Jazz is Personality Music
by David Hills

Part 2 of an occasional series.

Most jazz music is improvised. So if you're going to understand the music fully, it's as important to know who is playing it as what the composition is. Yes, the chord structure may be the same for everyone, but the solos are always very different. And the main reason why is because each musician lends his or her personality to the piece - and it's why, so often, before and often after each tune is played, our jazz presenters go through the list of musicians playing it.

So, let's compare jazz with a Beethoven symphony, and the personalities involved. Though each symphony orchestra has its own sound, it will also have a different approach to the work depending on the conductor. For example, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra sounded completely different under Herbert von Karajan than it did under Wilhelm Furtwängler. What's more, von Karajan and the B. P.O. recorded all the Beethoven symphonies several times - and each time they were different. Not necessarily better or worse, just different - and it would be up to you, the listener, to choose which one suited your personality best.

Selling classical records many years ago, we recommended recordings of, say, a Beethoven symphony, to what we intuitively felt would suit the listener. For a conservative elderly person, the slow Otto Klemperer version. For a romantic looking lady, the Bruno Walter. For an energetic 40 year old, the Konwitschny-Gewandhaus recording. For a positive 17 year old, the blazing-fast Erich Kleiber performance. We were seldom wrong, as different personalities created different music for different listeners. And we are all individuals, aren't we!

So it is with jazz - but even more so. Let's take one instrument - the tenor saxophone. In the early 20s, the sound was rather 'weak and soupy' until Coleman Hawkins discovered his enormous tone and huge sound, and changed jazz forever. His dominant performances were how everyone wanted to play, until Lester Young came along playing with a light, bright sound. So when you hear one or the other, due to their personalities, it's obvious who is playing. And now there are two schools of tenor playing, with variations between them.

Clarinet? Benny Goodman had a clear tone, Artie Shaw much more mellow, Irving Fazola the warmest sound, Pee Wee Russell a cracked sound, Johnny Dodds a hard tone, Sidney Bechet a big vibrato. Each unmistakeable. Trumpet? Louis Armstrong was big and open with every note punched out short, Miles Davis either economical or later with flurries, Harry James with a kind of burr, Ziggy Elman had a basis of Klezmer music, Dizzy Gillespie understood marvellously complex time and phrases, Bobby Hackett a sweet very-musical sound. Clark Terry was always very witty.

Even drummers play differently. Where Gene Krupa played on the actual drums, Jo Jones concentrated on the hi-hat cymbals (the ones played by rocking the left foot). Kenny Clarke invented modern drums where the beat is played on the big ride cymbal and the off-beat comes with the hi-hat, leaving the left hand and right foot free for accents. Art Blakey had a heavy back beat. Buddy Rich was an impeccable time-keeper and astounding technician, Elvin Jones developed a 'floating' feel. Roy Haynes was called 'snap crackle'.

Put a group of jazz players together - even a big band of 15 players - and they'll create a particular sound and feel. Change just one of the musicians, and the sound and feel of both the band and the music will change. The different soloist will give a different ambience. It's all part of the individuality.

So, when we present a tune, and list the musicians and/or soloists before and after playing it, it's because we want you to know why that particular jazz is like it is. And by knowing the musicians and how each one plays, we hope you'll appreciate the music that much more.

[Return to News]

Return to News