I recently came across a very interesting article while perusing the NY Times website. It was an article about a handful or rappers who have started to use jazz players in their live performances. While artists such as Kanye West, Timbaland, and Common could hire other types of musicians for less money, they choose to have jazz players as their “collaborative sidemen” because they hear something in the music that strikes a special chord(pun intended). I think that this is a great example of how two different genres can be integrated to create something beautiful and a little bit more unique. I tried to search for some of these live performances but was met with little success. I did however find some popular rap and pop songs covered by jazz bands. These covers were extremely interesting and were both eye and ear opening.
click here for article
OutKast-Hey Ya(Jazz Cover)- click here
Michael Jackson-Rock With You(Jazz Cover)- click here
I think that’s pretty interesting that such modern rappers are going to make music with an oldschool twist. I did listen to the two links you posted and they a nice change of pace for me to listen to- they were also pretty relaxing. I’m now interested to hear some of the rappers you mentioned do these live jazz performances.
Cover versions of rock and pop tunes begs the question of what is the “art”in pop music? Is it the composition? is it the style of the singer? is is the arrangement and performance, frozen on the recording? How does one make a jazz record (by comparison)? Recent recordings of Bill Savory allow us to compare live recordings with released recordings and now on deposit at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. this would make a good class trip.
One of my absolute favorite albums is a classical string orchestra cover of the Radiohead’s Ok Computer
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Section+Quartet/Strung+Out+on+OK+Computer:+The+String+Quartet+Tribute+to+Radiohead