Jazz Icons: Series 3 DVD Boxset

The third set in the Jazz Icon series offers proof-positive that there is more variety than meets the ear (and in this case, also the eye) when it comes to appreciating jazz. These DVDs present the great, the strange, and the beautiful. And just which is which? That's up to the senses of the beholder.

Sadly, for the music world, saxophonist Sonny Rollins is one of the few musicians on this set that is still alive and with us today. He's captured in two dates from the ‘60s, both from Denmark, in 1965 and 1968. He is accompanied by Alan Dawson on drums, Kenny Drew on piano, and Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen at the bass, who was only 19 at the time. Rollins blows his way through eight different tunes, including "St. Thomas", his signature song.

For Cannonball Adderley, it's a family affair during his 1963 Switzerland and Germany shows, as his brother Nat plays cornet. Also, Yusef Lateef adds tenor sax, flute, and oboe – yes, jazz oboe! And if you want to see what the late Joe Zawinul looked like not surrounded by all the synthesizers of his Weather Report days, catch a glimpse of him playing with this group, along with Sam Jones (bass) and Louis Hayes (drums).

Nobody could put his talented hands to a standard on the piano like Bill Evans, and his individual disc draws from five different broadcasts, and three different countries. It's a little off-putting at first to see this man, head down like a pup eating at his dog bowl, as he plays. But oh what a beautiful sound! Song choices range from old ("My Foolish Heart") to contemporary – at the time, at least – ("Alfie").

Although it would be cruel to choose just one DVD over all the others, it's hard to argue with putting Nina Simone's portion at the top of the list. Sampled in 1965, Holland, and 1968, England, this woman was at the top of her game at the time. Of course, there's "Mississippi Goddam". But the way she turns "Tomorrow Is My Turn" into a protest song is simply magical. She even sings Bob Dylan's "The Ballad Of Hollis Brown". Although both dates are winners, the England audience obviously "got" what she was all about, which made it all the better. Jazz protest singer is not a trio of words that was often heard together before, nor do we hear it much today, but Simone defines this limited category with style and class.

When it comes to strange, Rahsaan Roland Kirk is half circus freak/half jazz master. Throughout his three country set (Belgium, Holland, and Norway), this man plays flute, and then a couple of saxophones at once, with all of these various instruments hung around neck like a door-to-door music store. But when he plays great swinging tunes, like "Bags' Groove", it's hard to argue with the odd man's approach.

Oscar Peterson is probably the world's greatest pianist, so nothing I say can add to, nor take away anything from that. I'll rest my case with "Misty", however, recorded in Finland 1965. This song's been done more than most tunes in pop history, but Peterson makes even it, his own.

Rahsaan Roland Kirk might be weird, and Nina Simone dead serious, but Lionel Hampton is just pure fun. Whether banging at his vibes, pounding at the drums, or just smiling huge, his nine-song Belgium performance is wall-to-wall entertainment pleasure.

These DVDs are priceless if you're a music fan. So buy them and explore the endless creativity found in American jazz music.

Jazz Icons: Series 3 DVD Boxset
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