Looking for a good starting point

[Mingus Addict]

Let me apologize in advance if this is a very common thread topic but this is my first time in the Double Bass part of TB. I am looking for ideas for songs to transcribe. If you can't guess by my nick, I am a big Mingus fan but many of his songs are very hard. I listen to a lot of jazz but I have never been able to really get into playing it. I am looking to transcribe some things that will help me "learn the language." Here is my criteria.

1. The chord changes for the song should be readily available
2. The recording should be readily available
2. The recording of the bass should be clear and easy to hear
3. I want to be able transcribe what the original bassist has played and then analyze why s/he played it. I have a basic understanding of theory but I won't be able to handle anything too crazy or advanced yet.

To give you an idea of my taste I really like Larry Young, Wayne Shorter, and Thelonious Monk. I would really appreciate anyones suggestion for first songs to transcribe. Thanks.

[damonsmith]

I am a huge Mingus fan and early on I thought show tunes and standards wher ecorny and boring, so I learned a bunch of Mingus, Monk and Ellington. Most of them were original forms, or so abstract that they did not have obvious similarities to each other.

I would start with very basic standards, Anything with "rhythm changes" (same form as "I got Rhythm", other basic 32 bar tunes like "Autumn Leaves" and blues forms.
Once you have an understanding of these, you can see what these musicians were working with/against, etc.
I would do a combination of transcription and reading the charts. Also, learn the melodies.
This thread has some great advice:
REALLY Learning a tune