So I'm starting to listen to Jazz...

[Deluge Of Sound]

Bit of a misnomer title, as I've had various jazz/jazz related albums kicking around in my collection for years. But the majority of it never really clicked with me, and the most played jazz in my collection was an Ornette Coleman box, a Django collection, and the first Mahavishnu record.

(On the flip side of that coin, Heavy Weather is at the absolute top of records I'll happily never listen to again, with the exception of the first four seconds of Palladium--that was kind of cool.)

Anyway, a few days ago I sat down and gave a serious listen to Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus. Wow. That's a really incredible record, and I can't go long without listening to it. Where do I find more jazz like that? You know, the good kind.

[5StringBlues]

If you dug the Mingus you MUST hear this record:

[JoZac21]

Wow, so much...

If you like that era of jazz I would recommend checking out Archie Shepp, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sun Ra Archestra, Albert Ayler, Alice Coltrane, and John Coltrane's work circa 1960 on.

That should keep you busy for a little while.

[JoZac21]

P.S. My favorite Mingus:

[Deluge Of Sound]

Originally Posted by JoZac21

Wow, so much...

If you like that era of jazz I would recommend checking out Archie Shepp, the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sun Ra Archestra, Albert Ayler, Alice Coltrane, and John Coltrane's work circa 1960 on.

That should keep you busy for a little while.

Right on. I've listened to Giant Steps as well as Blue Train, and neither of those really left a lasting impression on me. I've always dug Sun Ra in theory, but haven't gotten a chance to check him out on record yet.

Any specific albums to check out?

[JoZac21]

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Right on. I've listened to Giant Steps as well as Blue Train, and neither of those really left a lasting impression on me. I've always dug Sun Ra in theory, but haven't gotten a chance to check him out on record yet.

Any specific albums to check out?

Here's a short list of some favorites:

Sun Ship - John Coltrane
A Love Supreme - John Coltrane
Live in Greenwich Village - Albert Ayler
Spiritual Unity - Albert Ayler
Universal Consciousness - Alice Coltrane
The Magic of Ju-Ju - Archie Shepp
Space is the Place - Sun Ra
Unit Structures - Cecil Taylor
Super Nova - Wayne Shorter

That should be a decent start...

[dalkowski]

Someone's gotta say it: Ornette Coleman.

[JoZac21]

Originally Posted by dalkowski

Someone's gotta say it: Ornette Coleman.

The OP already listens to Coleman... but now that it's been put out there...

This Is Our Music
The Shape of Jazz to Come
Free Jazz
New York Is Now
Skies of America
Song X
Sound Grammar

Man, do I love Ornette...

[Personatech]

This is my fave Mingus and, perhaps, my favorite Jazz disc of all:



I also strongly recommend the following:

The Lounge Lizards - 1st LP
Mose Allison - Lessons in Living (w/ Jack Bruce and Billy Cobham)
The Best Of The Gerry Mulligan Quartet With Chet Baker
Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool
John Coltrane - Soultrane

[dougjwray]

Dave Holland's "Conference of the Birds" is a beautiful one. Also, you might look into:
Eric Dolphy's "Out to Lunch"
Andrew Hill's "Point of Departure"
and anything by Old and New Dreams, a band made up of Ornette Coleman alumni (Don Cherry, Dewey Redman, Ed Blackwell, Charlie Haden)

[dalkowski]

Originally Posted by JoZac21

The OP already listens to Coleman...

Man, I HAVE to lay off TB before I'm fully nourished and caffeinated. Apologies in profusion to the OP.

[JoZac21]

Originally Posted by Personatech

This is my fave Mingus and, perhaps, my favorite Jazz disc of all:



I also strongly recommend the following:

The Lounge Lizards - 1st LP
Mose Allison - Lessons in Living (w/ Jack Bruce and Billy Cobham)
The Best Of The Gerry Mulligan Quartet With Chet Baker
Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool
John Coltrane - Soultrane

I think the OP is looking for more "modern" stuff (60's and on).

+1 on the Lounge Lizards and Out to Lunch...

Also, I know a lot of people hate it, but I'm going to add Ascension by Coltrane to the mix... love that record...

[Deluge Of Sound]

Originally Posted by JoZac21

The OP already listens to Coleman... but now that it's been put out there...

This Is Our Music
The Shape of Jazz to Come
Free Jazz
New York Is Now
Skies of America
Song X
Sound Grammar

Man, do I love Ornette...

Yeah, I found a copy of his Beauty Is A Rare thing boxset a couple months at a yardsale for something like $15. Awesome stuff.

Re: Conference of the Birds... in a strange twist of fate, on of my all-time favorite records shares that title:
http://www.amazon.com/Conference-Birds-Om/dp/B000EQ5QI6

[Rockman]

It sounds like you like more bluesy/shuffly stuff. Give anything by Cannonball Adderly a listen, especially Mercy, Mercy, Mercy! And I suggest everyone to get everything by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. That band has some of the best players alive today and its the swingingest thing I've ever heard.

[JoZac21]

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Yeah, I found a copy of his Beauty Is A Rare thing boxset a couple months at a yardsale for something like $15. Awesome stuff.

Since this IS a bass forum and we're talking anout Ornette, for those of you in the NYC area, Trevor Dunn has a group called "the Proof Readers" that only does Coleman tunes... worth checking out... one of my favorite bass players ever.

[Deluge Of Sound]

Trevor Dunn played bass at the Melvins silver anniversary show in Boston, and helped deliver one of the best shows I've ever seen. If I'm ever in the area, I'll be sure to check 'em out.

[Bassmickeyd]

I see the suggested jazz listening here is all over the map. Thou it's not clear what or why you're drawn into the style of jazz you're say you're liking. Jazz is a acquired taste. Some people only like to listen to what they think they can copy and others like listening to what's really out there. I'd suggest once you find out what you like, spend the time to figure out why and how it speaks to you. There are so many different colors in jazz.
I'd like to suggest trying out, what I call, Miles Davis's, 3-decade span. Starting with the 1949 recording, thou release in 51, "Birth of The Cool". Then try out his 1959 recording "Kind Of Blue" then go ahead and try his 1969's offering "Bitches Brew".
Columbia released The Essential Miles Davis that has a touch of everything he did on Columbia from the 50's to the 80's. .... But if you do get a chance listen to the whole recordings.

[megadan]

I am kind of a shallow jazz fan, but... I'm a huge fan of the Miles Davis from Bitches Brew onward (not that the early stuff wasn't valid and talented), Sun Ra, Mushroom, etc. a
Jazz is just so bloody ahead of rock and pop music. It's like going from a full steak dinner to porridge.

[JoZac21]

Originally Posted by Bassmickeyd

I see the suggested jazz listening here is all over the map. Thou it's not clear what or why you're drawn into the style of jazz you're say you're liking. Jazz is a acquired taste. Some people only like to listen to what they think they can copy and others like listening to what's really out there. I'd suggest once you find out what you like, spend the time to figure out why and how it speaks to you. There are so many different colors in jazz.
I'd like to suggest trying out, what I call, Miles Davis's, 3-decade span. Starting with the 1949 recording, thou release in 51, "Birth of The Cool". Then try out his 1959 recording "Kind Of Blue" then go ahead and try his 1969's offering "Bitches Brew".
Columbia released The Essential Miles Davis that has a touch of everything he did on Columbia from the 50's to the 80's. .... But if you do get a chance listen to the whole recordings.

The Miles "test" would be cool... but it seems like the OP would be most interested in the "second great quintet" (Sorcerer, ESP, Nefertiti, etc.) which falls between KoB and Bitches Brew...

It's true that Jazz is a nondescript term, like Rock or Pop... I find it's best for someone new to a genre to start w. what speaks to them right away, and then they can branch out from there...

[Noak2]

Mingus has been mentioned, I don't keep track of which records, but ''The Black Saint & The Sinner Lady'' & ''Let My Children Hear Music'' are two of his albums that are absolutely essential. You can also check out Jan Johansson's ''Jazz på Svenska'', Jazz renditions of swedish folk songs.