Column and New Feature Introduction...October 9th, 2005
Why title my article space Notes From the Real Book? It's simple,
really. The articles I write for this fine site will focus on the
soundtrack of the Golden Age; Jazz. In Jazz circles, (well, Jazz
musician circles anyway) there is a thing called a Real Book. It
is a book of Jazz standards, everything from Duke Ellington's
Sophisticated Lady to Charlie Parkers Ornithology and many, many others
is in there. It is a requirement for any serious Jazz musician to
own one. There's just one catch; they're illegal. Every
song in there is transposed by ear by a group of Beatnik gypsies who
then photocopy and compile these books, then travel the country in vans
selling them. Because of their legal status, the music is called
'Fake Music' because the true authors do not get any money from the
sale of these books. Where would you put Fake Music? In a
Real Book, of course. Such is what passes for humor among Jazz
musicians.
I got my Real Book in that great Jazz city Chicago. Some friends and I were walking downtown when I saw a van parked by an alley with a folding table set up and a bunch of books laid out on it. I knew immediately what it was. One cash-only transaction later, I possessed an e-flat Real Book (suitable mostly for Alto and Baritone saxophones). I was a certifiable Jazz musician at that point. Taking it home, I opened it with trembling fingers, already knowing the treasures that lay inside. I'd played from one before, when I was a member of the musician's guild. The first song I played was the afore mentioned Sophisticated Lady. There's a quote from the great Jazz critic Gary Giddins; "The first time with Ellington is, like the first time with sex or Charlie Chaplin or really good asparagus, epic." I can attest to that. I first heard Sophisticated Lady when I was a young lad of eight or so. My Pepere (Grandfather to those who aren't of French descent) was a WWII Submarine Veteran of the Pacific Theater and we were visiting them. He was telling one of his many sea stories while an old 78 scratched out the Duke in the background. Goosebumps rose on my arms. I was hooked on Big Band at that moment and it hasn't let me go yet. I've been playing sax for some 20 plus years, professionally and not, and to this day, Big Band Jazz still gives me goosebumps.
It can truly be said that Jazz, especially Big Band, is the classical music of the USA. All other forms of music that started in this country can trace their lineage back to it. To be specific, Jazz and Blues are marginally different. The former is played more often in groups while the latter is traditionally a solo act. Both have the same heritage of choral progressions, musical form and characteristic syncopation. For that reason, musical scholars tend to group them both together. As is commonly known, Rock and Roll comes from Blues. Therefore, any of it's various progeny also descend from Jazz and Blues. Even the much-maligned Rap has its origins in Jazz and Blues, although it is a more twisted family tree.
In the forthcoming articles, I will discuss various aspects of Jazz; some memorable albums, songs, bandleaders and musicians. I will concentrate mostly on the Big Band era, but I will also delve somewhat into the later styles as well; Be-Bop, Cool and Modern, among others. Any questions can be emailed to me and I will address them in the following article. My first topic (well, second I guess) will be Greatest Jazz Album.
-JEC
I got my Real Book in that great Jazz city Chicago. Some friends and I were walking downtown when I saw a van parked by an alley with a folding table set up and a bunch of books laid out on it. I knew immediately what it was. One cash-only transaction later, I possessed an e-flat Real Book (suitable mostly for Alto and Baritone saxophones). I was a certifiable Jazz musician at that point. Taking it home, I opened it with trembling fingers, already knowing the treasures that lay inside. I'd played from one before, when I was a member of the musician's guild. The first song I played was the afore mentioned Sophisticated Lady. There's a quote from the great Jazz critic Gary Giddins; "The first time with Ellington is, like the first time with sex or Charlie Chaplin or really good asparagus, epic." I can attest to that. I first heard Sophisticated Lady when I was a young lad of eight or so. My Pepere (Grandfather to those who aren't of French descent) was a WWII Submarine Veteran of the Pacific Theater and we were visiting them. He was telling one of his many sea stories while an old 78 scratched out the Duke in the background. Goosebumps rose on my arms. I was hooked on Big Band at that moment and it hasn't let me go yet. I've been playing sax for some 20 plus years, professionally and not, and to this day, Big Band Jazz still gives me goosebumps.
It can truly be said that Jazz, especially Big Band, is the classical music of the USA. All other forms of music that started in this country can trace their lineage back to it. To be specific, Jazz and Blues are marginally different. The former is played more often in groups while the latter is traditionally a solo act. Both have the same heritage of choral progressions, musical form and characteristic syncopation. For that reason, musical scholars tend to group them both together. As is commonly known, Rock and Roll comes from Blues. Therefore, any of it's various progeny also descend from Jazz and Blues. Even the much-maligned Rap has its origins in Jazz and Blues, although it is a more twisted family tree.
In the forthcoming articles, I will discuss various aspects of Jazz; some memorable albums, songs, bandleaders and musicians. I will concentrate mostly on the Big Band era, but I will also delve somewhat into the later styles as well; Be-Bop, Cool and Modern, among others. Any questions can be emailed to me and I will address them in the following article. My first topic (well, second I guess) will be Greatest Jazz Album.
-JEC
Jason Cousineau comes to The Fedora Chronicles from Massachusetts, Husband, Father, Coast Guard Veteran… And actually introduced The Fedora Chronicles webmaster to the world of Jazz with a short list of essential “Must Have” Jazz albums.
