Beyond The Note: Jazz Music Essentials – #8 Three Multiple Daily Jazz Vitamins

#8. Three Multiple Daily Jazz Vitamins

Listening in a special way to the 3 historic groups that represent the core of modern jazz music as we know it today.

1. JOHN COLTRANE QUARTET w/McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones; Recommended recordings: Live at the Village Vanguard, Crescent, Ballads. This group represents a harmonic and rhythmic intensity that has never been equaled. It is one of the great groups whose spontaneity and adventurous style is unparalleled.
2. MILES DAVIS QUINTETS w/Wayne Shorter or George Coleman, Herbie Hancock, Red Garland or Wynton Kelly, Ron Carter or Paul Chambers, Tony Williams or Philly Joe Jones; Recommended recordings: Miles recordings through the 1960’s. One of Miles great gifts was his ability intellectually and intuitively to put great bands together. His music represents a type of straight ahead swing that is so very strong with great feeling from all participants. For the most part his music was unrehearsed, so the concept of listening and responding creatively is ever so present.
3. BILL EVANS TRIO w/Scott LaFaro, Paul Motian; Only from the recordings: Live at the Village Vanguard, Waltz for Debby. This group represents a type of trio playing that has never been equaled. They are like 3 ice skaters doing gymnastics at 3 separate places on the ice rink…all independent of each other yet totally connected to a central theme. A great example of 3 individuals listening closely to each other…where the music is leading and not any one individual.