Everything Jazz

Jazz lovers out there know that there are a lot of different styles of jazz music: soul jazz, jazz fusion, smooth jazz, Dixieland, latin jazz among others. These differing styles, and the fact that jazz by its very description is so difficult to define and open to improvisation makes for some pretty strong sentiments among the jazz lovers community. While he may have his critics, one thing that nobody can argue is that Kenny G. has brought jazz music to the consciousness of a lot of listeners.

With his saxophone and his smooth style of jazz that lends itself to easy listening, Kenny G. has sold more than 75 million albums. And now, his latest album for 2008, Rhythm and Romance, has just been nominated for two Latin Grammy Awards. One for Best Instrumental Album (Category 27) and one for Best Engineered Album(Category 46). The awards will be held on Thursday November 13 at the Toyota Center in Houston Texas. It will air live on the Univision Television Network 8 p.m. Eastern/7 p.m. Central.

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In jazz, the expert performer will translate a tune in very individual ways, certainly not playing the same composition precisely the same way twice. Depending upon the performer’s frame of mind and personal experience, interactions with fellow musicians, or even members of the audience, a jazz musician/performer may alter melodies, harmonies or time signature at will. European classical music has been said to be a composer’s medium. Jazz, however, is often characterized as the product of freethinking creativity, interaction and collaboration, placing equal value on the contributions of composer and performer, skilfully weighing the respective claims of the composer and the improviser.

How does one be glad about true blue jazz music? Some might say that musical comprehension is relative to every person. And yes, it is. Try to be open to every kind of music, and not just the mainstream ones. Listen to the song’s lyrics. No singer writes a song that’s so obscure, nobody can relate to it. Even the strangest ones hold something that a listener can see herself mirrored into against. Open yourself to new experiences, and who knows, the music world is your playground.

I never thought that jazz music can be really addictive. I was never a fan of such music because all my life I�ve only adored pop music. But after listening to Katie Eagleson�s sample music, I fell in love with it right away. Her voice was really mellow and her diction is really clear. You can actually feel as if she�s singing the songs to you personally. I especially like her rendition of �How Do You Keep the Music Playing.� She has put a different edge to the song. I really love it. I guess I must start searching for jazz artists and listening to their music from now on.

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A musical art form which started in African-American areas in the Southern part of the United States (at about the start of the 20th century) from a combination of African and European musical traditions, Jazz is one of the world’s most established musical forms today. The style’s West African source is obvious in its utility of blue notes, call-and-response, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, and the swung note of ragtime. From its youth until now, jazz has also mixed music from 19th and 20th century American mainstream music, which is founded on European music traditions. The word jazz started as a West Coast term of a not-so-sure source and was first used to point to music in Chicago at around the year 19oo’s.

Mindi Abair first broke onto the smooth jazz music scene with the song It Just Happens That Way, and until now she is still considered an A-lister for summer and winter tours, festivals and cruises. And just recently she went international with her first concerts in Istanbul and Romania.

She’s has done pop tours with Adam Sandler, Duran Duran, Josh Groban and even The Backstreet Boys on their famed Millennium tour back in 1999-2000. But even before she has immersed herself in contemporary jazz and became one of its true icons, she shopped demos of pop songs and tried aiming for a deal as a singer-songwriter. However, in her new album, she no longer needs to reach for the stars. She already has the best of both worlds. So if you’re looking for one great jazz artist, might as well listen to Mindi Abair as she keeps holding on to her star.

I am not really familiar with jazz and jazz artists that is why I’m trying my best to know a little bit more about them. I don’t even know who the famous artists are. So what I did was search some on the internet and here are the famous names that I’ve found. Maybe you know some of them: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, George Benson, David Sanborn, Boney James, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Albert Ayler, Pharoah Saunders, Roland Kirk, Theolonius Monk, Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Alice Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, Don Cherry, Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, Eric Dolphy, Ian Carr, Mike Westbrook, Tubby Hayes, Joe Herriot, James Blood Ulmer, Sun Ra (plus Arkhestra), Cecil Taylor, Herbie Hancock, Archie Shepp, Buddy Guy, Dave Pike and Benny Goodman.

Someday I like to be like them and eventually, I want to be one of them. I’m sure it feels great when you have a “jazzy” life. I will certainly have a lighter and better feeling! Why not be one?!

Have you ever heard of acid jazz? I’m sure I haven’t or if ever I have I’m sure I did not know it was acid jazz. I have very poor knowledge when it comes to jazz music and its genres. However, reading articles help a lot in gaining knowledge.

Acid jazz is a musical genre that is also known as club jazz. It combines elements of funk, soul music, disco, particularly looping beats and modal harmony. Acid jazz developed over the 1980’s and 1990’s and is mostly heard containing various types of electronic compositions and it is usually played by musicians who often perform jazz interpretations as part of their program.

Since I consider myself as a music lover, I can’t help but be in a dilemma because of not knowing how to classify a singer as a jazz singer. Now the question I have in mind is, how do I really know if someone is a jazz singer? Is it enough that his or her music is accompanied by instruments such as a saxophone? Or is it because of the slowness of the song that he or she sings? Or is it both? How do I really know? For sure reading can help a lot but what if I don’t have time to read about new jazz artists? What makes them different from pop singers? What makes them shine especially when they already sing the same songs as pop singers? This is really a dilemma and I have to get answers fast.

Here I am again, being shocked by the truth. What is it? That Michael Buble is a jazz singer. Is he really? Well, I read that he won awards from the fourth annual Canadian Smooth Jazz awards taking home two trophies for Male Vocalist of the Year and Best Original Composition. So I guess that confirms it, he is a jazz artist. I just did not realize it sooner and now it came as a surprise to me. No big deal really, it’s just that I can’t believe I didn’t realize he was classified as one. I guess I have to know more about jazz music to know how singers fall into this category.

Some people might think that studying classics could be quite boring but it was the other way around for Scott Hamilton. With his new release, Across the Tracks, Scott explored some tunes written by great names like Duke Ellington and it looks and sounds like this saxophonist together with his friends have enjoyed the trip that they have had.

Scott often goes together with Rosemary Clooney through the American Songbook that is why he knows the Jazz classics so much. Also, his tenor style purifies the relaxed but strong approach to swing from music ancestors like Ben Webster and Zoot Sims.