We have finally reached the last installment of my passion blog! I am running low on the vinyl records I took pictures of before moving back to school, but I feel this last album does a great job summarizing my passion blog from last semester and throughout this semester. Because I went through lots of […]
Category: Passion Blog
Porgy and Bess – “Summertime” is on its way!
As I scrolled through my photos of vinyl records taken before moving to campus, I was searching for my next blog topic. Pondering what I could write about, I noticed the large names Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong sticking out and I remembered a comment from my last post. Special thanks to Gennadii for inspiring […]
Jazz that isn’t Jazz
Queen is one most popular bands of all time. From their numerous best-selling songs and albums to movies about Freddie Mercury and the band, Queen has created an extremely long-lasting legacy. While they have released a wide array of songs and albums, the first thing that comes to mind for Queen is their breakthrough smash […]
Chicago (the band, not the city!)
If you’ve ever enjoyed a “Saturday in the Park”, there’s a slim chance that you may have listened to music by the rock band Chicago. The band originally formed in (you guessed it) Chicago in 1967 under the name The Big Thing. It originally comprised six college students playing saxophone, guitar, drums, trombone, trumpet, and […]
Just One of Those Things – Nat “King” Cole
Nat “King” Cole, officially named Nathaniel Adams Coles is well-known as one of the “crooners” of the early to mid-1920s. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Nat King Cole was a singer and jazz pianist that was one of the most well-known of his time. Recording numerous songs to hit the top charts, his jazz trio also […]
A Chorus Line
“Orchestra… and balcony!” A Chorus Line is a hit broadway musical that premiered in 1975, but is still widely performed to this day off broadway and in some high school. It is a very unque musical for the time, because it went against most principles of big, flashy shows, costumes, and sets. The show consists […]
Black Brown and Beige – Duke Ellington and his Orchestra
Duke Ellington and his orchestra were one of the most prominent and impactful jazz big bands of the swing era. Beginning in 1923, the orchestra was named the “Washingtonians” then changing to “Duke Ellington and his Kentucky Club Orchestra” and “Duke Ellington and his Cotton Club Orchestra” before simplifying to “Duke Ellington and his Orchestra” […]
(We’ve Got) Jazz Rap
The roaring twenties – famous for prohibition, flappers, the rejection of moral standards, and the jazz age. Jazz music was prevalent from the 20’s and long throughout history. This type of music has distinctly shifted from big bands to combos, swing, bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, free jazz, and fusion. Each of these styles distinctly […]
Big Bird and a Big Band!
Recently, the famed Jazz at Lincoln Center debuted a new album / performance recording about two weeks ago. Entering its 51st season, the JLCO hosted a concert to comemerate the 50th anniversary of the beloved show, titled A Swingin’ Sesame Street Celebration (or find it on Spotify here). Featuring the whole cast of characters, the […]
The Church of Saint John Coltrane?
John Coltrane, one of the most prolific saxophonists even to this day, long after his death, left a lasting impact on the definition of jazz music. Primarily playing bebop and hard bop, his tone was very notably in your face and some may call it harsh. Additionally, he played in free jazz and is famous […]