Page 33 - TheGoldBug1958-59

The Gold Bug, Feb. 13, 1959 L __f_o_r_ew_o_r_d__ _J1 LI__ er_r_oll_:.g:_a_rn_e_r_ _J11 the form of jazz II the form of jazz II the form of jazz Having its conception in obscuri- Erroll Gamer is a phenomenon: What is this thing called jazz which seems to be playing the role of the "Pied Piper"? ty and vulgarity, jazz has evolved and while he is certainly a vital To be concise, I shall reduce the parts to an algebraic equation. - to an almost spiritual plane. Vul- part of the jazz mainstream, his Improvisatory tune "Driving-notes" ) gar or spiritual, jazz today has a message is so uniquely his own that Jazz = Sympathy + __ -=-__ great attraction for the college stu- it's not easy to place him in histori- ( Tune Beat dent. cal perspective. His respect and Sympathy refers to the sort of harmonized understanding the players feel, the rapport they Duke Ellington has stated that love for the roots as well as mod- many people today are afraid of ern improvision are clearly illus- establish so that they can almost anticipate each other's thoughts. A tune is selected-any jazz. They are afraid because of trated in his work. tune-which becomes the basis for many improvised variations (versions, embellishments). their ignorance. The remarkable thing in Errcll's Some instruments are responsible for a basic, recurrent beat or pulsation, while others play The GOLDBUG, not in hopes of background is that he did not study the "driving-notes" or syncopated rhythmic figures. Actually, jan is a 'Wa,y of pla,ying, not a sudden conversion, but in hopes of and has never learned to read kind of music. Any tune, as you well know, can be "jazzed-up" simply by adapting the fore- giving the reader more knowledge music, but he writes it, or rather, going manner of performance. Nevertheless, with all their interests, few foreigners have about the subject of jazz, presents he composes with the piano and been successful imitators of the style; it seems to be a thing peculiar to the American scene. the story of Jazz. leaves it to others to transcrtbe. Many social factors gave rise to A knowledge of jazz will include He has often told interviewers that an idea of the history, and under- his music reflects everything its bir-th. The Negro slaves rhythms) and French melodies. In more than one rhythm, and the flow espe- standing of techniques of the form around him. As he puts it, "I play brought the love of singing, tribal addition to this, the rhythm of the of several superimposed melodies and working, while cially and the introduction to the men all the sounds I hear." This typi- customs surrounded by music to popular piano rag (3. direct de- of the style into their compositions. who have raised jazz to the level fies the spirit of all real jazz musi- scendant of the minstrel banjo fig- They were also overwhelmed and that it has attained. cians: a musical hedonism in which this country from Africa. Theil" ures) and the stirring qualities of entranced by the fact that this was singing often consisted of a "call- finds extravagant 1> ",14:, c: Garner transforming a piano pleasure a and-response" pattern where a band marches were absorbed by improvised the resultant They tried to music. into in spontaneity. capture rearingly swinging and yet lavish- leader started a phrase which was these musicians as a part of their Jazz lovers speak of "Dixie-land" workable musical knowledge. ly romantic orchestral instrument immediately repeated by the fol- as "classic" jazz. Here no instru- The Negroes weren't searching -sort of an introspective water- lowers. The element of rhythm for music to play, they were experi- ment was preferred over another; '1~ fall. Garner has achieved recognition was what rhythms. exploited, menting in a sort of self education each had its turn to speak out pre- they greatly often employing the coexistence of dominantly over the comtrapuntal several They were inter- on haw to play. from the general public through a unique structural style which was As the Negroes were converted ested enough in being expressive texture of the others. The cornet, clarinet, and trombone were melody found pleasable by many non-jazz- to the Christian belief, they that they innately realized the need instruments, and the piano and minded people. His main ingredi- adopted musical practices that they for some sort of form to hold their drums were used primarily rhyth- ents are the use of spread choruses heard in the church. It was the music together. This they adopted mically. and melodic variations on popular fashion of the time in the southern from the "blues," a Negro vocal The depression of the 1930's idiom that continued to exist along- themes, and a delayed-action, sin- churches to freely improvise orna- gle note, right-hand style accompa- mentation when singing hymn side of jazz. Customarily there brought a need for both soothing nied by a guitar-like strumming ()f tunes. was a recurrence of a statement of and rejuvenating the people. Re- (the addi- one verbal idea (voice), each time sultantly "sweet jazz" chords with his left hand. 'He Toward the end of the nineteenth seems to pluck notes out of the century, after the Civil War, sur- commented upon by the accompani- tion of violins and other soft in- piano instead of depress keys. plus Army band instruments were ment in dialogue style and then a struments to the band) and siving Erroll was a schoolmate of two available at a nominal cost. Ne- final vocal idea finished off by an (a bouncy effect) developed. Large ether jazz musicians, Dodo Mar- groes were able to purchase them instrumental answer. Such a form bands became popular and brought made a wonderful basis of improvi- with them the need for arranged marosa and Billy Strayhorn. He and play them in some of the many started with local bands in Pitts- town bands. Since for the most sation during the "breaks" or an- music. An attempt was made, burgh in 1937 and came to New part these players were not mus- swers to the melody. Another however, to keep the flavor of im- York at the age of twenty. There, ically literate, it can be assumed manner in which they organized provised music in the arrange- after being featured in night that they played their instruments their playing was in a simple ments. clubs and on records with the Sam as an extension of the vocal tradi- theme and variations structure, as Contemporary jazz 'has returned Stewart Trio, he went out on his tion they knew. The rhythmic vi- I have already stated. to the small combos and the im- I~J~ own, working mostly with brassista tality, the habit of improvising mained a provincial element, but provisatory means of achieving real For a number of years, jazz re- It is a subtle, exciting expression. In 1946 he won and drummers. buoyant comments upon the origin- Many of the music of implication. by the 1920's its musicians began Star New magazine's E'squire elements verse of music Award and in 1949 Down Beat's al tune, and many of the other di- to move out of New Orleans, taking techniques are parallel to those Negro The editors would appreciate number one jazz pianist; just last served to produce a quality of play- their style of playing with them to used in present day art music. your comments on the advisability month Playboy magazine voted him ing commonly called "hot.:' other large mid-western cities. It Frequently, the best "cool" men of' devoting the middle pages of the top spot on their All Star Poll. became known as "Dixie-land." are straight out of a thorough con- subsequent issues to topics that are Erroll Garner in a sense epito- The last stage in development of From Kansas City and Chicago the servatory training. All the instru- of interest to the college communi- mizes the jazz man's ideal in that the phenomenon took place in New craze spread to New York and then ments may be used melodically now ty. We believe that the pages of his success is real because his style Orleans, a cosmopolitan city with to Paris. Many serious composers --even the drums. Harmonies are of strata. social many divisions the core BUG are an important is definitely original and not copied, residing in the fabulous city during hinted, but the listener must par- channel of communication in the and he-Is doing what he wants to Different segments of the popula, the 'period were struck with the ticipate with full attention to carry cross currents of collegiate do. tfon called upon the street bands new r.i:ounds they were hearing. the implications to their fruition. to help provide music for their par- thought. Erroll Garner is a Jazz Phenom- Darius Milhand, Igor Stravinsky, After all this, I think of what M. McCORMICK ties and balls. The Negroes were Aaron Copland (an American Louie Armstrong has said, "If you R. BORDEN T. HAYES thus exposed to, and influenced by, studying in Europe), to name a have to have jazz explained to you, Spanish music (notably the tango few, incorporated the syncopated don't bother." rhythms, the simultaneous use of M. WAPPLER l.-_'_'d_ub_es_" __on_.:._jazz_-..II LI_'_'d_ub_es_"_o_n__::_ja_zz_ _j1 LI_,_'d_ube_s_"_o_n_:J::._·a_zz_..J ..It could be sai,d that any opinions onE;has on a subject such as jazz are simply that: opimons. One man s taste makes all the difference: there is no comparative standard; there are no real values. However, upon some study and after the subject itself becomes rather well .~nder~,to.od,i~ become~ apparent that what makes "good" jazz good is not simply taste. Good Jazz IS found III all the schools, from avant garde progressive to rock-and-roll The difference does not lie in the school. One cannot honestly say that all rock-and-roll i~ "awful." It is only due to the great popularity of this form that commercialism has crept in to rob it of most of its aesthetic values. Comm~rcialism itself has become a rather hack~:yed word. It is very difficult to say that anything today IS not commercial, but the definition used here must concern the degree that the subject attains. Rock-and-roll in its origin may have had quite a bit of native music, and many numbers have cr, impressionism in painting. aesthetic quality. Qualities one achieved almost classical standing. They all had their slow struggling looks for in music as art might be Dixie is an example of fotrictly tra- starts. meeting much criticism and originality, variation, freedom from ditional music. It has a definite obstruction, but they have all the cliche, and others, just as in pattern within which all its ideas achieved a recognized place in art. painting or literature. It is very must be expressed. As well, the Vulgar, crude, out of taste; these easy to be artistic when one has no other above mentioned styles have were the adjectives used in describ- other objective, but when an art their restrictions, and all of them ing all of them. form gains popularity, just as any- are somewhat limited in the extent Space limits further elaboration, thing else, it is exploited. It is of expression they allow. Certain so in conclusion it must be said sold! And it only follows that moods cannot be created by them. that there are good and bad in all when something sells well, many Most of their value lies in the emo- people try to pick it up and cash tions expressed concerning their the arts. The difference, however, but in lies not in individual taste, in. This, I feel, is what happened particular era and the particular the existence of certain values. to rock-and-roll. It has been imi- environmental conditions under These must include freedom of ex- tated. Definite cliches have been which they' were developed. More pression of the emotions, ortg-inali, developed to the point where they contemporary musicians will say ty on the part of both the composer actually must be present in most that these traditional forms do not and the executioner (as in the case commercial samples. It has been allow for the problems and emo- of music), abstinence from the sold with the brashness of hundreds tions of our present world situa- cliche, and to a very grea.t extent, and thousands of radio stations tion. the avoiding of commercial tech- blaring its sounds into the ears of Again, as in other forms of art, niques in order to soil. A success- a gullible public. These people hear it, enjoy it for a while, then there is always an extreme left ful artist does not produce what Ice age wing group which continually will want the public wants-they en- tire of it and turn to another sam- gages in experimentation. This what he produces. Jazz is an art ple to enjoy, still refusing to ac- group contributed much to the de- knowledge the reasons for their tir- velopment of what is new called form, and it must be given the same considerations. ing of the other. "modern jazz," but dissatisfied with T. DAVIES Lucky us ... today is the modern ice Modern jazz has so far been stopping there, they go on to ex- age. Lots and lots of it in refrigerators spared the devastating effects of plore even newer fields. These are ready to ice up the Coke. And what e vast commercial exploitation. Most the progressives-the aVa?ito gardo. of the artists who have gained their They are perhaps the most idealis- could be more delicious than frosty appreciation from people who de- tic of all musicians, but their sue- Coca-Cola •.. the real refreshment. sire originality, continue to be orig- With its cold crisp taste and inaL They are free from a great cess can only be gauged by their lively lift it's always Coke for The own feelings. demand for the same stuff over and Continuous 1 p.m. Saturdays. Holi- Pause That Refreshes! day shows continuous from 2 p.m. over again. 'Still, they must follow American jazz has become recog- the form of their art. They, just nized as a legitimate art form. Af· E~~~1~~ ~~!nges;.!.an~!et·d!y as an impressionist painter, develop ter endless criticism, from its ori- shows continuous from 6:45 p.m. BE REALLY REFRESHED ... HAVE A COKE I a style that can be used only by the gin to its present forms, even the. man who developed it. They pro- vulgarity once attributed to the Fri., Sat. Feb. 20-21 Bonled under authority of The ccee-ccte Company by ceed in their own rather free style, most primitive forms is no longer "KINGS GO FORTH" attempting to create many of the considered vulgarity, but now sim- Frank Sinatra Natalie Wood same ideas that a writer might. ply primitiveness. It is similar to Fri., Sat. Feb. 27-28 Some forms of jazz b€come rath- the difficulties found in the forma- (Double Feature) er classic. Dixieland, Chicago, tive years of other new art move- "TOKYO AFTER DARK" Kansas City, even some forms 01 ments; romanticism in literature -also- WESTMINSTER COCA-COLA BOTILING CO.. INC. swing, are termed. traditional in the early 19th century, and Iat- "THE YOUNG CAPTIVES"