Chicago Jazz
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Terry Callier: You Goin’ Miss Your Candyman.
We lost Terry Callier on Sunday. He was an artist who melded Soul, Folk, and Jazz seamlessly. My first experience with his music is detailed below. This portion of the post was originally posted on Darkjive on October 17th, 2009: I remember where I was when I first heard [“Dancing Girl” by Terry Callier]: the…
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Fontella Bass: sassy soulful siren in the first degree.
Fontella Bass is an amazing lady. Not only is the trajectory of her career fascinating, but she’s arguably the archetype for what Aretha Franklin was to become: a sassy, soulful siren in the first degree. Ms. Bass comes from the St. Louis, and is a part of a group of St. Louis native vocalists that…
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Dorothy Donegan: Chicago’s own Jazz Cover Girl
Darkjive focuses mainly on soul music born and bred here in Chicago during the golden era of Chicago Soul: the 1960s through the late 1970s. Anyone who knows me, however, knows I am passionate about a variety of music that has come out of our city: especially soul, blues, and jazz. That said, recently an…
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Ramsey Lewis and Earth, Wind, & Fire: sun goddess…an exercise of local royalty.
In 1974, Earth, Wind, & Fire was beginning its ascent to “Shining Star”-dom: “That’s The Way of the World” had not yet been released, but “Head to the Sky” and “Devotion” had already made them radio favorites. Maurice White, the lead vocalist on so many of EWF’s cuts (and a beastly drummer) returns the favor…
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Yesterday and Tomorrow (it’s a chicago thing): David Boykin Trio at Danny’s featuring DJ Ayana
Below, one of the great Chicago recordings that I’ll feature. check out a bit of David’s work below.
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Melodic Expansions: David Boykin Expanse with DJ Ayana… pass it on.
Psssst… David Boykin Expanse with DJ Ayana. It’s a righteous situation at a secret location. RSVP info@perpetualrebel.com for more info.
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Clea Bradford and Frank D’Rone: my love’s a monster, so think i will. jive on.
From Frank D’Rone’s Cadet/Chess album “Brand New Morning” released in 1968 (arguably Cadet’s creative peak), “Think I Will” was arranged by Richard Evans and is the Brother record to Clea Bradford’s bananas Sister cut “My Love’s a Monster” (also from Cadet in 1968). Yes. The horns are so mighty, and that guitar work is extra-tasty……
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Oscar Brown, Jr.’s Work Song
I love the breadth and depth of Oscar Brown Jr.’s work. A prolific singer, songwriter, playwright, and activist, he was also a born and bred Chicagoan. The cut below “Work Song”, is from his first LP, 1960’s “Sin and Soul” which he recorded in his mid-thirties. He was a father of five at the time…
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Monk Higgins: The Look of Love
An early Charles Stepney arrangement (who later worked with The Dells, Rotary Connection, and Earth, Wind, & Fire, among others), this record rumbles and slinks along with soul. I love how the chunky electric keys interplay with the swirling strings, and Monk’s swinging saxophone. Monk Higgins was born Milton Bland in Arkansas. He was already a…
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Minor Moods: ahmad jamal have i loved.
“Minor Moods” by Ahmad Jamal (1967) makes me happy, and yes I will play this at next week’s “groove conspiracy”. Ahmad Jamal is from Pennsylvania, but a lot of his Golden Age material (including this hipper-than-thou number) is straight outta Chicago. The Ahmad Jamal Trio was the house band of the Pershing Hotel (on the South Side) in the…
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