New Blogs from Jazz Tweeps [UPDATED 2X]

I love seeing more jazz blogs coming online, especially from jazz tweeps. Here are 3 new ones that I know of — hit me up at @MaryamLovesJazz if you know of any others:

• Elements of Jazz by Donna M at @ElementsOfJazz


• pork pie jazz by Jenn Hardy at @porkpiejazz


• Dothan Jazz by Chris Hodges at @CHodgesmusic

UPDATE 4/3
Here's another new jazz blog by one our jazz tweeps:

• Nica Presents by Sarah Crisman at @sarah_crisman

UPDATE 4/8
One more jazz tweep is now blogging:

• Jazz Express by Fred Isler at @fredr1c

Part 2: Jazz Appreciation Month Challenge

Yesterday I wrote about my Jazz Appreciation Month Challenge, to start playing music, if you have ever wanted to do that, and to join me in seeking to create a deeper connection with music. It doesn't matter what you start with, guitar, piano, recorder, your voice — the important thing is to create the connection, and to just have fun and feel the joy of playing.

I'm asking for help from my jazz tweeps, by tweeting or sending me any good beginning music resources you know of — teachers, books, stores, videos, web sites, good instruments to start with, good beginning mouthpieces for horns, good music for beginners to listen to, or any other resources that would be helpful to beginning musicians. If I get good responses, I'll post them on the blog.

Thanks in advance for your help.

twitjazznet@gmail.com

My Jazz Appreciation Month Challenge

I played music when I was a kid. In the 70s in DC there were loads of community programs that helped and encouraged kids to get involved with music. I got involved. Drums.

I kind of stumbled into the opportunity to go to Duke Ellington School for the Arts, a free public high school modeled after School for the Arts in New York. Students spend half of each school day studying their art. I auditioned and got in. I went there in 1975, second year after it opened.

I had an incredible opportunity. Through the influence of unscrupulous people, I and many other students also lost that opportunity.

I was 14. I'm now 48, and I just started playing music again. Guitar this time.

I love hearing jazz, reading about it, writing about it, talking to people about it. But I love playing jazz too, and I'm tired of letting other people have all the fun. And player hating isn't cute on a 48 year old.

The more I write about so many amazing, inspiring musicians, the more I get inspired...to have a deeper connection with music in my own life -- to have that joy, that expression, of being able to speak that language.

So here I am, 34 years later, deciding to play again.

My challenge to myself is to play music every day during the month of April.

My challenge to you, is to start playing music. If you've ever wanted to play an instrument, do it. Or if you used to play and stopped, start playing again.

About Jazz Appreciation Month

The Smithsonian Institution is heavily invested in the preservation and promotion of jazz. Here's a little bit about Jazz Appreciation Month from Smithsonian Jazz:

What are the purposes of Jazz Appreciation Month?

To draw greater public attention to the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz and its importance as an American cultural heritage. In addition, JAM is intended to stimulate the current jazz scene and encourage people of all ages to participate in jazz—to study the music, attend concerts, listen to jazz on radio and recordings, read books about jazz, and support institutional jazz programs.

TwitJazzNet Round Robin Results #2: Jazz by the Decade - 1920's

I got a few wonderful responses to the second TwitJazzNet Round Robin on music from the 1920's, but not as many as I expected, I must say -- only seven responses? Are people not that into the early roots of jazz? Or maybe just not aware of where to start with this era? Would love to hear your comments on that...

Regardless of your experience with music from the early days of jazz, here are some gems as selected as "favorites" by our TwitJazzNet community:

Juan-Carlos Hernandez  -- jchernandezjazz on Twitter-- selected Louis Armstrong's classic genre-defining performance of West End Blues, with it's "eternal trumpet intro". A few others included Louis Armstrong in their submissions: Federico Antin (euskirmusic on Twitter), who named the Hot Fives as his favorite, and Seattle jazz photographer Bruce C. Moore (brucecmoore on Twitter) included Armstrong in his list (more on that later). Frank Pozen - frankp316 on Twitter -- also claimed Louis Armstrong, and also added Bessie Smith as a favorite. Here is Louis Armstrong doing West End Blues, and Bessie Smith with Louis Armstrong doing St. Louis Blues:

Another popular figure contributed by the TwitJazzNet community was the man who claimed to have invented jazz, Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton. Federico Antin (euskirmusic on Twitter) named Morton's band The Red Hot Peppers as a favorite, while Twitter user fureousangel submitted the Jelly Roll Morton classic, Black Bottom Stomp. Listen below to the original version from 1926, as well as a live version in 1994 from Jazz at Lincoln Center:

Another couple of great artists were chosen by some regular TwitJazzNet contributors to the Twitterstream. Pianist Barry Dallman of Play Jazz blog -- playjazzblog on Twitter -- responded with Bix Beiderbecke, who "practically invented the jazz ballad with a gorgeously pure tone; the original jazz legend." Virginia music lover Fred Isler -- fredr1c on Twitter -- sent in this reply:

For me it's America's composer, Duke Ellington. His compositions and performances during the '20s were beautiful and electrifying in their own right and set a standard for great jazz big band and large ensemble creations into the '30s and beyond. Check out this excerpt from Ellington's 1929 movie Black and Tan Fantasy to get a feel both for how he worked with his soloists (in this case, trumpeter Arthur Whetsol) and how his orchestra blazed on stage.

For your listening and viewing pleasure are Bix Beiderbecke performing Singin' The Blues with the Frankie Trumbauer Orchestra, and the aforementioned Duke Ellington clip of Black and Tan Fantasy:

I love it when people go above and beyond the call of duty! Seattle photographer and Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra blogger and board member Bruce C. Moore -- brucecmoore on Twitter -- gave me two wonderful lists: one listing his own favorites, and another listing for his father. Enjoy these two thorough lists from Bruce:

Bruce C. Moore Favorites Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives Kid Ory King Oliver Earl Hines Jelly Roll Morton Duke Ellington

For Father of Bruce C. Moore Fletcher Henderson Paul Whiteman (Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue) Bix Beiderbecke

As for the favorites of the 1920's of your humble narrator, David Marriott, Jr., I'm a big fan of all the music mentioned above, and also enjoy playing it, as the style presents unique challenges to the performer. One person not mentioned thus far that I greatly enjoy is clarinet and soprano saxophonist Sidney Bechet. I also have an affinity for the music of Fletcher Henderson (previously mentioned by Bruce C. Moore), having played his music many times with the Big Bang Band and SRJO -- plus, I share a birthday with him, December 18. Here is a small sampling of both:

Hope you've enjoyed this little excursion into the music of the 1920's. For more on this period of jazz, be sure to visit Red Hot Jazz, the definitive source on the web for early jazz. Stay tuned for another TwitJazzNet Round Robin later this week!

David Marriott, Jr. (@redraspus) is a Seattle-based jazz musician, educator, and blogger.

TwitJazzNet Round Robin Question #2: Jazz by the Decade - 1920's

Welcome to another TwitJazzNet Round Robin. I want to begin by thanking everyone who contributed to the last round robin -- I was so excited to have ten responses! In an effort to encourage more participation, I thought I'd do something a little easier this time around, but also do something where the results could accumulate over time into something larger. Thus, I'm starting a Round Robin series called Jazz by the Decade. Your task for each Jazz by the Decade question will be the same, regardless of the decade chosen. This week, your task, should you choose to accept is:

Question #2: List your favorite one or two performers, bands, or recordings from the 1920s.

You'll probably be able to fit your response into a tweet, so go ahead and @redraspus me your response, or feel free to e-mail your response to davidmarriottjr@gmail.com. And just to clarify, ANYONE can send a response, whether you appear on a list on this site or not -- we are open to all jazz fans here at TwitJazzNet. I'll be posting responses on Friday morning, so send responses in the next day or two... and thanks!

Thank You to A Blog Supreme [with update]

I am deeply grateful for this:

From the jazz blogosphere to the jazz micro-blogosphere -- or perhaps the other way around. Enter Twitter Jazz Network, a group blog run by folks who are frequently talking about jazz on Twitter.

Continue reading Listen Up, You Twits: The Twitter Jazz Network on A Blog Supreme.

Thanks also to Yamaha Corporation (@TheYamahaHub) for tweeting about our blog, and to David Marriott (@RedRaspus), for hooking us up with a domain, design work, and for blogging duties, and to Aviva (@avivao) for coming up with our hash tag #twitjazznet.

UPDATE: The article on A Blog Supreme mentioned that our blog "keeps lists of Twitter handles of jazz fans, musicians and presenters", but we didn't really have a category for presenters, only festivals. In the links near the top of the page, the Jazz Festivals link has now been replaced by Jazz Presenters, which includes festivals, labels, and venues. Please contact us if you have the Twitter name for presenters that should be added to the list.

TwitJazzNet Round Robin Results #1: New Jazz in 2010

Last Tuesday, we posed a question to the followers, fans, contributors, and anyone else connected to TwitJazzNet:

Question #1: Since January 1st, 2010, you've probably been exposed to some jazz you've never heard before, new or old. Name the one recording you've heard since the beginning of the year (in the last two months) that has ignited or re-ignited your passion for jazz the most.

For your Friday morning inspiration, here are the ten -- yup, count 'em, 10 -- responses...

Juan-Carlos Hernandez  -- jchernandezjazz on Twitter, and a fabulous photographer -- selected the soon-to-be-released recording by New York guitarist Scott DuBois titled, Black Hawk Dance. I'll second that recommendation: Scott and I became friends and played together often when we did our Masters degrees together at Manhattan School of Music -- he was a stellar improviser back then at twenty-two, and his latest projects and recordings since demonstrate his playing reaching to new heights of brilliance. You can listen to a preview of the new recording on his website.

Federico Antin -- Euskir on Twitter -- selected the latest recording by legendary South African pianist Abdullah Ibrahim titled Bombela. The album features Ibrahim with the WDR Big Band Cologne, arranged and conducted by Steve Gray. My uncle hipped me to his Water from an Ancient Well years ago, and I've been a fan ever since. Sounds like this is a must-have for my collection!

MaryamLovesJazz on Twitter recommended a D.C.-area saxophonist, Grant Langford. She's been listening to the many streaming tracks available on his site, and suggested his original composition "Odd Man Out" as her favorite of late. This guy swings like a madman, can play in a variety of styles, and certainly knows his way around his horn. I'll be visiting his site often after hearing his rendition of Bud Powell's "Un Poco Loco" -- just burning! (She also added Twitter musicians at @thomasheflin @natesmithdrums @markplaystbone and @dredscotttrio)

Brussels saxophonist Joe Higham -- joehighman on Twitter -- posted, "If it's one CD (since Jan 2010) then I'd say The Journey from Mujician". I knew nothing about this British jazz group until poking around on the web, but I will certainly be seeking out their records after my exploration and Mr. Higham's recommendation. The recordings appear to be somewhat hard-to-find here in the United States, but perhaps folks in other parts of the world will have better luck.

Pianist Barry Dallman of Play Jazz blog - playjazzblog on Twitter -- responded, "(I'm) a bit behind the times perhaps, but have just discovered pianists Robert Glasper and Aaron Parks. Actually discovered both via NextBop. NextBop has been my main source for discovering new sounds so far this year." I couldn't recommend two more happening pianists myself. I've know Aaron since he was fifteen, so I'm a bit biased towards him, but Robert plays a whole ton of piano, too.They are both probing for new sounds and concepts with jazz music, but are also extremely well-versed in the history of the music.

My Seattle-area colleague Jason Parker -- 1workinmusician on Twitter and great trumpet player getting ready for his Spring tour -- selected a group of local high school students making some serious waves under the leadership of trombone phenom Andy Clausen. Follow, by the Andy Clausen sextet, is sure to start turning heads -- you can stream the entire album on his Bandcamp site, or just drop a few bucks to get the album and support some seriously hard-working students that sound like pros. He just got back from college auditions at Julliard and Manhattan School of Music, so I know he could use the money!

Virginia music lover Fred Isler -- fredr1c on Twitter (and also has a great stream on blip.fm) -- sent in this reply:

For me, the "new" revelation so far this year is Anouar Brahem, Dave Holland and John Surman, Thimar, 1998. It's truly transcendent improvisation; this album's moved me the most since 1 January. Give "Kashf!" and "Mazad!" a listen on YouTube if you're not already familiar with this incredible album.

Thimar has opened the door for me to other great albums by Brahem, including The Astounding Eyes of Rita.

I think that says it all, especially after listening to those tracks! Great choice, Fred -- thank you, thank you!

Oregonian Will Lepaz -- _SDO on Twitter -- said, "I'd have to say my favorite new Jazz is from Beverly Ritz's Lacey Mae CD. Respectfully artistic, classic jazz piano." After giving a few tracks a listen, I decided I couldn't put it better myself -- "respectfully artistic, classic jazz piano" is on the money.

She's been at this Twitter game for a while now -- Donna from ElementsofJazz on Twitter -- and seems to have her fingers on all kinds of different music, so I was curious to hear her choice. She decided "to go with Treacherous, a CD by the Tony Gairo-Gary Rissmiller Jazz Orchestra. This is a big band that swings. The modern sound and nuances make it enjoyable to listen to from beginning to end." I play in lots of big bands here in Seattle, so I'm always interested in what's going on with that instrumentation, and this group from Pennsylvania delivers on lots of levels -- my brain is saying, "Must go find... must go find..."

Last and hopefully not least is my own selection for the Round Robin. I recently met a fabulous trombonist from Sweden via Twitter, and after listening to his big band project, I knew I had my choice. He's a beautiful player, a great composer and arranger, and once I found out we had both studied with Jiggs Whigham AND Conrad Herwig, I felt like I had a long-lost brother across the Atlantic. Please check out the music of Anders Larson -- his original composition "One Less" on YouTube really grabbed me, and it sounds like there is much more to come once the official recording is released. I hope you enjoy -- his playing and writing have certainly inspired me of late.

That's it for our first official TwitJazzNet Round Robin Question and Results -- stay tuned for another next week! Not sure about the topic yet, but I do have some ideas. Do you? Feel free to add in the comments, and thanks for reading!

Written by David Marriott, Jr. (@redraspus)