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Thursday, May 13, 2010

WFCR, an NPR station in Amherst, Massachusetts, is compiling classical and jazz top 50s. Folks can participate by voting for their three most-favorites on-line. The results should be fascinating. But vote soon! The station will begin to announce the winners on May 19. I don't feel qualified to vote in the classical musical poll, but under jazz I listed these albums: Dexter Gordon, ``Biting the Apple;'' ``Solo Flight: The Genius of Charlie Christian;'' and ``Thelonius Monk's Greatest Hits.''
The Charlie Christian album is really a compilation of recordings of Benny Goodman, for whom Christian played guitar.
I'm afraid that the allowance of only three votes will result in a list too-largely populated by canonized musicians, such as Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Lester Young and Duke Ellington. People just won't have enough room to vote for those who are ``out of the way.''

2 comments:

"Jazz Lives" @ WordPress.com said...

I found your blog through Google Alerts, and I second the emotion about the canonical figures -- yes, they deserve the ardent attention, but let's hear it for . . . Tony Fruscella, Frank Chace, Lips Page, Dave Tough . . . all the under-recognized heroes and heroines of jazz. I've posted just a day ago on a similar theme:
http://jazzlives.wordpress.com/2010/05/14/stars-in-the-jazz-sky/
Cheers! Michael Steinman

Grace the Dog said...

Thanks, Michael! I have to admit I hadn't heard of any of those guys except Tony Fruscella.
Dan