In a recent review of the Suncoast JazzFest I noted how much I enjoyed Jason Marsalis covering the Benny Goodman Quartet’s version of “Moonglow”. You can judge it for yourself by the miracle of YouTube. Just search “Jason Marsalis Moonglow”, close your eyes and tell me you are not listening to the original! It’s really that good.
These days we are surrounded by short videos. Everyone is a photo journalist recording and forwarding the minutiae of daily life. Social media is filled with so much of this material that we become numb to the veritable treasure hoard of great jazz moments that resides on YouTube. Yes, it does require the patience of a true explorer to plow your way through lots of second-rate material before finding the shining gems. But once found you simply make a playlist and then, like your CD and vinyl collection, it’s yours forever
The beauty of live video is that it captures moments that can never be appreciated from recording without the visual. Unlike MTV, most are totally unrehearsed. For instance, take my favourite . “Louis Armstrong & Mahalia Jackson - Just A Closer Walk With Thee - 7/10/1970” which was the finale of the Newport Jazz Festival honoring Armstrong’s 70th birthd
