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Weather Bird
Report June 2006
Hot and Cold Jazz - some tips for Winter
Weather Bird has been a bit slack of late. But here's a few tips
for jazz in winter.
The object is not to be cool, but to keep warm. Therefore WB recommends
that readers get out their Louis Armstrong records/CDs/mp3s and
particularly the
Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings from the late 1920s.
Stay away from Chet Baker, and any records that have "cool"
in the title e.g. Gil Evans' famous recording "Out of the
Cool" is a no go zone, but, on the other hand, another of
his recordings "Into the Hot" is A1 O.K.
Slow tempos are a danger during winter too. Let me recommend most
bebop recordings from the late 40s and early 50s, excluding the
ballads. Most tracks by Bird (Charlie Parker), Dizzy Gillespie
or Fats Navaro will be safe, but the music of Lennie Tristano,
Lee Konitz or even Stan Getz should not be attempted without a
barrel of rum on hand.
These latter guys can cool you down even when they play fast -
save them for a hot summer's day!
Slow tempos can be tried with a hot curry, and a big red from
the Barossa. Safest is blues from Muddy Waters through to Aarnette
Cobb. Basie is no problems, and Afro-Cuban likewise. Thought-provoking
jazz, contemplative stuff, jazz and poetry, is a nono:
jazz ballet should only be attempted with the back-up of a hip
flask. Reggae no probs.
Hot food, hot drinks, hot music - that'll get you through this
colder than average winter - personally I'm off on my usual migratory
habits - I think it's bermuda this time,
Weather Bird - June 2006
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