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Disappearing Jazz?

After years of collecting all types of music except jazz and big band I'm now playing catchup.  Looking at the recordings of Ruby Braff (trumpet), Dick Hyman (piano) Roland Hanna (piano). Art Tatum (piano), Claude Bolling even the great vocalist Sarah Vaughan I find the majority of their catalog is only available used on vinyl.  There are many other names I could have included in this list - I'm gradually getting to them (Thelonious Sphere Monk, etc ).

Beyond the lack of availability what alarms me as a new collector of this genre is that there doesn't appear to be musicians to take the place of these giants.  Not to say there are no more Big Bands or jazz pianists BUT how many new artists have the hundreds of recordings these musicians created?

Is jazz disappearing?  Will streaming services eventually include recordings only available on LP? 

Feel free to offer any suggestions for other artists to collect in the traditional jazz / big band category.  I also have collected Miles, Coltrane and Bill Evans though just starting to dive into Ellington.

Hoping to find this music soon.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

bigquery

Showing 3 responses by frogman

frogman
7,356 posts
 

**** Jazz is not disappearing. It is progressing. ****

Exactly! Although, I might change “progressing” to “evolving”. Whether it is progress or not can be very subjective. Jazz WILL evolve as this is the nature of the “beast”. It always builds on what came before stylistically; hence my question to the OP as to what he considers “traditional” Jazz. Searching for examples of traditional Jazz performed (recorded) in the present will surely disappoint, as the best examples of traditional Jazz are almost always from the past. The best Jazz from the present will be different stylistically; an evolution of the traditional.

**** Like many, for me most jazz is noodling (thank you FZ). ****

Noodling?! Good Jazz (obviously, like any genre, not all is good) is an incredible musical feat. Spontaneous composition (improvisation) of the highest order.

 

frogman
7,356 posts
 

As has been stated, Jazz is alive and well.

Now, I think part of what may be shaping your sense of the state of and availability of Jazz is shown by your reference to “traditional Jazz”. What exactly is that? There is a tremendous amount of Jazz being recorded that doesn’t necessarily fit that mold. Another vote for the “Jazz For Aficionados” thread.

Curious, I just posted a record (Larry Young “Unity”). Fantastic record. Curious what you think of it and whether you think it’s “traditional” Jazz. No judgment intended, but a way to better understand. Someone who loves Stephen Sondheim (as do I) might find a lot to like in a lot of the post-“traditional” stuff.

frogman
7,356 posts
 

🙄  Not biting…. 😊

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