Let’s Listen! Introduction to Jazz Part 3 - Summer Edition

Hello, I'm Nishida from the Products Department.
This is the third installment in this series, and I've been writing with the hope that more and more people are getting hooked on the music.
This time I want to change things up and feature not just one jazzman, but also songs that makes you feel like it’s summer! Many people have an image of "jazz" as "fashionable". But in reality, it is an exciting clash of passions! Jazz is the art of playing each and every note like it can only be created on that day, in that place and at that moment in time. To be able to record it and hold on to it, and to still be able to taste it today, is a wonderful thing. We should really be thankful for that. Here are some great performances that are perfect for the hot summer months.

1、Summertime / George Gershwin

Composed by the great composer, George Gershwin, also thought of as the culmination of American music. Rhapsody in Blue is a particularly famous song. Summertime is a lullaby composed for the 1935 opera "Poggy and Beth". It's very emotional, but it also has a bluesy sound. Personally, I prefer playing mid-tempo bossa nova rather than medium swing, but what do you think?

Vocalist Billie Holiday’s cover became a hit, and it went on to be a jazz standard. It is also famous for having been covered by saxophonist John Coltrane. Here is a covers by guitarist Joe Pass. The clean guitar added to the sorrowful song makes it more bluesy.

2、Caravan / Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington was a giant in the early swing jazz scene with hits including "Take the 'A' Train", "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)", "Satin Doll", and so on. He is a genius who has produced many famous songs that even those who know little or nothing about jazz have heard of.
"Caravan" introduced here is covered not only by Ellington himself, but has been covered by many artists. It is also used as an accompaniment to the American movie "Session" (Whiplash) released in 2014, and I think it has increased awareness among young people.
The "younger generation" recognizes the version by the well-known drummer, Art Blakey, who plays a major role in Japanese jazz trends. The Jazz Messengers version of "Moanin'", in which he was the leader, is very famous and I think many people have heard it.

3、Wave / Antônio Carlos Jobim

Doesn't bossa nova somehow feel like summer? It's the healing music you hear on the beach. Antonio Carlos Jobim is said to be one of the creators of bossa nova. He also created "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Delicious Water (Água de Beber)", and even has an airport named after him in his home country of Brazil.
“Wave” introduced here is a song from the album of the same name released in 1967. The melody begins with the flute and guitar and continues at a slow tempo. This song, in which you can feel the breeze, is refreshing for keeping cool in the hot summer.

4、Caribe / Michel Camilo

Michel Camilo is one of the best-known transcendental Latin jazz pianists in the industry. Every time I watch the video, it looks like it’s stuck in fast forward. He is a transcendental pianist who plays it with a smile.
From around 4:00, a stunning technique will jump out at you. He is ON FIRE and this is a must-see Latin jazz number in the summer!

"Caribe" was used as the ending to the romantic, the Spanish-American comedy film, "Two Much". You can't help but notice that the emotional final scene is suddenly followed by a passionate performance by Michel Camilo. It’s so surreal.
The theme plunges in at high speed after the 9:46-long solo piano intro. The brass enters and brings in the heat as well. Michel Camilo is superb with the ad-lib solo, not to be outdone by the trumpet and saxophone. This is a high tempo Latin number that just rushes along.

5、A Night in Tunisia / Dizzy Gillespie

The last song is a daringly hot, sultry jazz number, released in 1942. The songs are characterized by a back-and-forth between afrobeat and swing. Trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie is joined by alto saxophonist Charlie Parker Jr., who is a cornerstone of modern jazz. He is also known as a major exponent of bebop jazz. Gillespie, who had originally been a member of an orchestra, wrote this song for a small orchestra but later, it has often been played as a jazz standard. Particularly famous is the excellent performance by Charlie Parker. Although it was an incomplete take and got lost, Charlie Parker's solo playing was so good that solo the part was sold separately. The title is "The Famous Alto Break", and you can see how good the performance was.

He also performs with Gillespie, which is even more excellent. Charlie Parker (As), Dizzy Gillespie (Tp), Bud Powell (Pf), Max Roach (Dr.), Charles Mingus (Ba). All of them should be called All-Stars. I won't talk a lot about it any more; please give it a listen.

I’ve introduced five songs above. Did you find one you like? In this installment, I'm going to recommend some earphones and headphones for listening to jazz!

CLASSIC PRO / CPH3000 IVORY

Listening headphones should be as light as possible and as stylish as possible! Weighing only 165 grams, these are light, come in a lineup of five different colors, and can be used as a fashion accessory. They are excellent headphones. I personally into the Ivory set... And best of all, the price is unbelievable for a wide frequency response of 10 Hz – 22 kHz. These headphones are great, even for calm listening.

AKG / K701

Next up is the AKG in refreshing white. These are different from the CPH3000 in that they’re open, so don't use these in a crowd, lol, but... One of the biggest advantages of the open model is that it doesn't tire you out after long hours of listening! In practice, I can honestly say that I can listen to music with these for about four hours with plenty of time to spare. The "Varimotion Technology" which reproduces transparent mid and high frequencies without distortion and "TWO-LAYER diaphragm" makes it a perfect match for jazz.

ETYMOTIC RESEARCH / ER2SE-LE

When it comes down to it, ETYMOTIC RESEARCH for earphones. The flange eartips make them feel like the sound is coming directly into your ears. I listen to a lot of music that requires a lot of bass processing, such as EDM, so I bought the bass-enhanced ER2XR model.
However, with the ER2SE, you can feel as if you're playing back a record right in front of your eyes. If you want to listen to recordings from that time as if they were remastered in a current style, then of course the ER2XR is a great choice, too.

JBL / FREE X Black

True wireless earphones made by JBL. They support Bluetooth for smartphones and tablets. You can immerse yourself in the world of sound using these. The fact that you can play music for up to 24 hours is also a good, stress-free point. What's more, the right-side earpiece is equipped with a microphone, which is excellent for hands-free calling. It's also waterproof to a rating of IPX5, so you can enjoy your music on rainy days and in sweaty gym sessions.

Come join us this year for a hot summer of hot jazz!
See you.