conclude in a concert of jazz luminaries including: Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Swan Berger, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Igor Butman, Terri Lyne Carrington, Gerald Clayton, Klaus Doldinger, Dominique Fillon, Antonio Hart, Barbara Hendricks, Nicole Slack Jones, Manu Katché, Eric Lagnini, Bireli Lagrene, Jean Felix Lalanne, Nguyen Le, Lionel Loueke, Michel El Malem, Tania Maria, Hugh Masekela, Marcus Miller, China Moses, Michael Rodriguez, Isphar Sarabski, Ben Williams, and many others. John Beasley will serve as Musical Director.

The concert will be streamed live at jazzday.com and monkinstitute.org.

The inaugural International Jazz Day will be celebrated by millions worldwide on Monday, April 30, and will begin with an all-star sunrise concert in New Orleans’ Congo Square, the birthplace of jazz and culminate with a sunset concert at the United Nations. Presented by UNESCO in partnership with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, International Jazz Day will encourage and highlight intercultural dialogue and understanding through jazz, America’s greatest contribution to the world of music.

Herbie Hancock will be joined in New Orleans by jazz luminaries Terence Blanchard, Ellis Marsalis, Dianne Reeves, Kermit Ruffins, Treme Brass Band, and Jeff ‘Tain’ Watts and many more.

The sunrise concert from Congo Square is open to the public and begins at 7am (8am EDT), and will be video streamed live at Jazz Day and Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.

Students and schools from around the world are invited to join in the celebration of International Jazz Day and play “Watermelon Man” along with Herbie Hancock live from Congo Square, New Orleans at 8:15am EDT on April 30, 2012. Sheet music and an MP3 is available to download on JazzDay.com. Performers are encouraged to video record their performances of “Watermelon Man” and upload them to youtube.com and title them:International Jazz Day – Watermelon Man.

International Jazz Day culminates at the United Nations with an all-star sunset concert. Joining Herbie Hancock are: Tony Bennett, Terence Blanchard, Richard Bona (Cameroon), Dee Dee Bridgewater, Candido, Robert Cray, Eli Degibri (Israel), Jack DeJohnette, Sheila E., Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, Zakir Hussain (India), Chaka Khan, Angelique Kidjo (Benin), Lang Lang (China), Romero Lubambo (Brazil), Shankar Mahadevan (India), Wynton Marsalis, Hugh Masekela (South Africa), Christian McBride, Danilo Pérez, Dianne Reeves, Wayne Shorter, Esperanza Spalding, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Hiromi (Japan), and others. George Duke will serve as Musical Director. Confirmed Co-Hosts include Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and Quincy Jones.

The concert at the United Nations General Assembly Hall begins at 7:30pm EDT and will be video streamed live at Jazz Dayand Thelonious Monk Institute of JazzIn addition to viewing the concerts from Paris, New Orleans and New York at JazzDay.com, JazzCorner.com created JazzDay.com as an informational portal for jazz education resources and the site where musicians can inform and show the world their jazz events and educational activities on April 30th. There are instructions and forms located on the site. After April 30th, hundreds of videos will be on display on JazzDay.com.

Remember that there is no ranking system here, and if you don’t see your favorite jazz album yet, it doesn’t mean it won’t show up.

Hopefully these lists will inspire you to seek some of these albums out that perhaps you haven’t heard before, or revisit an old favorite. And as always, we want your thoughts on any or all of these albums. Let’s get started with this week, and in no particular order, albums 871 through 880.

871. 1953-1954 (compilations) – Gene Krupa (Classics, 2007 compilation date, 1953-1954 recording dates) CLICK HERE TO BUY

872. Green Chimneys – Kenny Barron (Criss Cross, 1983) CLICK HERE TO BUY

873. Old Man Time – Milt Hinton (Chiaroscuro, 1990) CLICK HERE TO BUY

874. Blues for Bud – Hampton Hawes (1201 Music, 1968) CLICK HERE TO BUY

875. Live! – Jeff Hamilton (Mons, 1996) CLICK HERE TO BUY

876. Vince Guaraldi at Grace Cathedral – Vince Guaraldi (Fantasy, 1965) CLICK HERE TO BUY

877. Live at the Monterey Jazz Festival – John Handy (Koch Jazz, 1965 recording date, 1996 release date) CLICK HERE TO BUY

878. Sweet Rain – Stan Getz (Verve, 1967) CLICK HERE TO BUY

879. Night Train – Jimmy Forrest (Delmark, 1953) CLICK HERE TO BUY

880. In Recital – Dick Hyman (Reference Recordings, 1998) CLICK HERE TO BUY

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die (861-870)

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die – The First 750

1,000 Jazz Albums You Should Hear Before You Die – The First 500