Most americans are probably familiar with ken nordine, even if they dont know it. Nordine s commercial work falls in all those categories as well. Ken nordine s voice assured, resonant, clear was his passport into radio where he worked as an announcer and narrator. His real gift was that mellifluous voice, heard on a weekly radio program for more than 40 years, on albums of his selfcreated word jazz, and in collaborations with laurie anderson, tom waits and the grateful dead. His unparalleled, smooth baritone guided wbez listeners through the show word jazz for more than 40 years.
Can you feel it how are you feeling commercial advertisement universal music group jazz blues cd album the jacksons tv commercials music albums. Due to his vocal ability he was sought out and worked with jerry garcia and the grateful dead, tom waits, david bowie, and others. Legendary voiceover artist, narrator, and disc jockey ken nordine was born on april, 1920 in cherokee, iowa, the son of an architect. Maybe its because ken is an anomaly, a oneofakind jazz sound. Maybe its because ken is an anomaly, a oneofakind jazz. Ken nordine invented and perfected something called word jazz where sound disembodied from radio or recordings play inside there listeners mind. Each track personifies a different color or hue track listing. What you will discover is the oneandonly voice of ken nordine, one of the few people in the history of radio to use the medium to its fullest.
Aug 30, 2006 ken nordineacreator, word jazz for nearly 50 years, chicagoan ken nordine has pushed the bounds of radio and reality with his imaginative sounds and stories. Hes the everyman whom youve heard a million times and yet can never. Discover more music, concerts, videos, and pictures with the largest catalogue online at. Jun 01, 2011 colors is a word jazz album by voiceover and recording artist ken nordine. Ken nordine april, 1920 february 16, 2019 new york times obituary watch ken s videos on youtube find ken s records on cd baby watch ken s videos on vimeo visit ken s facebook tribute page contact ken nordine. This is one of the most comprehensive set of nordine s word jazz. There was this guy who was a regular guy who lived a regular life got up 7.
Nordine attended lane technical college prep high school and the university of chicago. Ken nordine s word jazz still works wonders, and his spoken word and film careers are put in perspective in the film agenbite of inwit. Youve heard ken nordine before, his immediate baritone resonating like the voice of god in countless radio and tv commercials, hawking. Sounds in space ken nordine to stream in hifi, or to download in true cd quality on. Ken nordine april, 1920 february 16, 2019 was an american voiceover and recording artist best known for his series of word jazz albums, featuring spoken word poetry over a jazz backdrop.
Universal music group, the worlds leading music company. Ken nordine born april, 1920 is an american voiceover and recording artist, best known for his series of word jazz albums. A creative, half hour radio broadcast where ken nordine seems to ramble, often playing with the audio to sound surreal. Each of the tracks here features nordine speaking over top of a very upbeat jazz backing track. Ken nordine, known as the voice in the chicago creative community for eight decades, died saturday at his home in the edgewater neighborhood.
Though often associated with the beat generation, ken nordine operated on his own wavelength, part absurdist humor, part poetry, part jazz. His most creative work, however, is reserved for his word jazz, which marries liquid, freeassociat. Ken nordine biography, albums, streaming links allmusic. Ken nordine, voiceover artist and the creator of an art form called word jazz, recently died at the ripe old age of 98. In a 2000 interview with nordine, wbez s steve edwards described the show as a delicious buffet of sound portraits, mindaltering. With poetic stories and whimsical musings to the sound of cool jazz backgrounds, nordine expresses his love of the language and the weaving of ideas and music. Ken nordine bits and pieces of word jazz cd baby music. Ken nordine, the wildly creative mind behind a series of word jazz albums and the longrunning word jazz radio show, died saturday at age 98, wbez reports nordine s instantly recognizable vocal deliverya rich basement tone that carried equal parts omen and humorwas a favorite of hipsters, radio listeners, jazz fans, poets, and college stoners, particularly during a run of surreal. Ken nordine spoken word, liner notes, fred katz cello, piano, liner notes, paul horn flute, piccolo, clarinet, saxophone, john pisano guitar, james bond bass, forest horn drums, bongos, timpani, gong, bells. Word jazz creator ken nordine has died, at the age of 98 nordine april, 1920 february 16, 2019 had a long career in radio and as a voiceover artist. This memorable vocalist and voiceover artist became best known for his word jazz spoken word records. Various interpretations of music from vintage disney films.
And all of it is as fresh as the most cutting edge stuff out there. Hes been doing it since the 50s and is still at it age 96. Little mary was five years old her parents left her, she was out in the cold alone to live and find her way in this great world of heartache and. Nordine hosted the weekly word jazz program on wbez, also carried on other stations, from. One critic wrote that you may not know ken nordine by name or face, but youll almost certainly recognize his voice. Ken nordine listen to free radio stations accuradio. Jan 05, 2016 renaissance man and voice actor ken nordine released some of the hippest jazz albums of the 50s and 60s. Theres something about hearing ken nordine say the word russett rrrrussett that just doesnt translate on paper.
Dec 20, 2015 but then again, there are few if any like wordjazz architect ken nordine. His deep, resonant voice has also been featured in many commercial advertisements and movie trailers. But hes best known as the creator of word jazz his unique mix of poetry, musique concrete, sound design and j. Reading mindtomind to keep track audio artist ken nordine muses on the world of mind reading. See all 4 versions of the song bubble gum complete word jazz cd ken nordine. While talking about mindtomind communication, nordine uses the two voices inside his one brain to. But the words find their way in a unique improvisation each time we speak in a veritable word jazz.
His most creative work, however, is reserved for his word jazz, which marries liquid, freeassociation ruminations with jazzy instrumental backing. Cd universe is your source for ken nordine s song bubble gum mp3 download lyrics and much more. His word jazz recordings are profound, prolific, occasionally subliminal and at times philosophical. Ken nordine s voice was so unique, companies would come to him to create the commercial, based on his style with word jazz, said his son ken. Get all the lyrics to songs on colors and join the genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics.
Feb 18, 2019 remembering ken nordine and his word jazz ken nordine, creator of a style of audio storytelling he called word jazz, died saturday at the age of 98. Colors is a word jazz album by voiceover and recording artist ken nordine. Ken nordine, surreal poet with a jazz beat, is dead at 98. Ken nordine s word jazz still works wonders, and his. For many jazz fans, the name ken nordine and the phrase word jazz are synonymous. Word jazz the complete 1950s recordings by ken nordine, released in 2010 on dreamusic. As many can tell coltrane in two notes, so with nordine in a word. The family of late jazz poet ken nordine is seeking to demolish his former mansion, but the city stopped those efforts. Official ken nordine bubble gum lyrics at cd universe.
Ken nordines albums stream online music albums listen. Nordine achieved his greatest popularity in the 1950s at the peak of the beatnik jazz and poetry movement with his delightfully hip and creative freeform spoken word aural vignettes on such albums as word jazz, son of word jazz, love words and my baby. Colors by aaj staff, published on january 20, 2003. Account details manage wishlist manage addresses manage credit cards change password find an order download cart order history downloads sign out sign in browse music. Ken nordine, the widely recognized baritone voice behind dozens of commercials and movie trailers of the time and the originator of word jazz, which involves spoken word narration over cool jazz, was approached by advertising agent bob pritikin. It was commissioned by the fuller paint company to write radio advertisement spots, but after a few commercials became popular, it evolved to become an album of 34 songs. Ken nordine april, 1920 february 16, 2019 was an american voiceover and recording. The last time i heard this was over 50 years ago and it is timeless and beautiful to listen to. Find ken nordine discography, albums and singles on allmusic. His series of word jazz albums make for an essential section of any hipsters record collection, occupying an honored space next to the works of lenny bruce, lord buckley, and del.
Ken nordine april, 1920 february 16, 2019 was an american voiceover and recording artist, best known for his series of word jazz albums. Nordine notably collaborated with laurie anderson, sonny rollins, tom waits and jerry garcia. Slowly, the lights come up until we see the face of word jazz artist ken nordine, whom we just know is there to scare us silly. New york times obituary watch kens videos on youtube find kens records on cd baby watch kens. Radio feature on chicago voice talent, narrator and word jazz creator ken nordine, by nprs noah adams on january 5, 1980. Cant quite get my head around why so many people are complaining about the recording quality. Faces in the window old time radio golden age of radio. Ken nordine download high quality complete mp3 albums. Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats flac, alac, wav, aiff. The first ken nordine word jazz album i got, and still one of my favoritesa great allaround introduction to what the master inventor and creator of this art form does.
Ken nordine, creator of a style of audio storytelling he called word jazz, died saturday at the age of 98. Complete your ken nordine featuring the fred katz group collection. Listen to and buy ken nordine music on cd baby, the independent record store by musicians for musicians. Free associating with ken nordine new dimensions radio. Late at night, the lights in chicagos channel five studios were too low for the single camera to pick up an image. Edgewaters ken nordine mansion gets preliminary landmark. Ken nordine bubble gum lyrics complete word jazz track list.
But you wont find much written about him in jazz literature. But then again, there are few if any like word jazz architect ken nordine. Ken nordine april, 1920 february 16, 2019 new york times obituary watch ken s videos on youtube find ken s records on cd baby watch ken s videos on vimeo visit ken s facebook tribute page contact ken nordine, jr. Word jazz is a mix of spoken word, poetry and sound design. Ken nordine, who improvised poetry in a silky voice to cool, vibrant musical accompaniment, creating a form of storytelling that he called word jazz. Remembering ken nordine and his word jazz ken nordine, creator of a style of audio storytelling he called word jazz, died saturday at the age of 98. Albums include kaleidoscope, colors, and stay awake. Word jazz creator ken nordine remembered wbez chicago. Edgewaters ken nordine mansion gets preliminary landmark status over owners objections. Ken nordine was an american voiceover and recording artist, best known for his series of word jazz albums. Download or buy the cd bits and pieces of word jazz by ken nordine on the independent record store by musicians for musicians. The result was truly thought provoking in a zen, beatnik, wild sort of a way.
Free customizable online radio with unlimited skips. Ken nordine s voice was tailormade for late night radio. Ken nordine shares about his beginnings in radio and the creation of his original radio series word jazz a series of records and radio programs begun in the 1950s and 60s. But he was also of the jazz generation and in the fifties he anticipated the beats by blending poetry and music and then creating his word jazz recordings in which he would recite poems, unusual prosepoems and stories full of whimsy and often slightly disturbing. Already making a comfortable living in the world of commercial voiceovers you could hear him pitching cars, wine, coffee, and more whenever you turned on the tv or radio ken nordine felt the need to do something creative for himself, and thus he started the word jazz series of records. Ken nordine, chicago creator of word jazz who had a. His rich, deep baritone graces numerous television and radio ads. Listen free to ken nordine best of word jazz the vidiot, sound museum and more. Apr 14, 2016 ken nordine invented and perfected something called word jazz where sound disembodied from radio or recordings play inside there listeners mind.
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