For jazz lovers, jazz musicians and jazz musician lovers, April 30 was declared “The international jazz day.“  

Jazz music has been bringing people together in harmony for more than a century, starting with the “Blue Note” that served as a relief from slavery, pain and grief, sung and played by the workers brought from Africa to work in America and Europe as slaves. What was better than music to release the soul?

A great Classic jazz piece by the Great Saxophonist John Coltrane (1961)

Jazz music still serves its purpose by bringing people together. While most have forgotten its origins and the true meaning of freedom in jazz music, it is still popularly celebrated, played and heard by a large portion of the world’s population.

Ragtime, Bebop, Swing, Blues,  Afro, Funk, Latin and Soul are just some of the names that jazz music has evolved and sub-categorized into over the generations. We come not even one step closer to knowing what jazz music really is, well lets just say that  jazz music is any music that can not be properly categorized, played in odd times and loaded with improvisations, and sounds good.

Jazz taking new shapes through Miles Davis

Though jazz music can not be properly identified, playing it has its rules, and listening to it has its feels, in a jazz music sheet the most significant bar is the empty bar where nothing is written, but a lot is played by the musician, and that introduces the most famous  element in jazz which is  improvisation. Jazz music has only become famous after slaves rose above slavery and slavery was no longer in the western culture and only then the African Americans freed who gained their freedom has started to have the right to have their own jobs.where a big portion went working in pubs and casinos in the entertaining business, and every night after everyone is gone and the chairs were empty those entertainers and musicians would come together with no prior preparation and lay down what may some would think “the best music they have heard”. And that was the beginning of Jazz music as an official genre, all based on the ability to improvise, carrying the meaning to present freedom through music and the ability to improvise by the feeling.

(Herbie Hancock with ” Watermelon Man,” Observe Improvisation live on stage)

Since around the 1860s, the Jazz music scene was built by musicians who are now immortalized due to their massive contribution in laying a practical, theoretical and a historical foundation to jazz music. Musicians who have conquered the world, and they are not only remembered on international jazz day, but every day where jazz music is being played.

Below is a list of a very few of many that forever influenced jazz music:

- Edward Kennedy (1899–1974) a.k.a Duke Ellington, a.k.a The Duke, who composed more than 1000 jazz pieces, also famous for being America’s greatest composer (Pianist).

- Louis Armstrong (1901–1971) a.k.a. Satchel-mouth, one of the most influential trumpeters and vocalists of all jazz’s life time.

- Benny Goodman (1909–1986) a.k.a the King of swing music.

- Charlie Parker (1920-1955) a.k.a The Yardbird, the Saxophonist that all saxophonists look up to.

- Miles Davis (1926-1991), The trumpeter and the nominated creator of Contemporary Jazz.

- Buddy Rich (1917 -1987), once known as “The World’s Greatest Drummer,” famous for his speed, power and playing with big bands.

- Herbie Hanock (1940-Present), A.K.A The Ambassador, Master of the Head Hunters and one of the best jazz pianists, composers and band leader alive today.

The list goes on and on, as every name is a piece of the puzzle that is jazz music.And so, Jazz of the past and the present shall be internationally celebrated annually on April 30 by some and every single day by others. For Jazz music is a story with infinite chapters and an unpredictable journey, translated into all languages.

The International Jazz Day Full Concert Presented By The Genius Herbie Hancock on April 30th 2013  in Istanbul,Turkey:

Image credit: Jazzday.com

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Troy Andrews, famous by the name of “Trombone Shorty,” is one of New Orleans’ current youngest and finest musicians. A professional musician, a trombonist and a band leader only by the age of six earned him his nick name Trombone Shorty. Troy was born on January 2, 1986 in the same city where jazz music was born, the great city New Orleans.

Troy Andrews as a child played in brass bands and through lots of music exposure since very young he has gained more than enough experience. By the time he reached age 24, his own and most successful album “Backatown” was nominated for a Grammy award for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album 2011.”

Trombone Shorty Playing with Wynton Marsalis at the Age of 13

Backatown was a great success for Trombone Shorty and his band Orleans Avenue. It was produced by Ben Ellman, Galactic’s own saxophonist. Galactic is known to be one of the top funk and fusion bands world wide; where also Trombone Shorty has played, recorded and performed live with them for several times, which is also a great achievement of his. Andrew’s music in general features a very powerful contemporary style jazz, that is full of energy and surprises along the way, he himself said” “We never sat down and really thought about concepts and what we wanted our music to sound like,” Andrew continued “It’s just that, over the years, we allowed each one of the band members to bring their influences and taste in music into our music. Anything we hear or are influenced by, it naturally comes out in what we’re trying to do. It’s just our sound, and it happened naturally.” In this special kind of  jazz music the perfect combination for it being jazz music full of improvisation and at the same time representing different personalities and genres into one musical piece, is what makes it sound different and unique than for example standard jazz, in the world of contemporary jazz one can just never know what to expect, and Trombone Shorty and the Orleans Avenue are a good demonstrates of such music.

Trombone Shorty Playing one of his tracks from “Backatown” 2011 (Observe Breathing Circulation Technique On The Trumpet)

Troy is always on the move with Orleans Avenue, touring the world with their energetic music. Troy on stage tends to have an outstanding stage presence and performance, that has a very passionate expression, filled with energetic love of music, and regularly he always urges to push it to the limit every single show, Trombone Shorty could one day be the new Miles Davis with his passion but on the trombone, though Troy is also a master of the trumpet and often uses it in a fair number of his songs. 

Troy so far has recorded 8 studio albums, the latest being “For True” that was released in 2011 and the first entitled “Trombone Shorty’s Swingin’ Gate” released in 2002, but his album “Backatown” still remains his most successful record.

One would have not expected less from a young musician born, raised and influenced by the amazing music sounds of New Orleans, the great city that still continues to produce outstanding jazz musicians, and prove to the generations of the present and the future that jazz music did not die after Miles Davis or Louis Armstrong or many others and the jazz music legacy continues on and it will live on to take new shapes into each generation.

Image credit: Laura Carbone via Tromboneshorty.com

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TJL Productions announced that BIG BAND VOCALISTS, the latest installment of the popular MY MUSIC series, will premiere on PBS stations nationwide March 3, 2012. Hosted by Nick Clooney (whose sister, Rosemary Clooney, is among those featured on the show) and Peter Marshall, BIG BAND VOCALISTS showcases the timeless “crooners and canaries” of the 1940s when they started their careers performing with orchestras and dance bands, before they became stars on their own.

Featuring rare archival film footage not seen in years, this nostalgic look back offers romantic favorites from an all-star roster of legendary artists including The Andrews Sisters, Louis Armstrong, Perry Como,Doris Day, Helen Forrest, Dick Haymes, Peggy Lee, Dinah Shore, Kate Smith, Jo Stafford & The Pied Pipers and many more.

Among the classic World War II era bands backing up these iconic voices are groups led by Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Harry James and Stan Kenton. ”This music has never gone away and these singers are the reason why,” says co-host Nick Clooney. ”They are the finest popular vocalists we’ve ever known.”

Highlights include Doris Day singing “It’s Magic” in her film debut, ‘Romance on the High Seas’, which received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song; the earliest known footage of Peggy Lee with a big band, singing “Why Don’t You Do Right”; and a rousing rendition of “God Bless America” delivered by Kate Smith.

As a companion to the television special, MY MUSIC executive producer TJ Lubinsky has also compiled a new CD collection of Big Band favorites exclusively for PBS. The 5-CD set, available exclusively at PBS.org, offers three volumes of the most popular singers from the era – original classics mastered from first generation tapes – plus two discs featuring new stereo orchestra recordings of timeless Big Band hits.

BIG BAND VOCALISTS: MY MUSIC premieres March 3, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. on PBS nationwide and airs throughout the March pledge period.  Check local listings for stations and times.

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