My Influences:
Sidney Bechet (May 14, 1897 - May 14, 1959)
clarinet, saxophone
This section, as you know, deals with my influences. It began because a few of you mentioned to me that it would be a nice bit to add to this silly announcement. I have taken a couple notable liberties to illustrate my influences -- all of my subjects have certainly been inspirations and influences to my music and my musical career (if I can be so bold as to describe it as such.) Today I present you with one of the two biggest musical influences in my present course. (Coincidentally, the second of these two will come next week.)
There is plenty of biographical information out here on the inter-web-net highway as well as at your local library and/or your favorite record store (if your local record store doesn't have at least ten different servings of Bechet recordings, you might consider choosing a new favorite record store)!
The quick summary of Bechet biography goes like this:
He was born on May 14, 1897 in New Orleans, LA. (I have also seen the day listed as Apr. 14, 1897 and the year listed as 1893. Presently, the most accepted date is May 14, 1897.)
Bechet was born into a Creole family with a good connection to music. He nabbed his brother's clarinet and taught himself to play. He began playing with local bands at the age of nine (as the tale goes, when George Brunies showed up late for a gig.) From all accounts, at that age, he was already something to behold.
Fast forward ...
Bechet made significant contributions to early jazz. He is often credited as the first recorded jazz soloist. bla ... bla ... bla ...
(You can read all the biographical bits on him that you like elsewhere.)
What I hear in Bechet is expert musicianship and fantastic conveyance of raw emotion. Bechet's musicianship is obviously evident in his masterful and powerful soloing. His solos can be superb illustrations of artfully crafted, brilliantly executed, arpeggiated runs or effortlessly thoughtful and elegant melodies. No matter how fast or slow the piece, with one note or sixty-seven, Bechet left no doubt that those notes were the exact feelings that had traveled from the experience of his youth, his early adult years, his thoughts on tomorrow or the breakfast he had eaten earlier that day through his deep and soulful heart and out, to his fingers and through the instrument presented in a raw and unadulterated way.
He WAS music.
On top of that (rather abbreviated explanation of my true feelings on Mr. Bechet's extreme talent and mastery of his art), our man wrote a fine autobiography. "Treat It Gentle." Please read this book if you have any real interest in jazz and music in general. In his book, he pretty much sums up why musicianers play music and, to some degree, how. It is an vital and beautiful summary.
Oddly enough, there is quite a lot of history mentioned in this account, as well. Added to the accounts of other early jazz greats (we will be discussing one of these guys next week) and the knowledge of my own experience in traveling a similar path (with an open mind and heart) I've learned a rather interesting and truthful (more realistic) version of the beginnings of American jazz.
When I finished this book I felt (and still feel) like I'm walking the path in the most honorable manner a musicianer can walk.
a link to the book:
http://www.amazon.com/Treat-Gentle-Autobiography-Sidney-Bechet/dp/0306811081
Happy Birthday, Sidney Bechet!!
Thanks for the great music!
some links:
http://www.redhotjazz.com/Bechet.html
http://www.nps.gov/archive/jazz/Jazz%20History_sydney_bechet.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Bechet
http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/artist_id_bechet_sidney.htm
http://www.npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/archive/bechet.html
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~George Washington
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