If you don’t know Pops, you don’t know jazz. I dig the good old New Orleans Pops who blew everyone away with his trumpet, not the internationally known Pops who made popular hits like “What a Wonderful World” and “Hello Dolly.” I am talking about the astonishing jazz pieces in the early days like “Hotter than That,” a jammed version of the final strain of “Tiger Rag.” Let’s hear what made Pops a musician’s musician:

“Hotter than That” kicks off with an eight-bar introduction.

.08 A: 32 bars with a break in between. Pops improvises on the chorus and ended exactly at the break.

.44 A: Another 32 bars in which clarinetist Johnny Dodds does his solo.

1:20 A: Pops drops his amazing scat-singing chops, which sounds like his trumpet. Near the end of this chorus, Pops and guitarist Lonnie Johnson trade some phrases with each other until Lillian Hardin Armstrong (Pops’ wife) impatiently lays down the beat at the piano, as if she’s saying, “Ok boys, enough playing around, let’s get back to business.”

2:18 Trombonist Kid Ory takes over the first 16 bars, then Pops returns sailing in and brilliantly closes the tune out. Pops and Johnson create a novelty ending with a strange interaction and unsettling chord.

Lester Young was the Prez (a nickname given by Billie Holiday) of ballad. His rendition of “Love Me or Leave Me” is a perfect demonstration of how a standard should be covered. He takes the basic structure and improvises on it. Vietnamese musicians should take cues from Prez the next time they want to jazz up a Trinh Cong Son’s composition. As for the sax style, Prez had a cool and almost vibratoless sound. With his feathery tone, superb phrasing, and breathless-flowing lines, Prez inspired numerous musicians, including modernist Charlie Parker.

Count Basie was the master of understatement. He was known for his laconic piano. With a tight rhythm section (includes bassist Walter Page and drummer Joe Jones), behind him, Basie plays exotic spare keys. The technique that spells Basie sound could be heard right in the intro of his “Honeysuckle Rose” performance. And Basie knew if he had your feet, your heart and soul would follow. Love the call-and-response effect between brass and reeds sections near the end.

Sure, Jelly Roll Morton was the one that placed a pistol on his piano when his sideman didn’t play the way he wanted. Needless to say, he was an important figure of jazz. His version of “Maple Leaf Rag” deserts from Scott Joplin’s original. By throwing syncopation in his left hand, Morton flipped the rag composition into a jazz performance. His inventive rendition is more elaborate and freer rhythmic improvisation.

Tired of graphic and the background. Changed again!

For all you typofreaks:
Type for You
Typographica

Fats Waller was a student of stride-master James P. Johnson, yet he surpassed his teacher in both technique and fame. His rendition of Johnson’s “Carolina Shout” demonstrates Waller’s virtuosity and accomplishment.

Didn’t I say I love stride piano? Irresistible.

Thu Minh in “Bong May Qua Them” epitomizes my type of woman: classy, elegant, and so damn sexy. Something about a girl in white suit that gives me a strong, independent vibe.

The Asian kids are turning the mutha out with MC Hammer’s “U Can’t Touch This.” It seems like I was not the only one who learned English through hip-hop, even though I didn’t learn it their way.

20 hip-hop videos I haven’t seen for a while:

Sugar Hill Gang – Rapper’s Delight
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – The Message
LL Cool J – Mama Said Knock You Out
Salt-N-Pepa – Push It
Kool Moe Dee – Wild Wild West
Eric B & Rakim – Follow The Leader
Boogie Down Productions – My Philosophy
Ice T – New Jack Hustler
MC Hammer – U Can’t Touch This
Public Enemy – Fight the Power
2 Live Crew – Me So Horny
Naughty By Nature – OPP
Black Sheep – The Choice is Yours
Arrested Development – Tennessee
Digable Planets – Rebirth of Slick
Onyx – Slam
Cypress Hill – How I Could Just Kill a Man
Sir Mix-A-Lot – Baby Got Back
Young MC – Bust a Move
Tone-Loc – Wild Thing