The Leftovers: Do you Like Jazz? 6 Songs to Help You Find Out
Words by Emma Caughlan
Well, I am back for a second week of the Leftovers, Best Left Mag’s weekly playlist. If you are new here and are confused, feel free to read last week’s Leftovers for some more context. If you are not new here and have come back for more top 40 hits and pop culture references, you may be disappointed. This week, I want to talk about jazz. I know this may not be the most popular choice for my first genre-based playlist but I promise I have a good reason.
Last week, I visited the Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt museum in the Upper West Side with my self-proclaimed audiophiliac father (now you know where I got it from). At the Cooper Hewitt museum, we visited their listening room exhibition, “a large-scale, handmade audio system by multi-disciplinary artist Devon Turnbull.” We spent over an hour in the room and for the majority of our time there was a listening set curated by music producer Sonny Daze. Daze’s session focus was jazz. This playlist is mostly a reflection on my experience. It includes songs that Daze played and some that I think represent a small picture of the genre as a whole. Obviously, this is a miniscule look into Jazz itself and I am no music theory expert but maybe you’ll find a corner of jazz to your liking.
Love’s In Need of Love Today Stevie Wonder
This classic opener to Stevie Wonder’s 1976 album, “Songs In the Key of Life” was the only song I listened to in the listening room that I knew beforehand. This gave me the opportunity to really hear the difference between hearing this 1976 classic on that system versus my headphones or even my dad’s top-notch personal audio system. It really did sound like Stevie Wonder was in the room serenading us. I had always categorized this song as more soul but Daze pointed out that Wonder’s improv vocals at the end read like a jazz instrumental solo, he said “Once you understand the language of jazz, you hear it everywhere and [Wonder] is definitely speaking the language at the end there.”
I Hate the Way I Look Today. Raye
Speaking of the language of jazz, Raye is undisputedly fluent. Her album “THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.”, released this past March, has many great examples of this. “I Hate the Way I Look Today” is a classic big band take on a timeless problem: body image. This track features some more great improv both vocally from Raye and saxophonist Graeme Blevins.
Travelin Man Stanley Cowell
I was not familiar with jazz pianist Stanley Cowell until Daze played this track from his 1976 album, “Regeneration”. Cowell’s career spanned over 50 years and right up to his death in 2020. He also co-founded his own label with fellow jazz musician Charles Tolliver. “Travelin Man” is a great example of how versatile jazz can be. I chose this song over another eclectic pick from Daze, “Om” by John Coltrane. It’s a 28-minute track of dissident jazz and that felt like a bit of a strong choice for only my second playlist. Take a listen if you’re feeling brave though.
Manhattan Blossom Dearie
My journey with jazz began when I first watched “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”. It opened up a world of music from the mid-20th century that I am still pretty enthralled with. My favorite discovery from that show is jazz pianist and singer Blossom Dearie. They say Sinatra is the king of musical timing, Dearie is the lesser-known queen.
Butterfly Herbie Hancock
Alright, bare with me, the next two songs are 11 minutes with no lyrics…I know I am sorry. This 1974 groovy track from Herbie Hancock was one of my dad’s top picks from our listening experience. “Butterfly” leans into the psychedelic potential of jazz. If you’re really looking for some lyrics, Hancock re-recorded it with Japanese jazz vocalist Kimiko Kasai. Although you’ll have to go to Japan to listen to it.
Together - Special Edition Matthew Halsall
Can you take 11 more minutes of jazz? This is an easy listen, I promise. British jazz musician and composer Matthew Halsall’s “Together” is best enjoyed in the evening with a glass of wine and absolutely no big lights. I’ll leave you with my favorite piece of advice from Daze, “Don’t try to figure out jazz while you’re listening to it, just sit with it and accept it for what it is.”