Category Archives: Allen Morrison

October 8, 2018 · 12:29 pm

Queen Mary 2 Jazz Lectures (Playlist 1: The Great Jazz Singers 1950-Present)

Thanks to everyone who attended my jazz history talks last week on the Queen Mary 2 during its voyage from Quebec to Nova Scotia to New York. I got a few requests to post the playlists, so here’s the first one, covering “The Great Jazz Singers (1950-Present).”

Queen Mary - Jazz Lecture

The Great Jazz Singers (1950-Present) Playlist

  1. “A Tisket, A Tasket” – Ella Fitzgerald w/Chick Webb Orchestra (1938).
  2. “Blue Skies” – Ella Fitzgerald (from Get Happy, 1959)
  3. “You Make Me Feel So Young” – Frank Sinatra, w/Count Basie Orchestra conducted by Quincy Jones (live video, 1965)
  4. “Tenderly” – Sarah Vaughan (live video, 1958)
  5. “I Fall in Love Too Easily” – Chet Baker, from Chet Baker Sings (1958)
  6. “Chega de Saudade” – João Gilberto from album Chega de Saudade (1959)
  7. “Every Day I Have the Blues” – Lambert, Hendricks & Ross w/Joe Williams and Count Basie (live video from Playboy’s Penthouse TV show, 1959)
  8. “No Love Dying” – Gregory Porter (live video from CBS This Morning 2013)
  9. “I Wish That I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate” – Cecile McLorin Salvant (live video from KNKX Public Radio, 2014)
  10. “Marrakesh Express” – Accent (video from AccentVocal.com, 2018)
  11. “Look For The Silver Lining” – Tony Bennet & Bill Charlap, promo video for album of the same name, 2015

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Filed under Accent, Allen Morrison, Bill Charlap, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Gregory Porter, Hendricks & Ross, Joao Gilberto, Jon Hendricks, Lambert, Lectures, Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett

March 5, 2018 · 8:59 pm

I moderated a panel at L.I.U.-Post’s “Jazz Day” on March 3

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Joining me in the Career Pathways in Jazz panel were (l-r) Prof. Jeff Lederer; guitarist Al Marino, and drummer Brad Sporkin.

I had the pleasure of moderating a panel discussion on “Career Pathways in Jazz” as part of L.I. University-C.W. Post’s annual “Jazz Day” on Saturday, March 3. Joining me in discussing what it takes to make a career in jazz (and other genres of music) were saxophonist/clarinetist and Post professor Jeff Lederer; recent Post music graduate and working guitarist Al Marino; and my friend, the drummer Brad Sporkin. We also had some great contributions from pianist/bandleader Richie Iacona, also a Post professor.  Thanks so much to Jeff; LIU Director of Music Education Dr. Jennifer Miceli; and University Director of Arts Advancement Brian Hoeflschweiger for inviting me.

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Filed under Allen Morrison, Jeff Lederer, Lectures

August 18, 2017 · 7:32 pm

2017 Newport Jazz Festival Highlights Soloists and Teamwork – my review in DownBeat.

Cecile_McLorin_Salvant_Newport

The 2017 Newport Jazz Festival was, as usual, a showcase and a proving ground for great soloists.  Here’s my recap, concentrating on a few of the finest performances I heard, including those of vocalist Cecile McLorin Salvant (above) who performed with the Aaron Diehl Trio; the Maria Schneider Orchestra; the Benny Golson Quartet; and the Christian McBride Big Band.

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Filed under Aaron Diehl, Allen Morrison, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Christian McBride, Maria Schneider, Mike LeDonne, Newport Jazz Festival, Paul Sikivie, Steve Davis

February 4, 2017 · 3:08 pm

Tomorrow in Freeport: The Great Jazz Singers – “From Satchmo to Billie”

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If you’re free on Sunday afternoon, 2/5/17, join me for a look back at The Great Jazz Singers (Part 1) – From Satchmo to Lady Day. I’ll be speaking – and playing killer film clips – at the Freeport Memorial Library on Merrick Road at 2:30 pm, and it’s free.

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Filed under Allen Morrison, Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Uncategorized

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August 13, 2016 · 5:08 pm

Playlist #1: A Brief History of Jazz Piano (Part 1, 1900-1945)

Dear Friends,

Here’s the first playlist of audio and video clips from my recent series of talks on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 about the history and development of the piano in jazz. This expanded playlist corresponds to my talk, “From Jelly Roll to Nat King Cole,” covering the dawn of jazz, circa 1900, to the birth of the modern jazz piano trio. It includes fascinating and entertaining performances by Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson, Willie “The Lion” Smith, Fats Waller, and so many more. Enjoy, and I welcome your feedback!

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Filed under Allen Morrison, Blue Note Jazz at Sea, Cunard, Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, Jelly Roll Morton, Nat King Cole, Queen Mary 2, Willie "the Lion" Smith

August 10, 2016 · 11:00 am

A Note of Thanks

Armstrong singing

Just a note to thank to all my new friends who came to my jazz history lectures on the Queen Mary 2 as part of the 2nd Cunard/Blue Note Jazz at Sea transatlantic crossing this past week (Aug. 1-9), featuring the brilliant Herbie Hancock Quintet!  It was such a pleasure to meet so many jazz fans – and maybe to inspire some new ones. I was especially gratified by your enthusiasm and spontaneous applause for the great jazz artists whose music we enjoyed together.

boswell-1I’ll soon be sharing playlists from my talks, “Jazz Piano – A Brief History” (Parts 1&2) and “The Great Jazz Singers” (Parts 1&2 ) here on my website, so that you can find all those great video and audio clips easily; and I’ll post some recommendations for additional listening.

Ellington at the piano

Please feel free to contact me with your questions and comments. You can always reach me here at my website, follow me on Twitter @amorrison2, and on Facebook at http://fb.me/allenmorrisonjazz.  Hope to see you again soon!
Allen

 

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Filed under Allen Morrison, Blue Note, Blue Note Jazz at Sea, Cunard, Queen Mary 2

January 27, 2016 · 8:45 pm

My 10 Best Jazz Albums of 2015 (Jazz Times)

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Here’s a list of my favorite jazz CDs of 2015, as published in Jazz Times.

New Releases:
1. Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap, The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern(RPM/Columbia)
2. Maria Schneider Orchestra, The Thompson Fields (ArtistShare)
3. Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quartet, Intents and Purposes (Enja)
4. London, Meader, Pramuk & Ross, The Royal Bopsters Project (Motéma)
5. Aaron Diehl, Space Time Continuum (Mack Avenue)
6. Dave Stryker, Messin’ With Mister T (Strikezone)
7. Rudresh Mahanthappa, Bird Calls (ACT)
8. Cécile McLorin Salvant, For One to Love (Mack Avenue)
9. Nilson Matta, East Side Rio Drive (Krian)
10. Luciana Souza, Speaking In Tongues (Sunnyside)

Historical:
1. Tony Bennett/Bill Evans, The Complete Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Recordings(Fantasy)
2. Wes Montgomery, In the Beginning (Resonance)
3. Miles Davis, At Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4 (Columbia Legacy)

Honorable mentions: Karrin Allyson, Many a New Day: Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein (Motéma); Chris Dingman, The Subliminal and the Sublime (Inner Arts Initiative), Chris McNulty, Eternal (Palmetto); Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, Cuba: The Conversation Continues(Motéma); Robert Glasper, Covered (Blue Note); Jonathan Kreisberg, Wave Upon Wave (New For Now); Duduka da Fonseca Trio, Jive Samba (Zoho)… and I may add some others as they occur to me.

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Filed under Aaron Diehl, Allen Morrison, Chris McNulty, Jazz Times, Karrin Allyson, Maria Schneider, Rez Abbasi, Robert Glasper, Royal Bopsters

January 21, 2016 · 7:42 pm

A note to readers re: DownBeat server problem

Thanks to my friends who pointed out that many of my links to articles that appeared on DownBeat.com are currently not working. This is due to a server problem at DownBeat’s web provider.  They are working to fix it, but it may take several days before it is resolved.  In the meantime, any new posts will be either self-contained or link to other verified sources.

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Filed under Allen Morrison, Downbeat

March 29, 2015 · 3:30 pm

Can Jazz Musicians Make Money in the Age of Spotify?

Navigating the Digital Jungle

These days, it’s easier than ever for jazz artists to record, but harder than ever for them to monetize their recordings. For this article, published in the April 2015 DownBeat, I spoke with leading indie artists (e.g., guitarist Dave Stryker and drummer Willie Jones III), label executives and industry analysts. I wanted to find out how musicians are surviving in an age where music consumers prefer to stream their music for free, or nearly so, rather than buy CDs or download MP3s. Surprise: the news is not all bad.

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Filed under Allen Morrison, Dave Stryker, Downbeat, Jana Herzen, Jazz, Motema Records, Music Business, Music Business, Music Writing and Clips, Willie Jones III

March 9, 2015 · 10:58 am

Falling in Love With Jazz: Uncle Sam’s Jukebox

Interview at Capitol Public Radio, Sacramento, 2-28-15

Here’s a piece I recorded for Capitol Public Radio in Sacramento, courtesy of the station’s director of jazz programming, Gary Vercelli. Thanks, Gary, and thanks, Uncle Sam – that jukebox changed my life!

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Filed under Allen Morrison, Jazz