Story about Earl.

Alvin Ailey

Alvin Ailey is a choreographer who was huge in popularizing modern dance in the American ballet scene. He also cast many African-American dancers, who often could not find work in traditional ballet companies. He based many of his works on music by blues and jazz musicians.

His ballet titled "The River" was a work of his set entirely to music by Duke Ellington.



Here's a narrative ballet by Alvin Ailey. It really gets going around 4.45. A less conceptual ballet, but very clearly a tribute to jazz.



On another note, a huge jazz center is being built in San Francisco called SFJazz.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/arts/music/07festival.html?scp=1&sq=sfjazz&st=cse

Billie Holiday clips

Good afternoon, everyone.
Here in a couple hours I am going to be giving my presentation on Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, & Charlie Parker and their influences within Jazz Poetry. But seeing as we have already heard a couple of presentations that have mentioned Billie Holiday, I thought that I would only mention her briefly today during my presentation and instead, offer everyone some really good songs of hers that I have used during my research. I hope that you like them and I will see you all after tea! See ya soon, Drew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQlehVpcAes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGNc1yLGPug

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5ddqniqxFM

Satin Doll

Here are two videos of the same jazz standard, one by the writer Duke Ellington and his band, and one by the guitar legend Joe Pass. Note how Pass uses his unique playing style to make his guitar emulate the sound of the entire big band.

Ballet and Jazz

So very beautiful!