Jazz Standards

Started by James, June 16, 2015, 06:47:01 PM

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James

June 16, 2015, 06:47:01 PM
Jazz Standard

Jazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be standards changes over time. Songs included in major fake book publications (sheet music collections of popular tunes) and jazz reference works offer a rough guide to which songs are considered standards.

Not all jazz standards were written by jazz composers. Many are originally Tin Pan Alley popular songs, Broadway show tunes or songs from Hollywood musicals – the so-called Great American Songbook. In Europe, jazz standards and "fake books" may even include some traditional folk songs (such as in Scandinavia) or pieces of ethnic music (such as gypsy melodies) that has been played with a jazz feel by well known jazz players. A commonly played song can only be considered a jazz standard if it is widely played among jazz musicians. The jazz standard repertoire has some overlap with blues and pop standards.

The most recorded jazz standard was W. C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" for over 20 years from the 1930s onward, after which Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust" replaced it. Today, the place is held by "Body and Soul" by Johnny Green. The most recorded standard composed by a jazz musician is Thelonious Monk's "'Round Midnight".

Before 1920

List of pre-1920 jazz standards

From its conception at the change of the twentieth century, jazz was music intended for dancing. This influenced the choice of material played by early jazz groups: King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band, New Orleans Rhythm Kings and others included a large number of Tin Pan Alley popular songs in their repertoire, and record companies often used their power to dictate which songs were to be recorded by their artists. Certain songs were pushed by recording executives and therefore quickly achieved standard status; this started with the first jazz recordings in 1916, with That Funny Jas Band from Dixieland (1916) by Collins and Harlan for Thomas A. Edison, Inc. on Blue Amberol in December 1916 and in 1917, when the Original Dixieland Jass Band recorded "Darktown Strutters' Ball" and "Indiana". The first record with 'Jass' on the label, The Original Dixieland One-Step was issue 18255 by Victor Talking Machine Company in 1917. Originally simply called "jazz", the music of early jazz bands is today often referred to as "Dixieland" or "New Orleans jazz", to distinguish it from more recent subgenres.

The origins of jazz are in the musical traditions of early twentieth-century New Orleans, including brass band music, the blues, ragtime and spirituals, and some of the most popular early standards come from these influences. Ragtime songs "Twelfth Street Rag" and "Tiger Rag" have become popular numbers for jazz artists, as have blues tunes "St. Louis Blues" and "St. James Infirmary". Tin Pan Alley songwriters contributed several songs to the jazz standard repertoire, including "Indiana" and "After You've Gone". Others, such as "Some of These Days" and "Darktown Strutters' Ball", were introduced by vaudeville performers. The most often recorded standards of this period are W. C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues", Turner Layton and Henry Creamer's "After You've Gone" and James Hanley and Ballard MacDonald's "Indiana".

More here ..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_standard
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_jazz_standards
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_Songbook
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_post-1950_jazz_standards
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_book
Action is the only truth

San Antone

#1
June 16, 2015, 07:07:10 PM
A number of standards were written during WWII, like this one, "I'll Be Seeing You":

https://www.youtube.com/v/zDlKb2cBAqU

The line, "I'll be looking at the moon but I'll be seeing you" is great.

Another one I like a lot is "It Never Entered My Mind".  This version is taken from one of my favorite jazz vocal records, Oscar Peterson Trio with the Singers Unlimited

https://www.youtube.com/v/L6OvocwQoPU

escher

#3
June 22, 2015, 07:25:52 AM
Too bad nobody is posting, it would be great to see someone else sharing his favorite tunes.
Some more

Lucy Reed - Lazy afternoon (this one is my favorite version, but I like many instrumental renditions of it, like the one made by Pete LaRoca)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SYREijmrKQ

two pieces written in the forties and very advanced for the period:

Bill Evans - Israel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGdr93tnNMk

Stan Getz - Very Early
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVqRulQWwOI

Very Early to me in the constant change of key sounds to me like a good companion for "Giant steps" (I actually like it much more than Giant steps)

escher

#4
June 22, 2015, 07:28:34 AM
by the way: James, I'd like to hear the pieces you've posted in the thread of Allan Holdsworth but I can't even enter there because my computer crashes, is it possible to post those videos just as simple links?

escher

#5
June 29, 2015, 05:43:32 AM
Another "modern" piece of Don Grolnick that could be considered a standard because it's played very often is Nothing personal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMGirYNM6hI
I'm posting this for two reasons, the first is Steve Giordano, I'm really enjoyng a lot his playing. Great guitarist.
The second reason is that I'm still hoping to see other contributions, not even James who has opened the topic has posted anything. Nobody likes a good tune?

San Antone

#6
June 29, 2015, 05:56:23 AM
Quote from: escher on June 29, 2015, 05:43:32 AM
Another "modern" piece of Don Grolnick that could be considered a standard because it's played very often is Nothing personal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMGirYNM6hI
I'm posting this for two reasons, the first is Steve Giordano, I'm really enjoyng a lot his playing. Great guitarist.
The second reason is that I'm still hoping to see other contributions, not even James who has opened the topic has posted anything. Nobody likes a good tune?

Am I nobody?   ;)

San Antone

#7
June 29, 2015, 06:01:30 AM
Keith Jarrett's trio with Gary Peacock and Jack DeJohnette is a group that has dedicated most of its activity to playing standards, and at a very high level:

https://www.youtube.com/v/uZQ6UYjiTR8

escher

#8
June 29, 2015, 08:00:48 AM
Quote from: sanantonio on June 29, 2015, 05:56:23 AM
Am I nobody?   ;)

I am sorry, I should say nobody besides us!

Henk

#9
July 09, 2015, 09:45:50 AM


Good stuff.
'Being humble and wise is knowing not being wise.'

Mirror Image

#10
July 09, 2015, 08:13:41 PM
Quote from: Henk on July 09, 2015, 09:45:50 AM


Good stuff.

Of course, that's just a compilation. Listeners interested in any of these musicians needs to get the full set:

[asin]B009HKE3WA[/asin]

Henk

#11
July 11, 2015, 08:59:06 AM
Quote from: Mirror Image on July 09, 2015, 08:13:41 PM
Of course, that's just a compilation. Listeners interested in any of these musicians needs to get the full set:

[asin]B009HKE3WA[/asin]

Vol. 4 and 5 are rubbish.
'Being humble and wise is knowing not being wise.'
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