Theodore 'Fats' Navarro: Jazz Great One!

Profound, high-impact jazz trumpet can prove so engaging because of its raw, powerhouse intensity. Such is the case with the sensational trumpet style of Fats Navarro, a powerhouse trumpet artist coming out of the 1940s era. The sound of Navarro is a smashing sound of passion coming from the fact he packed a wallop with his South Florida roots shining strong in his visceral trumpet big sound with his cracklin' and sensuous BeBop jazz innovations that encapsulate the Jack Kerouac style of prose-oriented modern music that made the late 1940s and early 1950s virile jazz so persuasive and vibrant. The Fats Navarro wonderfulness was heavily influenced by the exciting trumpet of Roy Eldridge and also by the great brass man, Charlie Shavers, who could cut some good jazz music his mighty self. The intrigue of the Fats Navarro sound is so unique with his interpretation of tasty ballads. One of my favorite tunes in this genre is the innovative work on the song, 'The Things We Did Last Summer.' It is a song filled with a shiny romanticism that sweeps the listener in, beautifully. Working with great ones like the highly imaginative Tadd Dameron, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie and Wardell Gray helped bring the luminary one, the noted Fats Navarro even more recognition. I feel the jazz trumpet sound of Fats Navarro is truly remarkable just like that of the immortal Dizzy Gillespie.

Fitzgerald, Davis, Eldridge, U2: Great Fun!

Jam session jazz music is so wild, a good 'ole whoop-t-do.' I listened today to a fine mainstream jazz session featuring the marvelous vocalizing of Ella Fitzgerald and many musical friends. This grand session from Holland had the great big bountiful sound of the super tenor saxophonist, Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis, Roy 'Little Jazz' Eldridge on trumpet, smooth comping guitar work from the wise Joe Pass and Tommy Flanagan on piano and the steady stylish Keter Betts on the bass. The blending of incredible scat singing by Ella Fitzgerald along with sensual,joyous tenor machinations by Eddie 'Lockjaw' Davis and highly thoughtful and provocative work by Roy Eldridge on the trumpet...well Lord, this was almost too much. This music was so powerhouse, so brash and "right on." This kind of jazz gives us all so much wonderful excitement it is kind of like U2 music. Lord, it gets us going. Now, can't wait for the big U2 Rose Bowl show, tomorrow. Cheers, everyone!