Centennials from when jazz was young
Yes, there’s something to celebrate in 2021: this year’s jazz centennials.
Several jazz luminaries were born 100 years ago, when the art formwas still in its youth. Howsoonwe’ll be able to mark the occasion in concert remains to be seen.
But until then, let’s raise a glass to these giants:
Astor Piazzolla, March 11.
Listeners can debate where (or if ) Piazzolla fits in the jazz pantheon, in that he’s universally revered for his explorations and innovations in tango. But as far as I’m concerned, his genius in developing a profoundly folkloric music in the most complex, sophisticatedways places him in a league with jazz visionaries Jelly RollMorton, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington, among others. That the Argentinian tango transformed theway the world heard rhythm— just as swing did in theUnited States— underscores the point. Like Ellington, Piazzolla penned shortworks that are ripe for jazz improvisation, and large-scale compositions that stand alongside theworld’s great classical concertworks, most notably Piazzolla’s “The Four Seasons” (inspired by Vivaldi’s composition) and the opera “Maria de Buenos Aires.” Piazzolla also proved that the bandoneon, which he played sublimely, could be as expressive as any more traditional concert instrument. (Died July 4, 1992, age 71.)
Erroll Garner, June 15. Above all, I hear joy whenever Garner is at the piano. Not just in terms of his rhythmic exuberance but the sheer breadth of pianistic languages he commands. FromHarlem stride to fast-flying bebop, from up-tempo swing to lush balladry, Garner summoned them all with seeming effortlessness. Sometimes he switched musical vocabularies fromone measure to the next, the speed of his thought matched only by the dexterity of his fingers. And then therewere those magical blocked chords, dense in harmony, often streaked with dissonance and thrilling to hear yet somehowdevoid of bombast. Then, too, where wouldwe be without “Misty,” Garner’s most famous composition and the touchstone of a somewhat creepy Clint East
wood film, “Play Misty for Me.” (Died Jan. 2, 1977, age 53.)
Jon Hendricks, Sept. 16. Thanks to his vocal acuity and remarkable longevity, Hendricks ranks as one of the most influential vocalists in jazz history. He proved that the male voice could articulate lines as fast and fleet as those of any horn, Hendricks’ ability to deliver rapid-fire lyrics a wonder unto itself. Many listenersmay knowhim best fromthe vocal trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, but itwasHendricks’ wizardry that powered that trio and flourished long after its demise. Hendricks also reigned as a lyricist, his ability to pairwords to the notes of instrumental solos ennobling the art of vocalese. WithoutHendricks, therewould be noMark Murphy or BobbyMcFerrin orKurt Elling. (Died Nov. 22, 2017, age 96).
Billy Taylor, July 24. A versatile pianist, Taylor may havemade his biggest contribution as a jazz advocate. Millionswatched his jazz vignettes on CBS’ “SundayMorning,” which brought the music to audiences that otherwise might never have encountered it.
He also shattered a racial barrier on TV by serving as musical director for “The David Frost Show,” starting in 1969. Taylor’swork on the jazz radio show“Jazz Alive” and his role in cofounding the Jazzmobile, which brought the music to far-flung neighborhoods, enriched his legacy. We shouldn’t forget, though, that Taylor also happened to be an elegant pianist, the high sheen and robust spirit of his music especially apparent in his duets with Chicago pianist Ramsey Lewis. (Died Dec. 28, 2010, age 89.)
Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill, Oct. 28.
Today, we take for granted that Latin jazz idioms can power epic, symphonic-scale compositions. But O’Farrill— who was born in Cuba to a family with Irish lineage
(hence the unexpected surname)— was the first to prove it could be done. Vast works such as his “AfroCuban Jazz Suite” and “Manteca Suite” (1954) and “Aztec Suite” (1959) built upon Duke Ellington’s similarly sprawling orchestral compositions and have influenced everyone from Paquito D’Rivera toWyntonMarsalis. Though the rock ’n’ roll era marginalizedO’Farrill and uncounted other great musicians, he resurfaced in the 1990s with several revelatory comeback albums: “Pure Emotion” (1995), “Heart of a Legend” (1999) and “Carambola” (2000). “I was shocked” at the acclaim these recordings received,” O’Farrill told me in 2000. “Whenwewere making the ‘Pure Emotion’ record I said tomyself, ‘Who’s going to like this
music today? It’s not rock ’n’ roll.’ ” Not rock ’n’ roll indeed. (Died June 27, 2001, age 79.)
Herb Ellis, Aug. 4. Jazz piano giant Oscar Peterson made itamission in life to outswing all comers. He was able to do so not only because of his signature hypervirtuosity but also because of the hard-driving musicians he gathered around him, most specifically guitarist Ellis and bassist Ray Brown. The Peterson trio of the 1950s was a high-octane swing machine, the pianist’s propulsive approach to rhythm buoyed by Ellis and Brown. Howimportant was Ellis to keeping time for the trio? When he left the group after a five-year run, in 1958, Peterson replaced him with a drummer. “Itwasn’t the easiest job,” Ellis once told journalist Steve Voce. “In fact, it was the hardest job I ever had. We had a lot of complex arrangements, and Oscar insisted that you had
them at your fingertips.” (DiedMarch 28, 2010, age 88.)
Candido Camero, April 22.
Was there a jazz legend that Cuban conguero Camero didn’t play with? In the 1940s, he recorded with revered Cuban bandleaderMachito and played Havana’s pivotal Tropicana nightclub. By the 1950s he was in theUnited States and collaborating with one of the primary architects of Afro-Cuban jazz, trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Camero also ignited rhythms for Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Dinah Washington, StanKenton, LenaHorne, Coleman Hawkins, Tony Bennett and more. Remarkably, Camero gave the 38th Chicago Jazz Festival its highpoint in September 2016— at age 95. “He came out in a wheelchair,” I wrote inmy review, “and he left in a blaze of glory.” (DiedNov. 7, 2020, age 99.)