Listening: Jazz Violin and Piano

One of my students asked me, do violins play jazz? Yes! Using the same instrument as we use to play classical music and fiddle tunes, there are all sorts of jazz violinists out there. Regina Carter is a leading jazz violinist, heard here in this video with the Ray Brown Trio (piano, drums, bass). When you listen, how can you tell this is jazz music?












Because jazz has so many different styles, there are also numerous styles or ways to play jazz violin. Here is a link to gypsy jazz, or "jazz manouche," that largely started in France influenced by the Roumanian gypsy population. Notice the different sound -- here the guitars get a real workout because they provide the rhythmic drive or pulse. If you compare this to the Regina Carter recording above, can you tell which two instruments are missing here? I'll give you a clue -- in this recording there are three guitars, a violin, and a bass.

Interlude

  I know you are all working on your drawings, paintings, or other creative work using Vivaldi's music as inspiration, but I simply had to share a piece of music I was introduced to today.  


The Piano Guys are a unique group who are having fun creating modern re-makes of classical pieces, and classically influenced re-makes of today's music.  The following piece, "Peponi" (meaning 'paradise' in Swahili) communicates to me what the spirit of music is...the common tongue of humanity...and the joy and inspiration it brings to us all.
   I hope you enjoy this wonderful work and amazing video!

(Click on the video when it starts playing to see it in a larger screen.)