One of the primary goals of Musicians At Play is “to fundamentally change the way young people think about music.” Students can accomplish this by looking into the cultural rear view mirror—to learn about what has come before in the Arts and to understand that the modern sounds they hear in their headphones are connected to centuries of past music.
Hip-hop came from rhythm & blues and rock & roll; bebop and cool jazz evolved from dance bands in the swing era; country and western has roots in American folk songs and Black gospel music; 1920s and 30s radio popularized Broadway show tunes; classical chamber music and symphonies, ballet scores and grand opera were the “soundtracks” of the 18th and 19th centuries; before then, lute players entertained 17th century royalty while Gregorian chant raised the spirits of church-goers; and with or without instruments, humans have always shared their voices in song. It’s all connected and it’s all music!
Each month, MAP will celebrate the birthdays of some notable creative artists, primarily musicians. The merry month of May finds two of classical music’s real giants born on the 7th: Johannes Brahms and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Richard Wagner (May 22nd) would insist he was the greatest composer—in any month, year or century. France gave us two, far more modest composers: eccentric Erik Satie (17th) and gentle Gabriel Faure (12th). Dance fans can toast the births of Fred Astaire (10th), Martha Graham (11th) and Margot Fonteyn (18th).
Two of the best jazz pianists, the brilliant Keith Jarrett and the underrated Mary Lou Williams, both arrived on May 8th. They were followed by Gerry Wiggins (whose license plate read “The Wig”) on the 12th; Red Garland (13th); Ellis Larkins, often the subtle accompanist behind Ella Fitzgerald, is the 15th; and the irrepressible Thomas “Fats” Waller was born on the 21st. And doesn’t it make sense that Bing Crosby (2nd) and Bob Hope (29th) are in the same month?
Four memorable movie stars were May babies: Audrey Hepburn (3rd), Glenda Jackson (9th), Jimmy Stewart (20th) and Laurence Olivier (22nd). Five visual artists of note were born in this month: Keith Haring (4th), Salvador Dali (11th), George Braque (13th), Jasper John (15th) and Mary Cassatt (22nd). May has two U.S. presidents, too: Harry Truman (8th) and John F. Kennedy (29th).
This month has some of the most famous band leader/arrangers in jazz history: Gil Evans (13th) who was—forgive the pun—instrumental in the career of Miles Davis (29th); Woody Herman (16th); Artie Shaw (23rd); Benny Goodman (30th); and my pal, Bill Holman, whose 94th birthday is May 21st.
Known to his many friends as “Willis”, Bill Holman played tenor sax in the early 1950s with the big band of Stan Kenton, for whom he began writing his complex, swinging arrangements. During the next seven decades, in addition to leading his own big band, Bill has written charts for virtually every singer of note, including Peggy Lee, Natalie Cole, Mel Torme, Sarah Vaughan, The Fifth Dimension, Tony Bennett and many more. He’s recorded half a dozen albums under his own name, has won Grammys and critic’s polls, and was named a Jazz Master in 2010 by the National Endowment of the Arts—the nation’s highest jazz honor. At 94, he’s clear-headed, engaging, hip, funny and still does interviews on Zoom. Happy birthday, Willis, and much love from everyone who knows you.
–Sean Hughes
