ANZCA Modern Grade 5 Jazz - 52nd Street Theme

This peppy tune is a well-known example of Thelonious Monk's music. It was written in 1944, when 52nd Street, Manhattan, was the place to be to catch the coolest Jazz.

The photo in the video is also of 52nd Street, taken in 1948 by William P. Gottlieb. It shows many of the popular clubs of the time.

52nd Street Theme - Thelonious Monk

 

If you would like to see some icons of Jazz play and improvise on this tune, go here. It's VERY cool. There's piano, brass, drums and vibraphone featured.

 

Image credit: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:52nd_Street,_New_York,_by_Gottlieb,_1948.jpg

 

ANZCA Modern Grade 5 Jazz - Jazz Ostinato

An Ostinato refers to the repeating pattern you can hear in the bassline in this particular tune. Ostinatos were big news in Medieval and then Baroque times (we're talking about kinda around the year 1620), but this one is more about cool basslines in a jazz bar. The right hand starts off kinda modest and off-beat, and then gets really fancy by the end. It's all a bit hypnotizing.

Jazz Ostinato - Gerald Martin

ANZCA Modern Grade 5 Jazz - Cool Jam

I managed to learn yet another tune from the ANZCA book today, so here it is, and yes, I do realise the picture contains random jars of lentils, but just go with me on this.

Cool Jam - Glenn R. Hunter

ANZCA Modern Grade 5 Jazz - Time's Up

Here's another one from the ANZCA Modern book, Jazz genre.

Time's Up - Kerin Bailey

ANZCA Modern Grade 5 Jazz - Solid

Here's a tune from the ANZCA Modern Grade 5 book, Jazz genre.

Solid - David Urquhart-Jones