Hand check, people. How many out there listen to Jazz music? Too few would be my guess. It's high time that changed, if you ask me. I first fell in love with Jazz as a young boy, learning to play the saxophone, trying my best to master Charlie Parker licks, swing like Count Basie, and match the sound of Paul Desmond. To a young musician, the stuff can be powerful. The freedom of the style, the history of the music, and the influence of Jazz on music of today are all strong reasons to love the genre.
That said, I will be the first to state that I know relatively little about Jazz music produced today. I would guess many of you are the same. When most people think of Jazz, they think of days of old. Names like Armstrong, Ellington, and Coltrane are often the first to come to mind. And rightly so, geniuses all. I'm here today to give you a handful of reasons to open your mind to contemporary Jazz. Special thanks to my Jazz-obsessed buddy James M. who when asked for a couple recommendations sent me a list of 40 (seriously, 40) great artists currently producing music. Here a just a few of today's greatest. I hope you enjoy and maybe experience something new.
1. Esperanza Spalding
Esperanza Spalding first came to my attention as the winner of last year's Grammy Award for Best New Artist. This was quite an event, as most people in this country hadn't yet heard of the lovely Jazz bassist/singer. On principle I was elated that the award went to a Jazz musician, and I was even more excited when I started listening her music. This woman is amazing. Raised by a single mother, she not only taught herself to play the violin by age 5, but began writing lyrics and composing by 15. By 17 she had dropped out of high school, completed her GED, and was admitted into the prestigious Berklee College of Music on full scholarship as a bass player. Her music is an eclectic fusion of influences from Brazil, to hip-hop, to pop music, to classic Jazz. She is both extremely talented and stunningly beautiful, and a great example of how Jazz music can still be innovative, provocative, intriguing, and hip. Here you will find her song "Little Fly", which takes a poem by William Blake and fuses it with a fantastic musical composition. I can't stop watching it. It is a thing of beauty.
2. Roy Hargrove
Roy Hargrove has gained international acclaim as a Grammy Award winning musician in two different genres (1997 and 2002). A gifted trumpet player from an early age, Hargrove was discovered as a potential star when Jazz legend Wynton Marsalis visited his high school in Waco Texas. With a musical style heavy on funk and groove, Hargrove is an eclectic performer who has collaborated with a wide array of musicians such as D'Angelo, Macy Gray, Joshua Redman, Joe Henderson, the Soultronics, Common, and Erykah Badu. His latest work has showcased his talent as a band leader, in both the Roy Hargrove Big Band and the Roy Hargrove Quintent. I heard the song above, "Strasborg Saint Denis" for the first time today and was hooked. The man knows how to groove.
3. Joshua Redmond
I have listened to Joshua Redman for quite a while now, and never cease to be amazed at this dude's mind-numbing skills on the horn. My first exposure to him was in 1996 when I caught Robert Altman's documentary Jazz '34. Redman blew my mind in the "Yeah Right" clip you see above (he is in the brown suit). This could be one of the greatest saxophone battles ever caught on film. In it Redman shows his chops while wailing on a throw-back tune from Kansas City's epic era of Jazz. The stylized outfits and the face contortions of the guitarist chomping on a cigar in the background are almost as fun to watch as the duel. Redman has steadily put out fantastic work, producing 13 albums between 1993 and 2009.
4. Jason Moran
Jason Moran is a new favorite of mine. The Jazz pianist and band leader composes work that draws inspiration from a variety of styles including stride piano, avant-garde jazz, classical music, hip hop, and spoken word. His piece "Thelonious" you see above showcases his talent, and the depth of skill that can be displayed on a piano through Jazz.
5. Charlie Hunter
My friend Elan introduced me to Charlie Hunter around 2001, when he passed me a copy of the guitarists reinterpretation of Bob Marley's classic album "Natty Dread". I saw Hunter perform a number of times at the legendary Oakland Jazz club, Yoshi's, where he has an annual show in December. When I first saw him play I thought I was hearing things. Upon closer inspection I realized the guy plays a custom-made 8-string guitar that allows him to play solos, bassline, and rhythm guitar ALL AT THE SAME TIME! (Insert music-dork-jaw-drop here). I encourage you to see this crazy stuff for yourself by checking youtube. My favorite song of Hunter's is actually his rendition of Marley's "No Woman No Cry" (below). Check it out.
No Woman No Cry: Charlie Hunter
Album: Natty Dread
Released: Feb 27, 1997
Label:Blue Note
Length: 5:15
Plays: 429
Genre: Jazz
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