Update on Winter 2013 CD Release

Nancy Blue: Writer, Singer/Songwriter — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:11:08 +0000

I have been recording with a quintet, Niall McGuinness (sax) and the New World Jazz Project, and with guitarist Steve Homan. The new CD will combine tunes from both recording sessions, featuring all sixties/early 70s covers. The music is fantastic, and it was a great pleasure to be in the studio with these talented artists. I am now completing the vocals, and the photos and other graphics for the CD packaging. The planned release for the CD is Feb. 1, 2013. I will keep you posted on a release event. Thank you for your interest in my music.

Peace, Love and Music

Nancy

Some thoughts on the “New Standards” and jazz in the future

Nancy Blue: Writer, Singer/Songwriter — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:16:45 +0000

Coltrane Jazz (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The history of jazz is filled with covers of the pop songs of the day. A few examples should suffice: Armstrong “Stardust”, Goodman “Sometimes I’m Happy”, Bird “Just Friends”, Miles “All Of You” in the ’50′s, “Time After Time” in the ’80′s, Coltrane ”My Favorite Things”, etc. etc. If jazz is to expand its audience, reach young people, and stay out of the museum, jazz musicians must deal with the times, and that means today’s pop music. I realize there’s a big obstacle in all this. Most pop tunes offer next to nothing in terms of melodic or harmonic interest. In other words, there’s not much substance for improvisation. In his liner notes for “Goodbye To Romance” (excellent CD, BTW), Alex Skolnik said he weeded out hundreds of rock songs in order to select the good ones, the ones that could be good jazz vehicles. Jazz musicians would have to improvise modally or drastically reharmonize today’s pop tunes in order to play them. But isn’t that what the boppers did with the pop tunes of their time? I say, Skolnik, Bad Plus, J. Redman, McBride, Dave Douglas, etc. have the right idea. Find the best pop yunes and play them, and use them as vehicles for great jazz.

Reprinted from Allablutjazz.com

clifton

AAJ’s Birdologist