The Bebop Era in CBS Jazz Masterpieces series

★★★★

   The era of deep political and economic crisis was also the crucial moment in the history of 20th century music. Many historians see this movement as an effect of 2nd world war, but its range shows it could have been a reaction for wider cultural processes including rise of totalitarian regimes and social crisis changing traditional social preferences. In fact, late 30’s and early 40’s marked the dark period of European history, were even dance music was in shade of marching bands. On the other hand, those were the years of great changes in American culture. Participation in war, economic boom and redefinition of world politics were the background of various social movements marking the general change of American and global culture. It was also the turning moment of great change between traditional and modern jazz – first bebop, than hard bop and cool jazz, the outburst of new tendencies rapidly reshaped great part of musical culture.
   The bebop style became recognized as a new style in early 1940’s, although some elements of this trend were presented earlier in Kansas City school and in some swing big bands during 1930’s. Many big bands especially from Kansas City metropolitan area were evolving new style and played music including elements of the new style. Unlike swing and earlier styles being offshoot from popular dance music, in bebop era jazz became genre of artistic. In place of dance structures with improvised choruses typical for swing music, bebop introduced more free style of improvisations based on harmonies and some variations loosely connected to the theme. Fast tempos and virtuosity didn’t left too much place for doubts – main purpose of this music was just to create listener’s impression. Such attitude makes bebop closer to idea of concert music than traditional Dixieland hot style.

Jazz – The Bebop Era (1987)

   The compilation of bebop masterpieces remastered from original analog tapes is a try to comprise the vast spectrum of most creative jazz recordings from 1942-1951. The long list of few dozens of albums in CBS Jazz Masterpieces series presents best albums published as re-editions of complete remastered recordings. Some compilations were made to show best of CBS artists, like Louis Armstrong, Count Basie or Billie Holiday, some are dedicated to one type of recordings, vocalists, combos or big bands. One of such editions is compilation showing most representative bebop era recordings. It’s needless to say, with just one LP is just impossible to fulfill such promise. But still this selection of 14 tracks can be both informative and nice to listen.
   One can find here selected recordings of artists forming foundations of new style and late masterworks like classical live performance of Ornithology by Charlie Parker Quintet with Fats Navarro, Bud Powell, Curly Russell and Art Blakey in Birdland, June 30th, 1950 or 'Round Midnight played by Charlie Parker & The All-Stars with Gillespie, Powell, Tommy Potter and Roy Haynes in Birdland, March 31st, 1951. The perfect example of full-blown bebop style is Double Date recorded by legendary band Metronome All-Stars (band traditionally assembled of winners in annual Metronome magazine readers poll) with solos by Billy Bauer (g), Lennie Tristano (p), Serge Chaloff (bs), Lee Konitz (as), Buddy DeFranco (cl), Kai Winding (tb), Stan Getz (ts), Dizzy Gillespie (tr), Eddie Safranski (b) and Max Roach (dr). In fact whole of this short piece is a series of virtuoso solos connected by few bridges. Arranged by Pete Rugolo this was small musical jewel joining jazz with elements of contemporary classical music. The same artists besides Dizzy Gillespie were played in No Figs. The harmonic progression of this tune is based on the same sequence as Donna Lee. Choruses here are longer and slower tempo gives a chance to react on fellow musicians solos. Both tracks were recorded January 10th 1950. Great stuff in every phrase!

Metronome All-Stars – Double Date / No Figs (1950)

   Every track of this collection is worth of noteworthy. With hard to find recordings of orchestras led by Cootie Williams, Woody Herman, Gene Krupa, Claude Thornhill, Chubby Jackson and Elliot Lawrence, with Dizzy Gillespie’s All-Stars and Metronome All-Stars album brings whole league of unforgettable artists. Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Kenny Clarke, Lennie Tristano, Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Tadd Dameron, Woody Herman and arrangers Gerry Mulligan and Gil Evans are most recognizable but there are many others. Great solo of Miles Davis in Don’t Blame Me played with Tadd Dameron Quintet at the International Jazz Festival May 8th, 1949 in Paris. Great musicians are merged with perfectly bebop themes starting and ending with two Thelonious Monk’s themes Epistrophy recorded by Cootie Williams & His Orchestra, and 'Round Midnight recorded by Charlie Parker & The All-Stars. Four stars for good taste, quality of remastering and edition deciding every position in CBS Jazz Masterpieces series has its place in good collection.

That's the Way I Feel Now: A Tribute to Thelonious Monk

   Between masters of jazz, exact as it is in any other creative discipline, there are two opposite positions – first is occupied by master teachers and second by inspired visionaries. Teachers show the way to mastery, visionaries points the possible directions of development. Many artists are between these extremes, trying to find necessary balance. Some are unable to find this point, which is usually leading to the fiasco – frustrating lack of passion or excessive creativity leading even to autodestruction. But in the case of geniuses these dangerous attitudes are somehow connected not as balancing factors but in more complex way. One of such artists is Thelonious Monk, who was one of most unorthodox musicians in so rebellious generation. No surprise he is second most recorded  jazz composer after Ellington.

   The 80’s were hard times for jazz, the era of punk and rap melted in disco products, the AIDS epidemic, the Reagan Star Wars and rough economic policy reshape the perspectives of American culture. Jazz musicians tried to connect different genres and styles into one current of complex and creative music. Probably the best series of multistyle albums of the 80’s was Hal Willner’s productions of tribute albums. First was Amarcord Nino Rota (1981), then That’s the Way I Feel Now: A Tribute to Thelonious Monk (1984), Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill (1985) and series of consecutive albums with music from Vintage Disney Films, Charles Mingus, once again Kurt Weill, Harold Arlen, Leonard Cohen, Sea Songs, Chanteys and American Folk Music. Second album with Monk’s themes and inspirations was real hit. Thank to carefully selected and diverse lineups all of included productions are unbelievably creative. This is what makes the undertaking the best chance for contemporary exposure of Monk’s ideas. Double LP comprises 23 pieces in renditions of avant-garde and most creative musicians available in 1984.

That's the Way I Feel Now: A Tribute to Thelonious Monk (1984)

   In various lineups Willner collected great company of most creative artists from modern jazz veterans to new radicals, from avant-garde to rock and pop artists. Exploding Thelonious for overdubbing trombones by Bruce Fowler and Phil Teele with bassist Tom Fowler and unbelievably driving drummer Chester Thompson is probably shortest, most dense performance of Monk’s tune ever. But this is only the beginning of surprising events. Donald Fagen belongs to the few super professional musicians from pop side of the scene. He is playing synthesizers in Reflections with Steve Khan on guitars. Others are Peter Frampton solo in Work and Todd Rundgren in Four in One. Bounds with tradition are clear foundations to Dr. John’s solo piano Blue Monk performance which is so naturally enchanting and so close to blues or even zydeco. 

   Old jazz school is presented by duo of Monk’s comrades, Steve Lacy and Charlie Rouse performing Ask Me Now on unaccompanied saxophones and Sharon Freeman version of Monk’s Mood for 5 French horns with section – the first side of this album shows it is full of surprises. Steve Lacy is featured artist. In duo with Elvin Jones in Evidence they show pure understanding for the Monk tradition. Elvin Jones is playing with such power even 30 years after it gives goose-flesh. And again Steve Lacy solo Gallop’s Gallop and in closing piece Bemsha Swing with Gil Evans – both owe Monk a lot. The perfect tenor solo played in Misterioso as a special guest Johnny Griffin. There are some nice pieces of poetic tranquility and meditation, like in nostalgic tack piano rendition of Pannonica by Barry Harris or in Functional played by Randy Weston. 

   There is beautiful Joe Jackson’s chamber arrangement of ‘Round Midnight played under direction of Sharon Freeman and perfect Misterioso in The Carla Bley Band performance.  Vocal jazz presented in Friday the Thirteenth by duo with great sense of humor Bobby McFerrin and Bob Dorough with Dave Samuels on vibes, marimba and percussions. Phenomenal avant-garde musicians with saxophonist John Zorn, guitarist Arte Lindsay, pianist Wayne Horvitz and drummer M. E. Miller testing our flexibility in Shuffle Boil. Interesting esthetical work has been done in 3-guitars Brilliant Corners with Steve Swallow and Joey Barron and then the Jackie-Ing with additional horns section. Various renditions show how versatile and carrying are Monk’s ideas. They are present in every smaller or bigger band productions and this is the victory of all musicians engaged in this project and especially Thelonious Monk creating alternative world of modern music.