From Jazz to the Origins of Rock and Roll

I've been playing a lot of jazz lately and really getting back into some classic and amazing acts of the mid 20th century.

What is jazz? Jazz has its origins all over, from New Orleans Jazz in the early part of the 20th century, and incorporating blues and soul, ragtime, swing, and African influences among scores of others. Jazz hit high notes during the prohibition era when speakeasies would recruit jazz musicians to liven up the joints. Long before rock and roll in the 50's and heavy metal and Miley Cyrus came along threatening to corrupt youth, jazz was considered immoral and threatening old values in America; strange how times have changed.

My own introduction to jazz probably came early from listening to my parent's playing NPR radio, where jazz lives.
I really got into it reading Jack Kerouac novels after high school, and later on a girlfriend hooked me on the sounds of Coltrane and others, and my love of jazz has grown steadily.

It's with great joy to me that there are so many wonderful albums available in the library. I don't think it's possible to review a jazz album or tracks. All jazz musicians and albums have a distinct feel and flavor to them, and can affect and influence a listener in so many ways. I find jazz music a very personal and solitary experience. It sets a vibe and a mood unlike any other kind of music. I can get lost in epic tunes that can carry on over 10 minutes or more. A personal favorite being "My Favorite Things" by John Coltrane. 

In writing this blog I looked at allmusic.com and Wikipedia.com for inspiration and a few basic facts. For some essential classic jazz albums that you can checkout from the library, I suggest starting out with some of these. I just selected many of the albums/musicians I enjoy or find particularly worth noting. 
          
I hope you will be able to make it out to the River Branch library on February 27 from 2:00-3:00 PM to see the program "The Birthplace of Jazz: New Orleans Music and Culture" to learn about the origins of Jazz, the unique history of Congo Square, the notorious red-light district of Storyville, the amazing pageantry of the Mardi Gras Indians, jazz funerals, early Rock-n-Roll history and more. Check it out! http://www.library.pima.gov/calendar/?ID=26080http://www.library.pima.gov/calendar/?ID=26080
 
                                            

• The Shape of Jazz to Come, by Ornette Coleman
• A Love Supreme, by John Coltrane. 
• Kind of Blue, by Miles Davis
• Thelonious Monk (featuring John Coltrane)
• Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong
• Love Letters from Ella, by Ella Fitzgerald
• The Essential Charlie Parker
• Send in the Clowns: the very best of Sarah Vaughan
• Absolutely the Best Jelly Roll Morton
• Holiday for Lovers, by Billie Holiday
•  Falling in Love with Duke Ellington
• Glenn Miller
  The Aviator Soundtrack (features some terrific jazz/swing bands)

Roll and roll has its origins in jazz and rhythm and blues from the 40's and 50's. Gospel, country and folk also played heavy roles in the formation of rock and roll. Jazz and swing introduced a lot of African American sounds to a large new audience of white listeners in the 30's that led to all kinds of experiments in sounds. Where would rock and roll be without jazz, and where would modern music be today without rock and roll?

Influential early rock and roll. Ones underlined are available in the library.

• "Rock and Roll" by the Boswell Singers featured in 1934
• "Rock Me" song by Sister Rosetta Tharpe described as "rock and roll"
• "Rock Awhile" album by Goree Carter 1949
• "Rock the Joint" by Jimmy Preston
• "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, featuring Ike Turner
• Bill Hailey "Rock Around the Clock"
• Fats Domino "Fats Domino Live"
  Little Richard
  Jerry Lee Lewis
  Gene Vincent
• Carl Perkins "Original Sun Greatest Hits"
  Chuck Berry
• Elvis Presley
• 25 Rockabilly Classics
• 25 Greatest Hits

 By the 1960s, rock and roll evolved simply into "rock."

-William