I was so excited to come to this Institute to refresh my memory on Jazz. I’ve been around music my entire life. My mom’s family all play instruments and/or sing and that music ability was passed on to me. I sang at church and at school. I went to performing art schools in middle and high school for music. The Jazz band at my high school was as good as you can get. I knew jazz. So I thought.
The Jazz musicians I’ve heard in this institute since Tuesday, July 5, 2011 have been more than impressive, more than mind-blowing. I heard of Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane but I’ve never really “listened” to their music. I didn’t know how deep and profound their music was and still is to this day. I can’t remember hearing about Charlie Mingus, but now I have no choice but to download everything I can find from these artists. Impressive!!!
I have a newfound love for jazz. I enjoy old school, hip-hop groups/rappers like A Tribe Call Quest and MC Lyte. I knew that they, like many other hip-hop artists have sampled jazz from these jazz artists (i.e. Coltrane, Miles) but I never knew how much had been sampled. Not only have rappers sampled jazz music, but big companies as well. I was confused last Tuesday when I heard Louis Armstrong singing “Mack the Knife.” I heard that song when I was in high school but it was for a McDonald’s commercial and it was titled “Mac tonight”. The lyrics are as follows to the same tune:
When the clock strikes
Half past 6 babe
Time to head for
Golden fries
It’s a good time
For the great taste (dinner!)
At McDonald’s
It’s Mac tonight
Come on make it mac tonight
I thought I knew jazz, but what I now realize is that I knew nothing!!!!
-- David Severin
