The portrait of the jazz man can only be painted
With the colors of the cats of the past
Wynton Maraslis only blows what he blows
Because Freddie Hubbard molded the cast.
So if you're into jazz and want to learn how to blow
The study of jazzology's essential to know.
Young Herbie Hancock perfected his piano
In the years that he was blowin' with Miles.
Cedar Walton did the same with Art Blakey's band
Maybe we should rise and give our heroes a hand.
Jon Hendricks gave us somethin' precious as gold
And I'm-a give it back now, right now, look out!
[Scatting by Scatman John]
Marcus Miller came after Cedar Walton
And Coltrane came after Bird.
You know that Elton Jones was an authentic cat
And hearing Cecil Taylor amplifies that fact.
Ain't no one gonna last without the legends of the past
Can't play like the birds with the legends unheard.
A lady named Ella could keep up with any fella
Ever heard of scat "How High the Moon?"
Gearge Benson plays guitar, but more than that by far
He could scat up a storm, set fire to a room.
So if you're into jazz and want to learn how to blow
The study of jazzology's essential to know.
[Scatting by Scatman John]
You've heard of Charlie Parker, the an they call "Bird"
Played the greatest alto saxophone that anybody heard.
Bird's contribution became an institution
So if you're into jazz and you want to learn to blow
The study of jazzology is essential to know.
Piano's Bill Evans took us all to the heavens
Ando who could play Tatum verbatim?
Mel Torme and Anita O'Day, hey!
Everybody knows the trend they set for today.
And don't forget about Sarah, that gentle little terror
That sassy young lassy was classy.
[Scatting by Scatman John]
The only thing I say if you wanna learn to play:
You ain't gonna last without the legends of the past.
You can't fry eggs without the pan and the butter
You wanna learn to scat, you don't have to stutter.
So if you're into jazz and you want to learn to blow
The study of jazzology is essential to know, yeah.