Browse Titles - 13 results
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Alexander O'Neal Live at the Hammersmith Apollo, London
produced by Jon Wells, fl. 1968; performed by Alexander O'Neal, 1953- (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 2006), 1 hour 24 mins
“My guitarist wants to know if I took my medication today,” quips the 54-year-old singer between songs. Dressed in purple, R&B legend Alexander O'Neal stands on stage at the Hammersmith Apollo looking better than ever. Neither his enveloping voice nor his roguish looks seem to have aged. "He finds me a littl...
Sample
produced by Jon Wells, fl. 1968; performed by Alexander O'Neal, 1953- (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 2006), 1 hour 24 mins
Description
“My guitarist wants to know if I took my medication today,” quips the 54-year-old singer between songs. Dressed in purple, R&B legend Alexander O'Neal stands on stage at the Hammersmith Apollo looking better than ever. Neither his enveloping voice nor his roguish looks seem to have aged. "He finds me a little crazy tonight," he says. Hard not to agree with his colleague: in front of the audience of the London theater, O'Neal is simply unhin...
“My guitarist wants to know if I took my medication today,” quips the 54-year-old singer between songs. Dressed in purple, R&B legend Alexander O'Neal stands on stage at the Hammersmith Apollo looking better than ever. Neither his enveloping voice nor his roguish looks seem to have aged. "He finds me a little crazy tonight," he says. Hard not to agree with his colleague: in front of the audience of the London theater, O'Neal is simply unhinged. With remarkable energy, he plays the titles that propelled him to the rank of darling of the 80s: he becomes a languid lover again with "If You Were Here Tonight," slips into the skin of the repentant Don Juan of "A Broken Heart Can Mend,” and dons his costume of a transitory lover with “What Is This Thing Called Love.” Tireless, the singer does not allow himself a break, not even between the titles, where he multiplies the strokes of humor and the glances at the public. This live show from 2007 recalls everything that makes the singer so charming. It's up to you to decide if you will fall for his velvety voice, his mischievous attitude, and his slightly roguish air. Léance Kalanzau
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Date Written / Recorded
2006-03-11
Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Performance
Performer / Ensemble
Alexander O'Neal, 1953-
Contributor
Jon Wells, fl. 1968
Author / Creator
Alexander O'Neal, 1953-
Date Published / Released
2006
Publisher
Qwest TV
Topic / Theme
Soul, Funk, Blues, Hip-Hop
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2006 Auditorium
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America's Music Legacy, America's Music Legacy - Soul
directed by Kip Walton; presented by Isaac Kennedy; produced by Herb Silvers and Sandra Turbow, Skylark Savoy, in America's Music Legacy (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1985), 1 hour 34 mins
It might be surprising, but not it would not be perverse to invite the reader to first watch the archive where Otis Redding sings "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" surrounded by about thirty children, which is found at the end of the program In the group, there is a kid who has such an innate sense of dance and showma...
Sample
directed by Kip Walton; presented by Isaac Kennedy; produced by Herb Silvers and Sandra Turbow, Skylark Savoy, in America's Music Legacy (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1985), 1 hour 34 mins
Description
It might be surprising, but not it would not be perverse to invite the reader to first watch the archive where Otis Redding sings "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" surrounded by about thirty children, which is found at the end of the program In the group, there is a kid who has such an innate sense of dance and showmanship that it makes Otis Redding smile. After this dazzling musical moment, it is possible to pick up the thread of a beautiful program...
It might be surprising, but not it would not be perverse to invite the reader to first watch the archive where Otis Redding sings "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" surrounded by about thirty children, which is found at the end of the program In the group, there is a kid who has such an innate sense of dance and showmanship that it makes Otis Redding smile. After this dazzling musical moment, it is possible to pick up the thread of a beautiful program dedicated to Soul Music. Hybridization of gospel and rhythm & blues, brought to the end of the 1950’s by Ray Charles, in phase with the spirit of the struggle for civil rights of Martin Luther King, soul music marks the desire for emancipation of the African-American youth, and the bringing to the foreground of black pride and its culture. This music, which both identifies and challenges, is not exempt from contradictions; it oscillates between incisive incantatory singing with James Brown, and sexualized syrupy ballads, as if it had to comply with the demands of entertainment. To produce its own effect with an insane but not kitsch look becomes a scenic imperative: Rufus Thomas' cape, canary yellow suit, and blood red boots are a perfect illustration of this. One forgives this narcissistic childishness as the expressiveness of the voices always reaches an exceptional level; you just have to listen to Carla Thomas, Gladys Knight or the versions of "Spanish Harlem" by Ben E. King or "For Your Precious Love" by Jerry Butler, who was Curtis Mayfield's sidekick in the group The Impressions to be convinced. Philippe Lesage
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Field of Study
Jazz
Content Type
Performance
Contributor
Herb Silvers, Sandra Turbow, Skylark Savoy
Author / Creator
Kip Walton, Isaac Kennedy
Date Published / Released
1985
Publisher
Qwest TV
Series
America's Music Legacy
Topic / Theme
Soul, Funk, Blues, Hip-Hop
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1985 Auditorium
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Billie Holiday
directed by Greg Germain, 1947- (Paris, Ile-de-France: Windrose (Film distributor), 2013), 1 hour 16 mins
This musical pays a tribute to Billie Holiday with her twenty most beautiful songs. If Duke Ellington and Artie Shaw let her sing blues and love, Billie Holiday is also known for fighting against segregation and alcohol.
Sample
directed by Greg Germain, 1947- (Paris, Ile-de-France: Windrose (Film distributor), 2013), 1 hour 16 mins
Description
This musical pays a tribute to Billie Holiday with her twenty most beautiful songs. If Duke Ellington and Artie Shaw let her sing blues and love, Billie Holiday is also known for fighting against segregation and alcohol.
Field of Study
Jazz
Content Type
Performance
Author / Creator
Greg Germain, 1947-
Date Published / Released
2013
Publisher
Windrose (Film distributor)
Person Discussed
Billie Holiday, 1915-1959
Topic / Theme
Musical performances, African-Americans, Singers, Jazz music, Mexicans, Hawaiians
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2013. Used by permission of Windrose Distribution.
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Billy Cobham - Live at the Palais Des Festivals Hall, Cannes 1989
performed by Billy Cobham, 1944-, Peter Wölpl, 1962-, Nippy Noya, 1946-, Rita Marcotulli, 1959-, Wayne Cobham and Wolfgang Schmid, 1948- (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1989), 45 mins
Heard with Miles Davis via Bitches Brew and A Tribute To Jack Johnson, on equal footing with Jack DeJohnette, then alongside guitarist John McLaughlin in the very fusion Mahavishnu Orchestra, American drummer Billy Cobham is an inseparable figure of jazz from the 1970s. Captured at the Palais Des Festivals in Cann...
Sample
performed by Billy Cobham, 1944-, Peter Wölpl, 1962-, Nippy Noya, 1946-, Rita Marcotulli, 1959-, Wayne Cobham and Wolfgang Schmid, 1948- (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1989), 45 mins
Description
Heard with Miles Davis via Bitches Brew and A Tribute To Jack Johnson, on equal footing with Jack DeJohnette, then alongside guitarist John McLaughlin in the very fusion Mahavishnu Orchestra, American drummer Billy Cobham is an inseparable figure of jazz from the 1970s. Captured at the Palais Des Festivals in Cannes in 1989, the drumming virtuoso gives us a clear demonstration of expertise with his very particular touch. Accompanied by a solid ba...
Heard with Miles Davis via Bitches Brew and A Tribute To Jack Johnson, on equal footing with Jack DeJohnette, then alongside guitarist John McLaughlin in the very fusion Mahavishnu Orchestra, American drummer Billy Cobham is an inseparable figure of jazz from the 1970s. Captured at the Palais Des Festivals in Cannes in 1989, the drumming virtuoso gives us a clear demonstration of expertise with his very particular touch. Accompanied by a solid band including his own brother Wayne Cobham on keyboards, Rita Marcotulli on piano, and Wolfgang Schmid on bass, the instrumentalist and composer builds various arrangements typical of jazz-rock. Often more groovy than some of his counterparts at the time (he later released a live album with George Duke), Billy Cobham assimilates notably the Latin elements – a cultural legacy transmitted by a family of Panamanian origin. Illustrated by short interviews with the main players and opening shots of the very photogenic Mediterranean coast, this forty-five-minute scenic document sets the record straight with the hectic "Incoming," an extract from the very recent eponymous opus, and with "Tinseltown," a bewitching sequence fueled by the interventions of Nippy Noya on percussion. Vincent Caffiaux
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Date Written / Recorded
1989
Field of Study
Jazz
Content Type
Performance
Performer / Ensemble
Billy Cobham, 1944-, Peter Wölpl, 1962-, Nippy Noya, 1946-, Rita Marcotulli, 1959-, Wayne Cobham, Wolfgang Schmid, 1948-
Author / Creator
Billy Cobham, 1944-, Peter Wölpl, 1962-, Nippy Noya, 1946-, Rita Marcotulli, 1959-, Wayne Cobham, Wolfgang Schmid, 1948-
Date Published / Released
1989
Publisher
Qwest TV
Topic / Theme
Jazz
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1989 Auditorium
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Chick Corea - Elektric Band: Live At The Maintenance Shop
directed by Doug Brooker; produced by Doug Brooker, Interprom; performed by Chick Corea, 1941-, John Patitucci, 1959- and Dave Weckl, 1960-, Chick Corea Elektric Band (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1987), 48 mins
When Chick Corea died in 2021, he left a magnificent legacy of an artist who innovated widely in the realm of jazz. He was certainly one of the modern-day jazz titans. He blazed onto the scene starring as a member of Miles Davis’ first forays into electric music, then forged out on his own to the then-unknown so...
Sample
directed by Doug Brooker; produced by Doug Brooker, Interprom; performed by Chick Corea, 1941-, John Patitucci, 1959- and Dave Weckl, 1960-, Chick Corea Elektric Band (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1987), 48 mins
Description
When Chick Corea died in 2021, he left a magnificent legacy of an artist who innovated widely in the realm of jazz. He was certainly one of the modern-day jazz titans. He blazed onto the scene starring as a member of Miles Davis’ first forays into electric music, then forged out on his own to the then-unknown soundscape of fusion with his brilliant band Return to Forever. It became one of the many jazz saviors taking the music into the future....
When Chick Corea died in 2021, he left a magnificent legacy of an artist who innovated widely in the realm of jazz. He was certainly one of the modern-day jazz titans. He blazed onto the scene starring as a member of Miles Davis’ first forays into electric music, then forged out on his own to the then-unknown soundscape of fusion with his brilliant band Return to Forever. It became one of the many jazz saviors taking the music into the future. After RTF called it quits, Corea continued to explore—as a solo pianist as well as in a duo piano partnership with the likes of Herbie Hancock and Hiromi. But in the ‘80s, he pivoted again, forming two new bands to embrace his expression: his Akoustic Band and in 1986 his Elektric Band that he formed in New York City. Its first two recordings resulted in two Grammy nominations. In its early days as a jazz force, the Elektric Band set up shop at Iowa State University for a five-song set that showed the ecstatic crowd the expansive vision Corea had for his music. With original Elektric band members, drummer Dave Weckl and six-string electric bassist John Patitucci, Corea kept the fusion level high, with wall-of-sound jazz improvisations, deep grooves and at times, like on his rambunctious song “Rumble,” a rock flair. Plus, to balance the flow, Corea delivered gentle lyricism on his beautiful tune ”India Town.” For much of the show, Corea left his stack of electric keyboards and synthesizers to dance around the stage playing his synth-driven keytar (a keyboard with a guitar-like neck that he strapped on and wore to perpetual groove effect). The crowd loved it, so Corea treated them to a singalong on the end song, “Malaguena.” This video offers a vital view of the creative Corea mid-career thriving in beauty, power and joy. Dan Ouellette
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Date Written / Recorded
1985
Field of Study
Jazz
Content Type
Performance
Performer / Ensemble
Chick Corea Elektric Band, Chick Corea, 1941-, John Patitucci, 1959-, Dave Weckl, 1960-
Contributor
Doug Brooker, Interprom
Author / Creator
Doug Brooker, Chick Corea Elektric Band, Chick Corea, 1941-, John Patitucci, 1959-, Dave Weckl, 1960-
Date Published / Released
1987
Publisher
Qwest TV
Topic / Theme
Jazz
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1987 Auditorium
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Cool Summer, Cool Summer - Dexter Gordon & McCoy Tyner
in Cool Summer (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1982), 1 hour 3 mins
The Paul Masson Vineyards (now known as The Mountain Winery) in Saratoga, California (in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains where a few years later Silicon Valley was born) staged marquee acts of jazz in its outdoor concert bowl. It had been an elegant winery party venue for many years—with jazz leading t...
Sample
in Cool Summer (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1982), 1 hour 3 mins
Description
The Paul Masson Vineyards (now known as The Mountain Winery) in Saratoga, California (in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains where a few years later Silicon Valley was born) staged marquee acts of jazz in its outdoor concert bowl. It had been an elegant winery party venue for many years—with jazz leading the way when it started doing concerts in 1958. In this 1982 edition of Harvest Jazz Festival, excerpts of superb shows by two jazz mas...
The Paul Masson Vineyards (now known as The Mountain Winery) in Saratoga, California (in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains where a few years later Silicon Valley was born) staged marquee acts of jazz in its outdoor concert bowl. It had been an elegant winery party venue for many years—with jazz leading the way when it started doing concerts in 1958. In this 1982 edition of Harvest Jazz Festival, excerpts of superb shows by two jazz masters is presented in classy style. First up is the great tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon, a giant of jazz, figuratively and literally at his six-feet, six-inch height. He’s in great, amiable shape as he often raises his horn and bows with it to exhibit its strength. He plays powerhouse in his opener “Cheesecake” to an appreciative afternoon audience followed up by a soulful gust in the ballad “Skylark.” The end of the video captures Gordon in fiery form for “Backstage at the Village.” In between the explosive Gordon expressions, McCoy Tyner takes center stage. The onetime member of John Coltrane’s classic ‘60s quartet, Tyner became a star on his own, here with a quintet. On piano, Tyner delivers a dynamic display of his rich harmonic style, opening with the rousing “Habana.” Later for a couple of tunes, Tyner invites vibraphone ace Bobby Hutcherson (who lived not far away in Montara) to bring even more vigor into the show with his robust mallet playing on “The Seeker.” All the artists on this video combine to create the compelling sound of a Cool Summer in the wine region of Santa Clara County. Dan Ouellette
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Date Written / Recorded
1982
Field of Study
Jazz
Content Type
Performance
Date Published / Released
1982
Publisher
Qwest TV
Series
Cool Summer
Topic / Theme
Jazz
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1982 Auditorium
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Diane Schuur - Live From Seattle: With Maynard Ferguson And His Big Bop Nouveau Band
directed by Ed Sargent and James Angelo; produced by Diane Schuur, 1953- and John Forsen, 1958-; performed by Diane Schuur, 1953- and Maynard Ferguson, 1928-2006, Big Bop Nouveau (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 2005), 1 hour 10 mins
“Yes, that's jazz,” comments the singer and pianist Diane Schuur between songs; yes, it is indeed a reading of high quality and great purity of jazz that this artist, too little known in our country, highlights. Diane Schuur, who has collaborated with no less than the Mel Lewis Big Band and the Count Basie Orc...
Sample
directed by Ed Sargent and James Angelo; produced by Diane Schuur, 1953- and John Forsen, 1958-; performed by Diane Schuur, 1953- and Maynard Ferguson, 1928-2006, Big Bop Nouveau (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 2005), 1 hour 10 mins
Description
“Yes, that's jazz,” comments the singer and pianist Diane Schuur between songs; yes, it is indeed a reading of high quality and great purity of jazz that this artist, too little known in our country, highlights. Diane Schuur, who has collaborated with no less than the Mel Lewis Big Band and the Count Basie Orchestra, and is in line with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan or Anita O'Day; even Dinah Washington could be her model even if it is not o...
“Yes, that's jazz,” comments the singer and pianist Diane Schuur between songs; yes, it is indeed a reading of high quality and great purity of jazz that this artist, too little known in our country, highlights. Diane Schuur, who has collaborated with no less than the Mel Lewis Big Band and the Count Basie Orchestra, and is in line with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan or Anita O'Day; even Dinah Washington could be her model even if it is not obvious from this concert. Diane Schuur, whose nickname is Deedles, was born in 1953, blind from birth, and is indeed an outstanding vocalist who could hold her own against any of the artists whom the record companies “sell” us today. The characteristics of her vocal art? They can be summed up in a few phrases that revolve around fabulous accuracy, steady tempos, fluidity of speech, perfect articulation. With a mischievous, even cheeky air, she improvises in scat, begins breathtaking dialogues with the instrumentalists, her voice becoming the equal of an instrument. For this concert, she dedicates herself to a repertoire of fifteen songs, culminating in the highly enjoyable duet with trumpeter Maynard Ferguson on the two standards "Just Friends" and "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing).” Philippe Lesage
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Field of Study
American Music
Content Type
Performance
Performer / Ensemble
Big Bop Nouveau, Diane Schuur, 1953-, Maynard Ferguson, 1928-2006
Contributor
Diane Schuur, 1953-, John Forsen, 1958-
Author / Creator
Ed Sargent, James Angelo, Big Bop Nouveau, Diane Schuur, 1953-, Maynard Ferguson, 1928-2006
Date Published / Released
2005
Publisher
Qwest TV
Topic / Theme
Swing
Copyright Message
Copyright © 2005 Auditorium
×
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Ernie Watts Quartet - Live
directed by Greg Kubera; produced by Greg Kubera; performed by Ernie Watts, 1945-, Pat Coil, Joel DiBartolo, 1946-2011 and Bob Laderbarrow, 1955-, Ernie Watts Quartet (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1986), 59 mins
Ernie Watts is a jazzman open to the world. A graduate of the prestigious Berklee Conservatory in Boston, the saxophonist made a name for himself with drummer Buddy Rich before collaborating with many musicians and groups such as the great Michel Colombier, Gilberto Gil, and even the Rolling Stones. For the record...
Sample
directed by Greg Kubera; produced by Greg Kubera; performed by Ernie Watts, 1945-, Pat Coil, Joel DiBartolo, 1946-2011 and Bob Laderbarrow, 1955-, Ernie Watts Quartet (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1986), 59 mins
Description
Ernie Watts is a jazzman open to the world. A graduate of the prestigious Berklee Conservatory in Boston, the saxophonist made a name for himself with drummer Buddy Rich before collaborating with many musicians and groups such as the great Michel Colombier, Gilberto Gil, and even the Rolling Stones. For the record, at the beginning of the 80s, it was he who was the saxophonist on the live album Still Life (American Concert 1981) by the Siamese Tw...
Ernie Watts is a jazzman open to the world. A graduate of the prestigious Berklee Conservatory in Boston, the saxophonist made a name for himself with drummer Buddy Rich before collaborating with many musicians and groups such as the great Michel Colombier, Gilberto Gil, and even the Rolling Stones. For the record, at the beginning of the 80s, it was he who was the saxophonist on the live album Still Life (American Concert 1981) by the Siamese Twins, to the delight of Charlie Watts, the jazz fan–drummer of the famous English band. Recorded in 1986, the American composer and sideman begins the set with a groovy theme whose energy is immediately seductive. The same goes for the following track, whose dense chords occupy the space with authority. Concise and powerful, this set by Ernie Watts is a reflection of his career and offers titles sometimes focused on pop or funk. Among these tracks, different sequences revealing the 80s stand out, with punchy rhythms and twirling riffs. Falsely debonair, these compositions are no less brilliant. A rendering certainly explained by an innate sense of melody and a simplicity that compels admiration...
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Date Written / Recorded
1986
Field of Study
Jazz
Content Type
Performance
Performer / Ensemble
Ernie Watts Quartet, Ernie Watts, 1945-, Pat Coil, Joel DiBartolo, 1946-2011, Bob Laderbarrow, 1955-
Contributor
Greg Kubera
Author / Creator
Greg Kubera, Ernie Watts Quartet, Ernie Watts, 1945-, Pat Coil, Joel DiBartolo, 1946-2011, Bob Laderbarrow, 1955-
Date Published / Released
1986
Publisher
Qwest TV
Topic / Theme
Jazz
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1986 Auditorium
×
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Jazz Legends - Roy Ayers: Live at the Brewhouse Theatre, 1992
performed by Roy Ayers, 1940-, Rex Rideout, fl. 1990, Zachary Breaux, 1960-1997, Dennis Davis, 1949-2016 and Donald Nicks (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1992), 1 hour 10 mins
Like Herbie Hancock circa 70, Donald Byrd or Brian Jackson, Roy Ayers is a respected figure in jazz-funk. Filmed in 1992 on the stage of the Brewhouse Theater in the UK, the vibraphonist explores this current of incomparable musical richness. Supported by an efficient line-up (drummer Dennis Davis offers some very...
Sample
performed by Roy Ayers, 1940-, Rex Rideout, fl. 1990, Zachary Breaux, 1960-1997, Dennis Davis, 1949-2016 and Donald Nicks (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1992), 1 hour 10 mins
Description
Like Herbie Hancock circa 70, Donald Byrd or Brian Jackson, Roy Ayers is a respected figure in jazz-funk. Filmed in 1992 on the stage of the Brewhouse Theater in the UK, the vibraphonist explores this current of incomparable musical richness. Supported by an efficient line-up (drummer Dennis Davis offers some very beautiful scats), the American composer returns to the heyday of Ubiquity, the collective of the 70s, with the iconic "Everybody Loves...
Like Herbie Hancock circa 70, Donald Byrd or Brian Jackson, Roy Ayers is a respected figure in jazz-funk. Filmed in 1992 on the stage of the Brewhouse Theater in the UK, the vibraphonist explores this current of incomparable musical richness. Supported by an efficient line-up (drummer Dennis Davis offers some very beautiful scats), the American composer returns to the heyday of Ubiquity, the collective of the 70s, with the iconic "Everybody Loves The Sunshine," and via the beautiful “Night In Tunisia.” Endowed with a unifying power, Roy Ayers has obviously embraced many genres such as Afrobeat, with an Lp in duet with Fela Anikulapo Kuti (the aptly named Music Of Many Colors), rap through samples proposed notably by Dr. Dre, but also rehabilitation projects such as the first volume of Jazzmatazz or one of the many episodes of Jazz Is Dead, based on the analog collection of Adrian Younge and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. This open-mindedness reigns naturally in the British studio as indicated by “Hot”, a funky theme from the 80's close to Zapp or Cameo, and a brilliant synthesis of the man with the virtuoso mallets. Vincent Caffiaux
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Date Written / Recorded
1992
Field of Study
Jazz
Content Type
Performance
Performer / Ensemble
Roy Ayers, 1940-, Rex Rideout, fl. 1990, Zachary Breaux, 1960-1997, Dennis Davis, 1949-2016, Donald Nicks
Author / Creator
Roy Ayers, 1940-, Rex Rideout, fl. 1990, Zachary Breaux, 1960-1997, Dennis Davis, 1949-2016, Donald Nicks
Date Published / Released
1992
Publisher
Qwest TV
Topic / Theme
Jazz
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1992 Auditorium
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The Jazz Life featuring Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers - Live at Village Vanguard
directed by Stanley Dorfman, 1910-1992; produced by Ben Sidran, 1943-, Myriad Media Productions, Inc. and Bulldog Productions; performed by Art Blakey, 1919-1990, Wynton Marsalis, 1961-, Donald Brown, 1954-, Branford Marsalis, 1960-, Bill Pierce, 1948- and Charles Fambrough, 1950-2011, Jazz Messengers (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1982), 23 mins
Hands down, the premiere jazz club in the world rests at Seventh Avenue South in New York. Countless great shows have been played at the Village Vanguard over its long history. It opened as a comedy / variety / folk club in 1935 but in 1957 primarily changed its sole focus onto jazz. It welcomed in the greats rang...
Sample
directed by Stanley Dorfman, 1910-1992; produced by Ben Sidran, 1943-, Myriad Media Productions, Inc. and Bulldog Productions; performed by Art Blakey, 1919-1990, Wynton Marsalis, 1961-, Donald Brown, 1954-, Branford Marsalis, 1960-, Bill Pierce, 1948- and Charles Fambrough, 1950-2011, Jazz Messengers (Paris, Ile-de-France: Qwest TV, 1982), 23 mins
Description
Hands down, the premiere jazz club in the world rests at Seventh Avenue South in New York. Countless great shows have been played at the Village Vanguard over its long history. It opened as a comedy / variety / folk club in 1935 but in 1957 primarily changed its sole focus onto jazz. It welcomed in the greats ranging from Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to Bill Evans and Carmen McRae. With its jazz-only programming, countless classic jazz albums...
Hands down, the premiere jazz club in the world rests at Seventh Avenue South in New York. Countless great shows have been played at the Village Vanguard over its long history. It opened as a comedy / variety / folk club in 1935 but in 1957 primarily changed its sole focus onto jazz. It welcomed in the greats ranging from Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to Bill Evans and Carmen McRae. With its jazz-only programming, countless classic jazz albums have been recorded there—even to this day. So, it made total sense to have the Vanguard be the setting for a series of live TV performances in the early ‘80s produced by keyboardist Ben Sidran. The Jazz Life opens with images of the city (including sadly the twin towers that were brought down by terrorists twenty years later) and includes the outside of the basement club. Featured in this 1982 video is the legendary hard-bebop drummer Art Blakey joyfully leading the latest iteration of his exalted band Jazz Messengers that he founded in 1955. What an impressive lineup of the emerging stars of the future: trumpeter Wynton Marsalis (who served as Art’s musical director), his brother Branford Marsalis on alto saxophone, tenor saxophonist Billy Pierce, pianist Donald Brown and bassist Charles Fambrough. Wynton was especially impressive as a lyrical ballad player as well as an improviser with surprising twists in his horn playing. At the end of the set, the smiling Blakey got in front of the stage, introduced the band and preached to the crowd to go out to buy a record once a week as “a good investment.” Blakey’s set lasted about a half hour and is followed by another half hour at the Vanguard starring monster tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin and his quartet. They open their 1981 show with the rambunctious tune “Blues for Gonzi” with Griffin leading the charge with an extended hard-blowing, shredding tenor solo that charged the Vanguard crowd to go crazy in applause. Griffith’s bandmates—Ronnie Matthews on piano, Ray Drummond on bass and Kenny Washington on drums—take the song into overdrive. Just another day at the heralded Village Vanguard. Dan Ouellette
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Date Written / Recorded
1982
Field of Study
Jazz
Content Type
Performance
Performer / Ensemble
Jazz Messengers, Art Blakey, 1919-1990, Wynton Marsalis, 1961-, Donald Brown, 1954-, Branford Marsalis, 1960-, Bill Pierce, 1948-, Charles Fambrough, 1950-2011
Contributor
Ben Sidran, 1943-, Myriad Media Productions, Inc., Bulldog Productions
Author / Creator
Stanley Dorfman, 1910-1992, Jazz Messengers, Art Blakey, 1919-1990, Wynton Marsalis, 1961-, Donald Brown, 1954-, Branford Marsalis, 1960-, Bill Pierce, 1948-, Charles Fambrough, 1950-2011
Date Published / Released
1982
Publisher
Qwest TV
Topic / Theme
Jazz
Copyright Message
Copyright © 1982 Auditorium
×
