Jazz in video games

Now just like most people, I’ve been playing video games for a long time. Like… a LONG time. I’ve got a Triforce (Legend of Zelda) tattoo for crying out loud. That being said, looking back on all the games I’ve played in my life I’m finding more and more examples of jazz music that I never noticed before. Here’s just a short list of all the sweet sweet jazz tracks from my gaming past:

1. Katamari Damacy – Katamari on the rocks

Katamari Damacy cannot be explained by any normal person. Its a Japanese game in which you are the prince of the cosmos and you need to take a Katamari, a sticky ball, and roll up things on earth so that your dad, the king of the cosmos can crush it and turn it into a star. But here’s the catch: its super crazy and Japanese, therefore absolutely in-explainable unless you see it firsthand. The music on the other hand is a combo of old school big papa Japanese jazz and j-pop. You win some, you lose some.

2. Grim Fandango – The whole damn soundtrack

This game… I don’t really remember this game very well because I was super young when my dad played it, but I do remember how I learned the places and people by the music and that’s what stuck with me. I really should go back to this game, because from what I remember, it was quite the funny game about a skeleton detective. The art style of this game melds with the music quite well, but that is one of the biggest criticisms on this game.

3. Phoenix Wright meets Jazz Soul – The fragrance of dark coffee

The Phoenix Wright games are all just so good, I cant help but post this redo. This song is a theme of some character done by a jazz soul combo. Fun stuff if you ask me. When grouped with Rainymood.com, this track turns into one of those introspective days in. A good listen any day of the week.

4. Super Mario Galaxy 2 – Throwback Galaxy

Come on, who doesn’t like Mario? That’s right, nobody. And if there really is someone out there that doesn’t like the plummer, then they can safely assume that they’re an enemy of mine. This track/level is a jazz redo of one of the levels in Super Mario 64 and its pure 100% uncut Colombian awesome. If you’ve even seen someone play SM64, then you should get a kick out of this level.

Well, these are some good listens. So go listen to these good tracks and just remember… these are from video games.

The three sexiest lady voices in jazz

Now this a highly disputed topic, because attraction and music are equally subjective ideas, but id just like to submit my top three list. Most people forget that women even have a place in jazz with all the blockbuster voices like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby taking up the spotlight, but these three ladies hold a special place in my heart. I can’t do any more than just three because id just go on for days and days.

3. Lena Horne:
The recently late great Lena Horne, in her hayday had the most beautiful, coy voice I’ve ever laid my ears upon. Her timbre fits her look and shape so perfectly, that any and all would agree that she fits in almost anyone’s top ten list. This irresistible woman was truly the queen of her time, even though she had a rough time with all the black-baling from Hollywood for the red scare issues, she manages to stick to it and leave a lasting impression.

2. Nancy Harms
Now, Nancy Harms is a new find of mine, but she is quite the babe. Her smoother, smoky voice is so wonderful and at the first listen in a duet with Wycliffe Gordon, I was sold. I cant help but feel like she is constantly holding back though. Id give my left arm and then some to hear her just let it rip. That’s really the only thing that holds me back from putting her in first place under this fine gal:

1. Ella Fitzgerald
Ella is the infallible queen of it all. This beautiful songstress is honestly known worldwide for her amazing voice, personality and laundry list of stars that she has sung with as well. Ella has been my favorite since before i could even understand the words she was saying. Ella truly is impossible not to like, with that voice that could soothe a raging bear and her adorable big mama demeanor. It really is everything about her that puts her at 1st place on the list.

Well, that’s my list. If you don’t agree then ok, you’re another fully functioning human being and that’s alright.

The perfect Christmas jazz station

Are you tired of the old, rigid, boring Christmas music that you grew up with? Do you need something new to spice up your life? Does your classy Christmas party need that extra kick? Well then I’ve got the perfect Pandora station for you!

The station that you’re looking for is the “O Tannenbaum” played by Vince Guaraldi station! This song from the original Charlie Brown Christmas CD is a favorite to all, young and old. This station happens to have all the smooth jazz hits by a plethora of different artists, so you literally can’t go wrong.

I personally play this station for all the people in the Student Publications building when I’m at work around Christmas time, and just about everyone loves it. And when I’m home studying. And when I’m eating. And when I’m walking around campus. Basically as long as I’m awake, I’m probably listening to this station. So take it from me and please put this channel on your Pandora and listen to it all the time.

Five MUST HAVE Pandora stations for the new jazz listener

When starting out on my journey to the great jazz snob kingdom in the sky, I had a few friends who were into jazz spit me some Pandora stations that would set me up, and here I am giving all of you my list of the top 5.

1.George Shearing:
Oh Georgie. George and his hot and heavy fast jazz piano is the perfect music to play at a party or a shindig to prove to people that you just so happen to be the cat’s pajamas (lingo and all). Having been one of the premier jazz pianists in the 50’s and 60’s, not all the recordings of his music are in tip top shape, but it sounds just fine on Pandora most of the time. George’s style was so obvious and clear cut that for years people imitated him and you can clearly hear that in the songs they group with George on the station.

2. Sammy Nestico:
Sammy is the first name in the book when you look up “Big Band” to me. Being one of my first experiences with big band style, Sammy is here to stay. All the other composers that they link Sammy with on his swing filled station go together just fine. Being a world apart from Shearing isn’t exactly a bad thing, for Sammy’s music gets to explore the multiple sounds and ideas that multiple instruments can make up. Definitely one to check out.

3. Count Basie:
Basie is the King of Swing. Hands down. There really isn’t much to really say about Count, he really just is one of those people you need to listen to for any sense of understanding. Old, early to mid 20th century swing jazz. It’s like writing a report on how shoes work. Everyone just knows what it’s like, unless you just so happen to have never worn shoes.

4. Frank Sinatra:
Another obvious artist. Blessed with his perfect, smoky jazz voice Frank melts the hearts of everyone. His jam packed with talent station will find music to please just about anyone. Michael Buble, Bing Crosby, Bill Winters, Nat King Cole and many more grace this station with their wonderful voices. Vocal jazz in and of itself is a very different beast from just about any other form of jazz, but it still has a very warm, special place in my heart.

5. John Coltrane:
This smooth sax station is perfect for the rainy day alone to studying in the sun, to being newly in love or even a recent heartbreak. It fits just about anywhere you can squeeze it and that’s probably why I love this station so much. The variety on this station is quite wide seeing as how Coltrane was a writer and composer for many artists and got around quite well in his day.

Well, theres my five stations, so go add them to your list and educate yourself in some jazz.

Album Review: Hidetake Takayama – Asterism

Every now and then you found yourself coming upon an album that you just enjoy right from the get go, and to me Asterism is that album to a tee. A week or two ago, my roommate Luke came up to me and said that I “HAVE to listen to this song.”  The song he pulled up was track 5, Welcome to You & Me (ft. Sam Ock). Now, Luke is a audiophile and quite possibly the biggest music snob I have ever met, so I usually trust what he has to say about music. After he established that this was a new jazz-hop (a style of hip-hop primarily using jazz samples or samples in a way that end up fitting some definition of jazz) I let the song flood over me and before we were even half way done I had already purchased the album. This album is the second of Hidetake Takayama’s and if his first is anywhere as good as the second then he can expect a purchase from me soon. The album as a whole has no dead spots or songs I didn’t like in some way. Hidetake’s work can easily be compared to the likes of any of the other prominent Japanese jazz-hoppers like Nujabes, Nomak or Uyama Hiroto, being quite the solid hip-hop artist in his own right. Included is the song that I had first listened to that set this all in motion, so you should listen to it and buy the album for yourself.

A Jazzer’s top 3 songs

This conversation I had with Conner covers his favorite three songs and why they make the list. I tried to chime in as little as possible. I always find it interesting to hear who finds what to be their favorite songs and why. Its a view that is often different from mine and just a slight conversation with someone as passionate about jazz as Conner even opens my eyes a little bit.

Armstrong E-Paper

Louis Armstrong was quintessentially the best jazzer ever to grace this planet, so I figured that I would write my paper about him. All these images were taken from either wikipedia.org, http://newspaper.li/louis-armstrong/, or http://imgur.com/r/OldSchoolCool/B78lg. The article itself is written on wikipedia, so im assuming its not copyrighted. Besides, it might as well be a Lorem Ipsum because the actual paper was the assignment.

A Jazzy Video

I was called on to make a video, so I made a video. Storytelling isn’t something I do very often through my work, so I had to resort to silly antics to tell the character of Conner and his views on jazz. Hopefully you can look past the goofiness and see the actual project that I put work into. Thanks.

Day in the life of a Jazzer: A slideshow

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My friend Conner was nice enough to let me follow him around and get these great pictures so to him go all of my thanks. I didn’t get all the songs they were playing or the names of the other Jazzers, but they all gave me consent to use them in this slideshow.