Insensitive
Superstar
For Black Music Month - The Contemporary BLACK Jazz musician....
Jazz is kind of the unsung hero of American music, it's the younger brother of the Blues
and both are over a century old with Jazz being the American lovechild of Blues and European harmony.
Though it maybe true that it has grown as an artform as time went on it would be ignorant to forget
one thing here and that's that the blues paid an immense role in it's incarnation and back then there was
even cross pollination with giants like Ray Charles being inspired by brilliant pianists such as Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum.
It's one of a few art forms pioneered by Americans and is viewed as "Distinctly American" and I'd go a step further and subscribe to the notion that it is Black American Classical Music. Before I go any further though I'll reiterate that this maybe a post on Jazz musicians, or more specifically contemporary Jazz musicians, but WE CANNOT overstate the importance of the blues and it's lasting effects not only on Jazz music but R&B, Rock etc. If you're Black, you would do well to educate yourself on the Blues.
With that said Jazz musicians generally fly under the radar and are unknown to the general public.
You'll find more people who can name McCartney than you can find who can name Mingus. And this is partly because Jazz lost it's step in the mainstream and because "Rock" which took it's place is generally held in higher esteem. There's a reason terms like "Rockism" exist.
What disturbs me though is there's a general sentiment that Black Jazz musicians do not exist or if they do they're generally apart of the old guard and will disappear soon enough but to me that's an ignorant defeatist notion.
And because of that I wanted to introduce my Coli brehs to some contemporary BLACK Jazz musicians.
I'll start with Kamasi Washington :
His Website :
Welcome
He's a highly skillful Jazz musician who draws heavily from the past, he recently contributed
to Kendrick's album, as did Robert Glasper, Ambrose Akinmusire, Thundercat and Terrace Martin.
There's a sentiment among some Jazz fans that "old" means "Unimpressive" or not "Hip".
But fukk that, brilliance never goes out of style.
If you like Coltrane and FUNK jazz or SOUL JAzz.
Then LISTEN TO THIS MAN.
There's no need to state he's skilled, you can't play the changes if you don't know what you're
doing.
Ambrose Akinmusire (Cali Native) :
His Website :
Ambrose Akinmusire | home
His Wikipedia Page :
Ambrose Akinmusire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A dope highly skillful trumpet player from my home state.
His last album "The Imagined Savior is far easier to Paint" knocked my socks off brehs.]
Behind the scenes of his last album HOT shyt !
A performance :
Christian Scott (NEW ORLEANS WHAT UP !) :
Another Trumpet player, this guy can BLOW and his music
incorporates Rock and Hip Hop. He plays no games
His last album"Christian aTunde Adjuah " still gets spins from me.
Truly awesome music.
His website :
WELCOME
His Wikipedia page :
Christian Scott - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Glasper :
He hardly needs an introduction, a man who despite being able to swing with the
best of them decided to take on Hip Hop and R&B creating two highly respected albums
"Black Radio" and "Black Radio 2".
A live performance :
Some music from his albums -
( a jazz standard but fukk it, it's hot !)
Thundercat (more Jazz fusion than Jazz but make no mistake dude can burn on that bass....):
Watch.
Listen.
HOt. shyt !
A signee to Flying Lotus's "Brainfeeder" label and a highly skilled bassist.
He's a monster put simply and his virtuosity on the bass DOES NOT get in the
way of him making groovy, psychedelic funk oddysseys.
His wikipedia page :
Thundercat (musician) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Terrace Martin (another Jazz fusion sort of artist mixing R&B, Hip Hop and skillful Saxophone playing...)
A friend of Robert Glaspers and an Emcee/Prodcer and saxophonist.
Essentially if he wanted he could play you under the table but only that he can rap a dope verse
AND write the whole beat...dolo.
He's an immense talent that generally does not get recognized despite possessing great song writing abilities.
His wikipedia - Terrace Martin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Some vids :
Live playing (with glasper !!!) -
Trombone Shorty (Another New Orleans native)-
His wikipedia page - Trombone Shorty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
His website - Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
He plays both trombone and trumpet and has some DOPE albums
under his belt.
Roy hargrove -
A jazz artist who while possessing the knowledge to swing and blow
has no problem hanging back and giving you that funk.
He has a string of well received albums to his name and has likely inspired
many a young black trumpet player...
Get yah knowledge up.
Cory Henry - Incredible pianist.
He started playing organ as a child in his church and eventually grew as
an artist until he went on to learn to play Jazz.
Highly talented and a member of the DOPE fusion band that is called "Snarky Puppy".
His youtube channel - Cory Henry
His website - Cory Henry | Musician. Producer.
His facebook - Cory Henry
Now I'm going to mention members of the older guard cats (there's a mixing
of ages here because some of them aren't exact "Old" but you get the idea....I think...)
Barry Harris - Brilliant Bebop Pianist.
Get his music a sample of his knowledge and playing ability -
( a workshop with the living genius...)
(Schooling a skilled pianist in his own right )
(THE BLUES, the GAWD Barry Harris knows this !)
Some of his playing -
McCoy Tyner - Another Brilliant Bebop Pianist
Kenny barron -
Harold Mabern -
Victoor Wooten (Bassist) -
Marcus Miller (Bassist) -
There are many more black artists in Jazz but I just wanted to put some out there.
If you have ANY To add feel free to do so.....
Jazz is kind of the unsung hero of American music, it's the younger brother of the Blues
and both are over a century old with Jazz being the American lovechild of Blues and European harmony.
Though it maybe true that it has grown as an artform as time went on it would be ignorant to forget
one thing here and that's that the blues paid an immense role in it's incarnation and back then there was
even cross pollination with giants like Ray Charles being inspired by brilliant pianists such as Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum.
It's one of a few art forms pioneered by Americans and is viewed as "Distinctly American" and I'd go a step further and subscribe to the notion that it is Black American Classical Music. Before I go any further though I'll reiterate that this maybe a post on Jazz musicians, or more specifically contemporary Jazz musicians, but WE CANNOT overstate the importance of the blues and it's lasting effects not only on Jazz music but R&B, Rock etc. If you're Black, you would do well to educate yourself on the Blues.
With that said Jazz musicians generally fly under the radar and are unknown to the general public.
You'll find more people who can name McCartney than you can find who can name Mingus. And this is partly because Jazz lost it's step in the mainstream and because "Rock" which took it's place is generally held in higher esteem. There's a reason terms like "Rockism" exist.
What disturbs me though is there's a general sentiment that Black Jazz musicians do not exist or if they do they're generally apart of the old guard and will disappear soon enough but to me that's an ignorant defeatist notion.
And because of that I wanted to introduce my Coli brehs to some contemporary BLACK Jazz musicians.
I'll start with Kamasi Washington :
His Website :
Welcome
He's a highly skillful Jazz musician who draws heavily from the past, he recently contributed
to Kendrick's album, as did Robert Glasper, Ambrose Akinmusire, Thundercat and Terrace Martin.
There's a sentiment among some Jazz fans that "old" means "Unimpressive" or not "Hip".
But fukk that, brilliance never goes out of style.
If you like Coltrane and FUNK jazz or SOUL JAzz.
Then LISTEN TO THIS MAN.
There's no need to state he's skilled, you can't play the changes if you don't know what you're
doing.
Ambrose Akinmusire (Cali Native) :
His Website :
Ambrose Akinmusire | home
His Wikipedia Page :
Ambrose Akinmusire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A dope highly skillful trumpet player from my home state.
His last album "The Imagined Savior is far easier to Paint" knocked my socks off brehs.]
Behind the scenes of his last album HOT shyt !
A performance :
Christian Scott (NEW ORLEANS WHAT UP !) :
Another Trumpet player, this guy can BLOW and his music
incorporates Rock and Hip Hop. He plays no games
His last album"Christian aTunde Adjuah " still gets spins from me.
Truly awesome music.
His website :
WELCOME
His Wikipedia page :
Christian Scott - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Glasper :
He hardly needs an introduction, a man who despite being able to swing with the
best of them decided to take on Hip Hop and R&B creating two highly respected albums
"Black Radio" and "Black Radio 2".
A live performance :
Some music from his albums -
( a jazz standard but fukk it, it's hot !)
Thundercat (more Jazz fusion than Jazz but make no mistake dude can burn on that bass....):
Watch.
Listen.
HOt. shyt !
A signee to Flying Lotus's "Brainfeeder" label and a highly skilled bassist.
He's a monster put simply and his virtuosity on the bass DOES NOT get in the
way of him making groovy, psychedelic funk oddysseys.
His wikipedia page :
Thundercat (musician) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Terrace Martin (another Jazz fusion sort of artist mixing R&B, Hip Hop and skillful Saxophone playing...)
A friend of Robert Glaspers and an Emcee/Prodcer and saxophonist.
Essentially if he wanted he could play you under the table but only that he can rap a dope verse
AND write the whole beat...dolo.
He's an immense talent that generally does not get recognized despite possessing great song writing abilities.
His wikipedia - Terrace Martin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Some vids :
Live playing (with glasper !!!) -
Trombone Shorty (Another New Orleans native)-
His wikipedia page - Trombone Shorty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
His website - Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
He plays both trombone and trumpet and has some DOPE albums
under his belt.
Roy hargrove -
A jazz artist who while possessing the knowledge to swing and blow
has no problem hanging back and giving you that funk.
He has a string of well received albums to his name and has likely inspired
many a young black trumpet player...
Get yah knowledge up.
Cory Henry - Incredible pianist.
He started playing organ as a child in his church and eventually grew as
an artist until he went on to learn to play Jazz.
Highly talented and a member of the DOPE fusion band that is called "Snarky Puppy".
His youtube channel - Cory Henry
His website - Cory Henry | Musician. Producer.
His facebook - Cory Henry
Now I'm going to mention members of the older guard cats (there's a mixing
of ages here because some of them aren't exact "Old" but you get the idea....I think...)
Barry Harris - Brilliant Bebop Pianist.
Get his music a sample of his knowledge and playing ability -
( a workshop with the living genius...)
(Schooling a skilled pianist in his own right
)(THE BLUES, the GAWD Barry Harris knows this !)
Some of his playing -
McCoy Tyner - Another Brilliant Bebop Pianist
Kenny barron -
Harold Mabern -
Victoor Wooten (Bassist) -
Marcus Miller (Bassist) -
There are many more black artists in Jazz but I just wanted to put some out there.
If you have ANY To add feel free to do so.....
Last edited:
)
