November 17, 2006: Jazz Americana
The improvisational streams of American music flow into jazz from many sources, and one of those sources is the rich tradition of “Old Time” folk music, which itself is a combination of European, African, and Native American cultures. American Classical composers like Charles Ives and Aaron Copeland have explored these roots, and jazz musicians and composers have also explored those composers’ explorations! We sample the resulting music from Bill Frisell, Marc Johnson, and others. We also highlight the Old Time roots of bassist Charlie Haden, and how “Americana” influenced the free jazz revolution of during his tenure with the Ornette Coleman quartet.