How well do you know your music? Let’s find out with a quiz that accompanies this week playlist.
The subjects du jour are : Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Abdullah Ibrahim, Carlos Ward, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Stan Getz, Flora Purim, Dave Brubeck, Benny Goodman, Wes Montgomery, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Chick Corea, Roy Haynes, Miroslav Vitous, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Gene Harris, Ray Brown, Grady Tate
They are the “Jazz Legends” performers selected among the 326 Posts we publish this week.
1. In which city did Miles Davis improvise the soundtrack for “Lift to the Scaffold” in 1957?
- A New York City
- B Paris
- C London
2. What event inspired John Coltrane’s composition “Alabama”?
- A The Moon landing
- B A church bombing
- C Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination
3. Who joined Abdullah Ibrahim during the 1984 International Jazz Festival in Kalisz, Poland?
- A Herbie Hancock
- B Carlos Ward
- C Stan Getz
4. What was the inspiration behind Billy Strayhorn’s composition “Take the ‘A’ Train”?
- A Travel directions to Duke Ellington’s house
- B A dream about trains
- C A famous painting of a train station
5. Flora Purim is known for her collaborations with which saxophonist during the 1960s and 1970s?
- A John Coltrane
- B Charlie Parker
- C Stan Getz
6. What unconventional rhythm does “Blue Rondo à la Turk” employ?
- A 5/4 time signature
- B 7/8 time signature
- C 9/8 time signature
7. Where did Benny Goodman perform in 1973, joined by notable musicians like Slam Stewart and John Bunch?
- A Carnegie Hall
- B Musikhalle, Hamburg
- C The Royal Albert Hall
8. What technique is showcased in Wes Montgomery’s “Twisted Blues” from the *SO Much Guitar!* album?
- A Fingerstyle picking
- B Thumb-picking
- C Slide guitar
9. Who arranged and conducted Antônio Carlos Jobim’s album “Wave”?
- A Stan Getz
- B Claus Ogerman
- C Bill Evans
10. During which U.S. president’s term was a jazz concert featuring Chick Corea held at the White House?
- A Ronald Reagan
- B Jimmy Carter
- C George H. W. Bush
11. What characteristic musical structure defines Thelonious Monk’s “Blue Monk”?
- A Twelve-bar blues
- B AABA form
- C Rondo form
12. What is the significance of the track “Ow!” recorded by Dizzy Gillespie and others like James Moody and Gene Harris?
- A It was their first recorded piece together
- B It captures an exceptional quintet session
- C It launched a new jazz label
Tracklist
1 . Miles Davis . Lift To The Scaffold (w/ Jeanne Moreau)Miles Davis records in Paris ‘Ascenseur pour l’échafaud’ for the eponymous Louis Malle movie (1957) |
2 . John Coltrane . AlabamaOn TV today , John Coltrane Quartet at ‘Jazz Casual’ (1963) |
3 . Abdullah Ibrahim & Carlos Ward . Water From An Ancient Well |
4 . Duke Ellington & Billy Strayhorn . Take The “A” TrainDuke Ellington begins the recording of ‘Ellington Uptown’ with Billy Strayhorn on piano (1951) |
5 . Stan Getz & Flora Purim . Deixa a Nêga Gingar |
6 . Dave Brubeck . Blue Rondo à la Turk |
7 . Benny Goodman . Avalon |
8 . Wes Montgomery . Twisted BluesWes Montgomery records his fifteenth album . ‘Goin’ Out of My Head’ for Verve (1965) |
9 . Antônio Carlos Jobim . Wave |
10 . Chick Corea , Roy Haynes & Miroslav Vitous . Autumn Leaves, Rhythm-a-ning |
11 . Thelonious Monk . Blue MonkOn TV today, Lester, Billie, Thelonious et al at ‘The Sound of Jazz’ (1957) |
12 . Dizzy Gillespie , James Moody, Gene Harris , Ray Brown & Grady Tate . Ow! |
And the correct answers (in case you missed one or two) are:
1. Miles Davis improvised the soundtrack for “Lift to the Scaffold” in Paris. His involvement was a blend of spontaneity and innovation, reflective of the film noir’s moody atmosphere.
2. John Coltrane composed “Alabama” in response to the September 1963 bombing of a church in Birmingham. It serves as a somber memorial to the victims.
3. Abdullah Ibrahim collaborated with Carlos Ward during the Kalisz Jazz Festival. Their performance is noted for its musical chemistry and cross-cultural dialogue.
4. Billy Strayhorn composed “Take the ‘A’ Train” using directions to Duke Ellington’s house. The piece became a defining theme for Ellington’s band.
5. During her career in the 1960s and 1970s, Flora Purim collaborated notably with Stan Getz. Their work together is marked by a fusion of jazz and Brazilian elements.
6. “Blue Rondo à la Turk” uses a 9/8 time signature, inspired by Turkish musicians Dave Brubeck encountered. It mingles intricate rhythms with jazz stylings.
7. Benny Goodman’s 1973 concert at Musikhalle, Hamburg featured a blend of jazz standards. It demonstrated his enduring influence in clarinet performance.
8. Wes Montgomery’s piece “Twisted Blues” on *SO Much Guitar!* features his thumb-picking technique. The album is praised for its distinctive bluesy jazz guitar sound.
9. Antônio Carlos Jobim’s album “Wave” was arranged by Claus Ogerman. It merges bossa nova with elegant orchestral arrangements.
10. A jazz concert was held at the White House during Ronald Reagan’s presidency in December 1982. Notable musicians explored jazz classics for a national audience.
11. “Blue Monk” is characterized by its twelve-bar blues form, typical of Thelonious Monk’s style. Its dissonant, angular phrases make it a jazz standard.
12. “Ow!” features Dizzy Gillespie and others in a distinguished jazz lineup. It showcases their collective improvisation, offering a lively take on bebop traditions.
For THE FULL JAZZ LEGENDS COLLECTION click here
