Jazz/Blues Musicians

Jazz Musicians

-Miles Davis

• "Autumn Leaves" 
• "So What" 
• "Blue in Green" 

-Thelonius Monk

• "Brilliant Corners"
• "Round About Midnight" 
• "April in Paris"

Blues Musicians 

-Ray Charles

• "Mess Around"
• "What I'd Say"
• "Hit The Road, Jack" 

-Roosevelt Sykes

• "44 Blues"
• "Night Time Is the Right Time"
• "Sweet Old Chicago"

So What
This Miles Davis song has a nice blend of soft, background rhythm and louder melody. The repetitiveness of the background stuff gives the music a relaxing, chill sort of feel. In contrast, the trumpet and then saxophone are very crisp and clear and stands on its own. Then, halfway through the song, the piano becomes the focal point and carries the melody. This is a really nice transition and provides the song with a less harsh feeling. The trumpet then picks up the first theme again, but this time carries it through the background while the piano establishes a new theme, which creates an appealing contrast. The song essentially comes in a full cycle, which is very interesting; it follows a pattern similar to that of classical music, but the sound is so different. However, parts of it are a bit repetitive, especially that background beat.

Brilliant Corners
This is a very interesting song. Monk makes use of some strange note combinations that generally wouldn't be thought to go together very well. The timing is choppy is alters a lot, which makes the song interesting to listen to, but it also makes it hard to follow. It is difficult to concentrate on the song itself when you are immersed in the complexity of the alternating rhythms. The draw likely resides in its originality, and it is very clear that the musicians have to be very talented to play this type of stuff. Therefore, the song itself is impressive. The drum solo seems a bit random, however, and kind of loses the listener a bit. It is not jazz as one would generally imagine it.

What I'd Say
This Ray Charles song utilizes what is generally THE chord pattern commonly associated with blues music. Therefore, it is appealing in the sense that it is familiar. However, it becomes a bit tedious as the song progresses, and that is probably one of the reasons people might not really like the song. The complexity of the piano is intriguing, and the vocals are powerful but extremely difficult to decipher, which can be irritating for someone used to more modern music. There is clearly lots of feeling being channelled in the music, though, which is always an asset.

44 Blues 
Roosevelt Sykes also has a very classic blues style. The repeating notes in the tone patterns are what give it that bluesy feel, and it's kind of cool and "swingy". The music is very simple, which can be considered either a good or bad thing. Again, it is kind of repetitive, and can get a bit tedious. In terms of vocals, he uses something of a country twang, and utilizes melismata to add to the style a bit. The vocal melody is also very simple, and contributes to the song's overall tediousness.