The 2014 Grammys air tomorrow night. Typically, I am not a big fan of the awards, as I tend to believe they highlight music that is mass produced and (to be completely honest) boring, instead of awarding talent and artistry. This, of course, is a broad generalization, as this year's nominees include several artists that are deserving of the accolade and recognition.
Among my favorite nominees are:
Lorde (pretty much nominated in every category it seems)
"Royals" was without a doubt one of the most played songs of 2013, and for good reason. It has all of the elements of a classic pop song: simple, catchy, lyrical. It is impossible not to sing along.
Kacey Musgraves (Best New Artist, Best Country Song, Best Country Album)
"Merry Go Round" is one of the best country songs to come out in recent years, especially when you consider some of the other songs to be nominated in the Best Country Song category.
"Mama's hooked on Mary Kay. Brother's hooked on Mary Jane. Daddy's hooked on Mary two doors down." Such a well-crafted line.
Cecile McLorin Salvant (Best Jazz Vocal Album)
Cecile won the prestigious Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition in 2010 and has been emerging as an exciting new artist ever since. Her voice will blow you away!
For those naysayers who claim that jazz is dead, I say they probably haven't listened to Esperanza Spalding.
Ms. Spalding, along with other emerging artists such as Robert Glaser and Jason Moran, are bringing a new sense of excitement and innovation to a genre some have all but relegated to a thing of the past. Anyone who has seen her perform - of which her fan base includes President Obama, who has invited her to play at the White House on various occasions - knows this. Whether playing songs from her recent soul-hinged "Radio Music Society" album, her more intimate chamber-inspired compositions, or sitting in with an ensemble of jazz legends Wayne Shorter and Jack DeJohnette, she stands to carry on the tradition set forth by those such as Herbie Hancock who are able to play in such a diverse style, they often blur the lines between jazz, R&B, and whatever else might come their way.
In short, she is giving new meaning to what it means to be a jazz musician in the modern times - creating new sounds, defying genres, all while paying tribute to those who came before her.
Among her many projects lately, Ms. Spalding has been touring with drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and pianist Geri Allen in a trio simply named ACS. Their setlist draws largely from a repertoire of Wayne Shorter standards, as well as a selection of their own compositions. I saw the trio's recent performance at the newly opened SFJAZZ Center, where the Miner Auditorium's minimalist design set a perfect tone for their modern style of improvisation.
Shorter's tunes, such as "Infant Eyes", "Fall", and "Nefertiti", are best characterized by their complex harmonic structures, as opposed to earlier styles of jazz compositions that draw more heavily from the great American songbook and traditional blues forms. This style of jazz has its risks, as less seasoned audience members may get lost without a prominent, thematic melody driving the piece along. But with risk comes reward, and this was definitely the case with ACS's performance.
With the superb acoustics of the Miner Auditorium on display, Spalding, Allen, and Carrington played seamlessly as a trio. No one taking particular center stage, but rather sharing a musical 'conversation' with each other that the audience was allowed to listen in - or perhaps more aptly, eavesdrop in on. The three women displayed a maturity in their playing that allowed the music to breath and slowly unfold as it took shape.
This was exemplified in their original composition, "Unconditional Love", which began with a long introduction of Spalding's unique style of vocal improvising and bass, with Allen adding subtle lines of impressionistic piano to fill in behind. The song built over the next few minutes, eventually coming to head with a deep drum and bass groove from Spalding and Carrington and assertive solo from Allen. The band emerged, coming alive with a sense of energy that proved their talents (not that there was any doubt to begin with). The original composition easily stood up to any of the Wayne Shorter standards they played that night.
Ms. Spalding's tour with ACS continues through the end of the year with a variety of European tour dates.
Earlier this week, we featured our interview with "The Girls in the Band" director Judy Chaikin.
One of the most recognizable women featured in the film is the legendary Marian McPartland, who is perhaps best known as the long-time host of NPR's Piano Jazz. For those not familiar with the show, check it out immediately. The weekly broadcasts provide a wealth of rich interviews and duets with Ms. McPartland and her guests. She is no longer taping new shows, but NPR still airs the program each week pulling from its deep archive.
When speaking with Ms. Chaikin, we discussed the reoccurring notion that women's jazz groups are often perceived as mere novelty acts, and their members are nottaken seriously as musicians. "Now's The Time", recorded in 1977, will rest any lingering doubts that skeptics may be holding on to.
The session, which features the all-women ensemble of Mary Osborne (guitar), Marian McPartland (piano), Vi Redd (saxophone), Lynn Milano (bass), and Dottie Dodgion (drums), is an incredibly hip and swinging collection of jazz standards. The recordings demonstrate mastery of each instrument, and the improvised solos do not hold anything back. They are as melodically innovative and forceful as their male counterparts.
The album was recorded live at the Monticello Room in Rochester, New York on June 30, 1977. The set begins with "Now's the Time", a blues standard written by Charlie Parker. It is a natural choice for the opening tune, as the swinging upbeat tempo calls the audience to attention and lets them know what is in store for the next hour to come. But I can't help but wonder if this song selection was just a coincidence, or if "Now's the Time!" is a call for listeners to wake up an take note of these women. By 1977, the women's liberation movement was well underway and feminists around the country were actively demanding equality in the home and workplace. Why not equality on the center stage of the jazz club as well? These five women certainly prove there is no reason why this should not be the case. Take a listen and you will surely agree!
This weekend is the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The festival, which is the largest of its kind, has always brought attention to and highlighted today's top female jazz musicians. But this is all to change next year.
It was recently announced that this will be the last year of female-only programming, with the Kennedy Center citing that the emphasis on women was too limiting.
Have we reached a level of equality in jazz that the festival has lost its necessity? Festival host Dee Dee Bridgewater is not so sure. She is quoted in the Washington Post, "I don’t understand where that is coming from. I don’t see the need to
move away from it, and I know plenty of women who need that space to
show their music."
What are your thoughts? Read the full article in the Washington Post here.
