The first response to this strange view of post-World War II jazz is: where is the action? As in other Ken Burns films there are photos presented amidst talking heads. The approach makes sense when dealing with the Civil War but in a documentary about events that took place long after film was invented it's mighty peculiar. An argument could be made that few of the landmarks of post-war jazz were filmed. But in this documentary, Burns chooses to truncate actual footage. There is more footage of Charlie Parker playing in a filmed sequence on Youtube than in this movie.Burns chooses to call this segment of his history of jazz, "Risk." He and his talking heads advance the idea that jazz in Charlie Parker's hands was based on incredible risk-taking - and then explains the relation of Parker's music to heroin use. Burns and his advisors - the Marsalis Brothers, Albert Murray, Jon Hendricks, Ossie Davis, Lorraine Gordon, Margo Jefferson, Phil Schaap, Gerald Early and Gary Giddins - created the thesis of bebop-as-risk and it is, at the least, worth considering. Of course, one could argue that all improvisation is a form of risk-taking.The film takes the viewer from Parker's life and music to Dizzy Gillespie and then focuses on - of all people, Louis Jordan, one of the first rhythm 'n blues musicians and by no means a jazz musician! Most of the white musicians are marginalized except for drummer Stan Levey. (In fact, Stan Levey's own documentary, entitled "The Original Original" The Jazz Bop Pioneer Tells His Own Story" presents a better history of bebop than this one.) The white musicians such as Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz come into the narrative simply as fellow junkies of Charlie Parker.But this is a huge topic and Burns makes an effort to present a narrative tying the whole thing together that we have to respect despite the errors and strange judgements.
Broken Reed's 2011 in Perspective
Jenny Hill is still pondering the randomness of the universe, especially the gig gods. Some months of 2011 were busy, and Jenny found herself playing reggae in various outdoor venues. Favorite spots included Thailand, opening for Ziggy Marley in Jerusalem, and playing Red Rocks in Colorado. Some creative jazz moments included playing with the Broken Reed Sax Qt, the Dan Martin trio, and a concert at the 92Y with Todd Isler and Tomas Rodriguez. The second half of 2011 saw Jenny learning stand-up comedy techniques as she was backing Denis Leary, playing the Jazz Loft Party with the Black Rock Coalition to raise funds for older jazz musicians in need, joining 2 original bands (the Huffers and Bowl of Soul), and finishing out the year performing with Govt Mule for their NYEve show at the Beacon Theater in a tribute to Joe Cocker. Jenny is working on her standup act for 2012, tentatively entitled Licensed To Hill.Charley Gerard I am lucky to have a number of musical angels in my life that made my musical dreams come true in 2011. At the top of the list are Judi Weinstock, Eva Gerard, Carl Banner, Jenny Hill, Lisa Parrott, Chris Bacas and Tom Olin. We push each other forward artistically and inspire each other to improve our skills. It’s so rewarding to make music among people who enjoy each other’s company and respect one another. Sometimes I forget that it isn’t usually like this! 2011 was pretty busy for me. The Broken Reed Saxophone Quartet did a number of interesting gigs as a small group and as the nucleus of Compared to That, a big band. There were a few projects with pianist Carl Banner and Washington Musica Viva such as the premiere of “Charles Bukowski Would’ve Liked Mozart” my send-up of a Mozart violin sonata played by violinist Kathy Judd, with Carl, drummer Lennie Robinson and bassist Jon Nazdin and my Dvorak Jazz Dances (premiered at the Czech Embassy in Washington, DC) performed by Carl, Lennie and I with guitarist Syberen Van Munster and bassist James King. Judi and I had our songs performed by the wonderful Kris Adams at Somethin’ Jazz Club in NYC. My goal in 2012 is to keep on keeping on.Tom Olin There's only one major scale. It just happens 12 times. [Cecil Payne] Gigwise, 2011 was less (not more) of the same. I worked with Linda Ipanema, did swing gigs with Felix & the Cats, Mike Arrenella, Stan Rubin. I subbed on AVE Q for Patience, and on Billy Elliott. A few high school shows tested my flute & picc. to the max. One high point was a couple of "lobby jobs" with Michael Howell. I did only a few club dates which is O.K., because they have become a dead end for me, and ruin one's hearing eventually. I believe there is stilll jazz in jazz, but it's puzzling that N.Y.C. musicians often align themselves into camps, sometimes developing a verbal philosophy to justify their lives. The school that tries to climax each solo like John Coltrane is akin to copying that of a porno star. It ain't going to happen. I try to maintain my sanity by not trying to do everything on every instrument. Saxophonically yours, Tom Olin.Chris Bacas I want to thank all the composers, collaborators and colleagues that I've worked with this past year and plan to work with in the coming year: BRSQ, Stefan Bauer, Vinson Valega, JC Sanford, Peter Paulson and Asuka Kakitani. For the new year my wishes are: more of the same, more of the different and more good health for my friends, my family and myself. CbLisa Parrott has been busy!
Examiner.com review of Dvorak Jazz Dances
World premiere of Dvorak-inspired jazz piece wows at Czech Embassy, 2011Marsha DubrowSeptember 22, 2011 http://www.examiner.com/art-travel-in-washington-dc/world-premiere-of-dvorak-inspired-jazz-piece-wows-at-czech-embassy-review#ixzz1Z63xPKZoThe world premiere of “Dvorak Jazz Dances” at the Czech Embassy last night proved that the classical composer's still very cool and hot in his 170th year -- celebrated throughout Washington in the Dvorak “Mutual Inspirations Festival.”The imaginative, inventive, witty jazz piece, using Dvorak’s Slavonic Dances as a brilliant starting point, epitomizes the “Mutual Inspirations” theme of the festival that began on the Czech composer’s 170th birthday September 8 and ends on October 28, 2011, Czech National Day. Local composer/alto saxophonist Charley Gerard created 11 dynamic and rhythmically compelling short jazz works based on Dvorak’s most famous dances, set to blues, African, Latin, even calypso and minuet rhythms.Their titles are “silly puns,” Gerard commented, playing off the sounds of Antonin Dvorak’s name and nickname “Shack”: “Divorce Shack,” “Afrolantonin,” Calypslovonic,” "Like Sonny, Like Coltrane, Like Dvorak." The audience didn't just like it, they whooped, yelped, bravoed each selection and each extraordinary musician of Washington Musica Viva: Carl Banner (piano), James King (bass), Syberen van Munster (guitar), and Lenny Robinson (drums).