Smooth Flights of Jazz

Had a nice relaxed Sunday after a crazy hectic week at work - the pace is rapid especially at the end of a month and the beginning of a new one. What made the past week even more chaotic was the need to fly to Delhi on official business right in the middle of the week. 

I'm not a frequent traveler... but this flight took me back in time. While it brought to mind the many trips I've made around the world, it took me on a musical journey. As I settled down in my aisle seat, the music that filled the air was soft, pleasant and relaxing - exactly what you would expect from Smooth Jazz

Hyde Park (Jeff Kashiwa) - that sound makes up the background sound of a video I compiled of the day I spent exploring New York City including the Rockafeller centre and the visit to the Observation Deck at the Empire State Building 2008 on One Summer Day (Ken Navarro). 

While it was around this time that I was attracted to this wonderful genre of music, I think the earliest influence of Smooth Jazz to be touched me was back in the studios of All India Radio, where a guest DJ (or RJ) on YuvVani - the bi-weekly youth show played Morning Dance (Spyro Gyra).

The guest DJ was a senior of mine from college, back in the day when we had only three main stream to pursue - Commerce, Arts and Science (within which Engineering and Medicine were the most aspirational). Things are different today with lots more options to choose from. In fact, just last week, NMIMS (the B-school I studied in and currently serve as a guest faculty) launched the NMIMS School of Performing Arts.

This is the first ever venture in India towards a degree in Music, is what I understand. But there's the whole wide world of talent out there for talented musicians to Rise (Herb Alpert).

While we'll have to wait and see for what the future holds, I'm looking back once again. Just the couple of weeks ago, when I reminisced about about completing 30 years since my first ever show on All India Radio in my post - My Radio Days (and Nights): Remembering Saturday Date. In fact was well pleased that this post registered well over 700 Pageviews... Thanks to all... it Feels So Good (Chuck Mangione).

With trust you enjoyed the music on this post, here's one of my favorite tunes in Smooth Jazz - Take Five (Dave Brubeck).

I was inspired to write this post by the music I heard on the flight I was travelling in. Talking about flights, a week ago a TAP Air Portugal flight from Amsterdam to Lisbon made an emergy landing at Porto. The delay prompted Ray Chen to pull out his Stradivarius violin and entertain his fellow travellers. Check this out.

JAZZ IT UP.... International Jazz Day

"Jazz is not just music, it's a way of life, it's a way of being, a way of thinking." - Nina Simone

Today (April 30) is International Jazz Day by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) to celebrate the beauty and power of jazz, not just as a beloved creative art form, but as an instrument for cultural diplomacy.

How was JAZZ born?... Check out this video for your answer... 'How Jazz Was Born'

Did you see Louis in the video... not the 'Banks' - Louis Armstrong? He was playing the signature trumpet. 

I possibly heard the word 'Jazz' for the first time mentioned with respect to the Jazz Yatra... but the coverage I saw on TV was lots and lots of musicians playing their own thing...

Many years later (in the mid-90s), I attended a few Jazz shows at Manoribel with Indian greats like Louis Banks, Sivamani and Karl Peters performing. And now 'I Love Jazz'

Wondering when I first heard a good Jazz song, my memory takes me back to a Zonal Singing competition I participated in at the parish when I was around 12... and my best competitor - a pretty girl - danced across the stage, dressed in a horizontal striped top (looking like a jailbird) and singing 'Mack The Knife'.

About five years later, I had my own Jazz performance that landed me in the top five at the most prestigious inter college competition in Mumbai (Malhar) - Frank Sinatra going to 'New York, New York'.

Got introduced to Instrumental Jazz at the Radio station with this track by Dave Brubeck... you got it... 'Take Five'.

One evening while I was sitting in the broadcasting studios of All India Radio, a friend walked in to play his selection of music on the YuvVani show... and his opening track was this instrumental from a group that had a name from our biology books in school - Spyrogyra. 

Smooth Jazz at its very best... I've got lots of it in my collection.... including Latin Jazz. And if you are on a hangover of International Dance Day yesterday... Heres 'Salsa Kenny'

While the beginnings of jazz were done in Southern parts of the US, two of my favorite jazz singers of today are from up in Canada. 

The lovely lady with 'Temptation', Diana Krall and the handsome guy who's 'Feeling Good', Michael Buble.

Diana Krall will be among the performers at the White House celebration of International Jazz Day. The line-up includes a famous Indian... our very own tabla maestro, Zakir Hussain. 

Among the many concerts lined up today, there is a special one that's on right now in India's very own Jazz Haven - Aamche Goa. A friend that I've met at recordings back in the '90s, Colin D'Cruz, is active in the Goa Jazz circuits and has been promoting a new category of Jazz - hold your breath.... Konkani Jazz. 

After all these songs, we've barely scratched the surface... Will be back with more Jazz music as part of my #MusicalBirthday and other posts.... Stay tuned...

I'll leave you with a quote from an early jazzman... the writer and singer of the American Songbook.... George Gershwin.