Great Offerings

Dec 20, 2021

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!

 

As we venture thru this holiday season, let's consider some extraordinary items as potential gifts for friends, family, or even for ourselves. Take a look and remember that good stuff is good stuff, all year round.

For those who love to share a Philly story, there are two new CD releases of music by Philadelphia jazz innovator, Hasaan Ibn Ali aka The Legendary Hasaan. Languishing in obscurity since the 60s, this music has been resurrected by Omnivore Recordings. If you love Thelonious Monk, the early ideas of Cecil Taylor and the keyboard genius of Elmo Hope, then you’ll understand what these new CDs are all about.

 

 

 

 

YOU CAN FIND THIS MUSIC AT: Omnivore Recordings

 

 

For those who enjoy a good read, look no further than the book, Whisper Not: The Autobiography of Benny Golson published by Temple University Press. This book paints a vivid portrait of the golden age of Philly Jazz. In daily orbit with Jazz giants like Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Bobby Timmons, and Clifford Brown, Philly-bred, saxophonist and composer, Benny Golson was much more than a witness to Jazz history. He was an architect of it was well.

 

 

 

YOU CAN FIND THIS BOOK AT: Temple University Press

 

 

For those among us who love the sound of a true Jazz singer, feast your ears on Third Stage of Elegance, the latest CD from Philadelphia songstress, Ella Gahnt. The veteran vocalist taps into her vocal influences like Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan and her name sake, Ella Fitzgerald, yet presents music that is totally her own. Sounding quite like a vintage classic from the future, this offering by Ella Gahnt smoothly brings the golden age of Jazz deep into the 21st century.

 

 

 

YOU CAN FIND THIS MUSIC AT: Books & Stuff

 

 

For those among us who love our Philadelphia musicians, there are three remarkable recordings of the music of drummer and composer, Anwar Marshall. Captured during the Mysterious Traveler Concert Series at the Free Library of Philadelphia, Marshall shows why he was the most in demand drummer of the entire series. On these FREE mixtapes, he performs with pianist Tim Brey, bassist Madison Rast, saxophonist Victor North and others.

 

 

YOU CAN GRAB THIS FREE MUSIC AT: Philadelphia Jazz Project Mixtapes

 

 

For those who love an adventure, check out the book, I Walked With Giants: The Autobiography of Jimmy Heath, published by Temple University Press. A member of the ubiquitous Heath Brothers, Jimmy's story is a tour through Jazz music history. His tales about Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and John Coltrane do not merely illustrate his admiration for these Giants, but is a testament to Heath's colossal, yet sometimes understated place in this music’s story as well.

 

 

 

YOU CAN FIND THIS BOOK AT: Temple University Press

 

 

For those who love to explore the outer reaches of the music and the cosmos, take a look at Space Is The Place: The Lives and Times of Sun Ra written by Philadelphia-based author, John Szwed and published by Duke University Press. This book offers readers a rare and valuable glimpse into the personal, spiritual, political and artistic journey of Sun Ra from Saturn to Birmingham, then to Chicago, New York, to Philadelphia and beyond.

 

 

 

 

YOU CAN FIND THIS BOOK AT: Duke University Press

 

 

 

For those who love the swinging sounds of Jazz Organ groups, you've gotta check out, The More I See You by Bootsie Barnes & Larry McKenna. This CD takes us time-traveling back to the glory days of Philly Jazz. Featuring Barnes and McKenna on tenor saxes, Lucas Brown on Hammond B3 organ, Byron Landham on drums, this Cellar Records CD is a rich tribute to the late Bootsie Barnes & Larry McKenna's longtime musical relationship and their love for this soulful music.

 

 

 

YOU CAN FIND THIS MUSIC AT: Cellar Live

 

 

 

For those who love all things Coltrane, a recently recovered 1965 recording from The Penthouse in Seattle could shake things up. Released on Impulse Records, A Love Supreme - Live In Seattle by John Coltrane is a rare live performance of this Jazz classic captured on tape. It's also significant because it takes place during a transitional period for the Coltrane band and features young saxmen, Carlos Ward and Pharaoh Sanders along with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones.

 

 

 

YOU CAN FIND THIS MUSIC AT: Center Stage

 

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS & BY ALL MEANS... BE SAFE

 

 

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Philadelphia Jazz Project is a sponsored project of the Culture Trust | Greater Philadelphia, with funding provided by The Philadelphia Foundation.

 

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Tags : PhillyJazz GreatOfferings Gifts PotentialGifts HasaanIbnAli LegendaryHasaan BootsieBarnes LarryMcKenna JazzOrgan PhillyBop WalkedWithGiants JimmyHeath TempleUniversityPress TemplePress DukePress SunRa SunRaArkestra SpaceIsThePlace JohnSzwed AfroFuturism WhisperNot BennyGolson AnwarMarshall MysteriousTraveler FreeLibrary JazzMixtape Drummer JazzSinger Songstress EllaGahnt ThirdStageOfElegance JohnColtrane ALoveSupreme McCoyTyner JimmyGarrison ElvinJones CarlosWard PharaohSanders