For those who want to play Jazz - how many Jazz albums do you own?

[XavierG]

Originally posted by sabbath1977
Look, man , jazz music is in constant evolution,like everything,always moving,jazz is different nowadays,and it will never be the same again,which is the reason that keeps me listening and playing jazz.

How is jazz different nowadays? With all due respect, I have to disagree with your observation. Jazz, in essence, is the same beast today as it was 30 - 40 years ago.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by XavierG
How is jazz different nowadays? With all due respect, I have to disagree with your observation. Jazz, in essence, is the same beast today as it was 30 - 40 years ago.

Hmm - that's another thread really - as in "What is Jazz?"

I know there are bands playing today that are very different - like Esborn Svenson Trio - and I'm not sure somebody like Wayne Shorter would agree. So - he was playing with Miles' second great acousic quintet, went on to play in Miles' electric bands, then Weather Report - and is now playing with various bands - all different to what he was doing 30 years ago.

So he is doing a series of conerts in London at the moment with various groups and even with an orchestra :

http://www.barbican.org.uk/contemporary/26jan.htm

I don't think he could have done this sort of "crossover" 30 years ago?

[Peter McFerrin]

I'll never be a serious jazz musician, but I own 85 jazz albums (and have pirated/stolen about 400 more).

[Howard K]

I've only been listening a few years, but I must have up to a hundred jazz CDs.

Anyway, no one has said this yet, I find I have to make time to listen to jazz.. I cant just put in on the background, I have to really listen... and that means I have to be on my own (or the Mrs might stab me, she hates it).
Which means I dont get as much time to listen to it as I'd like to.


It was eluded to 'up there' that jazz was about theory, it was mind heavy... while I understand where this view is coming from, personally, I disagree.

For me the beauty of jazz is not complexity or the theory (of which I know comparatively nothing), but "how did they make those amazing sounds?".
How did Miles and Coltrane make D minor (the saddest of all keys ) sound so unique!

[Bruce Lindfield]

Sounds like you've become as addicted as me!! I get the same problem about listening on my own as well - although my partner is quite tolerant about anything that is pleasant listening - like Horace Silver, KoB etc. But anything more challenging, I have to listen to on my own!!

I do agree with people who have said you have to listen to Jazz live as well - it makes much more of an impact when you hear great Jazz live, in your face!!

But I think my point was about how you use the recordings to build up your understanding through repeated plays - you can't ask a live band to stop and repeat what they just did, until you have really heard what was going on!

I was surprised at the weekend, that some young people were trying to play Jazz, without building up a collection of influences, to help develop their playing style...

[Howard K]

Warning: off topic...

I saw the Berkshire Youth Jazz quartet (or somthing like that) recently - part of the Pendulum Jazz Orchestra... I saw them at a place in Goring. and boy did they swing! The kid on db (I say kid, the oldest was 19!) - was fantastic! They played a bunch stuff I knew, Blue Bossa, My Favourite Things, and a bunch of be-bop blues tracks that I could hear most of the changes for.

So - for me - it was really interesting, I could hear the lines the bassist was using, and I could hear the solosists 'pushing it out' and bring it back again. I learnt a lot by just listening that night, whereas, often with top jazzers, it just lows my mind and I'm awestruck for the entire gig!
It was 95% inspiration, 5% depressing (they we SO good and yet SO young!). In 10 yrs time I'll be watching out for these guys at the barbican!

Incidentally I saw Jamie Cullum in Goring a week before he got signed - before I knew anything about him. He played 3 sets and I walked out after the second one. It wasnt jazz, it was pop.. and while he does have a v strong voice, his band weren't playing jazz in my book. They took no risks and the solos were, for want of a better word, weak and soul-less.

[JimK]

Originally posted by sabbath1977
Look, man , jazz music is in constant evolution,like everything,always moving,jazz is different nowadays,and it will never be the same again,which is the reason that keeps me listening and playing jazz.

Agreed, Jazz supposed to be about constant evolution...though many will say Coltrane was Jazz' last great innovator.
And he died in, what, 1970?

[JimK]

Originally posted by Howard K
Anyway, no one has said this yet, I find I have to make time to listen to jazz.. I cant just put in on the background, I have to really listen...

I know what you mean...what I have noticed, though-
Playing the stuff in the car does help it sink in.
True, it may not be 'serious' listening...IMO, it's still better to have this constant bombardment vs. the typical radio fare.
Need I say I drive like a mad man when I got David S. Ware's 4-tet blasting away?

[Howard K]

[quote]Playing the stuff in the car does help it sink in. [quote]

Yes. Absolutley, I listen to it on headphones at work a lot - in fact it's the only style of music I have on my PC at work... needless to say it can get a bit much at times!

I guess I meant that in order to really appreciate it, to really get the most out of it, I have to sit and listen, beer in hand, no one in the house, etc.

[sabbath1977]

Originally posted by Peter McFerrin
I'll never be a serious jazz musician, but I own 85 jazz albums (and have pirated/stolen about 400 more).

Dude,you'll never be a serious jazz musician as long as you keep this state of mind.You can do anything you want as long as you really want to.

peace

[Da_Niet]

Originally posted by Howard K
I've only been listening a few years, but I must have up to a hundred jazz CDs.

Anyway, no one has said this yet, I find I have to make time to listen to jazz.. I cant just put in on the background, I have to really listen... and that means I have to be on my own (or the Mrs might stab me, she hates it).
Which means I dont get as much time to listen to it as I'd like to.


It was eluded to 'up there' that jazz was about theory, it was mind heavy... while I understand where this view is coming from, personally, I disagree.

For me the beauty of jazz is not complexity or the theory (of which I know comparatively nothing), but "how did they make those amazing sounds?".
How did Miles and Coltrane make D minor (the saddest of all keys ) sound so unique!

Yikes, Howard K, I'm sorry your "Mrs." hates jazz and you LOVE it! Yeah, that would make the time to listen to jazz a very difficult thing to do.

You're right, though, about the beauty of the amazing music made by such men as Coltrane and Miles. That also shows they WERE masters in the art(and its complexities) with regards to making unique sounds, and making them sound so natural and musical. THAT takes brilliance.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by sabbath1977
Dude,you'll never be a serious jazz musician as long as you keep this state of mind.You can do anything you want as long as you really want to.

peace

I suspect he has other, more ambitious plans - like youngest-ever billionaire, world-ruler etc.

[Peter McFerrin]

Originally posted by Bruce Lindfield
I suspect he has other, more ambitious plans - like youngest-ever billionaire, world-ruler etc.

I had to scratch "God-King" off the list a while back.

[TravellinMan]

Have maybe 3 Cd's of Jazz, but their is a great Jazz station out of Glen Ellen, IL (Chicago) That is a public radio, no commercial that's were I listen to it mostly! But we have here in Indiana, a great Jazz bassist, that has a variety of group he plays with! check out www.scottpazera.com

He amazing
TM

[Howard K]

Going to see Wayne Shorter Quartet tonight.

John Patitucci on DB x110%

and again for good measure!