"For O. P., as Pettiford was familiarly known, was not only a bassist but a composer, organizer, and leader. His role in the formulation of modern jazz is stated flatly by Dizzy Gillespie: 'Oscar Pettiford was a driving force in that music.'" (Gitler 150). To other musicians, Oscar Pettiford played with a beauiful clarity, always able to create something. He would play even if he didn't have an audience, but that was never the case with his talent; he got people's attention without any tricks or extramusical things.
I'm constantly around people who are extremly passionate about playing music. They play multiple instruments, trying to play each one to the best of theor abilities, and learning more and more. When they practice after school hours, people wander and come close to listen. It's an exciting feeling to know how passionate people are about music; they can create and manipulate their sound to make something wonderful. This is the last post for this blog and, unfortunatly, I did not finish my book and go through all of the people discussed. But that does not mean I will stop learning about thosewho shaped and influenced music. I will always learn and collect more information about topics I am interested in.
0 Comments
"The trombone, largely a rhythm instrument in the dawn of jazz before it was granted true solo privileges, had never been played in the swift, extremly legato, eighth-note style that J. J. Johnson introduced in the mid-forties. Since that time there have been few trombonists who haven't shown some manifestation of Johnson's style in their playing." (Gitler 137). Johnson became the most influential and popular trombonist of his era. Johnson was always soft-spoken, modest, and reserved, very different from Gillespie, Parker, or Powell. Like many jazz musicians, his playing was affected by a long list of other men.
"Perhaps the most eratic of all the great talents to come to light in the forties was pianist Earl 'Bud' Powell. Powell." Bud Powell was a fantastic pianist, playing music "of demonically driven beauty, music of hard, unflinching swing, music of genious." (Gitler 110).
This was the young Powell who influenced many pianists and other musicians in the forties and fifties. From 1945 to 1955 he had five visits to mental institutions and in the early sixties he was hospitalized for a year with tuberculosis. He still played very well, but could not reach musical heights that he once had. He could only stretch his wings and create the same sound as before in a concert or when other musicians would come to see him. I understand the feeling of not being able to get back to the top once you have fallen down. It seems like the top is even farther away compared to the first time you looked up at it, making the climb harder than the first aswell. It takes all of your energy, but you're not even close to who you were before. But there will be people who give you a boost, like Powell had with his fellow musicians, and get you back where you once were. This week, I did read less than scheduled, so I intend to catch up later in the weekend. Overall, the book isn't what most would call a "page turner", but I find it interesting to look into these people's lives and see the struggles they went through in their carriers, who they influenced, and who influenced them. "Gillespie was the man the people thought of immediately when the word 'bop' was mentioned...Gillespie is superd in either a large - or small - group setting, but he really seems to bloom with a big band behind him..." (Gitler 80-81). Gillespie had become a large public figure with many fans devoted to what he did musically and how he dressed. He was with many big bands filled with enthusiasm, but would not last long as seats and players are changed giving it a completly different sound. He and many other musicians influenced the styles of new players, eventually able to have their own sound.
I can understand hearing someone play and wanting to create a sound just like them. I would listen to someone older than me play and I would want my sound to mature and create something just aaaaaaas beautiful. I also know how different it feels to play in a band where the people are constantly being changed. The sound can be very similar or completly different and will ultimatly never be the same. In this week of my project, I have read about the end of Charles Parker's career and John Birks Gillespie (aka "Dizzy" Gillespie) and that "...whenever these two giant talents combined forces, history was made."(Gitler 58). Diz had started out playing the trombone, but did not stick with it long because his arms were too short to reach all the way down to seventh position on the slide. He started to borrow a trumpet from his neighbor to practice on, and at the age of 15, he was known as "the best jazz trumpeter in Cheraw" even though he could not read a single note. He continued hos education because of his musical talent, and went on to play with multiple bands, including those with Parker. Moving on to the late years of Parker's career, his illnesses were always lurking around him. After returning from European engagements, he had a stomach ulser, along with heart and liver problems through the last years of his life. On March 12 1955, Parker had died minutes after having a seizure.
Through my reading, I have learned the stories of many musicians being able to play with people that they admire and respect. As they play with each other, they form relationships and inspire one another to be able to do better. I also have that deep feeling of respect and admiration when can play with very talented people and play a beautiful piece. This week I have ended up where I need to be in my book, and I am enjoying learnimg about the lives of many jazz musicians. "Parker was a giant figure who influenced countless lives, musically and otherwise. He affected jazz as totally as had Armstrong a generation before him, and he brought the alto saxophone to prominence the way Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young had with the tenor saxophone. Because of him, young musicians turneed to the alto and tried to play like him. Later, many escaped to the tenor to avoid comparison." (Ira Gitler "Jazz Masters of the 40's" 16). Charlie "Yardbird" Parker was a large influence to the music industry. He inspired many musicians, played songs that left people speechless, and created compositions that had the same clarity and spontaneity as his playing. He started out small after being switched from the tuba to the alto saxophone by his mother. He tried to play what he could, but was left embarrased, making him more serious about his music. As he matured as a musician, he played with multiple bands recording multiple titles. People were so devoted to his music, it would be the only thing they would listen to. Through his carrer, Parker was addicted to heroin. This did effect him in certain points in time, and making him look much older than the age of 34 when he died.
Being a musician myself, I can understand and relate to the topic and feeling of playing music alone or with others. Parker's style is described in heavy detail, including the length of each strain of the melody and the rests inbetween. It gives me a feeling of excitement as I read those pages, and I think of all the different pieces of music I've played with my group. It creates a small connection between myself and those who I have been reading about; I have felt that same joy in playing amazing pieces of music with good people. Throughout this week, I have been keeping up with my reading as planned. I am enjoying the experience of reading this book as I learn of the musicians who helped to influence others. The author gives information about the musicians through interviews with people who have played with them ar through their own experience. I have been taking note of important points in the text which has helped me to get the full idea of the passage. With 40 pages to read each week, I have to work to keep on track with my reading. |
AuthorI'm Lauryn and I play the clarinet. Music is cool and totally not a useless skill. ArchivesCategories |