For many years I did not care for Jazz. That was all changed when, by chance, I watched the first episode of Ken Burns massive documentary "Jazz" on the telly in 2003. I was completely absorbed with the fascinating story of these early pioneers of this kind of music. What eventually dawned on me was the significance of this invention. It was the proto soundtrack for the new century. It was the invention that brought everything else with it. My interest was awoken.
One particular moment in the documentary was Gary Giddins introduction to a particular Louis Armstrong record, namely his 1928 "West End Blues" recorded with his band "Hot Five". Jazz had been around since the turn of the century and the first recording appeared in 1917 with The Original Dixieland Jass Band (changed later to the well known spelling Jazz). But ehat Louis brought to the mix, was an incredible power of individuality. Collective music performance had literally been the norm until then, but here was the clearest pronounciation of individuality and selfesteem ever heard and seen in the history of music. Classical musicians were performers of the composers individuality, but the personal improvisation and expression was nowhere to be found in the constraints of a partiture. The revolution of jazz, was to put the musician in the seat of the composer, sparking the birth of improvisation and the creation of art on the spot.
The real gem of this recording is Louis solo cadenza that starts of the track itself. The main portion of the song is a King Oliver creation, his mentor. But Louis attaches a piece of musical history in this cadenza that is so innovative and so individualist and mindblowing, that Jazz listeners sort of ditched the main song, while playing this intro over and over in complete disbelief.
I am not really able to review this pice of music in any sufficient fashion so I will just leave it to you to enjoy the sheer genius for yourself. I have a copy of it on an old shellac 78. This is really how it is supposed to be played, though finding a suitable player is not that easy.
Another point is the generic sleeves from the record stores that were popular in those times. My copy, which is shown here, is not contemporary but probably a reissue from around late 40's or early 50's. Most radiostores had their own record section, and they typically used the opportunity to put some advertising on the generic sleeves. The plastic bag ad of the time :-)
