How 'Jazz' got its name

In case anyone wondered, here's a great write-up on Mountain Studios in Montreux, including a suggestion of how the Jazz album got its name..

http://montreuxmusic.com/fmm/content/view/45/82/lang,english

It was named for the Jazz Festival in Montreux, where the studio was, if I remember correctly.

The collage of songs at the end of "More Of That Jazz" is an extremely meta self-reference, too. The album is called Jazz, so the song clips at the end of MOTJ (and the end of the album) are referring to the album on which they exist. The medley is quite literally 'more of that Jazz' album. It's the band breaking the fourth wall and telling the listener, "You're listening to a record. You know that and we know that. (wink wink)"

Similarly, the medley at the end of "I Want To Break Free (Extended Mix)" is the song quite literally breaking free of itself and employing the other songs from the album just because it can.

i thought it was more a reflection on what they were upto at the time.......
"Jazz" may have been a typo....did they mean "Jizz" ?   ;-)

I read that Roger saw the word Jazz written on a wall as graffiti and Berlin, and thought it looked powerful, and that's how they got the name.

Umm...may I ask what medley you are talking about at the end of "I Want To Break Free" Extended Mix?    I must not be familiar with that...thanks for letting me know and have a good day!

The Extended Mix of IWTBF features a medley of The Works tracks similar to what we hear at the end of Jazz.

Here it is on YouTube:

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37opfLtvxcE

Sheer Brass Neck - I think you're getting confused. I read that Roger saw a design on the Berlin Wall and used it as an inspiration for the album cover. Correct if I'm wrong, but you very well may be getting your facts mixed up.

The Berlin Wall graphics for the cover art, not the title, was the story I'd heard. Not sure if it's true or not. 

The actual art used is an example of the movement known as Op Art (short for Optical Art), which is defined by using shapes and lines to great optical illusions and visual distortion effects with the viewer. Here's Wiki link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op_art

It was popular in the '60s and Freddie certainly would have known about it from his Art College days.

Cool article! Thanks for sharing.

My mind (or what is left of it) is probably getting confused, br5846, but if I recall correctly, I remember Roger saying he saw the word Jazz on the /Berlin wall, and thought the word looked powerful.  I may be entirely wrong, that's how I remember it though.

http://www.queenonline.com/en/the-band/interviews/freddie-mercury/circus-1978/

Sheer Brass Neck wrote: I read that Roger saw the word Jazz written on a wall as graffiti and Berlin, and thought it looked powerful, and that's how they got the name.

I have also read that a couple of times through the years.

This is the same story I'm familiar with. Roger saw the word "JAZZ" written on a wall but the circles were seen drawn on the Berlin Wall. Something like that. At least we're all in the same ballpark.

Those medleys at the end of MOTJ and for The Works never fail to freak me out in their meta- self-referential-ness.  Even with Queen.