Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers- Stella By Starlight
This song is of a style called hard bop, which sought to recreate the original bebop of the the 1930’s. To be all too simple about things, small groups emphasized individual creativity with songs that featured the whole band playing a theme, a middle section of mostly improvisational solos, maybe a return of the theme between solos (maybe not), capping it off with a final return to the theme. Give it a listen and consider some things I have to say about it.
There are plenty of interesting things of substance to note about this song. In particular, I am struck by the crisp, sharp notes from the horns’ improvisation, which stand out like paint strokes of sharp contrast. The theme, on the other hand, is somewhat laid back and dreamy. The trumpeter comes in after the first sax solo with staggard rhythms and nasty note delivery that sets a vibrant spark in my earspace. My favorite part about this music is how organically the voices intertwine. If you really listen to how the horns deal with the piano/bass chord changes, you will find at any point the horn player either preempting the change, lagging behind it, or hitting it full force. The intent with which these kinds of musicians do this kind of thing has always astounded me. It sways the careful listener back and forth, and it unsettles the groove just enough to make the groove more savory.
I’m not sure I’ve said anything so far I can’t say about most of the jazz that I have. It’s all so subtle that I could spend days listening to it, unlocking new secrets. Of more interest to me is the ability of this song to harmonize whatever setting in which I listen to it. When I listen to it at my desk, with my good speakers, everything in my room seems to lock into place and make sense. Things that were once messy are now carefully placed, locking into little purposeful cubby holes. When I listen to it walking wherever I go, all of the noise and bustle around me slides off my shoulders like water from an umbrella. Many kinds of jazz emit chaos, fury, sadness, some extreme or another. This particular song seems to be totally devoted to striking at the essence of whatever jazz has been trying to get at in general since it came to fruition.
4 out of 5 stars
Up next: Art of Noise
Epilogue
This one was pretty tough. I used to be more of a scholar when it came to jazz, but not so much now. I remembered that one of my friends suggested I pay more attention to how songs make me feel, so that gave me a really interesting outlet. I really hope you give this song a shot. It is really groovy, and it deserves everyone’s time when they can give it. Also, make sure you show my blog to your friends!
