Sp17. What is your jazz DNA 🧬 (or salt water taffy 🍬)?

Discussion  

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Introduction

Jazz DNA 🧬 relates to which jazz songs move you the most, or are your personal associations with the best of jazz.

There are multiple ways that one might express or reveal one's own jazz DNA, but one way to do this is to list with some explanations one's own ten jazz tunes that mean a lot to you.

Jazz essayist David Scardino has accomplished this and you can read his results at "What Constitutes Your Musical DNA?".

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Jazz DNA 🧬 via Songs or Albums

Here's another attempt at a jazz DNA 🧬 genome being revealed.

(1) Bitches Brew album by Miles Davis (trumpet) and Teo Macero (producer/arranger/tape splicer)

(2) "Go Ahead John" by Miles Davis (trumpet) & John McLaughlin (electric guitar) & others

(3) "Blue in Green" by Bill Evans (acoustic piano), Scott LaFaro (double bass), and Paul Motian (drums)

(4) "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" by Cannonball Adderley Quintet

(5) The Inner Mounting Flame album by John McLaughlin (double necked electric quitar), Billy Cobham (huge drum kit and gong), Jan Hammer (synthesizers and electric keyboards), Rick Laird (electric bass guitar), and Jerry Goodman (electric/amplified violin 🎻)

(6) "Birds of Fire" song by John McLaughlin's Mahavishnu Orchestra

(7) Headhunters album by Herbie Hancock (electric funk piano)

(8) "Watermelon Man" song by Herbie Hancock (electric piano)

(9) Sketches of Spain album by Miles Davis (trumpet) and Gil Evans (arranger/conductor)

(10) "The Creator Has A Masterplan" song by Pharoah Sanders (saxophone) and Leon Thomas (vocal and jazz yodeling)

(11) A Love Supreme album by John Coltrane (alto and soprano saxophone), Elvin Jones (drums), McCoy Tyner (acoustic piano), Jimmy Garrison (double bass)

(12) Free Jazz album by Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone) double quartet

(13) "Machine Gun" album by Peter Brötzmann (saxophone/tarragato)

(14) "Red Clay" song by Freddie Hubbard (trumpet)

(15) "The Sidewinder" song by Lee Morgan (trumpet)

(16) "Well, You Needn't" song by Thelonious Monk (acoustic piano/composer)

(17) "Now's The Time" song by Charlie Parker (alto saxophone)

(18) "Lush Life" song by John Coltrane (alto saxophone) and Johnny Hartman (vocals)

(19) Way Out West album by Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone)

(20) "St. Thomas" song by Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone)

(21) "My Funny Valentine" song by Chet Baker (trumpet & vocals)

(22) School Days album by Stanley Clarke (acoustic/electric bass)

(23) "Red Car" song from the album The Trip by Art Pepper (primarily alto saxophone, clarinet, tenor saxophone)

(24) Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section album by Art Pepper (primarily alto saxophone, clarinet, tenor saxophone)

(25) Moto Grosso Feio album by Wayne Shorter (tenor & soprano saxophones)

(26) Boogie-Woogie String Along for Real album by Rahsaan Roland Kirk (tenor saxophone, clarinet, stritch, manzello, nose flute, flute, cor anglais, keyboards, percussion)

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Jazz DNA 🧬 via Musician

(1) Miles Davis (trumpet): In A Silent Way, Bitches Brew, (A Tribute to) Jack Johnson, Big Fun

(2) Bill Evans (acoustic piano)

(3) John Coltrane (alto and soprano saxophone)

(4) Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone)

(5) Herbie Hancock (electric and acoustic piano)

(6) Chick Corea's (electric keyboard) Return to Forever band

(7) Michel Petrucciani (piano)

(8) Gil Evans (conductor/arranger)

(9) Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone, trumpet, violin)

(10) John McLaughlin (electric and acoustic guitars)

(11) Thelonious Monk (acoustic piano)

(12) Charlie Parker (alto saxophone)

(13) Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn (piano/orchestra conductors/composers)

(14) Sonny Rollins (tenor saxophone)

(15) Victor Lewis (drummer)

(16) Chet Baker (trumpet)

(17) Frank Sinatra (vocals)

(18) Art Pepper (alto saxophone)

(19) Lee Morgan (trumpet)

(20) Freddie Hubbard (trumpet)

(21) Johnny Griffin (tenor saxophone)

(22) Charles Mingus (double bass/composer)

(23) Tito Puente (timbales/composer)

(24) Rahsaan Roland Kirk (who often played three horns simultaneously amongst the tenor saxophone, clarinet, stritch, manzello, nose flute, flute, cor anglais, keyboards, percussion)

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DNA 🧬 DREAM JAZZ BIG BAND

Another way to reveal your jazz DNA 🧬 is to compile your dream jazz big band.

CONDUCTORS AND ARRANGERS:

Duke Ellington (piano), Billy Strayhorn (piano), Gil Evans (piano), and Gerry Mulligan (baritone saxophone)

BRASS SECTION:

Miles Davis (electrified trumpet/electric keyboard/organ)

Chet Baker (trumpet)

Ornette Coleman (alto saxophone/trumpet/violin)

John Coltrane (alto and soprano saxophones)

Art Pepper (alto saxophone)

Rahsaan Roland Kirk (who often played three horns simultaneously amongst the tenor saxophone, clarinet, stritch, manzello, nose flute, flute, cor anglais, keyboards, percussion)

Cannonball Adderley (alto & soprano saxophones)

Charlie Parker (alto saxophone)

J.J. Johnson (trombone)

Conrad Herwig (trombone)

Chris Washburne (trombone)

RHYTHM SECTION:

Charlie Haden (double bass)

Scott LaFaro (double bass)

Charles Mingus (double bass)

Poncho Sanchez (congas)

Tito Puente (timbales)

Elvin Jones (drums)

Billy Cobham (drums)

Jimi Hendrix (electric guitar)

John McLaughlin (electric guitar)

Sonny Sharrock (electric guitar)

PIANO/KEYBOARDS

Bill Evans (acoustic piano)

Thelonious Monk (acoustic piano)

Herbie Hancock (acoustic piano, electric keyboards, Roland AX-Synth Shoulder Synthesizer)

ORCHESTRA BACKGROUND:

London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas

In this particular dream DNA 🧬 jazz big band there would be a lot of fighting amongst performers because there are so many strong leaders and personalities who would likely easily find conflicts working together.

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NOTES