Assignment 23- Clifton Grady

I really love music, particularly jazz. I am a jazz musician myself so I consider myself somewhat of an expert on the topic, so I present to you…

Clifton’s jazz playlist the will put you in a good mood no matter what* 

1. Sing, sing, sing- Benny Goodman This is one of the most popular jazz standards of all time. The unmistakable drum beat into to the infectious tune that makes you want to go back in time and swing dance, this song never fails to put me in good spirits.

 2. Birdland- The Weather Report Okay, this song is both jazz and rock, more of a fusion song, but I’m gonna put it one here anyway. This song is a classic and there are plenty of versions of it out there that are all great— the original performed by the Weather Report, one by Maynard Ferguson, me featuring Jaco Pastorius, and probably others I’m forgetting. It’s a great song that’s a lot of fun and every time I hear or play it I have a ton of fun.

 3. MacArthur Park- Jimmy Webb This song is just great, one of my all-time favorites. There is a slow section and a fast section which provide contrast and overall just make the tension and intensity curve of the song really engaging, and as a trumpet player listening to Maynard Ferguson’s version of this tune (which is the version I recommend) is astonishing, as he is perhaps the greatest lead player who ever lived. The song is also just really catchy and always makes me smile when I hear it.

 4. La Fiesta- Chick Corea This song is fast and loud, and it’s just really fun to listen to. This song is a jazz standard in the Latin style, so it adds yet another aspect of variety to the list. Again, I recommend the Maynard Ferguson version— the trumpet playing (along with the rest of the band) is phenomenal.

 5. Groovin’ Hard- Don Menza This song is another piece that has become standard jazz repertoire. It is a classic example of a laid back swing tune and it just really fun to listen to. It’s an exciting song with great solo breaks, big and loud moments, as well as some quieter parts to allow your ears to relax. I recommend the version of this tune performed by he Buddy Rich Big Band. Buddy Rich was one of the greatest drummers who ever lived and his band was top notch in everything they played, but this tune is a great example of one of their standards.

 I do not use Spotify for my music so I can’t put my list on there, but a quick google search should turn results for all of these songs.

 *results not scientifically proven nor protected by any guarantee