Roads Not Taken: Jazz Innovation Anachronisms

This article deals with instances in jazz history in which later musical developments are pre-figured. James Reese Europe's 'Castle's Half and Half' from 1914 is an early example of 5/4 time, as are brief passages on recordings by Lloyd Scott and McKinney's Cotton Pickers. Jazz waltzes are investigated, as are early examples of Latin jazz. Daring and unusual harmonic innovations are demonstrated in the work of Bix Beiderbecke, Red Norvo, Arthur Schutt, Frank Trumbauer, and Art Tatum. Mention is also made of Coleman Hawkins solo saxophone composition 'Picasso', as well as Sidney Bechet's 1941 experiments with multi-track recording.