By Jack Goodstein, BLOGCRITICS.ORG
Jazz Roots: The Music of the Americas is a two-disc collection of 41 classic tracks illustrating the history of jazz from its African origins and its early blues and Dixieland development through to its contemporary manifestations. It covers a wide variety of styles and movements and features the work of many legendary performers and their recordings.
Jazz lovers will find more than a few of their old favorites; neophytes will discover for themselves some of the iconic performances that have enchanted listeners for almost a century. This is a collection that defines what is recognized as the first truly American genre.
Beginning with Nigerian-born Babtunde Olatunji's "Akiwowo" from his 1959 Drums of Passion album and ending with pianist Eldar Djangirov's 2004 recording of "Sweet Georgia Brown," Jazz Roots is nothing short of a series of highlights. It has something for everyone.
If you like the early piano, there's Scott Joplin playing "Maple Leaf Rag" from back in 1916. If you like something more modern, there's Dave Brubeck and the quartet featuringPaul Desmond on the saxophone doing "Take Five."
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Bessie Smith" title="Bessie Smith" width="285" height="325" />Bessie Smith sings lowdown blues; Ella Fitzgerald improvises with an angelic purity of tone. There are the big bands of the '30s and '40s: Benny Goodman, Glen Miller,Count Basie, and Duke Ellington. You can't help but get ready to swing when you hear the opening drum solo of "Sing, Sing, Sing," the piano intro of "Take the A Train," or the riffs of "One O'Clock Jump."
Bebop is represented by Charley Parker's "Ornithology" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca." Latin influences are illustrated by the Afro-Cuban bands of the late '40s and '50s, Tito Puente and Machito, as well as a more modern take on the style from Tiempo Libre's 2008 "To Conga Bach(Conga)" inspired by Bach's "Fugue In C Minor" from The Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1.
Brazilian jazz and the bossa nova craze of the '60s and '70s are represented by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Eliane Elias. Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Miles Davis exemplify what the liner notes call "hard bop." A variety of modern jazz movements-fusion, funk, contemporary and others-are also included with tracks from musicians like George Benson,Kenny G, Wynton Marsalis and Herbie Hancock.
While some jazz aficionados may have some personal favorite song or artist they would have preferred to the selections included in the album, it is hard to argue with what producers did choose. Clearly the album is meant for the novice. The intention is to whet the appetite, and to encourage further investigation. It aims to be neither exhaustive, nor comprehensive.
Jazz lovers will find more than a few of their old favorites; neophytes will discover for themselves some of the iconic performances that have enchanted listeners for almost a century. This is a collection that defines what is recognized as the first truly American genre.
Beginning with Nigerian-born Babtunde Olatunji's "Akiwowo" from his 1959 Drums of Passion album and ending with pianist Eldar Djangirov's 2004 recording of "Sweet Georgia Brown," Jazz Roots is nothing short of a series of highlights. It has something for everyone.
If you like the early piano, there's Scott Joplin playing "Maple Leaf Rag" from back in 1916. If you like something more modern, there's Dave Brubeck and the quartet featuringPaul Desmond on the saxophone doing "Take Five."
Bebop is represented by Charley Parker's "Ornithology" and Dizzy Gillespie's "Manteca." Latin influences are illustrated by the Afro-Cuban bands of the late '40s and '50s, Tito Puente and Machito, as well as a more modern take on the style from Tiempo Libre's 2008 "To Conga Bach(Conga)" inspired by Bach's "Fugue In C Minor" from The Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1.
Brazilian jazz and the bossa nova craze of the '60s and '70s are represented by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Eliane Elias. Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and Miles Davis exemplify what the liner notes call "hard bop." A variety of modern jazz movements-fusion, funk, contemporary and others-are also included with tracks from musicians like George Benson,Kenny G, Wynton Marsalis and Herbie Hancock.
While some jazz aficionados may have some personal favorite song or artist they would have preferred to the selections included in the album, it is hard to argue with what producers did choose. Clearly the album is meant for the novice. The intention is to whet the appetite, and to encourage further investigation. It aims to be neither exhaustive, nor comprehensive.
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