Factotum's MJQ: Modern Jazz QuizJun 12 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Have fun! To make this a little more interesting--at least to me, and I hope to you, too--I am presenting this opinion as a quiz. Don't worry if you don't know a lot of the answers, I'll explain them all at the end. 1. What was the first jazz LP to sell 1 million copies? a.)Miles Davis-Kind of Blue b.)John Coltrane-Giant Steps c.)Dave Brubeck-Time Out d.)Charles Lloyd-Forest Flower 2. Which of these saxophonists was NOT a member of the Miles Davis Quintet? a.)George Coleman b.)Archie Shepp c.)Wayne Shorter d.)Sam Rivers 3. Billy Higgins was never the drummer for which of these groups? a.)Ornette Coleman Quartet b.)John Coltrane Quartet c.)Eastern Rebellion d.)Modern Jazz Quartet 4. Which legendary rock guitarist appears on Ornette Coleman's 1988 album Virgin Beauty? a.)Jerry Garcia b.)Carlos Santana c.)Jeff Beck d.)Frank Zappa 5. All of the following musicians have at least two brothers that are also famous jazz musicians except: a.)Elvin Jones b.)Percy Heath c.)Branford Marsallis d.)Anthony Braxton 6. Jazz musicians a-d have appeared on records by rock bands i-iv. Put the two together in correct order. a.)Charles Lloyd ----- i.)Rolling Stones b.)Sonny Rollins ----- ii.)John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band c.)Pharoah Sanders ----- iii.)Beach Boys d.)John McLaughlin ----- iv.)Santana Answers: 1: d. While the first three titles are enduring jazz classics that belong in every jazz fan's home, Lloyd's Forest Flower, a crossover sensation from 1967 with Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette & Cecil McBee, is generally touted as the first jazz album to go platinum. Sax & flute master Lloyd more or less retired in the mid seventies and most of the eighties, but has come back strong with several great CDs ove the last decade, mainly for the ECM label. 2: b. Tenor heavyweight George Coleman had the unenviable task of trying to replace John Coltrane in the legendary Miles Davis Quintet. A fantastic player, but perhaps a bit too steeped in bop for the ever-experimental Miles, Coleman's tenure was fairly short. He was followed by the great multi-instrumentalist Sam Rivers, but his playing was too avant garde. Finally, Wayne Shorter stepped in and the second great Miles Davis Quintet (after the one with Coltrane) was good to go. Archie Shepp is a saxophonist, pianist and singer whose style ranges from free jazz to blues. He has recorded with everyone from Coltrane to Roscoe Mitchell to Chet Baker but, to the best of my knowledge, never with Miles. 3: d. Billy Higgins, of course, was a member of the legendary Ornette Coleman Quartet that shook the jazz world with its residency at New York's Five Spot and albums like The Shape of Jazz to Come. He also played on and off in a group called Eastern Rebellion with Cedar Walton on piano and a revolving door of other players including George Coleman. He was very briefly a member of the John Coltrane Quartet, but moved on when Elvin Jones became available for the gig (he held no grudge, claiming that the musical bond between Jones & Coltrane was "Like a marriage."). While Billy played several sessions with MJQ vibest Milt Jackson, and while MJQ bassist Jimmy Heath and his brothers (saxophonist Jimmy and eventual MJQ drummer Albert "Tootie") wrote and recorded the "Smilin' Billy Suite" in his honor, Billy Higgins was never a member of the MJQ. Connie Kay was the drummer for the group until his death, after which Tootie Heath filled in. 4: a. Jerry Garcia plays on three tracks on 1988's Virgin Beauty. All four of these guitarists, of course, have something to do with jazz. Jeff Beck recorded a few interesting fusion records including Blow by Blow and Wired in the 1970s, while Carlos Santana and Frank Zappa have both incorporated major elements of jazz in their music and have each performed with numerous jazz musicians. 5: d. We have discussed the Heath Brothers above. In addition to eldest brother Wynton, Branford's younger brothers Delfayo and Jason also play music, trombone & drums respectively. And Elvin is part of perhaps the greatest single generation in jazz history with brothers Hank and the late Thad Jones. While there is a smooth jazz group called the Braxton Brothers, they claim no fraternity with the avant garde composer and saxophonist Anthony Braxton. 6: a/iii. Charles Lloyd can be heard on the Surf's Up lp. b/i. Sonny adds his tenor sax to a couple cuts on the Tattoo You album. c/ii John and Yoko recorded with Pharaoh Sanders & the Ornette Coleman Trio on the Plastic Ono Band lp. d/iv. John McLaughlin appears on the Santana album Welcome, as well as on Love, Devotion and Surrender, an album which he shares billing with Carlos Santana. Rate your score: 5-6: Obviously, you don't have to ask. 3-4: Not too shabby. A little more time bent over boxes of used lps and you'll get there. 1-2: Stick to Britany...nah, hang in with jazz, it's all good.  |
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