美国名人 音乐人 约翰路易斯.docx

美国名人音乐人约翰路易斯JohnLewisoftheModernJazzQuartetplaystopmutemaxvolume00:0014:46repeatByCynthiaKirk2004-10-16(MUSIC)VOICEONE:mSteveEmber.VOICETWO:AndmShirleyGriffithwiththeVOASpecialEnglishprogramPEOPLEINAMERICA.Today,wetellaboutpianistJohnLewis.HecreatedoneofoneofthemostfamousjazzgroupsinAmerica,theModernJazzQuartet.VOICEONE:JohnLewiswasknownforhiscreativity.HewasaskilledpianoplayerandmusicaldirectoroftheModernJazzQuartetforalmostfiftyyears.Hewroteandarrangedallthemusicforthesmallgroup.MisterLewiswasresponsibleforthegroup'ssoundanditsidentity.JohnLewiswasinterestedinjazz,bluesandbebob,amusicwithagreatdealofenergy.YethewasalsogreatlyinfluencedbyhistraininginEuropeanclassicalmusic.Classicalmusicisexpressiveandintense,butisalsostructured.Hethoughtjazzshouldbepresentedthesameway.JohnLewiscombinedclassicalmusicwithtraditionaljazztocreatesongsforhimselfandthethreeothermembersofhisquartet.Hebelievedmusicshouldbesimpleandclear,yetplayedinameaningfulway.HereisoneoftheModernJazzQuartet'sbighits,"Django."(MUSIC)VOICETWO:JohnLewiswasgreatlyinfluencedbythepianostyleofthefamousjazzbandleader,CountBasie.LikeBasiezLewisbelievedinmakingeverynoteofmusiccount.Hedependedasmuchonsilenceashedidonnotestogethismessageacross.JohnLewisoftenusedaformofmusiccalledfugue.Fugueisaseriesofopposingmelodiesusedtocreateacomplexeffect.MisterLewisalsocombinedwrittenmusicwithmusicthatthegroupinventedasitwentalong.Thisnewkindofjazzattractedbothloversofjazzandclassicalmusic.ItalsoappealedtopeoplewhodidnotnecessarilyIikejazz.Hereisanexampleoffugueinthesong"Alexander'sFugue."(MUSIC)VOICEONE:TheModernJazzQuartetincludedJohnLewis,MiltJackson,PercyHeathandConnieKay.Thegroupmadeitsfirstrecordinginnineteenfifty-two.Andtheycontinuedtoplaytogether,withasevenyearbreak,untilnineteenninety-nine.JohnLewiswasasconcernedaboutappearancesashewasaboutthemusic.Themusicianshadtodresswellforeveryperformance.Theyplayedmostlyinconcerthallsinsteadofsmalldanceclubs.Lewisbelievedjazzshouldreceivethesamerespectasclassicalmusic.VOICETWO:JohnLewiswasborninLaGrange,Illinois,innineteentwenty.HegrewupinAlbuquerquefNewMexico.Hestartedplayingthepianowhenhewasseven.Asateenager,heplayedprofessionallyinchurchesaroundAlbuquerque.Hesoonwasplayinginlocaldancehalls.1.ewisstudiedanthropologyandmusicattheUniversityofNewMexico.Innineteenforty-two,hejoinedtheArmyandservedinEuropeduringWorldWarTwo.Afterthewar,LewismovedtoNewYorkCityandplayedinDizzyGillespie'sbigband.Healsostudiedforhismaster'sdegreeattheManhattanSchoolofMusic.VOICEONE:JohnLewisplayedintherhythmsectionofGillespie'sband.OthermembersweredrummerKennyClarkezbassplayerRayBrownandvibraphoneplayerMiltJackson.Thefouroftenperformedtogetherwhilethehornplayersinthebandrested.ThefourbandmemberscontinuedtoworktogetherafterleavingDizzy'sgroupinthelatenineteenforties.Atthattime,theywerecriticizedfornotplaying"truejazz."Buttheycontinuedanyway.RayBrownandKennyClarkesoonleftthegroup.BassplayerPercyHeathanddrummerConnieKayreplacedthem.Innineteenfifty-two,thegroupbecametheModernJazzQuartetandestablisheditsownidentity.VOICETWO:Innineteenfifty-six,theModernJazzQuartetplayedaseriesofconcertsinEurope.ThegrouphelpedmakejazzpopularwithmanymusiclistenersinEurope.ThemembersofthequartethadbecomemajorstarsbythetimetheyreturnedtotheUnitedStates.TheModernJazzQuartetcontinuedtoperformallovertheworldforsold-outcrowdsuntilthelatenineteenseventies.Peoplelovedthegroup'steamworkandtheiramazingsound.Listenasweplay"Vendome",anotherbighit.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:CriticssayJohnLewis's"lessismore"pianostyleandMiltJackson'senergyonthevibraphonewerethesecrettothegroup'slong-lastingsuccess.Yetovertheyears,MisterJacksonexpresseddissatisfactionwithlimitsthatwereputonhistalents.Thegroupseparatedinnineteenseventy-four.However,themembersofthequartetreunitedaftersevenyears.TheyplayedtogetheruntilMiltJackson'sdeathinnineteenninety-nine.InadditiontohisworkwiththeModernJazzQuartet,JohnLewisworkedformanyyearsasmusicaldirectoroftheMontereyJazzFestivalinCalifornia.HewrotethemusicforseveralHollywoodfilms.HetaughtatHarvardUniversityandtheCityCollegeofNewYork.AndhehelpedestablishajazzschoolinMassachusetts.VOICETWO:Throughtheyears,JohnLewisworkedwithsomeofthebiggestnamesinjazz,includingtrumpetplayerMilesDavis.YetforallthepraiseLewisreceived,hewasknownforputtingtheinterestsofthegroupovertheIndividuaIJohnLewislivedaquietlifewithhiswife,MirjanazinNewYorkCity.InMarch,twothousandone,hediedofcancer.Hewaseightyyearsold.Hisdeathofficiallymarkedtheendofahistoricperiodinmodernjazz.(MUSIC)VOICEONE:ThisSpecialEnglishprogramwaswrittenandproducedbyCynthiaKirk.OuraudioengineerwasRoyBenson.mSteveEmber.VOICETWO:AndmShirleyGriffith.ListenagainnextweekforanotherPEOPLEINAMERICAprogramontheVoiceofAmerica.