CATCHING A JAZZ BUG!
The first time of an awareness and tiny understanding of stretching the simple toward interesting and complex was on a Summer Sunday on the cement slab in our yard we called a patio. I turned the radio on and it was tuned to Wvon and on Sunday Midday Daddio Daily played Jazz and I heard him introduce a song with a reverence that kept me listening. It was John Coltrane’s version of My Favorite Things.. The stuff that had seemed odd to me about Jazz all of a sudden made sense. The lack of vocals and diversion from the melody at abrupt intervals I at first thought off putting but I heard the words on Coltrane’s horn so Stately ..,brown paper packages tied up with string …it was way more than satisfying
The improvisation laid on top an Elvin Jones blanket of urgent percussive chords such that our ears were able to sense when the actual melody had to be tagged and when I could hear how far away Trane might be and like there was no time and that he had stranded himself but he always caught the unison as McCoy and Elvin segued back to the actual chart and melody. It for me set me on a humbling journey , chasing with fervor the magical improvisation and genius of Jazz
This Genre constantly inspires and delivers the gift of Prodigy. What more can one ask for ?
Bobby O