I just posted my Flickr slide show on my blog. It was a fun process and in the mean time i learned a lot. The pics i chose are mostly of some of my favorite jazz artists, though there are so many more that i did'nt include. The ones that i chose played a significant role in developing my musical cognizance of jazz in its defiance of popular song structure and innovative approach to dissonant sounds and improvisation. Miles Davis and Duke Ellington for me represent the quintessential meaning of "coolness" and their vast body of influential work is testimony to their elevated status which transcends the boundaries of musical categories. The following is a video I downloaded from YouTube that typifies embodiment of coolness and the minimalist approach to harmonic structure with allowed for greater freedom of improvisation. I hope it plays.



The singers I chose as part of my Flickr slideshow are all female, as these are the artist who have influenced my approach to interpretation and phrasing. Billy Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Carmen McRae are some of my favorite vocalist among jazz musicians. Eric Dolphy is musician known for his avant-gard approach to harmonic and melodic structure, his innovative solos were said be "outside of the changes". Kenny Burrell the director of the HASOM jazz department has taught jazz courses entitled "The History of Jazz", and "Ellingtonia" which give a comprehensive historical and musical contribution of these and other great pioneers in the development and evolution of jazz. He has also performed and recorded with all of the jazz greats in my slide show. I have to give a shout out to Dan in my ethno 188 class for being one student @ UCLA HASOM who can appreciate the value of learning from a primary source of historical and personal references. Anyway, if any of the musicians in my slide show are new to you, please take some time to check 'em out.