An upcoming local gig has been publicized using the line “best jazz this side of N’Orleans”. Now, even overlooking the fact that most of North America is ‘this side’ of New Orleans and so allowing for advertising licence, the line presents a problem. The repertoire for the evening includes Hava Nagila and the Freilach Dance. Hmm, can’t find either in the Real Book. Checked on iTunes, neither fall in the category of ‘jazz’. Sure, there will be some improv in both tunes. Maybe even a wee bit of re-harmonization. And you don’t need swing to make it jazz.
There are a couple of trad tunes in the set list, done as a medley. Maybe that legitimizes the ad copy.
So does it matter? It does to the unsuspecting soul who attends based on the promo expecting dixie or trad or Chicago. Should it have been so presented? Probably not. Let’s hope that unsuspecting soul has a good sense of humour, and the performance quality is up. They ain’t jazz, but they are toe-tappers.
A Hundred Years From Today is a Victor Young/Ned Washington tune from 1932. Very typical of its era, it works equally well crooned by Sinatra or played on clarinet with banjo and tailgate trombone backing. Simple melody, 8-bar AABA form, depression-era ‘we’re broke today and will be tomorrow so what the heck, lets fall in love’ lyrics, basically forgettable. When you’re playing or singing this type of song it’s so easy to slip in to a one of the thousands of similar tunes.
There’s a lot to enjoy on this 1971 recording but one thing stands out every time I listen to it – the entrances by the soloists. Sure, creative, uncomplicated but interesting.
There’s nothing spectacular about Little Slam. There are certainly a ton of better-known tracks by Gene Ammons, with more dramatic soloing and better use of his big tenor sound. But this one always makes me smile. It’s just so simply good.
Music is about listeners and dancers. Yep, even jazz (though with jazz too often the only listeners are the musicians on stage). But there is an audience out there, one that can easily lose interest in a performance. Too many solos by less than stellar musicians, repetitive song forms, repetitive arrangements and (the real kicker) solos that go on waaaaay too long can drive a crowd out the door.