Good Jazz Album

[timidbassist]

Hey guys, well i am going to be trying out for a big regional jazz band in a bit here and have been practicing much jazz material, but i want to start listening to some to hear how jazz really should sound. I listened to some Marcus Miller and although he is incredible on bass, i want something that has like a whole brass section and everything like a normal jazz band. It is possible that Marcus Miller does have that and i just didnt hear it from some of the demos i heard. Even so, what would be some other good jazz albums to look into for jazz?
Thank you,
Dave

[James Hart]

'Jazz' is like saying you need a 'Rock' album... could be REM, could be Elvis, could be NIN, could be Skynard... WAY too vague

Here are a couple names to look at:

Charles Mingus
Miles Davis
Dave Holland
John Coltrane

[Aaron Saunders]

If you're looking for big ensemble stuff, check out the Glenn Miller Orchestra and just about any Duke Ellington.

[Jazzin']

Buddy Rich BigBand
GRP AllStar BigBand

Find some BigBand stuff

[chimp]

Miles and Coltrane
+1

Dizzy Gillespie(spelling) and Charlie Parker.

I totaly agree with JH its to wide to narrow it down to a few people i would say its the biggest genres.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by timidbassist

...i want something that has like a whole brass section and everything like a normal jazz band.

Man. Anyway, I agree with James Hart's reply.
Jazz has differing genres/sub-genres & different eras/periods.
What sounded "normal" in Louis Armstrong's day may not sound so "normal" during the 1960s. Pick up Mark Gridley's Jazz Styles...good intro.

Now, something with "a whole brass section"(sounds like you want a Big Band thing) that's recent-
Dave Holland Big Band-Overtime

The GRP All-Star things are cool, too. Younger players playin' in an older style. IIRC, their albums are filled with both Jazz Standards & Jazz Classics.

[jazzbo]

While Harry Connick Jr. has a reputation as only a crooner, he's an amazingly versatile jazz musician. Check out his albums, "Come By Me", "to love you", "Red Light Blue Light". Wynton Marsalis is also worth checking out.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by jazzbo

While Harry Connick Jr. has a reputation as only a crooner, he's an amazingly versatile jazz musician. Check out his albums, "Come By Me", "to love you", "Red Light Blue Light". Wynton Marsalis is also worth checking out.

OT: George Porter Jr has frequented his CDs too.

[timidbassist]

Yes i realize that its a very broad topic its just im completely new to jazz. I did pick up the Marcus Miller Silver Rain cd today and was super impressed with his playing, although it wasnt the kind of jazz i was looking for. From what some of you described it looks like i want to hear "big band" jazz. I am looking into Dave Holland now by request.
Thanks guys!
Dave

[Jazzin']

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is also a great modern swing band. I saw them live and met the bassist after the show.

[JimK]

If push came to shove, I would call BBVD a Jump Blues band(along with The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, etc)...that doesn't mean they don't swing.

[Philbiker]

Pick up a collection of songs by Duke Ellington. Wow!!!!!

[jazzbo]

Originally Posted by JimK

that doesn't mean they don't swing.

On that topic, you could learn a thing from those basslines. Royal Crown Revue also. And at least with Royal Crown Revue, they play a lot of standards. They're version of "Salt Peanuts" is awesome.

[Mike Flynn]

'The Birthday Concert' by Jaco Pastorius covers a lot of - ahem - basses - and should open your eyes to the highest level of soloing possible from the likes of Michael Brecker and Bob Mintzer - 'Invitation' is the other Jaco big band album that is worth grabbing.

Maybe pick up a decent compilation album too - check out Duke Ellington, Mingus and Count Basie for your 'standard' jazz brass/big band sound - after that the sky's the limit.

My one and only bit of advice when listening to jazz is - keep you ears and your mind open - litsen to stuff yourself before making up your mind - as some people can be incredibly opionated about stuff that they happen not to like - if you like it - for whatever reason - then fine, it's just your taste - beside there's simply too much stuff out there to acknowledge or listen to it all - take it slow and enjoy the music.

Cheers

M

[FunkKing]

Coltranecoltranecoltranecoltranecoltranecoltrane

[Jimbo]

my favorite big band is still Stan Kenton's Orchestra. There's a lot of albums by him. I personally enjoy Live at Sunset Ridge

-jimbo

[JimK]

Originally Posted by FunkKing

Coltranecoltranecoltranecoltranecoltranecoltrane

Yeah, but...
Which album?
Which period?
I mean, I wouldn't start poor ol' timidbassist out with Ascension, Stellar Regions, Meditations, Interstellar Space, or even Transition...would you?
Then again, something like Coltrane Plays The Blues, Ballads, or his album with Johnny Hartman, though all excellent material, may not give someone a decent enough picture.
What album would be suitable for a Jazz/Coltrane noob, anyway? Giant Steps, Crescent, Impressions, A Love Supreme, "The Blue Album"...Milestones, Kind Of Blue, etc?

[Mike Flynn]

Originally Posted by JimK

Yeah, but...
Which album?
Which period?
I mean, I wouldn't start poor ol' timidbassist out with Ascension, Stellar Regions, Meditations, Interstellar Space, or even Transition...would you?
Then again, something like Coltrane Plays The Blues, Ballads, or his album with Johnny Hartman, though all excellent material, may not give someone a decent enough picture.
What album would be suitable for a Jazz/Coltrane noob, anyway? Giant Steps, Crescent, Impressions, A Love Supreme, "The Blue Album"...Milestones, Kind Of Blue, etc?

Exactly Jim! I wouldn't necessarily recommend Coltrane to most novice jazz listeners as it's easy to hear the 'wrong' period of Trane and come a way with a bad impression - I thinkone of the best starting points is either his stuff with Miles - Kind Of Blue etc - or Blue Trane...A Love Supreme is for when you're ready to hit the stratosphere

[JimK]

That happened to me. I give my uncle his props for hipping me to a lot when I was Jazz noob...nevertheless, he dropped a bomb on me in '75 or so with a snippet of Coltrane's Ascension(I think).
Anyway, that hurt for a long, long while. I finally made myself get into 'Trane about '95 or so. Coltrane is now, by far, my favourite musician.

...and A Love Supreme is almost 'tame' when compared to Ascension.

[Philbiker]

almost?

I wouldn't necessarily recommend Coltrane to most novice jazz listeners as it's easy to hear the 'wrong' period of Trane and come a way with a bad impression - I thinkone of the best starting points is either his stuff with Miles - Kind Of Blue etc - or Blue Trane...A Love Supreme is for when you're ready to hit the stratosphere

How 'bout "Giant Steps"?

I have the 12" LP record recently reissued of "Blue Trane". Sounds incredible and the cover is great wall art.