All these titles deserve a “Christmas blues” album to celebrate this period, not least because the music heard in Baptist churches has always been a celebration of the fervour that exists at Christmastime. There’s also the reason that the return to vinyl calls for a fine release that brings together the best bluesmen in one album. Not to mention the fact that the quality of these compositions and performances plunges us straight into the heat of a festival that today is just as much religious as it is secular, a feast that can bring nothing but joy and happiness into every home.
The history of music shows us that different kinds and forms follow each other. And that the latest trend overshadows the one that came before it. Today it's difficult to say exactly which trend dominates, as there are so many music currents that overlap and intersect. Mainstream exists no longer. Yet one thing is certain: each music form is built on the music that precedes it. There would be no jazz without classical music, no rock without blues, no rock without jazz, no rap without soul music, no sampling without the riffs of either soul or rock… and therefore, inside each genre you find different chapters in the history of music. And that is why it is so important to understand their origins: they shed the light that is necessary for an understanding of the music born every day.
The richness of jazz lies at the origin of so much music today that it is essential to discover this creative wealth. The Essential Works of Masters of Jazz bring to light those 20th century creations that still exert an influence on the majority of musicians today — whether they are aware of it or not.
The Essential Works of Masters of Jazz gather the fundamental creations of the music of today.