Photo by William P. Gottlieb (Charlie Parker, sax; Miles Davis, trumpet; Tommy Potter, bass; and  Duke Jordan, piano. )
Only slightly visible behind Charlie Parker is drummer, Max Roach. The photo entered the public domain in 2010.

This page contains direct links to some delightful and / or historic jazz captured on video. The "Exploring Jazz" course will have a separate playlist of music used in the classes.  The audio/visual quality of the music videos listed below (in no particular order) varies from excellent to not-so-great, but if they are listed here, it means I enjoyed watching them. (Using headphones, ear buds, or attached speakers, will give you much better audio than your computer. )   You will get more dependable quality from online music providers -- like Spotify, iTunes, Pandora, Amazon music -- and you won't have to listen to the pop-up ads that pop up on some of the YouTube channels.

Click on the description and it will open a new web page showing the video. I hope you'll enjoy browsing here and that it will encourage you to explore on your own.

Keith Jarrett Trio (with Gary Peacock, bass; jack DeJohnette, drums) Japan, 1985.
                     Nearly two hours of the trio with exceptional interplay and clean audio and wonderful       
                     lyrical improvising by Jarrett and bassist Gary Peacock. First tune is very pensive, the 
                     second "If I Should Lose You" -- about 8 minutes in -- is very swinging.

Bud Powell in Paris , 1959.

Joshua Redman (sax) and Brad Mehltau (piano) duo, (2016) very creative, well-recorded exploration of
           the Sonny Rollins, jazz classic "Oleo" (based on the form and harmonic changes to "I Got Rhythm."

Thelonious Monk Quartet: most of the performance video of the wonderful Monk DVD on the  Jazz Icons,
​        series is here,  beautifully filmed and recorded, from a performance in Norway (1966).  A great 
​        opportunity to experience an hour of Monk's music "in person."
 
Bud Powell plays multiple choruses of “I’ll Remember April” in Mingus’s band of 1960.

Harold Lopez-Nusa band, live concert in Switzerland (2014)
           Cuban jazz pianist, Harold Lopez-Nussa  with percussion and trumpet. The concert is filmed in
           Chamonix Mont-Blanc, southern France.   The concert is almost an hour long, but of special
           interest to our class is from 13 min - 16 min. 

Pianist Stanley Sagov 's "Remembering the Future Band" plays "My Romance" opening with unaccompanied alto sax 
       solo, ( a stunning tour de force)  by Robert Douglas Grey, reaching above the alto's  range to create a passionate exploration..

Thelonious Monk (solo) at Berlin Jazz Festival, 1969) (Click here.) playing Ellington songs,
​showing his admiration for Ellington as well as his indebtedness to stride piano
-- played in his own idiosyncratic way, a wonderful example of his fully exploiting
​syncopation and dissonant harmony. 
Repertoire:  
​    Satin Doll
    Sophisticated Lady
    Caravan (particularly exciting exploration)
    In My Solitude 
    Crespescule With Nellie 
    (Sarah Vaughan, and other pianists follow Monk on stage in this long video from Berlin.)
Miles Davis visits Africa: from the movie "Dingo."

Michel Petrucianni uses boogie-woogie (8 beats to the bar) to give new momentum to “Take the A Train”

Another light-speed, tireless medley of Ellington (C-Jam Blues) Monk (I Mean You) and several Charlie Parker tunes By Michel Petrucianni

Guitarist, Emily Remler, plying the riff tune "Tenor Madness" in 1969, a few years befor her untimely death.

Horace Silver's classic "Song For My Father" (1968). Dedicated to his father, who immigrated from Cape Verde,
         it was inspired by Brazilian rhythms he heard while visiting Brazil on tour. 

Dizzy Gillespie's big band in Finland, 1982, playing Gillespie's "A Night in Tunisia," with the leader and Arturo Sandoval trading 16-bar choruses.

Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers performance of "A Night in Tunisia" in 1958, with Lee Morgan (trumpet) and Benny Golson (tenor sax).

Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers peformance of "Moanin'" by pianist Bobby Timmons, who is on piano. This tune shows the influence black church, the blues , and in the bridge (B section), a jazz interlude. 

Cab Calloway, “Jumpin’ Jive” (1943)   A five-minute excerpt from the film Stormy Weather . The Nicholas Brothers demonstrate their over-the-top dance routine. (Don’t try this at home.)

Pianist George Shearing talks with educator Billy Taylor about how he created his unique sound  in a seven-minute video, which includes his demonstrating.     
 
Master vocalist, Bobby McFerrin, scatting “Armando’s Rhumba,” accompanied by Chick Corea, its composer. The tune was written for Corea’s father, Armando, and is one of the most memorable tunes on his album My Spanish Heart. Their communication as a duo is inspiring.

The irresistible and tuneful syncopation of pianist Erroll Garner playing “I Get A Kick Out of You.” It’s a hands-on-keyboard view of how effective syncopation can be.

Pianist Vijay Iyer, a good introduction to his more experimental style, an hour long live concert, well recorded.

Charles Mingus
 from the album  "Nostalgia in times square"   - 1993

       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__OSyznVDOY&list=RDKXbtO9GjwfU&index=4
​
This is a recording of Mingus's composition called "Moanin'."  It is not the popular tune of the same title by pianist Bobby Timmons. It is a typical Mingus piece of perfectly clear chaos and irresistible passion.   Baritone player is Ronnie Cuber.  This band was a recreation of the Mingus big band which played his music authentically; the great composer and bassist had died of ALS by this time in 1993, when the recording was made.