I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
In jazz, speed impresses—but it’s the ballad that reveals the soul.
Slow tunes like “Body and Soul” or “My Funny Valentine” aren’t just romantic standards—they’re emotional X-rays. They strip the music down, exposing nuance, tone, and touch.
Take John Coltrane’s version of Naima or Miles Davis on Blue in Green—each note hangs in the air, weighted with feeling. There’s no rushing in a ballad: every pause and breath matters.
Ballads let musicians speak from the heart. They require control, sensitivity, and vulnerability. Slowing down isn’t about playing less—it’s about saying more.
In jazz, space is music, too.
This has been Rapp on Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and South Carolina Public Radio, made possible by the ETV Endowment of South Carolina.