Who Says Jazz Isn't Commercial?

The ad team at Dolce & Gabbana seems to think it can be. Would Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’” become a best-seller if more people knew it sounded so cool—or if the millions who watched this TV commercial knew that’s what they were hearing? Could it be that jazz just needs shrewder marketing? (The whole song can be heard on Mingus’ great 1959 album, Blues & Roots.)

COMMENTS
Wes Phillips's picture

Personally, I would have chosen "wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" (also on Blues & Roots), with its repeated exhotations of "Oh yeah!"

Jeff Wong's picture

The frenetic quality of the tune is appropriate for capturing the chaos of the behind-the-scenes POV, but, it's hardly catchy in the sense that most pop songs in other commercials have been, where people would run out and buy it.

Dan's picture

Fred, love the blog...you need to get Stereophile to set up an RSS Feed for it though!

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