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Jazz Violin

Four-stringed musical instrument tuned in fifths, played with a bow, and held between the shoulder and the chin

It is hard to believe that this small instrument, made of simple pieces of wood cut out and glued together, consisting of only four chords, and whose sound range and volume are relatively low, has acquired such prominence in the world of music. The prodigy is one of the incomprehensible phenomena of the history of mankind! The violin, which developed from its primitive form of fiddler’s instrument to accompany singing and dancing, reached an unequalled level of perfection in only a few decades. It became, in the hands of great musicians, the preferred instrument for expressing creative imagination.
The violin indeed was to prove itself both as a solo and as a concert instrument.

It is no easy task to speak equitably of the immensely rich history of the violin, nor of its music and its masters. We shall attempt, however, to cover the basic elements related to the vast complexity of what is denominated "violin - The Rite of Strings

Jazz Violin Technique - For the fiddle player, jazz has several challenging aspects which set it apart from most folk styles. Each number in a jazz performance starts and ends with a melody which is played more or less "straight" (as written), but the bulk of the number is made up of improvised solos which, whilst following the basic chord sequence, will have little if anything to do with the original tune. This is the opportunity for the soloist to state and develop his own ideas and to inter-react with the rest of the band. Each solo may run several times round the sequence ,and occasionally the band will do "fours", where four bar solos are alternated between musicians. Hopefully the excitement will mount as each soloist tries to copy and elaborate on the other's previous effort.

Stuff Smith was an African-American jazz violinist. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Smith first gained notice as a musician with Alphonso Trent's orchestra in the '20s. After marrying and settling in Buffalo, he teamed with Jonah Jones, who became a friend for life. Their band became a hit at New York City's Onyx Club on 52nd Street and recorded such popular tunes as I'se A Muggin and If You'se A Viper. Smith went to Hollywood in 1938 to make the film Swing Street and was slow to return to his work in New York. As a result, the job with Jones ended and Smith's career slowed down although he worked regularly in New York and Chicago. He played in a trio format in the '40s, then moved to California in the '50s and most often performed solo. Perhaps the most influential of early jazz violinists, Stuff Smith said that his chief influence was Louis Armstrong and that he used the bow "like a horn player uses breath control." He approached the violin somewhat in the Joe Venuti style, a forceful bowing technique and swing-era rhythmic direction. He became a popular performer in Europe in the '60s and died in Munich, Sept. 25, 1967. (Left - Stuff with Jean Luc Ponty)

Eddie South - At the time, classical positions were not open to Black violinists in the 1920s, so South learned to play jazz (helped out by Darnell Howard). In the early to mid-1920s, he worked in Chicago with Jimmy Wade's Syncopators, Charles Elgar and Erskine Tate. In 1928, a visit to Europe (where he studied at the Paris Conservatoire) made a deep impression on the violinist, particularly Budapest; later on, he would often utilize gypsy melodies as a basis for jazz improvising.   In 1931, South returned to Chicago, where his regular band included bassist Milt Hinton. In 1937, while in Paris he recorded with Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. South never had a major breakthrough commercially in his American career. Classically trained, fluent in several styles including swing, gypsy and Latin; he favored a warm, lyrical sound; popular in Europe, where racial discrimination did not hinder his style.  He did work on radio and television but spent most of his life in relative obscurity, playing in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. In later years he recorded for Chess and Mercury, and also made a final set released by Trip. South's other early recordings (covering 1927-41) have been reissued on a pair of Classics CDs. One of the top violinists of the pre-bop era South was a brilliant technician who, were it not for the universal racism of the time, would probably have been a top classical violinist.


Joe Venuti, a classically trained violinist who switched to jazz, worked and recorded with Paul Whiteman, the Dorsey Brothers, Bing Crosby, Red Nichols Tommy Dorsey and just about every major jazz figure from the 1920's on. His "Venuti's Blue Four" recordings with Eddie Lang are recognized jazz classics. He was elected to the Downbeat All-Time Swing Band in 1936. He led various jazz groups in later years including one that featured a just-starting young jazz singer named Kay Starr.

One of the all-time great jazz violinists (ranking with Joe Venuti and Stuff Smith as one of the big three of pre-bop), Stéphane Grappelli's longevity and consistently enthusiastic playing did a great deal to establish the violin as a jazz instrument. He was originally self-taught as both a violinist and a pianist, although during 1924-28 he studied at the Paris Conservatoire. Grappelli played in movie theaters and dance bands before meeting guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1933. They hit it off musically from the start even though their lifestyles (Grappelli was sophisticated while Django was a gypsy) were very different. Together as Quintet of the Hot Club of France (comprised of violin, three acoustic guitars and bass) during 1933-39 they produced a sensational series of recordings and performances. During a London engagement in 1939, World War II broke out. Reinhardt rashly decided to return to France but Grappelli stayed in England, effectively ending the group. The violinist soon teamed up with the young pianist George Shearing in a new band that worked steadily through the war. In 1946, Grappelli and Reinhardt had the first of several reunions although they never worked together again on a regular basis (despite many new recordings). Grappelli performed throughout the 1950s and '60s in clubs throughout Europe and, other than recordings with Duke Ellington (Violin Summit) and Joe Venuti, he remained somewhat obscure in the U.S. until he began regularly touring the world in the early '70s. Since then Grappelli has been a constant traveler and a consistent poll-winner, remaining very open-minded without altering his swing style; he has recorded with David Grisman, Earl Hines, Bill Coleman, Larry Coryell, Oscar Peterson, Jean Luc Ponty and McCoy Tyner among many others. Active up until near the end, the increasingly frail Grappelli remained at the top of his field even when he was 89. His early recordings are all available on Classics CDs and he recorded quite extensively during his final three decades.

Ray Nance, (vocal/cornet/violin. b. Dec 10, 1913 Chicago, IL, USA, d. Jan 28, 1976 New York, NY, USA) spent 20 years with the Duke Ellington band as a trumpeter, singer, entertainer, and the only violinist Ellington ever had. His specialty was the trumpet, but he was quite an accomplished violinist. He was also an 'accomplished Drinker', whom Duke later had to let go.

Svend Asmussen (b. Feb 28, 1916 Copenhagen, Denmark - now in his 90s -- 2006) is still active. He formed his first band when he was just 17 years old... a version of Joe Venuti's 'Blue Four'. This Danish musician is rarely recalled, but his wonderful lyricism earned him deserved acclaim, and still, he has a sense of the Blues matched only by American Blacks. He was already playing the violin at age seven. Made his professional debut in 1933, and made his first records as a leader in 1935. During the 1930s, he played with the 'Mills Brothers' and "Fats" Waller , when they visited Denmark during their European tours. In 1962, he recorded with John Lewis. During his career, he not only played with Stephane Grappelli, but, on one 1963 recording session (the "Duke Ellington's Jazz Violin Session") he played viola alongside Joe Venuti and Ray Nance, who was also playing the violin instead of his more usual Trumpet. There was also a 1966 "Violin Summit" concert with Asmussen, Ponty, Grapelli, and "Stuff" Smith. (A visitor to this page, Mr. Joel Glassman has recalled that "it was recorded and issued, but is now out of print. There is a recording called "Violin Summit" in print, but it is not the 1966 concert".) Svend has also recorded with Toots Thielemans, Lionel Hampton (1978) and with Stephane Grappelli. His character was that of a clown, an entertainer, an intellectual and more. His musical interests also spread into more complex orchestral forms.

Jean Luc Ponty
Ponty was born in a family of classical musicians on September 29, 1942 in Avranches, France. His father taught violin, his mother taught piano. At sixteen, he was admitted to the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, graduating two years later with the institution's highest award, Premier Prix. In turn, he was immediately hired by one of the major symphony orchestras, Concerts Lamoureux, where he played for three years.
While still a member of the orchestra in Paris, Ponty picked up a side gig playing clarinet (which his father had taught him) for a college jazz band that regularly performed at local parties. It proved a life-changing jumping-off point.  A growing interest in the jazz sounds of Miles Davis and John Coltrane compelled him to take up the tenor saxophone. Fueled by an all-encompassing creative passion, Jean-Luc soon felt the need to express his jazz voice through his main instrument, the violin.
So it was that Ponty found himself leading a dual musical life: rehearsing and performing with the orchestra while also playing jazz until 3 AM at clubs throughout Paris. The demands of this doomed schedule eventually brought him to a crossroads. "Naturally, I had to make a choice, so I took a chance with jazz", says Jean-Luc

2 - Jean-Luc Ponty is a pioneer and undisputed master of violin in the arena of jazz and rock. Classically trained, with an unquenchable ability to swing when he wants to, and consumed by a passion for tight structures and repeating ostinatos, Ponty has been able to handle styles as diverse as swing, bop, free and modal jazz, jazz-rock, world music and even country, mixing them up at will. Ponty was born in a family of classical musicians on September 29, 1942 in Avranches, France. At the age of 15, he was accepted into the Paris Conservatoire, ultimately winning the premier prix at age 17. He played with the Concerts Lamoureux Orchestra for three years. A growing interest in jazz brought him to leading a dual musical life: rehearsing and performing with the orchestra while also playing jazz at clubs throughout Paris in the night. Few at the time viewed the instrument as having a legitimate place in the modern jazz vocabulary. With a powerful sound that eschewed vibrato, Jean-Luc distinguished himself with be-bop era phrasings and a punchy style influenced more by horn players than by anything previously tried on the violin; nobody had heard anything quite like it before. After a hitch in the French Army (1962-64), Ponty went completely over to the jazz camp, leading quartets and trios in Europe and visiting the Monterey Jazz Festival workshop in 1967. In the late 60s and early 70s he then toured and recorded with Frank Zappa, the George Duke Trioa and the Mahavishnu Orchestra and formed the free-jazz Jean-Luc Ponty Experience (1970-72). Afterwards he set out on his own, compiling a long series of solo albums on Atlantic. On 1991's Epic-released Tchokola, Ponty combined his acoustic and electric violins, for the first time, with the powerful polyrhythmic sounds of West Africa. In 1995, Ponty joined guitarist Al Di Meola and bassist Stanley Clarke to record an acoustic album under the name The Rite of Strings. In 1997, Jean-Luc Ponty put back together his group of Western and African musicians pursuing the new fusion he started in 1991. Ponty also performed a highly acclaimed duet with bassist Miroslav Vitous in December 99. In January 2000, he participated to Lalo Schifrin's most recent recording with a big band, Esperanto.

Aaron Weinstein Named a “rising star violinist” by Downbeat Magazine, Aaron Weinstein is quickly earning a reputation as one of the finest jazz violinists of his generation. As a featured soloist, Aaron has performed at Lincoln Center, Wolftrap Center for the Performing Arts, Chicago's Orchestra Hall, the JVC Jazz Festival, the Iridium, Birdland, and Django Reinhardt festivals in France, Iceland and New York City. Aaron has performed and recorded with and an array of jazz masters including: Howard Alden, Gene Bertoncini, Al Caiola, Scott Hamilton, Dick Hyman, Les Paul, Houston Person, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Annie Ross, Warren Vache, Frank Vignola, and Claude "Fiddler" Williams as well as legendary rock guitarist, Jay Geils, New York Pops founder/conductor, Skitch Henderson. He is a recent graduate of the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where he was awarded a full four-year talent-based scholarship. While still in high school, he founded New Trier High School's Stephane Grappelli Tribute Trio, voted as the nation's best high school instrumental jazz group by Downbeat Magazine in 2002. Aaron has won various competitions including the 1998 and 2001 Illinois State Fiddle Championships, making him the youngest performer ever to hold this title. With the release of Aaron’s Arbors Records debut, "A Handful of Stars", (called “the rebirth of the hot jazz violin” by Nat Hentoff) Aaron has become the youngest jazz musician to have recorded as leader for this prestigious traditional jazz record label. Aaron's MySpace 

Christian Garrick  is an improvising violinist and a composer with an international reputation.  He began playing the violin aged five, but first moved through piano and drums before settling, at sixteen, on the violin full time. By the age of eleven he was performing with Johnny Dankworth, Cleo Laine and performed with Nigel Kennedy! He is, without doubt, the most accomplished and expressive jazz violinist since Grappelli.  Christian studied at the Royal Academy of Music between 1989 and 1994. He gained first-class honours in his Performers' Degree and won the DipRAM in his post-graduate year. He has also been awarded the LRAM and the ARAM. His tutors and mentors whilst at the R.A.M. included the great unsung hero of British jazz violinists, John Van Derrick. Also among the resident and visiting staff were Martin Speake, Hugh Fraser, Nick Ingam, Steve Coleman, Jack Dejohnette, Huw Warren, Chucho Valdez, Arturo Sandoval, Gary Peacock and Kenny Wheeler. Other jazz violinists having a strong influence are Ziggy Seifert and Didier Lockwood.  Chris has won the Benjamin Doniger Prize, Lansdowne Studios Award, Modena Prize, and the Cleo Johnson Composition Award. He also won admission to the International Association of the Schools of Jazz in Siena, Italy in 1992.  Son of Pianist Michael Garrick.  Chris is also highly regarded for his work with the likes of The Brand New Heavies and Brian Ferry, as well as appearing on a significant number of film and TV soundtracks. He is also no stranger to the classical concert halls, but it is his Jazz violin for which he is best known. A fluent and inventive player with a string of awards to his name his subtle yet always driving playing is a testament to a thoughtful but at the same time joyous approach to the music. Featuring pianist Dave Gordan his quartet’s cd, “Different Strokes” was described as “…the outstanding British album of the year..”. Sunday Times. A true master of his instrument. “..exquisite musician…violin superstar” Guardian.

Mike Piggott  Jazz violinist is “One of the best swing jazz Violin players active anywhere in the world” (Jazz Times USA) and is the first fiddle player at ‘Jazz @ the Grainstore’. He is influenced by Stephan Grappelli, Joe Venuti, and Stuff Smith and has recorded and broadcast with a wide range of artists including Ralph McTell, Bert Jansch, Phil Collins, John Etheridge, Gary Potter, and Bucky Pizzarelli.
"...one of the best swing jazz fiddle players active anywhere" - Jazz Times USA
"...demonstrates his mastery of the jazz violin" - Jazz UK
Mike Piggott has been a stalwart member of the music scene for many years, having been involved not only in jazz but also in the folk and rock worlds, notably recording 6 albums with Ralph McTell, replacing John Renbourne in the re-formed Pentangle with which he recorded 2 albums, spending two years with The Denny Laine Band, and working with "Zox & The Radar Boys" an offshoot from Genesis). Mike is also a soloist in Keith Nichols' Ragtime Orchestra, which featured in the Bix Beiderbecke concert series at the Purcell Room and the Queen Elizabeth Hall, as well as being in constant demand in clubs, at festivals and on sessions. Above Mike plays the "Strohviol" - an early recording violin which has a gramophone-type horn built into it. Look out for his demo of Joe Venuti's '4-string bowing' technique.

David Camrass - Acoustic and Electric Violin
contact details
0113 278 8872
0791 378 1993 associates with
Gitane
Hot-club jazz quartet formed in 1999. Gitane play hot-club swing, Latin-american and European gypsy jazz in a rhythmic and passionate style reminiscent of the Hot-Club Quintet of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. They are: Michael Pavanne (guitar), Mick Taylor (guitar), Dave Camrass (violin), Laurie Johnstone (bass guitar, flute). tel: 01524 380521 or Mob: 07890 701930

Billy Thompson  Classically trained from the age of 8, Billy's mind would often wander from the strict training required in Classical music and he would often ask his Mother to 'Name a tune, any tune' which he would then play by ear. Billy ambled through the 'grade' system whilst very much enjoying his time with the Cheshire County Youth Orchestra - touring the U.S.A. twice and Germany.  Billy's first band was whilst in the 6th form at Neston Comprehensive School and were called Diversion. They were a promising 'indie' type band with songs penned by good friend Edward Humphreys. Billy played both violin and mandolin. Although tempted to 'give the band a go' the 4-piece split up to go to separate Universities.  During this time, Billy also used to go busking regularly in Birkenhead and Chester with good friend Billy Leng playing a mixture of Leng originals and acoustic folk songs by Bob Dylan, Mike Scott, The Wonderstuff and The Manic Street Preachers amongst others.  After a year at the University of Wales College Cardiff studying Music, Billy transferred to a more practical degree course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama where he studied with violin professors Barry Haskey and Dona Lee Croft. Here he also studied Jazz and Improvisation with piano legend Keith Tippett.   Throughout college, Billy played with many different types of bands, mainly just trying to be the best he could be at improvising. Jazz was/is obviously the ultimate form of improvising and will always be part of Billy's quest to master improvisation on the violin.  It was not long after graduating with an honours degree in Music that Billy was offered an extended residency at the 5-star 'Royal Abjar Hotel' in Dubai performing Jazz

Florin Niculescu - Video
Florin Niculescu is one of the finest violinists on the international jazz scene today. Through many musical collaborations this captivating musician has developed a distinct sound and language, building on a solid classical education and linking gypsy traditions to diverse forms of jazz. His impeccable technique and outstanding virtuosity – praised by fellow musicians and audiences alike – are not a means to an end but a way of expressing his artistic personality.
Minor Swing with Laurent Korcia

Not all violinists were males. Ginger Smock (1920-1995) was one very talented, and beautiful lady violinist. Sadly, Ginger is rarely recalled these days. She was equally adept with the Classics, and with Jazz, where her style was greatly influenced by "Stuff" Smith's work. At times, she was called "The Lovely Lady with the Violin", or "The Bronze Gypsy and her Violin", and in Hawaii, she was "The Sweetheart of the Strings". In Los Angeles, Smock recorded with some 'Rhythm and Blues' groups, performed with the Los Angeles Symphony, and appeared on television (also had her own TV show). During the 1960s and '70s, Ginger worked as a concertmaster for various Las Vegas hotels where she backed many of the leading stars of the day including Sammy Davis, Jr. (In 2005, 'AB Fable', a small British company released a CD with some rare recordings of Ginger Smock. Previously, her only available recordings were from a 1946 session with the 'Vivien Garry Quintet', where she played a solid body Rickenbacher electric violin.)

Didier Lockwood (born February 11, 1956) is a French jazz violinist.
He was born in Calais and studied classical violin and composition at the Calais Conservatory. However, he became enamored of rock and roll and quit his studies in 1972 to form a progressive rock group called Magma with his brother Francis, pianist. They played together for three years, but Didier was soon entranced by the improvisation of Jean-Luc Ponty on Frank Zappa's King Kong album. Lockwood was also influenced by Polish violinist Zbigniew Seifert and, of course, Stéphane Grappelli, whom he joined on tour.  He has also played with Quebecois fusion group Uzeb on their Absolutely Live album.  He is famous for exploring new musical environments and for performing various sound imitations on his amplified violin, such as seagulls or trains.Didier Lockwood created a string instruments improvisation school, CMDL (Centre des Musiques Didier Lockwood), in 2001.  He is married to singer Caroline Casadesus  Throughout 2006 Didier has been touring with Martin Taylor the Jazz guitarist. In these performances it is noticable to see that he is very involved in improvisation.

Didier Lockwood has had a diverse career, ranging from fusion to swing and advanced hard bop. In the 1980s, he was considered the next in a line of great French violinists after Stephane Grappelli and Jean-Luc Ponty, but he maintained a fairly low profile in the 1990s. Lockwood began studying violin when he was six. Ten years later, he stopped his formal training and joined a rock group. He played in Paris with Aldo Romano and Daniel Humair, among others, met Grappelli and toured with him. He had a fusion group called Surya and recorded with Tony Williams around the same period of time (1979). Didier Lockwood played in the United States on several occasions in the 1980s and recorded an acoustic album in 1986 with fellow violinists John Blake and Michal Urbaniak.

Fiona Pears
Recent times have been an exciting and hectic for Christchurch NZ violinist Fiona Pears. After doing a series of sell out concerts around New Zealand she then toured Australia including the Sydney Opera House and Japan.
Fiona then travelled to London where she performed in various jazz concerts including a Grapelli/Django tribute show with John Ethridge and a concert at the 100 club in London for the Gipsy Jazz revivalist Dis Disley.
She has opened for artists such as Tony Bennett, Ottmar Liebert and the late Victor Borge.
Fiona's music is a fiery melting pot of flavours, Latin, Jazz, World Music as well as some hot traditional Gypsy favourites. Fiona is an electrifying and visual performer who thrills audiences wherever she plays. Her band is a mix of fantastic Kiwi and English musicians. 
Her latest venture saw Fiona record and perform a solo for BBC television.
After being back in NZ for 6 weeks she is to return to London to start a world tour with Hayley. During this time Fiona will also be working on compositions for her next solo CD.
Fiona Pears 2 - Jazz Eddie - I saw Fiona jamming with guitarist Louis Stewart in a pub in Dublin in 2003 and she has fine lyrical style and a superb improviser yielding some truly wonderful Ellington interpretations, - catch her when you can. Check out her video of In a Sentimental mood, and the Grapelli Gypsy Jazz medley with John Etheridge. - Video link

George Washingmachine

 
Lizzie Ball
Lizzie’s has recently completed a tour to Finland with her quartet, and a tour to Colombia in March with her Latin Trio Classico Latino where they performed several sell out recitals in venues that include the Theatro Colon Opera House, and the Shakespeare Institute in Bogota. Their trip included National TV and Radio appearances, and a series of teaching masterclasses for the British Council to the pupils of Ibague Music Academy-the best music school in Colombia for young students age 7 to 18. Future plans include a combined recital with the Chilingirian Quartet in the Boxgrove Festival and further recitals with Morgan Szymanski. The showcase of the long awaited String Eclectica project with Bernard Gregor-Smith (cellist of the acclaimed recently retired Lindsay quartet) will be in November 2006 together with renowned jazz guitarists Pete Oxley and Luis D’Agostino, beginning with a performance in the Holywell Room, Oxford. 24/11/06
IPANEMA: VIOLIN AND SAX LATIN JAZZ DUO - Together with Heather Hoyle (saxophone) the girls can provide any event with a fabulous atmosphere of acoustic violin and sax renditions of jazz standards and Latin jazz as they walk in between the guests, tall and tanned and long and lovely.

Since her graduation from Cambridge University in 2002, she has performed chamber music with The Covent Garden Soloists, orchestral work with The Philharmonia, has led the string section for Simply Red's 2005 world tour, and recently was 'Gothed Up' to play with Meatloaf at the Albert Hall.
 

Jazz Violin Lessons

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Last modified: 18/02/2012