Masters Series Studies Aural Tradition

“The Story of Jazz,” the latest addition to BMG Video’s Masters of American Music series, is a useful tool in helping the uninitiated unravel some of the mysteries of America’s 80-year-old art form.

The 90-minute video, directed by Matthew Seig who also wrote it along with jazz journalist Chris Albertson, takes viewers from jazz’s beginnings in ragtime through the eras of swing and be-bop up to the renaissance that is occurring today.

The video is built around interviews with musicians such as Billy Taylor, Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Randy Weston and Wayne Shorter. Their remarks provide considerable insight not only into what jazz is about, but how it has grown and developed over the years.

There is also a good deal of musical performance footage, including pianist Willie (the Lion) Smith with a rousing stride rendition; Duke Ellington’s orchestra playing “Mood Indigo” in the ‘30s; the only known clip of Charlie Parker appearing with Dizzy Gillespie in a 1950s TV show, playing “Hot House”; and Miles Davis, both with Gil Evans’ orchestra and with his jazz-fusion band.

The video ends with the provocative statement that “jazz seems to (currently) be in a state of arrested development, but that doesn’t lessen its significance. . . . It would continue to retain its importance.” Many would argue that the fusion of jazz improvisation with various rhythmic forms, from hip-hip to Latin to African, is in fact resulting in a new direction for jazz that has only begun to be exploited.

That quibble aside, “The Story of Jazz” remains a first-rate addition to a fine collection of releases in the Masters of American Music series. Among other titles in the series are: “The World According to John Coltrane,” “Thelonious Monk: American Composer,” Count Basie: Swingin’ the Blues,” “Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One,” and “Miles Ahead: The Music of Miles Davis.” The series, which retails for $29.98 and $39.98 for laser disc, is available through Tower Video outlets and other stores.

Under Contract: Keyboard great Herbie Hancock and young trumpet star Roy Hargrove recently signed new recording contracts.

Hancock agreed to terms with Mercury/Verve. His unusual deal calls for the keyboardist to make pop/R&B;/jazz albums for Mercury, and mainstream-leaning albums for Verve.

Hancock’s first Mercury album is loosely scheduled for June, according to Verve’s director of publicity, Jody Petlin. The as-yet-untitled album is in the pop-R&B; direction, “with a lot of jazz,” says Petlin. “It’s very contemporary with some hip-hop beats, and Herbie plays both acoustic piano and electronic keyboards.” Hancock’s first Verve jazz album won’t be out until some time in 1995, says Petlin.

Hargrove’s Verve debut, “When We Were One,” will hit the streets in mid-May. The album places the trumpeter in the company of five top tenor saxophonists: Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Johnny Griffin, Branford Marsalis and Joshua Redman. The men dig into everything from Hargrove originals to the title track, a lush ballad by Griffin.

Bassist Christian McBride and trumpeter Nicholas Payton have also signed recently with Verve, but no first release dates have been scheduled.

Blue Note has been busy signing Jacky Terrason, the 1993 Thelonious Monk Institute International Piano Competition winner, along with saxophonists Sonny Fortune and Javon Jackson, trumpeter Tim Hagens and pianist Kevin Hays. No debut release date has been set for Terrason. Jackson, Hagens and Hays will have their initial albums on the streets in June as part of Blue Note’s New Faces series.

Critic’s Choices: Marcus Roberts, whose performances range from elegant and meaningful to slightly stiff, plays solo piano Saturday in Thorne Hall at Occidental College. Roberts also appears Sunday at the Dunbar Hotel, as part of the Da Camera Society’s Chamber Music in Historic Sites series. That concert is sold out. The historic sites series will continue in a jazz vein on April 24 at Union Station with a performance by Freddie Hubbard. Information: (310) 440-1351. . . . Madcap pianist-singer Mose Allison keeps things cooking at Vine Street Bar & Grill tonight and Saturday.