Chapter17TheRelationshipofJazztoWesternClassicalMusic 1

17
THERELATIONSHIPOFJAZZ
TOWESTERNCLASSICALMUSIC
ATWOWAYCONNECTION
Whilemanyhavearguedthattherehasneverbeenacloserelationshipbetween
jazz and Western art music, a case can be made that certain relationships have
alwaysexistedbetweenthesetwodivergentstylesofmusic.Itistheveryexistenceof
these relationships that has in many ways helped to enable jazz to move forward,
always pushing earlier boundaries, rejecting stereotypes, and redefining itself. Jazz,
like most artforms, is anexperiment,a workshop producing music notalways bound
by traditional rules and accepted practices. Sincerity, practicality, freshness, and
spontaneity have been its greatest virtues and the only rule often followed has been
whether it sounds good. Racial prejudices often were responsible for the early
boundaries between jazz and European art music. It was virtually impossible for a
black musician to be accepted into an established symphony orchestra or opera
company,sobyvirtueofnecessity,AfricanAmericanshadtocreatetheirownmusic
but musicians on both sides of the imaginary boundary between classical music and
jazz, regardless of color, have always valued experimentation and the importance to
theirart of raisingnew questions. Perhaps it was thisurgent need toexperiment that
helpedtoeventuallydrawblackandwhitemusicianstogetherinaquestfornewways
to present their music. It is only logical then that there should be common ground
between these seemingly disparate musicians. A chronological examination of the
bondbetweenthesetwomusicalstyleswillillustratethispoint.
2 Chapter17TheRelationshipof JazztoWesternClassicalMusic
EARLYJAZZ
Weknowthat mostofthe earlyjazz musiciansresponsibleforformulatingthestyle had very
little if any formal training. Few blacks had access to formal music instruction, though the
elevatedsocialstatusofCreolesaroundtheturnofthecenturyinNewOrleanspromotedtheir
access to higher forms of cultural training and experiences. Pianist and composer Jelly Roll
Morton touted his classical background as a Creole by quoting from Chopins Funeral
March in his Dead Mans Blues recorded by the Red Hot Peppers in 1926. Ragtime, the
earliestofjazzstylesthatservedasthebasisformuchearlyinstrumentaljazz,hasdeeproots
in the European tradition, borrowing sophisticated, multithematic forms from classical
models.Whilethe emphasis onreoccurringsyncopations may havebeenuniquely American,
every other aspect of rag compositions was European derived. The premier exponents of this
style sought to further validate the ragtime style by composing extended, multimovement
concert works based on their earlier piano works in the style. For example, Scott Joplin
composedhisfirstopera,AGuestofHonorin1903,thoughhispublisherrefusedtopublishit
anditwasperformedonlyonce.In1911JoplinpennedTreemonisha,hissecondmorelengthy
opera in the rag style. Harlem stride pianist James P. Johnson premiered his symphony
Yamecraw in Carnegie Hall in 1928. He followed this effort with the Harlem Symphony
(1934) and American Symphonic Suite (1934) among others that represented his efforts to
mergejazzwiththeclassicaltradition.
Itisalso well documentedthatBix Beiderbeckeandsome of hiscohortsfromthePaul
Whiteman and Gene Goldkette Orchestras were attracted to the French classical style of
composition in the 1920s and created pieces that reflected the impressionistic qualities
associatedwithClaudeDebussy,GabrielFaur,and MauriceRavel. Arrangerand friend Bill
Challis notatedseveral Beiderbeckepiano compositions,of whichInaMist isbest known.
PaulWhitemanemployedarrangerssuchasFerdeGrofwhowereperhapsmostcomfortable
intheclassicaltradition.Whitemanhimselfwasaclassicallytrainedstringplayer.Inhis1926
biography Jazz, Whiteman indicates how committed he was to the marriage of the classical
music doctrine to the emerging jazz style in order to create a new, American music that was
reflective of a new land and new cultural aesthetic. The Whiteman Orchestras 1924 premier
of Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue, orchestrated by Grof, was his first success, proving that
elements of the two divergent styles could coexist. The Rhapsody was followed by his
Concerto in F, The American in Paris, and the truly American opera Porgy and Bess, later
adopted by Gil Evans as a showcase for jazz trumpeter Miles Davis. In the same year that
Whiteman premiered Gershwins Rhapsody, society bandleader Vincent Lopez organized a
40pieceorchestratopremiereattheMetropolitanOperaHouseW.C.HandysEvolutionof
theBlues.
BandleaderPaul Whiteman,promotedas
the"KingofJazz"inthe1920s,posesfora
publicityshot.
Chapter17TheRelationshipofJazztoWesternClassicalMusic 3
Beiderbeckeslackofformaltrainingbecamemoreofanexceptionthanthenormeven
formanysecondgenerationjazzplayers,however,anditbecamecommonplaceinthemidto
latetwentiestofindjazzmusicianswhohadopenlyembracedclassicaltraining.Theirsolid
traditionalfoundationenabledthemtoworkintheaters,radio,andothersituationsthat
demandedamoreclassicallytrained,literatemusician.BennyGoodmanisanexcellent
exampleofthenewerbreedofjazzmusicianstoemergeinthelate1920s.Goodmanrecorded
andperformednumeroustimeswithclassicalmusicians.Hisrelationshipwithclassical
musiciansisexemplifiedbyhisrecordingoftheMozartClarinetQuintetwiththeBudapest
StringQuartet(1938).HelatercommissionedBelaBartktocomposeContrasts(1938)and
AaronCopelandandPaulHindemithacceptedcommissionsfromGoodmanin1947tocreate
clarinetconcertos.Asaversatileperformer,Goodman premieredboth.Copelandhad
demonstratedhisinterestinjazzinthetwentieswhenhecomposedMusicfortheTheater
(1925)andthe1927PianoConcerto.
MODERNCLASSICALCOMPOSERSEMBRACEJAZZ
Most of the European classical composers discovered early jazz through published sheet
music of rags, cakewalks, and twosteps. Some witnessed early jazz firsthand by traveling to
NewYork,whileothersexperienceditthroughAmericanmusicianstravelingtoEuropeinthe
earlytwentiethcentury orthroughrecordingsthat madetheir wayslowlyacrossthe Atlantic.
Theprimaryingredientinjazzthatintriguedtheseclassicistswastherhythmicvitalityandits
experimental nature. Composer John Aldan Carpenter recognized jazz as the first art
innovation originating in America to be accepted seriously in Europe
1
and Leopold
Stokowski, conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, admired jazz musicians who are not
hampered by traditions or convention, and with their with new ideas, their constant
experiments, they are causing new blood to flow in the veins of music.
2
Claude Debussys
Gollywogs Cakewalk and Igor Stravinskys Ragtime, LHistoire du soldat, and Piano
Rag Music all show an infatuation with the rhythmic aspects of jazz, however, most are
considered more novelties than genuine works that embrace and reflect the essence of jazz.
PaulHindemithsSuite1922illustratesasimilartendency.DariusMilhaud,however,inhis
1924LaCration du mondeTheCreation oftheWorldretrospectivelyreceivedthe most
attention as a work that not only reflects jazzs rhythmic vitality, but also to some degree its
instrumentation. A drum set is usually featured in performances of this piece along with the
ClarinetistBennyGoodmanina
1954reunionifhistriowithTeddy
WilsononpianoandGeneKrupaon
drums.
4 Chapter17TheRelationshipof JazztoWesternClassicalMusic
alto saxophone, rarely heard in classical scores and used here as a substitute for the viola. A
jazzlikefuguealsohelpstoestablishthisworkasoneofthemoresuccessfulearlytwentieth
centuryclassicalcompositionstoembracejazz.Thesubjectofthisfugueisabluesscalebased
on the juxtaposing of major and minor thirds that is the essence of this fundamental jazz
phenomenon. Aside perhaps from this Milhaud work, the early efforts to absorb and reflect
elements of jazz in classical scores were for the most part not successful at doing more than
creatingdilutedcaricaturesofjazz.Milhaudswork,however,palesincomparisontothework
of American jazz performers that same year including the efforts by Paul Whiteman and
GeorgeGershwin.
DmitriShostakovichsSuiteNo.1(1934)andSuiteNo.2(1938)areoftenincluded
in discussions about the influence of jazz on classical composers. It is a stretch to consider
either of these works as much more than light, multimovement works that reflected French
cabaretmusicofthe1920s.Thetitleswaltz,polka,foxtrot,andmarchprovideanaccurate
description of his adaptation of these styles. The use of theterm Jazz in the titles of these
suitesisagoodexampleofhowthistermhasbeenblatantlymisused.
Aside from the 12tone serial composers, Igor Stravinsky was one of the most
adventuresome classical composers of the twentieth century. His early interest in jazz is
apparent in LHistoire du soldat and Ragtime. The rhythmically driving ballet scores
Firebird, Petrushka, and The Rite of Spring served to encourage jazz performers in
lateryearstocommissionhimtocreatenewworksinacrossoverstyle.HisEbonyConcerto
wascommissionedandpremieredbytheWoodyHermanBandatCarnegieHallin1946.The
pieceisinthreemovementsModerato,Andante,andModerato.Therearesimilaritiesinthis
work to his Symphony in Three Movements and Ragtime. Donald Fuller in his 1946
Modern Music review declared that the piece succeeded amazingly in combining jazz
elements with the lighter side of [Stravinskys] neoclassical manner.
3
In some ways,
Stravinskys work, like those concert works by James P. Johnson and other cited jazz
composers including Duke Ellington, is a precursor to the thirdstream jazz style and the
numerouschamberjazzworksthatemergedinthecatalogofthismovement.
Leonard Bernstein, one of the finest examples of an American musician and true
Renaissance man, while upholding the highest standards as a composer and conductor,
embraced jazz as a source of inspiration. His score for the musical West Side Story is a fine
example of how jazz has permeated many aspects of American music, including musical
theater. Following Stravinskys example, Bernstein accepted a 1949 commission from jazz
clarinetist and bandleader Woody Herman to create his Prelude, Fugue and Riffs. While it
clearlyshowstheinfluenceof jazzrhythmsandis indebtedtothe freespiritedimprovisatory
natureofjazz,Bernsteinsworkdoesnotmakeuseofthewiderangeofpossibilitiesavailable
inthejazz orchestra.Thispiece, likeso many othersby classicalcomposersuptothispoint,
resembles more closely a traditional wind ensemble piece written in a jazz style featuring a
clarinetsoloisttrained injazz.Thepiece isoftenreferredtoasawritten outjamsession,and
consequentlyitlendsitselfwelltoperformancesbynonjazzclarinetists.
THIRDSTREAMJAZZ
The factthatsignificant jazzand classicalcomposers aswellasperformers likeMilesDavis,
J. J. Johnson, John Lewis, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Gunther Schuller were
attractedtotheideaofmergingcertainaspectsofthejazztraditionwithclassicalcomposition
techniquesandinstrumentationslendscredibilitytothethirdstreamjazzmovement.Whilethe
product ofthis movement inthe midandlate1950sthrough early1960swas notparticularly
attractive to the general public, nor for that matter to many of the jazz musicians, it was a
movement that has endured, had lasting influence, and gained some momentum as time
passed. The most definitive recording of works in the thirdstream style was produced by
Columbia Records in two 1950s recordingsMusic for Brass (1956) and Modern Jazz
Concert(1957)thatfeaturedacollectionoffourcompositionscommissionedforpremierat
Chapter17TheRelationshipofJazztoWesternClassicalMusic 5
TheModernJazzQuartetcirca1956LR:bassistPercyHeath,
drummerConnieKay,pianistJohnLewis,andvibraphonistMilt
Jackson.
BrandeisUniversitysFestivaloftheArts.Compositionsfromthesetworecordingswerelater
included in an LP compilation entitled Outstanding Jazz Compositions of the 20th Century.
The recording fell out of print for many years until the longawaited reissue by Columbia on
compact disc entitled appropriately The Birth of Third Stream. These landmark recordings,
which serve to document the work of crossover composers J. J. Johnson, Gunther Schuller,
John Lewis, 12tone serial composer Milton Babbit (omitted from the most recent reissue),
CharlesMingus,DukeEllington,andGeorgeRussell,representthewiderangeofpossibilities
for composers who are open to the influences of both music styles. It was Schuller, a true
Renaissance man in this age of specialization, who participated in the movement and coined
the term third stream to describe it. As European classical art music is labeled the first
stream,Americanjazzthesecond,thetermthirdstreamseemedappropriatetodescribeastyle
of music that combined elements of both traditions. It was a logical direction for jazz
composers to pursue, since by the late 1950s jazz had developed a strong tradition with an
identity and repertoire that could now withstand the risk of affiliations with the music from
whichitsfoundershadinitiallysought distance.JazzpianistcomposerJohnLewis described
it as a hybrid, while Schuller used the term to include music that attempts to fuse the
essentialcharacteristics ofjazzandsocalled classicalmusic.
4
Whilethirdstreamjazz was
far more structured and organized from the compositional standpoint than any other style of
jazz, composers who work in this style seek to create pieces that present the illusion or
impressionofspontaneitythatissoessentialtogoodjazz.Theproblemthesecomposersfaced
was in creating music that, on one hand, was tightly controlled while also allowing the
important elements of jazzrhythmic vitality, spontaneity and the essential element of
improvisation to rule. As many of the pieces from the heart of this period show, this union
wasatallorderandonethatoftenwentunsatisfied.Consequently,muchoftheoriginalmusic
labeledthirdstreamwasnotwellreceivedbyeitherthejazzaudienceortheclassicalcrowd.
InSchullers own words:Afairamount ofcontroversy did,ofcourse,surroundthis kind of
music in the 1950s and early 1960s, primarily in the professional magazines and journals.
Greatfearswereexpressedonbothsidesofthestylisticfencethat,incomingtogether,thetwo
musicswouldseriouslydamageeachother.Jazzcriticswereworriedthatthespontaneityof
jazz would be severely affected with alleged stiffness, straightness, abstractnesswhat
was deemed the academicism of modern classical music. Conversely, critics on the
classical side either considered these experiments as simplistic and nave, or were
concerned that the sacred precincts of modern music would be contaminated by the populist
vulgaritiesand/orsimplemindednessofjazz.
5
Some of the best work found on the
aforementionedColumbiarecordingarethosepiecesby
Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ) pianist John Lewis,
composer/conductor/author Gunther Schuller, bebop
trombonist J. J. Johnson, classical composer Milton
Babbitt who contributed the 12tone piece All Set,
GeorgeRussell,andofcourseDukeEllington.
John Lewis as composer and musical director of
the popular MJQ is considered one of the most
convincing leaders of the third stream movement. The
MJQdidmorethananyorganizedgrouptopromotethis
movement, no doubt because of its commitment to the
cool,restrainedstyleofjazzandLewisseducationin
classical composition techniques. It was then a natural
marriage of style for the MJQ personnel. Their initial
recording in this vein, MJQ and Orchestra, featured
works by Lewis, French composer/author Andr Hodeir, Werner Heiders Divertimento,
and Schullers adventuresome threemovement Concertino for Jazz Quartet and Orchestra.
HodeirhadstudiedattheParisConservatorywithOliverMessiaen,whiletheGermanHeider
6 Chapter17TheRelationshipof JazztoWesternClassicalMusic
MilesDaviswitharrangerGilEvansinarecording
sessioncirca1955.
encountered jazz as a member of GI combos during the war years. He later worked as an
arranger for German radio orchestras. Some years later in 1987, the quartet issued Three
WindowsfeaturingitscollaborationwiththeNewYorkChamberSymphonyforwhichLewis
functionedascomposer,conductor,andpianist.
As is the case with many new movements in art, Father Time is often kinder than are
contemporarycritics,andadventuresome effortsbecame more widelyacceptedandrespected
as time passed. The marriage of classical music and jazz in this third stream tradition is an
example of just such a development, for more recent efforts, though not often labeled third
stream, have become more widely accepted as composers learn how best to marry what on
thesurfaceappearstobetwopolaropposites.
JAZZINTERPRETATIONSOFCLASSICALSCORES
Just as classical composers were drawn to jazz by its unique instrumentations, brass mutes,
and rhythmic syncopations, jazz composers, arrangers, and performers have been drawn to
classicalrepertoireforitstechnicalchallengesandforharmonicandstructuralinspiration.For
example, virtuoso pianist Art Tatum recorded his owninterpretations of Massenets Elegie
and Dvoraks Humoresque in the 1930s. The Swing Era gave way to several
reinterpretations of classical works by big bands. Tommy Dorseys version of Rimsky
Korsakovs Song of India was a popular hit. Innovative big band leader Claude Thornhill,
who in many ways was influential in the formation of the Miles Davis Birth of the Cool
ensemble,hadapenchantforadaptingandtransformingclassicalscorestoajazzsetting.For
example, Thornhill adapted Brahams Hungarian Dance #5 in 1941.
Shortlyafterthewar,GilEvans,whileservingasarrangerforthe more
modern Thornhill band, followed suit and penned an arrangement of
TchaikovskysArabDance.Evansslater work withMilesDavisled
to his stirring arrangement of the Rodrigos Concierto de Aranjuez
(originally for guitar and orchestra) and Gershwins opera Porgy and
Bess, two collaborations that constitute landmark works for both the
arrangerandperformer.
Even Duke Ellington, who rarely performed works by other
composersotherthanhiscollaboratorBillyStrayhorn,createdswinging
versionsofPeterTchaikovskysNutcrackerSuiteandthePeerGynt
Suites No. 1 & 2 by Anton Grieg. Stan Kenton, the progressive big
band leader who emerged in the late 1940s, maintained a cuttingedge
big band for 38 years that recorded a muchmaligned version of
WagnerianoperaticworksincludingPreludetoTristanandIsoldeand
thePreludestoActsIandIIIofLohengrin.ThiswasnotKentonsonly
forayintotheareaofwhat manyreferredtoasprogressive orchestral
jazz. The Kenton band collaborated with several adventuresome
composers to premier new works in a crossover style. His 1951
recordingofBobGraettingersmultimovementCityofGlassrecording
by his Innovations in Modern Music orchestra is now considered a
seminal work. Kentons Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra over a
decade later premiered new compositions by Hollywood television and
film composers who had roots in jazz. This outstanding recording, featuring unusual
amalgamationsofjazz,film,andclassicalmusicstyles,hasbeenrecentlyreissuedandiscited
intheselectedlistofrecordingsatthecloseofthischapter.
The standard big band instrumentation of five saxophones, four trumpets, three or four
trombonesandthreeorfourrhythmwastheclassicbigbandmodelduringtheSwingEraand
wasconsideredbymosttobethebestvehicleforthepresentationofpopulardancemusic.On
the otherhand, morecontemporarybigband leaders likeStanKenton,EddieSauter,andBill
Finegan expanded their bands instrumentation to provide unique and unusual orchestrations
Chapter17TheRelationshipofJazztoWesternClassicalMusic 7
StanKentonandhis
innovativeorchestra.
thatdepartedradicallyfromthestereotypical dancebandtradition.WhileSauterandFinegan
had donetimeasarrangerswithpopularswingbands beforestartingtheirown,bothshareda
penchant for more adventuresome jazz and were interested in classical music. Their
arrangements ofclassicalpiecesbyBeethoven(MoonlightSonataFinegan),Tchaikovsky
(Tchaikovsky Piano ConcertoFinegan), and Prokofiev (which SauterFinegan based on
Troika from the Lieutenant Kij Suite) placed the SauterFinegan Band in a unique
categoryalmostallitsown.
The BoydRaeburnbigbandconfused dance crowds withits modernarrangementsthat
were often influenced by a mix of European concert music and bebop. The use of French
horns and seven woodwinds was highly unusual. The bands short career from 1944 to 1948
was no doubt due in part to its unpopular repertoire that did not invite dancing, like Boyd
Meets Stravinsky. For that matter, by thelate 1940s even swing dance bands had begun to
losethewidespreadappealtheyhadenjoyedadecadeearlier.
Critics on both sides of the fence took issue with many of these efforts, particularly
those that reshaped masterworks from the classical repertoire to suite the jazz audience. The
classical music crowd felt it was sacrilegious to tamper with these great masterworks, while
thejazzcriticsfelttheseexperimentingartistshadabandonedthejazztraditionandeverything
it stood for. They were accused of trivializing great works of art and tainting them with the
vulgar,vernacularstreetlanguageofjazz.Somefeltthattheseeffortsonlyconfirmedthatjazz
performers were once again attempting to elevate themselves and their music from its low
brow standing by appropriating highbrow works of art already accepted by the
intelligencia.Undauntedbytheircritics,jazzbandleadersandcomposerscontinuedtotamper
with the classical repertoire, lending their own measure of jazz in each new rendition. For
example, in the 1960s, the European vocal group the Swingle Singers recorded with a jazz
rhythmsectiontheirownwordless,scatsungversionsofworksbyMozartandBach.
Spurred by the success of the Stanley Kubrick film 2001, Latin American
composer/arranger Eumir Deodato created a popular adaptation of Richard Strausss Also
Sprach Zarathustra. This same selftitled LP featured famed jazz and studio flutist Hubert
Laws in Deodatos rendition of Claude Debussys Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.
Deodatos followup recording, Deodato 2, included adaptations of Gershwins Rhapsody
in Blue and Maurice Ravels Pavane for a Dead Princess. In each case the music was
impeccably played and beautifully recorded on Creed Taylors now defunct CTI label, a
popular home in the 1970s for beautifully produced studio jazz recordings featuring some of
New Yorks finest jazz and studio recording musicians. Jazz and film composer Bob James
8 Chapter17TheRelationshipof JazztoWesternClassicalMusic
Thereare manyjazzworksclassifiedasThirdstreamthatutilizea
fullsymphonyorchestra.
followed Deodatos lead with his recorded
version of Modeste Moussorgskys Night on
Bald Mountain. This same recording featured
his adaptation of Pachelbels famous Cannon
in D. While not original compositions, these
works in their own way brought together two
divergent styles and introduced a new musical
vocabulary to the jazz composer, performer,
andlistener.
CTI producer Creed Taylor capitalized
that same year on the success of the 1973
Deodato recordings by issuing Don Sebeskys
GiantBox,atworecordset.Sebesky,aformer
Maynard Ferguson big band sideman and
arranger, created a stir among jazz composers
by borrowing excerpts of Stravinskys ballet
score the Firebird Suite for his recreation
entitled Birds of Fire. Also included on the
GiantBoxisSebeskysarrangement ofSergeiRachmaninoffsVocalise.Six yearslaterhe
released another doubleLP entitledThree Works for Jazz Soloists and Symphony Orchestra.
Once again Stravinskys music served as Sebeskys inspiration. This time he reconstructed
Stravinskys The Rites of Spring, using its essential ingredients as a basis to recompose a
new work that would serve as a springboard for a parade of exceptional jazz soloists. Also
included in this finerecording is his original opus Concerto for Bird and Bela in Bb, self
described as a musical account of an imaginary meeting between Charlie Bird Parker and
BelaBartkintheformofaConcertoforJazzQuintetandOrchestrainthekeyofBb.
6
Itis
conventional in terms of the concerto formula that features three movements. The Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra and jazz soloists Jon Faddis, trumpet Alex Foster, alto saxophone
GordonBeck,pianoRichardDavis,bassandJimmyMadison,drums,areoutstandingonthis
important recording. The final track included on this LP is the melodically sensuous
SebastianssThemewhichSebeskycreditstoJ.S.Bachforinspiration.
Other jazz composers who started their careers during the big band and bebop eras but
moved on to embrace classical forms and instrumentations include Manny Albam and Lalo
Schifrinamongothers.Bothofthesecomposershavecomposedmultimovementworksinthe
jazz style, written for film, and utilized string orchestras. Albams more recent work can be
heard on saxophonist Joe Lovanos Celebrating Sinatra recording. He also contributed an
orchestral jazz work to Jack Elliots American Jazz Philharmonic. Following his
apprenticeship as Dizzy Gillespies pianist, Schifrin established a career as a film and
television composer with his most well know work being the TV series Mission Impossible.
His bestknown concert jazz work is Gillespiana, a multimovement work composed to
feature Dizzy Gillespie and his quintet. This recording and others by Albam, J. J. Johnson,
Schuller,andSchifrinareincludedinthediscographyatthecloseofthischapter.
JAZZANDFILMMUSIC
The efforts to marry jazz with classical music, either through the process of recomposing
masterworks or creating new works in the classical image, were encouraged by two
motivatingforces.Onewassimplythejazzcomposersneedforselfimprovement,muchlike
thespiritthatinfluencedyoungjazzperformersattheendofthebigbandSwingEratomove
jazzinanew directionthatwouldpresent differentchallengestobothperformerand listener.
The otherforceatwork inthe1960sand1970s wasthe desireforjazzcomposerstobecome
active in Hollywood film and television circles. The lure of the film and television industry
wasgreatespeciallyforthejazzcomposerwho,followingthedemiseofthebigbandera,saw
Chapter17TheRelationshipofJazztoWesternClassicalMusic 9
few outlets that would provide fame, fortune, and at the very least a steady income.
Consequently,manylookedtobroadentheirrangeofskillsascomposersandarrangers.Jazz
influencedscoresmarriedwelltofilmsincetheverynatureofjazzoftenconveysawiderange
of emotions and moods, and, as a reflection of popular culture, were useful in establishing
certain period scenes. Jazz can be very programmatic in nature, as demonstrated numerous
timesbyDukeEllington,andthisattributeattractedmanyfilmproducerstothemusic.Have
you ever seen a sultry scene from a thriller or detective story that doesnt feature a bluesy,
sultry,smoky,seductive,andsensuoussaxophonesolo?
Those composers who first introduced jazz to the cinema and television were Duke
Ellington (Asphalt Jungle, Paris Blues and Anatomy of a Murder), Elmer Bernstein with his
jazzscoretothefilm TheManwiththeGoldenArm,andHenryManciniwithhisscoreforthe
TV program series Peter Gunn. Neither Mancini nor Bernstein can be considered real jazz
composers,buttheirsuccessservedtoencouragejazzcomposersandlurethemtoHollywood.
Two such composers were bebop trombonist J. J. Johnson and saxophonist Oliver Nelson.
Nelson contributed several important jazz recordings in the 1960s including Blues and the
Abstract Truth and numerous recordings featuring jazz organist Jimmy Smith. Like Duke
Ellington,manyofNelsonsscores,oratleasttheirtitles,showedhiscommitmenttotheequal
rights movement and the AfricanAmerican race in general. Emancipation Blues and
Black,BrownandBeautiful(EllingtoncomposedBlack,Brown,andBeige)serveasgood
examples of his use of the Ellingtonian model. Nelson also created several multimovement
suites,againfollowingintheElllingtontradition.His most well know istheJazzhattanSuite
recorded on the Verve label. Nelson became a successful film and television composer
supplying an exceptional score featuring Sonny Rollins for the movie Alfie as well as music
for the television series Ironsides featuring actor Raymond Burr. J.J.Johnson, an important
bebop trombone innovator, became very involved in the initial third stream movement along
with Schuller. Johnson subsequently served as composer, arranger, and orchestrator in
HollywoodformanyfilmsandTVshows.Hismostnotedmultimovementjazzconcertwork,
aside from his third stream Poem [Suite] For Brass is Perceptions, written to feature Dizzy
Gillespie.
MODERNJAZZARTISTSEMBRACECLASSICALMUSIC
PerhapsnojazzartisthasdonemoretoelevatejazztoconcertstatusthanDukeEllington(see
Chapter7).Ellingtons effortsintheform of numerous multimovementsuites for jazzband,
sacred works for big band, chorus and soloists, film scores, musicals, and ballet (The River
premiered by the Alvin Ailey Dance Company) established models that illustrated how jazz
could be presented in a more serious light and how certain aspects of the classical tradition
could be merged with jazz. Jazz pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams (see Chapter 8)
created The Zodiac Suite, which was originally conceived for trio and solo piano, later
served as the inspiration for the full orchestral version premiered in part at New Yorks
prestigiousCarnegieHall.ItwasperformedinitsentiretyatNewYorksTownHallin1946.
These first modern jazz composers laid the groundwork for the postmoderns who followed,
creating in some cases works that have remained relatively obscure. For example, German
composer Rolf Liebermans Concerto for Jazz Band and Orchestra remains a rarely
performed work. The Chicago Symphony who joined forces with the Sauter/Finegan
Orchestra recorded it for the RCA label. In addition to Liebermans demanding 12tone
influencedscore,therecordingfeaturedotherworksbyinnovativecomposerEddieSauterand
Bill Finegan. As the notes that accompany this recording suggest, the SauterFinegan
Orchestrawasthestandardbearerofanavantgardeandintellectualformofjazzthatwentfar
beyond the jazz forms known as New Orleans, Kansas City, Chicago, and bebop.
Premiered by conductor Fritz Reiner at Chicagos Orchestra Hall in 1954, the United Press
reviewed the performance, reporting A mixed crowd of hepcats and classicists heard a
cacophonous explosion and voiced their approval by giving Reiner and his orchestra one of
10 Chapter17TheRelationshipof JazztoWesternClassicalMusic
Theconductorplaysaparamountroleinclassical
musicperformances.Rarelyisthisthecaseinjazz.
However,largescalecompositionsintheThirdstream
styleoftenofferanexceptiontothisform.
thelongestovationseverheardonSymphonyNightinOrchestraHall.
7
Thecomposersaid
that his concerto was an attempt to bring current dance music into art music. Lieberman
stressed that dance had always been closely intertwined with the developments of European
classical music as was the case in modern American culture, but the instrumentations and
performance practices differed radically. Lieberman said that: These considerations forced
me to use two specialized orchestras [in his Concerto]. Toward the end of the nineteenth
century art music lost contact with the practical dance music of the day. Twentieth Century
symphonic music, which was so closely bound to music for practical use, has become
completely emancipated [from dance]. Liebermann went on to analyze his work: Three
classical jazz forms were used: the jump, theblues, and theboogiewoogie. Since these
dances are all in 4/4 time, the interludes of the symphony orchestra were largely built on
irregularmeters(3,5,7,9).Inthe endthetwo orchestrascometogetherintheSouthAmerican
dance rhythm of the mambo.
8
Ironically, and despite the apparent favorable reception of
Liebermannsinnovativeconcerto,ithashadfewperformancessinceitspremier.
Jazz composer and theorist George Russell has managed to create a body of work
throughout his lifetime that transcends the traditional. He has refused to conform to either
standard jazz or European classical traditions. His first major effort as a jazz composer was
commissioned by Dizzy Gillespie and he scored CubanoBe, Cubano Bop for Gillespies
Cubopbigbandofthemid1940s.Russellsharmonicandrhythmiclanguageinthispieceis
unencumbered by the prior jazz tradition and in fact reflects a great deal of classical
influences. Russells A Bird in Igors Yard makes obvious reference to Charlie Bird
ParkerandIgorStravinsky.Russellssubsequenteffortsasacomposerwerelargelytheresult
of his major treatise on jazz theory that he described as his Lydian Chromatic Concept of
Tonal Organization. While there have been many published books about the theories of
music relating to classical music, this treatise represents the first effort on the part of a jazz
personality to articulate newconcepts and precepts about the nature of music and the way it
can be organized for a jazz setting. Russells Concerto for Billy the Kid, which featured
pianist Bill Evans ina stunning performance, and his threemovement suiteAll About Rosie,
which was commissioned by the Brandeis Festival, are all concrete
examples of theapplications of thetheories presented in his Lydian
chromatictheoreticaltreatise.
Since the 1960s, many jazz artists came to jazz following a
wellgrounded education on their instruments in the classical
tradition. It is no surprise then that more and more artists began to
fulfill dreams that included performing classical repertoire with
orchestras, or partnering with composers who have created new
works in a crossover style. While Artie Shaw, Charlie Parker, and
Clifford Brown had recorded with string and chamber groups, the
musictheyrecorded waslittlemorethanpopstandardsarranged for
an ensemble of classical musicians that allowed for brief
improvisations. Pianist Bill Evans is a good example of the next
generation of more classically trained jazz musicians that followed
and whose work constituted a more complete melding of styles. He
began a relationship with composer/conductor Claus Ogerman in
1966whenherecordedOgermansadaptationsofclassicalworksfor
piano and orchestra. Their recording included arranged works by
Scriabin, Faure, Bach, Chopin, and Granados. In 1974 Evans and
OgermanwerereunitedtorecordOgermansSymbiosiscomposedto
featureEvansstrio witha large orchestraofstringsandNew York
based studio wind players well versed in the jazz tradition. At first
listenings the work provides a riveting, freshs and extremely
captivating experience, though further listening sessions reveal its
unevenness over the course of two lengthy movements. Evans is
Chapter17TheRelationshipofJazztoWesternClassicalMusic 11
featured on both acoustic and electric pianoa trendy instrument in the 1970s. Despite its
flaws,Ogermannsworkcameonestepclosertorealizingamoreamicablemarriagebetween
thejazzandclassicaltraditions.
Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, associated with the Cool and Bop styles of jazz, was
featured soloist on an innovative suite of works for strings, bass,and drums createdfor Getz
by Eddie Sauter. The suite, entitled Focus, was recorded on the Verve label in 1961 by an
underrehearsedstringensembleincludingtheBeauxArtsStringQuartetwithRoyHayneson
drums and featuring Getz in obbligato improvisations. Sauter provided Getz with only
abbreviated sketches of the orchestral scores to use as a basis for his improvisations. The
result is exceptional and should be required listening for this chapter despite the poorly
rehearsed orchestra. The opening movement, Im Late, Im Late, is an obvious homage to
Stravinsky,whoexertedagreatinfluenceonjazzcomposersandperformersfromthiseraand
fordecadestofollow.
It would be remiss not to mention the efforts by pianist/composer Dave Brubeck.
Brubeck, who studied composition with Darius Milhaud in the 1940s considers himself a
composer who happens to play the piano. The press has focused primarily on his work as
leader of the popular jazz quartet, though his classical background in composition is obvious
when one considers his entire output. Brubeck has composed ballets, a musical, an oratorio,
four cantatas, a mass, and various works for jazz quartet and orchestra. His most widely
performedworksfromthiscatalogarethoseofreligiousnature.
The German ECM record label founded in the 1970s and discussed in some detail in
Chapter14didmuchtoencourageandenhancethecareersofAmericancrossoverjazzartists
who coupled jazz with various aspects of the European classical traditions as well as with
world music.Perhapsthe labels mostsuccessfulartistinthisregard wasKeithJarrettwhose
solo piano recordings established him as a major force in the 1970s. The success of these
recordings led to further recordings featuring his compositions for various instrumentations
fromsmallchamberensemblestofullorchestra.Whileimprovisationwasoftenoneaspectof
these Jarrett pieces, it is often difficult to classify them as jazz. His ECM recordings In the
Cave, Luminescence, with the Stuttgart Philharmonic, and AbourZena defy
categorization or stylistic classification and labels. In addition, he has also performed and
recordedclassicalrepertoireandimprovisationsonharpsichordandorgan.
The 1970s, while remembered as the decade when acoustic jazz was forgotten, did in
fact foster a number of experimental and nonelectric jazz excursions, including one that
combined both elements. Apocalypse, released by Columbia Records in 1974, featured an
unusual combination of the electrified Mahavishnu Orchestra with the London Symphony
Orchestra under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas. This recording brings together the
electrifying fusion sounds of John McLaughlins influential highenergy, jazzfusion group
(Mahavishnu)andthetraditionalorchestrawithorchestrationsbyMichaelGibbs.Themusicis
areflectionoftheseventiesasitisbothfreneticandmeditative.Theoddmetersthatdeviated
fromthetraditional4/4or3/4timesignatureswerealsoindicative ofthetimes.Forexample,
trumpet player/composer Don Ellis, who fused strings with his big band to explore not only
oddmeters but also music of world cultures, used a specially designed trumpet capable of
playing quartertones. This trumpet gave him the capability of adding 12 more pitches to the
traditional12tonechromaticscale.Ellissrecordingsgeneratedmuchmoreattentionthanthe
aforementioned Mahavishnu orchestral recording, which was unfortunate since Gibbs effort
tobringtogethertwoseeminglydiversemusicgenreswasquitesuccessful.
Pianist/composer Roger Kellaway studied piano and composition at the New England
Conservatory.FollowinghisstudiesatNECheperformedwithmainstreamjazzgroupsledby
artists such as saxophonists Al Cohn and Zoot Simms and brass men Clark Terry and Bob
Brookmeyer. Later he enjoyed a successful career in Hollywood composing for film and
television. In 1971 he was commissioned by George Balanchine to create a ballet score
(PAMTGG). During this same decade he premiered Portraits of Time with the Los Angeles
12 Chapter17TheRelationshipof JazztoWesternClassicalMusic
PhilharmonicandheformedthesuccessfulCelloQuartet.Consistingofpiano,bass,cello,and
percussion,KellawaysCelloQuartetfeaturedaninterestingblend of improvisation,classical
composition techniques, and an unusual instrumentation. It is therefore apparent that the
seventies was not without a number of interesting experiments in jazz composition, which
intermingled aspects of both music worlds in an effort to create a final product that was
neither.
Avantgarde composers such as Cecil Taylor, Ornette Coleman, and Anthony Braxton
have also contributed works that defy classification and fuse elements of jazz and
contemporary classical music. In each case, these composer/performers utilized some
instruments not typically associated with the jazz style and required these performers to be
familiar with jazz performance practices and the art of free improvisation. While they may
requiretheperformerstoimproviseandstepoutoftheirtraditionalclassicalorjazzroles,their
music often utilizes some instruments associated with the jazz style and requires performers
familiar with jazz performance practices. Ornette Colemans historic Skies of America for
full orchestra is just such a work. Anthony Braxton, who has moved freely in both
contemporary classical and jazz circles, has even composed a lengthy opera. His Creative
Orchestra Music 1976, an excerpt of which is included on the accompanying anthology, is
oneofthemostoutstandingandinnovativerecordingsfromthe1970sandstandsasevidence
thatmuchstillremainstobeaccomplishedwiththebigband.
JAZZPLAYERSWHOPERFORMCLASSICALMUSIC
Benny Goodman was perhaps one of the first, if not the first jazz musician to show that
versatility could be a virtue and that jazz musicians were capable of performing classical
music,ifproperlytrained.Manyhavefollowedhisleadandsomeoftheseeffortshavealready
been sited. It is worth adding several additional performers to a growing list of crossover
artists, no doubt the result of university and conservatory programs around the country that
have embraced jazz. For example, Keith Jarrett, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock are
exceptionally welltrained classical pianists. Corea recorded a Mozart concert work with the
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra with contemporary vocal wizard Bobby McFerrin conducting.
McFerrin,acrossoverperformerwho hasenjoyeda multifacetedcareerasauniquelygifted,
improvising vocalist and orchestra conductor, is a contemporary artist who defies
categorization.Asavocalist,he oftenperformsacapella withawiderangingrepertoirefrom
Bach to contemporary pop and jazz. Clarinetist Eddie Daniels, another wellschooled
performer,gaveupthetenorsaxophonetoactivelypursuehiscareerasaclarinetistatatime
when few wanted to hear jazz played on an instrument that had fallen out of favor with
musicians and listeners following the close of the swing era. He is an incredible musician
whoseBreakthroughrecordingontheGRPlabelleavesnoroomfordoubtabouthisability
to travel comfortably in classical and jazz circles. On this recording he presents rearranged
works by J. S. and C. P. E. Bach and contemporary Italian composer Jorge Calandrelli who
contributed his Concerto for Jazz Clarinet and Orchestra to the session. The orchestral
arrangements showcased on this recording are stellar, as is Danielss unbelievable technical
commandofhisinstrumentandliquidtonefromregistertoregister.
TheMarsalisbrothershavealso each venturedintothearea ofclassical music,Wynton
being the most successful and chalking up Grammy awards the same year for both jazz and
classical recordings. No other jazz artist has ever received this distinction. His collaborations
with operasoloistKathleen Battlearealso memorable.Brother Branford contributed his own
recordingofclassicalworksfeaturingthesopranosaxophoneonhisCDRomances.
Chapter17TheRelationshipofJazztoWesternClassicalMusic 13
CURRENTEVENTINMODERNTIMES
Ahandfulofyoungandsomeseasonedfootsoldiersarestillcomposingforthejazzorchestra,
breathing new life into the nearly forgotten big band medium. Composers such as Vince
Mendoza, Maria Schneider, Bob Brookmeyer, Jim McNeely, and Jeff Beal have provided
evidence that there is still life in this old medium. In particular, Vince Mendozas Epiphany
featuringtheLondonPhilharmonicOrchestraandanimpressivecastofAmericanjazzsoloists
offersalesson in howbestto mergethesetwo divergentartforms.Whilethisrecording may
have gone nearly unnoticed, his subsequent partnership with Joni Mitchell was recognized
with a Grammy award for elegant orchestrations of standards. Maria Schneiders recent big
band recordings Allegresse andConcert in theGarden deserve mention here also because of
the groundbreaking scores that lead the listener to imagine a much larger, more orchestral
ensemble than what is actually present. Inspired by collaborations with dancers, her music
often implies dancelike gestures and scenic panoramas. Schneider has reinvented the jazz
orchestra and navigated an entirely new course for this medium. Brookmeyer and McNeely
also have shown that composition techniques borrowed from the classical world have useful
applications to the big band format. Jeff Beal has composed for the famed Netherlands
Metropole Orchestra (for which Mendoza serves as resident guest conductor) among others
and contributed the score for the recent Oscar winning film Pollack. Several of these
composers' best works are included in the discography at the close of this chapter. In every
case, these contemporary jazz composers have all broken away from shopworn forms
developed by Swing Era writers and conquered the problem of creating lengthy, episodic
works for the big band. Much of their work is done in Europe where great respect for these
AmericanpioneersislogicalsincethisnewmusicisoftenfraughtwithEuropeaninfluences.
In the early years, the organization of a jazz concert where audiences were required to
listeninsteadofdanceorsocializeatthebarwasinitselfnosmallaccomplishment.Earlypre
jazzartistJamesReeseEuropeorganizedsuchaconcertatCarnegieHallin1912andwasno
doubt the first to lay claim to this accomplishment. Benny Goodmans famed 1938 Carnegie
Hall performance, which he called From Spirituals to Swing, gave even more credence to
theideaofpresentingjazzinawellrespectedconcertvenue.Thisperformancealsodidmuch
to advance the notion that jazz had a traceable history and had evolved from a welldefined
traditioninAmerica.VenueslikeCarnegieHall,AeolianHall,ChicagosOrchestraHall,and
later Lincoln Center were considered hallowed halls for the recreation of European
masterworks,butnowinthetwentyfirstcentury,theseoldattitudeshavedeterioratedbecause
of the earlier efforts of jazz and classical artists. We now see classical artists such as
conductor/pianistDanielBarenboimcollaboratingwithmembersofhisChicagoSymphonyin
renditionsofEllingtonclassics.NotedclassicalclarinetistRichardStoltzmanhasadmittedthat
he enjoys if not aspires to be a jazzer. He was, therefore, the natural choice to collaborate
with Woody Hermans contemporary big band to recreate Stravinskys Ebony Concerto in
1987.OperadivaReneFlemmingworkedherwaythroughcollegesinging scatinlocalclubs
and now sees this background as a distinct advantage in her interpretation of Baroque
repertoire that requires elaborate ornamentations.
9
Europes greatest composers through the
seventeenth,eighteenthandnineteenthcenturiesoftenwereconvincingimprovisers,andtheir
music frequently reflected the folk, religious, and dance music of the day. It is interesting to
observecontemporaryjazz musiciansbeingdrawntothis estheticandtheclassicalrepertoire
whileclassicalmusiciansarelured backtotheearliertraditionofimprovisation.
Perhaps no composer has done more to develop a jazzlike repertoire for the classical
musician in the latter part of the twentieth century than Claude Bolling. This contemporary
French jazz pianist and film composer has, in the past several decades, produced a steady
output of crossover pieces that combine the skills of a classically trained soloist and his jazz
pianotrio.Eachworkhasbeenrecordedandpublishedwiththefirstsuccessestablishedbyhis
SuiteforFluteandJazzPianorecordedbytherenownedclassicalflutistJeanPierreRampal
in 1975. The success of this piece encouraged a second suite for the same instrumentation
along with similar showcases for trumpet (Toot Suite), violin (Suite for Violin and Jazz
14 Chapter17TheRelationshipof JazztoWesternClassicalMusic
PianoTrio),andcello(SuiteforCelloandJazzPianoTrio)whichwasrecordedbyYoYo
Ma, and the Concerto for Guitar and Jazz Piano. These pieces offer very little if any
opportunityforimprovisationonthepartofthesoloistandmostofthejazzisleftuptothe
trio of piano, bass, and drums. These pieces are, nevertheless, performed frequently when
classicalartistswishtoprovidesomevariety.
On the other side of the collapsing fence that once served as a real boundary between
jazz and classical music, jazz players schooledin the classical tradition are adding their own
entretothetwentyfirstcenturymenu.Nowthatthereisanestablishedtraditionofjazzbeing
performed in thesame settings as European concert music, jazz artists likeWynton Marsalis
andJonFaddisformedallianceswiththeLincolnCenterandCarnegieHall.WyntonMarsalis
is conductor of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, which offers a full subscription season
much likesymphony orchestrasandspendsa good many weeksayeartouring.Marsalisalso
serves as the program coordinator for Jazz at Lincoln Center, a concert series dedicated to
promotingjazzattheCenter.FaddisledtheCarnegie HallJazzOrchestra,dedicatednotonly
to commissioning and premiering new works, but also presents new renditions of older jazz
standardsfromtherepertoire.Unfortunately,thiswasashortlivedeffort.
American contemporary jazz pianist Uri Caine, trained in the European classical
tradition, has been very successful at erasing boundaries. His recordings of deconstructed,
rearranged masterworks have caught the eye of listeners and critics. One such project
producedatwoCDreworkingofworksbyGustavMahlerentitledGustavMahlerinToblach.
Caine has also tackled works by Robert Schumann (Love and Fugue: Robert Schumann),
Richard Wagner (Wagner e Venezia), and most recently Bachs enigmatic Goldberg
Variations. As was the case with earlier remakes of classical works, Caine's work has not
gone without its critics, yet the music world seems more open now to the crosspollination
process,hopefulthattheresultswillrejuvenatemusicfortwentyfirstcentury.
The ongoing controversy that surrounds the merging of jazz and classical music will
continue, as it has since Paul Whiteman first combined street music with the respectable
orchestra but controversy is good and often prompts further experimentation, pushing
boundaries and challenging performers and composers to achieve new heights. The future of
jazzmayinfactrestonnewwaystofoldotherstylesofmusicintoitself,creatingnewsounds
thatchallengelistenersandperformers.Jazzhastraveledmuchgroundsinceitsbirthonlyone
centuryagoand willcontinuerevitalizationbyabsorbingandreflecting othertypes of music.
Thereisnoreasonwhyclassicalmusiccannotbeonesuchsourcefornewinspiration.Forthat
matter, in this twentyfirst century, what is classical music? It may be that the best result of
new collaborations and hybrid mixes will resemble neither classical music nor jazz, but
somethingalltogetherdifferentandbeidentifiedassimplyAmericanmusic.
Chapter17TheRelationshipofJazztoWesternClassicalMusic 15 Chapter17TheRelationshipofJazztoWesternClassicalMusic
SELECTEDDISCOGRAPHY
AmericanJazzPhilharmonic
GRP
GRD9730
EddieDaniels:Breakthrough
GRP
GRPD9533
TheBestofClaudeThornhill
Columbia
CK46152
Stravinsky/MilhaudWoody
Herman&Orchestra
Everest
EVC9049
MaryLouWilliams:TheZodiac
Suite
VintageJazzClassics
VJC1035
JamesP.Johnson:Victory
Stride
MusicMastersClassics
01612671402
StanGetzFocus
Verve
8219822
BillEvansTrio:WithSymphony
Orchestra
Verve
8219832
BillEvansSymbiosis
Verve
3145233812
DukeEllington:ThreeSuites
Columbia
CK46825
ArtTatum
BestofJazz
4022
StanKentonCityofGlassby
BobGraettinger
CapitolJazz
724383208425
Stan KentonConductstheLos
AngelesNeophonicOrchestra
CapitolJazz
CDP724349450226
Liebermann:ConcertoforJazz
BandandSymphonyOrchestra
RCAGoldSeal
AGL13882
R.Lieberman,I.Stravinsky,D.
Ellington:JazzConcerto
ArkadiaAK145.1
DonSebesky: ThreeWorksfor
JazzBandSoloistsand
SymphonyOrchestra
DCCJazz
DJZ639
GeorgeRussell:Jazzinthe
SpaceAge
MCARecords
MCA24017
TheSwingleSingers:Anyone
forMozart
Philips
PHS600149
PreludeDeodato
CTI
CTI6021
Deodato2
CTI
CTI6029
DonSebeskyGiantBox
CTI
CTX6031/32
ThreeWindows:TheModern
JazzQuartetwiththeNewYork
ChamberSymphony
AtlanticJazz
81761
TheModernJazzQuartetand
Orchestra
Atlantic
1359
Ebony:RichardStoltzman&
WoodyHermansThundering
Herd
RCAVictor64862RC
TheBirthofThirdStream
ColumbiaCK64929
RussellGarciasVariationsfor
Flugelhorn,StringQuartet,
Bass,andDrums
TrendDiscoveryRecordsTR
522
WilliamRussosStreetMusic,
Op.65:ABluesConcerto
DeutcheGramaphone2530788
JosephHorowitzsJazz
Concertoand
FritzPauersConcertoforBig
BandandSymphonyOrchestra
AriesRecordsLP1616
LeonardBernsteinConducts
MusicofOurTime
ColumbiaML6133
MahavishnuOrchestra:
Apocalypse
ColumbiaC32957
BennyGoodmanCollectors
Edition:Barkk,Bernstein,
Copland,Stravinsky
CBSMasterworksM42227
BobJamesOne
CTI6043
DonEllis:TearsofJoy
ColumbiaG30927
16 Chapter17TheRelationshipof JazztoWesternClassicalMusic
CHAPTERNOTES
1) NeilLeonard,JazzandtheWhiteAmericans,(Chicago:TheUniversity ofChicagoPress,1962),p.
86.
2) Robert Walser, Keeping Time: Readings in Jazz History, (New York: Oxford University Press,
1999),p.52.
3) DavidHall,notesonIgorStravinskyEbonyConcerto,LHistoireduSoldat,LaCrationduMonde,
Everest,EVC9049.
4) RalphGleason,notesonOutstandingJazzCompositionsofthe20
th
Century, Columbia,C2S831.
5) GuntherSchuller,notesonTheBirthofThirdStream,p.19,Columbia/LegacyCK64929.
6) Don Sebesky, notes on Three Works for Jazz Soloists and Symphony Orchestra, DCC Compact
ClassicsDJZ639.
7) Lieberman:ConcertoforJazzBandandSymphonyOrchestra,linernotes,RCAAGL13882.
8) Ibid
9) WayneDelacoma,StravinskyDugJazz, Jazziz,18,no.1,(January2001),pp.4445.
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Bob Blumenthal,NewWorldSymphonies:ASurvey ofModernThirdStream,JazzTimes,31,no.1,
(January/February2001),pp5053.
JamesLincolnCollier,TheReceptionofJazzinAmerica,ANewView,(Brooklyn:InstituteforStudiesin
American Music Conservatory of Music, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York,
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WayneDelacoma,StravinskyDugJazz, Jazziz,18,no.1,(January2001),pp.4345.
ScottDeVeaux,HarmonicConvergence, Jazziz,18, no.1,(January2001),p.36.
RalphJ.Gleason,notesonOutstandingJazzCompositionofthe20
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2001),pp5556,180181.
Gunther Schuller, The Influence of Jazz on the History and Development of Concert Music, The
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(January/February2001), p.54.
Richard Sudhalter, notes on Richard Stoltzman and Woody Hermans Thundering Herd, Ebony, RCA
Victor6486RC
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PHOTOCREDITS
2: RossRussellCollection,HarryRansomHumanitiesResearchCenter,TheUniversityofTexasatAustin
3: RossRussellCollection,HarryRansomHumanitiesResearchCenter,TheUniversity ofTexasatAustin
5: Metronome/GettyImages
6: BillSpilka/GettyImages
7: Metronome/GettyImages
8: DarrenHopes/GettyImages
10: DigitalVision/GettyImages