Top 5 Jazz Festivals for the Ultimate Jazz Lover

If “will travel for jazz” is your motto, you’re in the right place. We’re going to share some of the top jazz festivals from around the country, and the world,  that will probably be right up your alley. So, go get a good suitcase and make sure your passport is ready to go. We’re certain the urge to travel will be even stronger after you read this list.

Festival International de Jazz de Montréal

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Festival International de Jazz de Montréal

Of course, we have to start with what has been ranked as the world’s largest jazz festival. The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal was started back in 1979 and its goal was to bring some of the world’s best musicians to the public. Since then, festivalgoers have been treated to performances from the likes of Ray Charles, Chick Corea, Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Tony Bennett, Pat Metheny group, Wynton Marsalis, Madeline Peyroux, Aretha Franklin, Esperanza Spaulding, Diana Krall and many more. The festival runs for 10 days in downtown Montréal towards the end of June. This year marks the festival’s 40th year.

Montreux Jazz Festival

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Montreux Jazz Festival

Created in 1967, the Montreux Jazz Festival takes place in Switzerland for two weeks in early July and it tends to draw more than 250,000 visitors each year. It’s been said to be one of Europe’s best-known events. While Montreux’s foundation was built on blues and jazz, many other genres have found a place at the festival as well. Montreux has seen historic performances by Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, and Stevie Wonder.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

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New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, or Jazz Fest, started in 1970 when George Wein, the jazz impresario behind the Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Folk Festival was hired to design and produce a unique festival for New Orleans. Held during the last weekend in April and the first weekend in May, the festival has since turned into an epic event for the city and generates about $300 million dollars each year.

The Festival tends to blend a wide mix of well-known artists. Past performers include Dizzy Gillespie, Santana, Sarah Vaughan, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Dave Matthews Band, Tito Puente, Al Green, Lenny Kravitz, Abbey Lincoln, and Erykah Badu.

Newport Jazz Festival

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Newport Jazz Festival

The Newport Jazz Festival is held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island. It was established by socialite, Elaine Lorillard, back in 1954. It was the first outdoor music festival that was devoted entirely to jazz. Around 13,000 people attended the first festival. This year’s festival will be held August 2-4. Past performers include Roy Hargrove, Gregory Porter, Corinne Bailey Rae, Terence Blanchard, Herbie Hancock, Billie Holliday, Carmen McRae, Nina Simone, Muddy Waters, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Miles Davis, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Monterey Jazz Festival

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Monterey Jazz Festival

This year marks the Monterey Jazz Festival’s 62nd season. Founded in 1958, the festival has donated its proceeds to music education from the very start. Dave Brubeck was instrumental in getting city approval for the first festival. He even performed for the city council to persuade them to let it take place. He ended up performing at the Monterey Jazz Festival 14 times.

Five hundred top jazz artists perform on nine stages during the third weekend in September. In addition to the performances, the Monterey Jazz Festival features jazz conversations, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, clinics, and an international array of food, shopping, and festivities.

We know there are many more festivals out there for jazz lovers like you. Tell us. What are some of your favorite jazz festivals?

Are Artists Suffering from Streaming?

Who is really buying music?  Where the money comes from now.

The music industry has gone through some monumental changes in the past 20 years.  What was once driven by consumer purchases has now become a subscription-based model that eliminates the need for physical record stores.  For the vast majority of the modern music industry, selling records was the main business focus.  While some fans still prefer to purchase a hardcopy, the popularity of Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and Pandora have opened up a new way to access artists’ material.  This computerized marketplace has begun a new debate within the music industry: how will artists get paid in the world of the digital download, and where does the money come from?

Without a doubt, the way most big acts make their money is touring.  Many artists are under the impression that when signing with a record label they will see profits once their album is live.  While a record label can legitimize an artist and help them launch their career, labels expect to be paid back for the money they put up for the new artist.  Even as the album begins to pick up steam and sell, the label is paid first. For example, the Black Eyed Peas didn’t see a big paycheck until their second hit album.  Touring is different. The artists are paid for the shows they do. The more shows they do, the more they make. U2 is one of the most successful bands, and it all comes from the groups’ dedication to hit the road and tour.  A recent Citigroup report stated that of the $43 billion in revenue the music industry produced in 2017, only 12% when to the artist. Of that 12%, touring was by far the most significant profit center for musicians. While streaming services are increasing in popularity, these earnings are not enough alone.  Album and soundtrack licensing sales usually come in second with streaming services, publishing, and merchandise sold at concerts following in that order.

Streaming through a music service has in many ways replaced the era of purchasing a record or CD.  Each of these streaming services, Pandora, Apple Music or the largest of the services Spotify, all have different pay scales.  For streaming services, it’s all about the number of requests for a particular song or artist. This is where a new artist will find it difficult to break in.  Many up and coming artists are not going to have enough requests on the platform to see any real money. Many streaming services do not count a song until it has reached 1000 requests.  These services benefit famous artist disproportionally from a new artist.

While there are still many methods for musicians to make a living, social media and the new marketing trends are leading the way.  Instagram, Facebook, and the 24/7 information cycle require musicians that want to reach the top to have a complete package to get there.       

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Jazz on the Mind

You love jazz. You love how it sounds and how it makes you feel when you’re listening to it.  But have you ever thought about how it can affect your health? If you listen to your favorite jazz albums on a regular basis, you are helping your body and mind in a variety of ways.  Here are just a few of those health-related benefits.

Jazz Is Great For Stress Relief

After a tough day, go ahead and put on your favorite jazz album and cook, soak in the tub or go for a drive. If you have been doing that already, you’re on to something. When you’re stressed, jazz music can help you relax in a major way. Not only can it take your mind off of the day’s events, but it can also help facilitate relaxation. That’s why some music therapy treatment programs pair music listening with progressive muscle relaxation to further reduce anxiety.

Jazz Stimulates The Mind

Those pulsating, and sometimes frenetic, rhythmic patterns found in jazz music don’t just sound great – they help your brain feel great as well. As you listen, your brain will mimic those patterns, causing increased neural stimulation to occur as a result of the mental gymnastics.

Jazz music can also help you think more creatively. By listening at a moderate level, you will increase your brain’s processing difficulty. This then leads to abstract processing, which promotes higher creativity overall.  So if you are writing, painting, studying, or simply need a mental boost, crank up the jazz.

Jazz Can Help You Sleep Better

Tossing and turning at night?  Studies have shown that listening to downtempo jazz can help you catch those Zzzs.  Jazz can help reduce noradrenaline, a stress-related brain chemical, and acts as a sedative while you are trying to go to sleep. If you have been having a tough time at bedtime, try popping in your earbuds and putting on your favorite slow jazz album.  We’re sure that, as a jazz fan, you’ll enjoy it much more than counting sheep.

Blog written by Devon F.  

Symbolic Jazz Albums

There are a lot of great jazz albums out there. Because of that, it’s kind of hard to nail down what’s a classic and what’s just a solid piece of work. So, we’re going to share some albums with you that have left lasting impressions on jazz lovers over the years. Please note that these albums are in no particular order.

 

John Coltrane
Blue Train

Coltrane recorded “Blue Train” in 1957 during his residency at Five Spot Café. At the time, he was a member of the Thelonious Monk Quartet.  He recorded the album with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Kenny Drew on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums.  “Blue Train” has appeared on a number of essential jazz album listsIt represents the pinnacle of Coltrane’s hard bop phase, right before he moved on to more globally inspired sounds. “Blue Train” was released on Blue Note Records in 1958.

 

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Time Out

“Time Out” was recorded as an experiment to convey the musical styles that Brubeck discovered during a Department of State sponsored tour of Eurasia. The Quartet was only allowed to create it after they recorded a more conventional album made up of songs of the American South. The album featured Brubeck on piano, Paul Desmond on alto saxophone, Eugene Wright on bass, and Joe Morello on drums. Critics initially panned the album, but despite the negative reviews, “Take Five” became a Top 40 hit single and remains the biggest-selling jazz single of all time.  Released in 1959, “Time Out” also became the first instrumental jazz album to sell over a million copies.

 

Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown

Sarah Vaughan

Vaughan’s selftitled album has often been called her greatest. Recorded in 1954, it is the only collaboration between Vaughan and jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown, who won the DownBeat magazine critics’ poll for New Star of the Year that same year. In addition to Vaughan and Brown, the album featured Paul Quinichette on tenor saxophone, Herbie Mann on flute, Jimmy Jones on piano, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Roy Haynes on drums.  ”Sarah Vaughan” has been recognized for it’s remarkable ensemble work, gorgeous standards, and an intuitive interplay between Vaughan and her horn players, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

 

These are just a few of the many essential jazz albums in existence. If you are interested in learning more, be sure to check back in the coming weeks when we discuss jazz festivals for the ultimate jazz lover!

Standards All Jazz Fans Should Know

If you’re a jazz fan, it is likely you already know what a jazz standard is. If so, good for you! But don’t go anywhere just yet – we have some information you might find interesting later on in this post. If you don’t know what a jazz standard is, this next paragraph is for you, so keep on reading.

A jazz standard is a song that is regularly performed or recorded by jazz artists. Because these songs are played a lot, they are easily recognized by many jazz fans or music lovers in general. Those are pretty much the basics; a jazz standard is simply a popular song that tends to frequently reappear in the repertoires of a wide range of musicians.

The one thing that even jazz fans might not know is that a standard doesn’t have to be written by a jazz composer. A number of jazz standards were originally written for Broadway or Hollywood musicals, or they were Tin Pan Alley songs. In Europe, some standards were even purported to be folk or ethnic songs.

Now that we have determined what a jazz standard is, here are some examples of popular standards all jazz fans should know. Whether you’re new to jazz or a long-time fan, we’re pretty sure you will know some of these songs.

Jazz Standards By Decade

Since there are so many songs out there, we’re going to list a few jazz standards by decade to make things a little easier.

Jazz Standards from the 1920s or The “Jazz Age”

Here are a few popular standards that originated during the 20s.

Jazz Standards from the 1930s

Here are some jazz standards that were written in the 30s.

Jazz Standards from the 1940s

These songs were created during the 40s.

Jazz Standards from the 1950s

These songs came out of the Rock ‘n’ Roll era.

Jazz Standards from the 1960s

Here are a few popular tunes from the 60s.

Jazz Standards from the 1970s and 1980s

These last two decades delivered a handful of hits.

Of course, this is just as small taste of the jazz standards that are out there. So tell us: what are your favorites?

Post by Devon F.

What is Night is Alive’s Daily Dose of Jazz?

What if you could get access to some of the best music that jazz has to offer? Now, what if you could get that same lavish jazz music on a daily basis? You can, all thanks to Night is Alive’s Daily Dose of Jazz!

Check back here everyday to see which one of our extravagant musicians are being featured. From Willie Jones III and his amazing drum skills, Jeff Rupert’s swaying saxophone solos, Bill Cunliffe’s Grammy-winning piano playing or Donald Vega’s crowd-pleasing piano performances, you’re not going to want to miss out on any of this music.

Remember, there’s a free new song rotated in everyday, meaning you always have access to fresh, abundant jazz music; all at your fingertips. All for free.

Now, how’s that for a #LushLife?

Ralph Moore Performs A John Coltrane Tribute

John Coltrane was a legend in his own right. Easily considered one of the greatest musicians of the modern era, Coltrane revolutionized jazz with his intense improvisations, multi-tonic changes and globally inspired sound.

Ralph Moore is a legend as well. The tenor saxophonist is known for his solid, straight-ahead and inspiring style. He’s a heavyweight in the jazz world and he’s played alongside amazing musicians like Dizzy Gillespie, Horace Silver, Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Roy Hargrove and Oscar Peterson.

Both men have forged solid jazz legacies in their own memorable and unique ways.

On Saturday, March 16, Ralph Moore had the chance to honor the man who influenced his tenor sax tone and playing style—John Coltrane.

Moore and his quartet headlined the 47th annual Lakeland Jazz Festival with a tribute to John Coltrane at 8 P.M. The Ralph Moore Quartet featured Moore on tenor sax, Xavier Davis on piano, Rodney Whitaker on acoustic bass and Sean Dobbins on drums.

A special pre-concert discussion with the quartet took place at 7 P.M. Hosted by WCPN radio host Dan Polletta, this portion of the show was only for ticket holders.

Post written by Devon F.


photo: Benjamin Lehman http://benjaminlehman.com

What it’s Like to Tour as a Jazz Musician

What is life like for a jazz musician while they’re touring? Is it full of plush, 5-star restaurants with valet services, or is it a life of hole-in-the-wall clubs that you get to by taking a cab? Well, the answer may surprise you.

Any jazz musician today, Grammy winning or not, is actually living between both of these lifestyles. There will be some months filled with touring through some of Europe’s most prestigious hotels, playing for large, high paying crowds, filled with many who have seen our musicians perform in the past. Other times one of our guys could go back to playing in a small town night club that seats, at most, 40 patrons. It all depends on the time of year and what the venue owners are looking for at that moment.

The one thing that never changes about where our musicians perform however, is the fan base. Whether it’s the Ritz-Carlton or a club that can barely afford Ritz Crackers, the love for jazz music is the same. That’s what keeps them playing and gets them excited for the next tour coming up.

Touring life itself is filled with quick meals and even quicker travel times. A successful jazz musician who’s “on the road” has to be both incredibly quick and flexible in regard to their schedules. Anything can change and anything can certainly happen while touring; from sudden room changes and traffic backups to even instruments breaking or losing pieces. Any musician will tell you they keep a bottle of super glue on them for a reason!

When it comes time to eating while on tour, jazz musicians tend to eat around 5, as most of their shows don’t start until 6:30 or 7 at night. This does not mean, however, that these same musicians don’t eat after the show; oh how wrong you would be! Any musician, jazz or not, will tell you that the post-show cravings for food is nearly unmatched by any other activity. Due to the fact that most sit-down establishments are closed by the time the show ends, many jazz musicians have found that an after performance diet consists of visiting the nearest hamburger or pizza joint!

A quick moving, life of luxury and fast food. This is the life of a jazz musician while they’re touring. Performance halls may change in their pedigree, but the fast happening, crowd loving jazz life is the same anywhere our guys play.

Have any touring stories of your own? Let us know down in the comments below!

On the Radio with Donna Summer

Often a song can pack so much sound and history that you can close your eyes and be transported.  Donna Summer’s “On the Radio” is a song so amazing that it serves as a marker for all songs of the disco century.  The song has the DNA of everything that made disco great. Listening to Donna Summer’s classic “On the Radio” puts you right back in the glitter and dance of disco long ago.

The song has a storied past. Initially written by her producer Giorgio Moroder and first played for her at his house in early 1979, the song failed to move Summer. Moroder put the song on the shelf knowing that someday it would be just right for her.  

Months later Moroder was working on the soundtrack for the movie “Foxes” and could not get the song out of his head.   He approached Summer again and asked her to listen one more time. This time she felt it and agreed to re-write the lyrics and record the song.  

Not an easy re-write, she is quoted as saying the whole song came from the lyric “It must have fallen out of a hole in your old brown overcoat.”  She wrote the song about lost love and the emotions that remain. From that point on, she knew where and how the song should go. A hit was born. The slow-ballad beginning that gives way to that incredible disco drum beat pushed the song to the top of the charts.  The song became so popular so fast that they included the track on her upcoming album release. They named the album “On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I and II.”

Donna Summer’s loved the song “On the Radio” and commented that she always felt the song was a legato Italian melody at its heart.  Hearing the song again feels like being in a time machine traveling to an era that has not lost any of its detail or flare. Donna Summer’s “On the Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I and II” is a fantastic song collection and worthy of inclusion on anyone’s playlist.

 

Post Written By Michael Brigger 

George Szell: Cleveland’s Great Conductor

Ask anyone to list their favorite things about Cleveland, and the Orchestra is sure to be on the top of many of those lists.  Cleveland is home to the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra. The Cleveland Orchestra has been commanding a considerable presence in the music world for over 100 years.  Started in 1918, The Cleveland Orchestra has had many great conductors. George Szell is one of the legends who took over in 1946 and ran the orchestra like clockwork for 24 years.  In his time at the helm, he molded the Cleveland Orchestra into a perfect music machine. To celebrate his career, Sony Classical has released “George Szell: The Complete Columbia Album Collection.”  

Originally released as a 106-disc collection, the actual number of CDs shows how prolific George Szell was.  Szell ran the orchestra in an era where the conductor was the god and general of everything. The devotion he required from his musicians was notorious.  Szell was an authoritarian and needed absolute control. Szell’s musical compositions feel exact, detailed and complete in execution. Szell was an incredibly productive artist, and his utter drive and enthusiasm for perfecting the music are on full display in the recordings. While Cleveland was his home, there are several recordings that Szell made with the New York Philharmonic and the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. What is interesting about Szell is how he approached each piece of music.  He is from the school of thinking that the conductor’s job is to reproduce the music exactly as the composer intended. His reproductions of some of the great musical works are seen as the unobstructed view of the composer reproduced by the capable hands of Szell and the fantastic artists of the Cleveland Orchestra. He is known for his literal translation of the romantic era composers especially. His renditions of Beethoven and Brahms are some of the best reproduction of the great composers’ music.  

George Szell is known for his utter devotion to the Cleveland Orchestra with a tenure lasting a quarter century.  While many artists would not be able to keep the music fresh, Szell never tired from his passion. Whether the music was created in the 1700’s or 1900’s, Szell worked tirelessly to produce orchestrations that reflected what the composers intended.

Post written by Michael Brigger