This is a repository of some of my Spotify playlists which might be entertaining, informative or inspirational to people with similar tastes to my home.
Hard Bop Vibes
This playlist focusses on the contribution that vibists have made to the sub genre of Hard Bop. Featuring the well known players – Bobby Hutcherson, Milt Jackson, Red Norvo etc, but also some lesser known exponents of the vibraphone such as Jakob Svensson, Steffon Harris, and Robbie Weber.
The vibraphone, with it’s gentle dreamy like sound quality is perhaps not the first instrument to jump to mind when thinking of Hard Bop, but, perhaps due Milt Jackson’s frequent collaborations with Hard Bop artists, it can be found on some of the sweetest deep cuts within the genre.
As with most of my playlists, I’m always on the look out for tunes Ihave not heard of to throw into the mix, so don’t hesitate to drop me a line.
Hard Bop Now
Hard bop was at the height of it’s popularity, and was in fact the defining genre in jazz between 1955 and 1965. Artists such as Art Blakey, Cannonball Adderely and Thelonious monk took jazz back towards it’s roots in Blues and Gospel, and the critics of the time dubbed that style Hard Bop.
The genre is far from dead, it may have evolved, but Hard Bop was such a strong influence on many of the jazz artists that followed from the 60s to the present day betray, and sometimes wear on their sleeve, the music that was made popular by those giants of the 50s and 60s.
This playlist is meant to highlight the contributions of those artists, mainly from this millenium, who continue to carry the torch that was lit by The Jazz Messengers, Horace Silver and John Coltrane.
Fiddle in The Footlights
This playlist is dedicated to the many fantastic violinists who have contributed or continue to contribute to the big world of jazz. Grappelli, Ponty and Shankar are not listed here. Instead I have chosen to focus on brilliant players who have not yet received the kind of recognition that I believe their talent deserves.
Suggestions are welcome.
String Swing to Fusion
This is a tapestry of tracks connecting the musical dots between Gypsy Jazz and Fusion. It’s not meant as a historical pathway, or even a music theory analysis based mapping. It’s a collection of recordings that appeal to me that I’ve put together in an old school mix tape style, starting with acoustic String Swing cuts and ending in electronic jazz.
It’s had a few different names in it’s time, so don’t be concerned if the title in spotify does not match the one above.
Cool & Soulful Jazz
Another Hard Bop playlist, but this time centered on the easy-going side of Hard Bop. Comprised of gentle tempos, bluesy and gospel-inflected lines, and warm production this is less fiery than the archetypal Art Blakey or Horace Silver cuts, but it’s still grounded in the same rhythmic and harmonic language. As ever, I’d love to hear from you if you think I’ve lef something out.
Soon to be published…
Intimate Jazz Duos
Hot Club Jazz
Good Vibrations
The Jazz Violin
On The Funky Edge of Fusion
Midnight in Paris Sound Track Extended
Layed Back Flat
Hot Club to Hard Bop
Django to Weather Report
The Jazz Violin
Unlikely Reggae
