Cannonball

Since this is the month our Nation celebrates African-American history, I thought that I would highlight some of the black people who have inspired me musically.

Cannonball Adderly is the man who introduce me to jazz. 

I was over my grandmothers house and I saw a Miles Davis recording.  I don't think I knew at the time who Miles Davis was, but I put on the recording.  I heard this amazing introduction of the song "Autumn Leaves".  After the introduction I heard this silky muted trumpet play the melody.  The music was still mellow and groovin' as Miles played a beautiful spacious melody and then out of no where, this soulful alto saxophone improvises a solo that made me feel like I was at church! ... but I wasn't?

Hello Jazz!

This had to be almost 20 years ago and I remember the experience like it was yesterday.

Julian "Cannonball" Adderly was a post-bop alto saxophone player that was considered to be the "new Bird" (a reference to Charlie "Bird" Parker, the co-creator of Bebop jazz music).  Cannonball had a unique way of swinging (playing notes in a certain rhythm), creating melodies, and playing with good ol' church soul! I've listened to Cannonbal thousands of times and I've never heard him repeat himself improvising something he played before.

Some of his most noted work is with Miles Davis and the "Kind of Blue" album is probably the most famous album of them all.  The work that he did on his own is noteworthy also.

As I've matured, I've come to appreciate the educator and resilience in him.  The way that Cannonball dealt with injustice and the history of his people was beautiful.  When his band mate, Miles Davis, was being eaten up by the anger and bitterness of being a victim of injustice, Cannonball did the opposite.  Cannonball used his music as a tool to make people feel good during hard times while educating them about the realities of brokenness.  One of my favorite songs that he recorded is a song called, "Work Song".  A work song comes from the slave tradition of working and singing while they worked.  Listen to how he conveys the pain of a work song and converts it into a feel good time.