New to Jazz and need something to listen to

[kaitymae]

I have been classically trained on upright bass for the past six years, but after hearing John Clayton and Ray Brown, jazz is something I want to get into. Before I dive into playing it, I would like to listen to a bunch of jazz standards and some great bass lines - the problem is, I'm so new to this I don't know of any! Help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ed Fuqua]

Well, you've got two bassists whose work you like, why not start there? There's a BUNCH of Ray Brown, from the 40's through the 90's. He's got some nice recordings as a leader, he's an iconic member of the Oscar Peterson Trio. I'm not as familiar with JC's recorded work, I just know the ClaytonHamilton big band stuff.

You can get lists of stuff from folks here, or websites like the Jamie Aebersold site, who'll have a "top 100 recordings to own" listing. But I'd personalize a little bit, in the following way:

You've got a couple of people who's playing you're familiar with and dig. So get a couple of records by each, with some time spread. Drop the needle and when something strikes your fancy - either the tune or the way somebody plays on it or the way a drummer and a bassist hook up (or piano or whatever) - take note of your fancy and, if it was a specific tune, look for other jazz recordings with that on it. If it was a specific player (other than Ray or John), look for other records with them on it. If it was a specific hook-up, look for other recordings with those two (or more) players on it, especially if there are players that you DON'T know on the recording.

That way you're not really groping blindly or allowing other folks to make your choices for you. I don't know how many records I bought that I picked up unheard because I like the way somebody on it played, or played with another person whose playing I knew.

The more you listen (and practice) the deeper your ear gets tuned to nuance, the more open you get to checking other stuff out.

[kaitymae]

Thanks a lot - that was quite helpful. In fact, I'm off for some Ray Brown tunes right now.

[Ed Fuqua]

I exist but to serve.

3 personal favorites are

MOTION - Lee Konitz, Sonny Dallas and Elvin Jones
GROOVY - Red Garland, Paul Chambers, Art Taylor
WALTZ FOR DEBBY - Bill Evans, Scott LaFaro, Paul Motian

[los100malditos]

John Patitucci - Songs, Stories & Spirituals & Kenny G Live - Vail Johnson Great Jazz cds for bassists

[Ed Fuqua]

some of those words don't belong in the same sentence.

[TroyK]

In addition to all of the Oscar Peterson records, Ray Brown has a couple of collections that I think are great text books. One is called "Walk On" and the other is "The Concord Years". The later is especially helpful, I think. There is an Oscar Peterson Trio record called "We Get Requests" that is a good standards reference, but a lot of those records are really tasty.

Mr. Clayton is known for that big band as Ed suggested, but I don't always find big band records to be the best to transcribe from. Look him up on his website or allmusic.com and click "credits" for a complete discography. I will point you to the Diana Krall records that he's on though. Whether or not you like Diana Krall, they're a good resource, because they're sparse and he's well featured on them.

You picked two great, classic style bassists to emulate and your instinct to go to the source (recordings) is refreshing and right on. I think you're off to a great start. Your classical training will help a lot with your left hand. Watch some YouTube videos of Ray Brown, John Clayton, Sam Jones, Butch Warren, Jimmy Garrison, etc to pick up some of that right hand technique and listen, listen, listen, feel, feel, feel.

[los100malditos]

John Patitucci - Songs, Stories & Spirituals & Kenny G Live - Vail Johnson Great Jazz cds for bassists, also Major Holley - Excuse Me, Excuse Me, Ludwig

[RayBrownAddict]

Ray Brown is my personal favourite to listen to
My Recomendations are
Night Train- Oscar Peterson Trio
Bam Bam Bam-Ray Brown Trio
Whims of Chambers-Paul Chambers
Smokin at the Half Note- Wes Montgomery
Mingus Ah Um

[oldfretless]

Any Rudy Van Gelder reissue is going to be good. +1 on the Migus, it's been reissued as a legacy edition with the Dynasty disc. And all Miles.

[Damon Rondeau]

Ed's method of "the personal journey of serendipity" (hey, I got a few seconds here and have to come up with something) is a good one. As a second stream of effort, though, you might wanna try plugging some of the classic masters of jazz into your playlists. Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Miles Davis... Hit AllMusic.com, look up those guys and their (gigantic) discographies, and, to get started, zero in on some of the records that are highly-rated by the critics. Don't feel like you have to love all these guys -- it's a good bet you won't love all of it -- but just check some of it out.

[Damon Rondeau]

Singers are another great way into appreciating this music: Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett. Listening to the great singers gives you an insight into the songs we call "jazz standards" in a way closer to what they were orignally designed to be: songs with lyrics that are sung to an audience by a singer.

[HoodBass12]

Ray Brown - Some of my best friends are the trumpet players

Milt Jackson - Burnin' in the woodhouse (Christian McBride on bass)

Cannonball Adderley - Cannonball Adderley & the Poll-Winners (Ray Brown)

Aaron Parks - Invisible Cinema (Matt Penman)

yee

[bassist14]

http://player.slipstreamradio.com/pl...l9&sub=SubBass