Universal Tonality: The Life and Music of William Parker

Interview with Cisco Bradley

Download the mp3 here

This book is a model for jazz biography (and really for a biography of any creative person.) It not only documents the striving of an individual artist, in this case, William Parker, but also the dynamic communities that are essential for the development of artists.

I strongly recommend this book for music educators, music students, and anyone who wants to get “under the hood” of what goes into making an artist who succeeds in expanding the boundaries of the art.

Anyone interested in (or nostalgic for) the stunning flowering of creative music that took place in the 1970s when, believe it or not, rents in the East Village and Soho of Manhattan were low and musician-operated venues were abundant will also love this book.

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

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Music credit: The Jazz on the Tube podcast theme song is “Mambo Inferno” performed by The Manhattan School of Music Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra conducted by Bobby Sanabria from the CD ¡Que Viva Harlem!

In praise of teachers and students

On this page a short but pointed tribute from Adam Mannes to what’s below the “tip of iceberg” of what we hear on records and see in live performances and on video.

It’s called “practice” but it really understates what’s involved.

Ongoing training, study, exploration, perfecting. For serious artists, it’s a never ending process and as fans we’re the beneficiaries.

Adam is one of many educators who is making music education available around the globe at a level that was previously unimaginable.

Note BOLD: Online education is a godsend, but for children it is NOT a substitute for a caring, inspiring LIVE teacher.

Some of my favorite resources for piano (a very short list)

Adam Maness and Open Studio

Jon Cleary – New Orleans piano and culture

Dan the Composer – Unique meditations on the art of playing the piano

Rick Beato – Musician, producer, educator

Oliver Prehn – Pianist and educator

Jonny May – Jonny May shows the tricks of the trade behind a number of piano styles

Jamey Aebersold – Not strictly a piano source, but you can’t talk about jazz education without Jamey. (See our podcast interview with him.)

If you have a hankering to learn some piano and are starting from scratch, I particularly recommend Jon Cleary and Oiver Prehn for to help you break the ice. The most important thing – more important than theory, practice, good form etc. – is to put your hands on the keys and discover that when you do, interesting things can and often do happen.

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

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Videos and Other Resources

 

 

 

First-time visitor to New Orleans and/or want help getting off Bourbon Street?

* A Few of My Favorite Places: Ken’s list
* Getting around the city that is shaped like a crescent: Essential orientation
* Enjoyed the book? Please consider giving us a positive review on Amazon. Thanks.


Audio and Video References in the Book

John Swenson

(1) The Making of Glen David Andrews’ “Walking Through Heaven’s Gate.” 

(2) Helen Hill Funeral.

(3) Dinneral Shavers in the 2006 Big Nine parade. 

(4) Glen David Andrews at the “Silence Is Violence rally” at City Hall, New Orleans. (2007).

Bonus Videos:

(5) Smokey Johnson and Bob French talk about New Orleans drummers. At the Ponderosa Stomp. (2008).

(6) “Farewell Spotted Cat – The Shout.” 

(7) “Defending the Mardi Gras Indians.” 

(8) “Eddie Bo at the Sound Café.” (2008) 

(9) “Aurora Nealand at the Spotted Cat.” (Fall 2006) 

Glen David Andrews

(1) Glen David Andrews at the “Silence Is Violence rally” at City Hall, New Orleans. (2007).

(2) Glen David Andrews, “Easter Sunday Parking Lot Jam.” (2009) Filmed by Ken McCarthy.

(3) The Making of Glen David Andrews’ “Walking Through Heaven’s Gate.” 

Ronald Lewis

“Chuck Perkins interviews Ronald Lewis.”

Part one

Part two

Roger Lewis

Jazz on the Tube: Roger Lewis and the Good News from New Orleans

Ornette Coleman

(1) Jazz on the Tube: Ken and Ornette Talk About New Orleans

(2) Jazz on the Tube: Complete ‘Remembering Ornette’ Collection

(3) Podcast: Marble, Matt. The Black Hawk Chant – Mothers Leafy Anderson and Catherine Seals. Secret Sound.

(4) Podcast: Mother Catherine Seals And The Temple Of The Innocent Blood

(5) Podcast: The Legendary Lasties. TriPod: New Orleans at 300

(6) Podcast: TriPod Xtras: Herlin Riley And Joe Lastie. TriPod: New Orleans at 300

Levees.org

The Katrina Myth.

Chuck Perkins

(1) Lil’ Liza Jane – Live at Chickie Wah Wah.

(2) We Ain’t Dead Yet.

(3) Congo Square.

(4) Chuck Perkins in Liverpool and Manchester.

(5) English Poet Grevel Lindop in New Orleans

New Orleans Musicians Clinic

Video appeal Ken made for the New Orleans Musicians Clinic (2010).

Recommended Reading, Listening, and Viewing

Music and Poetry

Perkins, Chuck. A Lovesong For NOLA. 2012

Documentary

Tradition Is a Temple. A film by Darren Hoffman (2013).

The City of a Million Dreams. A film by Jason Berry (2019).

Books

(1) Swenson, John. New Atlantis, Musicians Battle for the Survival of New Orleans. 

(2) Lewis, Ronald. The House of Dance & Feathers.

(3) Sullivan, Jack. New Orleans Remix.

(4) Smtih, Michael. Spirit World: Pattern in the Expressive Folk Culture of New Orleans. 

(5) Rosenthal, Sandy. Words Whispered in Water. 

(6) Berry, Jason. Up from the Cradle of Jazz: New Orleans Music Since World War II.

(7) Berry, Jason. The Spirit of Black Hawk: A Mystery of Africans and Indians.

(8) Berry, Jason. City of a Million Dreams: A History of New Orleans at Year 300.

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
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A little bit of Django

From the book “Swing Under the Nazis” by Mike Zwerin.

In the middle of an interview, Miles Davis looked at the camera and said: “I’m no accident.”

I think that’s true of everyone who has achieved something great in music.

A little about the early years of Django Reinhardt. His achievements were no accident either.

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.

Aurora Nealand A look at KindHumanKind

Interview with Aurora Nealand


Download the mp3 here

Follow Aurora here

auroranealand.com

facebook.com/aurora.nealand

auroranealand.bandcamp.com

louisianamusicfactory.com

The entire wide-ranging, free-wheeling conversation – unedited – complete with numerous sidebars, including some genealogical information which despite Aurora’s surprise may actually have a degree of accuracy (to be continued.)


Download the mp3 here

– Ken McCarthy
Jazz on the Tube

P.S. Our unique programming is made possible by help from people like you. Learn how you can contribute to our efforts here: Support Jazz on the Tube
Thanks.

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