In a society full of pressure, Jazz is the perfect medicine for you to release your stress, slow your busy life and enjoy a beautiful day before you start to work again. Here are some songs to add to your music list.

By: Yuqing Huang 110112120 Class1

As the sun goes down, the blue signs of bars light up, people walk out the office. When the gravelly sound of saxophone spread along the streets and lanes, there comes a wonderful night…

That might be a scene in Shanghai in 1930s of China, since Jazz was incredibly popular during the period of Republican China. But sadly it seems that Jazz was much less popular than other music in China after 1950s. It was quite understandable because Jazz was such an entertainment that could only be enjoyed by the upper class in China in previous decades, and those wealthy people who became the main audience of Jazz at that time was given a name “Old Class”(老克勒).

However, the time of “Old Class” was gone. Fortunately we are now living in a world running on the internet, and Jazz is not hard to reach as before. The sad thing is that the Jazz is usually left in an unnoticed corner in today’s China. Under great pressures of studies, housing, employment etc., we often jump into bed after a long day or kill our time in front of TV until we feel sleepy.

Well, why not try to play a Jazz CD or music in your computer? I’m assure that it would help you let go of all your stress and make you feel much better. Here are some great songs below, let’s check it out.

 

Fourplay

Here are four lovely old guys. If you want to find some soft Jazz to slow your busy mind, the songs of Fourplay are definitely the best choice. Their songs might be incredibly good when you are wandering around the city during sunset (Have a try!). Mostly their tunes are romantic and slow, so if you are planning to have a very relaxing day, listen to their songs in the morning and I’m pretty sure you would have a good mood all the day.

<Sunday morning>

<I’ll Still Be Lovin’ You>

<Journey>

<Amazing Grace>

<Let’s Make Love>

When it comes to romantic style, there is also a great jazzman that should not be passed by: Ben Webster. As a famous English writer Geoff Dyer wrote in his book <But, beautiful>: “If you like Jazz, you definitely like Ben Webster. It’s possible that you like Jazz but you don’t like Ornette, even Duke; but it’s impossible that you don’t like Ben Webster if you like jazz.” Ben Webster is good at sax plays. If you love saxophone, check the songs below:

<The Whiffenpoof Song (Lp Version)> 

< Time After Time (Lp Version)>

<In A Sentimental Mood>

 

Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong was a well-known jazz trumpeter and singer, and most of his songs are interesting, passionate and hilarious, just like his personality. Louis Armstrong revolutionized the classic Jazz and made Jazz become what it looks like today. Moreover, he won the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1972 by the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences–Marvelous, isn’t it? Some of his songs are still popular today and are covered by hundreds of singers, <What a wonderful world>, for example. In my mind his Jazz is more authentic compared with Fourplay or Ben Webster. Good things are you might feel either energetic or relaxing after listening to his different songs, and forget the troubles for a moment. Enjoy this moment! Here are recommended songs:

<It Takes Two to Tango>

<A Kiss to Build a Dream On>

<Skokiaan>

<On the Sunny Side of the Street>

<Weather bird> 

<What A Wonderful World>

<La Vie En Rose>

 

Jazz could slow your busy life and make your life full of joy and passion. Do you love Jazz? Do you have better songs to recommend? Share them on the comment and let more people enjoy them.