Jazz music has become a point of pride for the United States of America: a homegrown art form forged from folk traditions. But jazz recordings of American patriotic songs aren't abundant. Perhaps because many of jazz's foremost creators were black Americans who lived in a society which actively discriminated against them, many didn't think to tackle that material.
There are, of course, exceptions, as well as some exceptions that prove the rule. For July 4, here are a few jazz takes on the songs you'll hear today.
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1 of
— cover for Crazy! Baby
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2 of
— cover for Not In Our Name
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3 of
— cover for Very Tall
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4 of
— cover for Lady Day
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