I take a cigarette and place it between the fingers of my left hand. I don't light it yet. I feel that cigarette deserves a song. I look at the office where the jazz records are, which I've been trying to figure out for some time. I love jazz, but I don't understand jazz.
Source
The first LP in my hands is Midnight Special in a jazzy version by Rudy Van Gelder. Not by chance is neither an original jazz song nor is it old! But fuck it, it's a great version. Yes, this song is worth a lit cigarette!
As I feel the freezing cold that tries to penetrate under the door of my private and comfortable environment, I hear the continuous bass beat laying the foundation for a torrent of electronic organ solos (is it an electronic organ? I don't really know, but I imagine it is. yea). I think this space that each instrument gives to the other masterfully in the world of jazz is incredible. I remember once watching a live show on the TV of a jazz trio and it was simply phenomenal the way they harmoniously worked their instruments, this kind of lucidity of sound is not seen much in other musical styles.
The cigarette ended along with the song, maybe I synchronized the time of puffs with the track. I decide to listen to another LP, this time I put something a little older: Art Blakey & the jazz Messengers. A great classic from this group, Moanin'. This is pure and true jazz, as expected. What I particularly like about this track is that she is not happy despite having a smart, witty and energetic approach. I have a hard time with overly happy tracks, but I'm also not very fond of slow and sad jazz. What I like most about jazz is its vigor, when I can feel the "strength" of the musician, and this is clear in Art Blakey from the first minute. My warm sock feet rest on the couch at a comfortable angle as I taste this vinyl without thinking about much of anything, just looking out the window and watching the gray sky. The clean piano on this track makes me want to be a pianist, I look at my friend's electronic piano that's borrowed from me and decide that as soon as I finish this track, I'm going to sit on it and "play" a little. I barely understand the notes on the piano, but playing intuitively has a special pleasure that I don't miss out on.
Thomas H N Blum
Eu pego um cigarro e deixo entre os dedos da mão esquerda. Não acendo-o ainda. Sinto que aquele cigarro merece uma música. Eu olho para a repartição onde estão os discos de jazz, que venho tentando compreender há algum tempo. Eu amo jazz, mas eu não entendo o jazz.
O primeiro LP em minhas mãos é Midnight Special numa versão jazzistica de Rudy Van Gelder. Não por acaso nem é uma canção original do jazz e nem é antiga! Mas foda-se, é uma grande versão. Essa música vale sim o cigarro aceso!
Enquanto sinto o frio congelante que tenta adentrar por debaixo da porta de meu ambiente privado e confortável eu ouço a levada contínua do baixo fazendo base para uma torrente de solos de órgão eletrônico (será que é um órgão eletrônico? Realmente não sei, mas imagino que sim). Acho incrível esse espaço que cada instrumento dá para o outro solar magistralmente no mundo do jazz. Lembro certa vez de ter assistido algum show ao vivo pela tv de um trio de jazz e era simplesmente fenomenal o modo como eles trabalhavam harmoniosamente seus instrumentos, esse tipo de lucidez sonora não se vê muito em outros estilos musicais.
O cigarro acabou junto com a canção, talvez eu sincronizei o tempo de tragadas com a faixa. Eu decido ouvir outro LP, dessa vez coloco algo um pouco mais antigo: Art Blakey & the jazz Messengers. Um grande clássico desse grupo, Moanin'. Aí está um jazz puro e verdadeiro, tal como se é esperado. O que me agrada em especial nessa faixa é que ela não é feliz apesar de ter uma levada esperta, sagaz e energética. Eu tenho dificuldade com faixas felizes demais, mas também não gosto muito de jazz lento e triste. O que mais me agrada no jazz é seu vigor, quando consigo sentir a "força" do músico, e isso fica claro em Art Blakey desde o primeiro minuto. Meus pés com meias quentes repousam sobre o sofá num ângulo confortável enquanto faço a degustação desse vinil sem pensar em muita coisa, apenas olhando pela janela e vendo o céu cinza. O piano limpo dessa faixa me faz sentir vontade de ser pianista, olho para o piano eletrônico de meu amigo que está emprestado comigo e decido que assim que acabar essa faixa, eu vou sentar nele e "brincar" de tocar um pouco. Eu mal compreendo as notas do piano, mas, tocar intuitivamente tem um prazer especial que eu não deixo de experimentar.
Congratulations for having choosen two of the best pieces to listen to, you don't need to understand jazz to enjoy it. In fact, you can know the history of the genre, the different styles one after the other over the decades and so forth, but jazz goes beyond a mere rational understanding. It reaches deep into your being and provides you with the most extraordinary experiences you could ever imagine.
Jazz music represents freedom of expression, the mystical experience of the present moment and the brotherhood between all human beings regardless of their gender, beliefs or skin color.
Wow man, thanks for you reply, love it. And agreed hundred percent. I'm still discover this whole world of variations, but really enjoy jazz so much.
Greatings from Brazil.
It's amazing how you connect to your jazz track. It gets to a point where your cigarette finishes when the music is over
Did you say you hate sad music? Well, most times, when we listen to sad music it sharpens our understanding of the world. That is because at that moment, our minds moves without permission to memories that we thought we had forgotten, memories that came with hard blows and lessons
I love it when you said, you weren't really good with the piano but that just playing it intuitively has a good feel of pleasure to you
Hey! Thanks for your reply, mate! Well I really don't hate sad music, actually 80% of what I listen is little sad LOL, but in therm of jazz, I really prefer some intense or groovy vibes, less slowed or that kind of classy piano bar music, that I don't like for sure haha.
Have a great day!
I think that starting with the most danceable version of jazz is a good option, and then gradually listening to the classics.
Its a great tip, mate! Thanks for read and reply :)
Jazz = Um dos melhores gêneros musicais do MUNDO!