It’s about the notes you don’t play in this week’s “So You Want To Read Comics”.  This is our weekly feature where we take a look at a single topic or genre, then give you two comic book recommendations, perfect for new readers, based on that topic or genre. This week we’re taking a look at the musical genre, Jazz.

Jazz has been considered one of the only purely American art forms.  Yet, there’s debate on whether that’s because it was simply invented in the US, or if like the idyllic version of the US, it features influences from many different places.  Jazz got its start in New Orleans in the late 19th century as blues and ragtime musicians began to mingle with chamber musicians and they began putting on shows featuring their takes on old standards as well as new improvisation-laden compositions.  The music was a hit and soon became the most popular in the country and possibly the world for a time.  Jazz proved to have a unique quality in that wherever it went it managed to latch onto the tastes of the area and become something different while never being unmistakable as jazz.  That’s how prominent scenes in places like Chicago, New York, and Paris came to be and how they remained distinct from each other.  As time has gone on, jazz has seen its ups and downs in terms of popularity, but it has never failed to find a place somewhere in pop culture, even if that means being simply beats to study to.

Here are a couple of comics that celebrate and are inspired by the genre known as jazz.

DEEP CUTS

Writers: Joseph Clark and Kyle Higgins
Artist: Danilo Beyruth
Publisher: Image Comics

This is a fairly new series that has hit the scene.  This series is an anthology of sorts, featuring loosely interconnected stories that play out over a long period of time, tied to various moments in jazz history.  These stories come off as being deeply personal, yet still manage to remain connected to the musical theme, showing the variety of ways that a musical genre can impact a life.  Some of the things touched on by the stories include obvious things like love, violence and the problematic relationship the US has had with race.  But, it also approaches topics like the difficulties in being a father, problems with the copyright/royalties system, and how to balance passion with living a sustainable life. There’s also a nice amount of diversity here as the focuses of the various stories vary in gender, race, and religious background, which in turn reinforces the idea of jazz being a unifying presence.  This is an ongoing series with 6 planned issues, the first 3 having been released already.

CHICO AND RITA

Writers: Javier Mariscal and Fernando Trueba
Publisher: SelfMadeHero

Jazz is a music that is known for having many layers, so don’t be shocked to hear that this is the graphic novel adaptation of the animated movie Chico and Rita, which is based on the life of real life pianist Bebo. This graphic novel follows the two characters of Chico and Rita who both are involved with jazz, big band, and the early days of the conglomerate of styles that would become known as Latin Jazz.  While there are some fictional elements to this, the characters do interact with real people, for example Count Bassie. One of the most striking parts of the animated film that this is based on, is the art, and while this adaptation does its best to mimic that, it doesn’t quite match.  But, that isn’t a bad thing as this has a unique look of its own as a result.   If you’re a fan of love stories that span decades or just interested in contributions to jazz that comes from places that aren’t the US, this is a fine read.

What are some of your favorite jazz artists?  What did you think of these recommendations? Let us know in the comments section below.

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