Jazz- where to start

Scott Joplin
Jelly Roll Morton
Bix Beiderbeck
Duke Ellington
Charles Parker.
Stop there,let it sink for a while,then move on to Mingus and Miles...etc.

 

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Check it out.

 

Hey, FatCity, if you like Jazz on the mellowish/refined side, check out this site: http://www.higheroctave.com

Click on Smooth Jazz, and then go to page 4.
The second, third and fourth albums down (Higher Octave is...Smooth Grooves) will-blow-your-mind.

I have all three, and they are TOO GOOD!

A lot of the individual artists are excellent, such as Craig Chaquico (guitar - like Santana) and Bryan Savage. (sax) 3rd Force is good too.

Check out the whole site. They have a lot of stuff, that many people don't know is out there.

If you ever have trouble finding anyone's recordings, look here: http://www.jandr.com

Welcome to the world of jazz.

Mike

P.S. I'd never heard of a lot of the artists here, bought one of their CDs, and was pleasantly surprised.

 

I just remembered: for anyone interested in Latin Jazz, check out this guy, he's fantastic: http://www.nestortorres.com

Click on Discs, and then check out:

Cafe Cubano and No Te Enamores on the This side of Paradise CD.

and

Musing and Luna Latina, on the Treasures of the heart CD.

Mike

 

another vote for Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

really the first album id show anyone interested in jazz! great great great album, it hasnt sold more copies then any other jazz album for no reason

 

When I get asked about jazz listening, I always say "Listen widely, and trust your instincts. Don't be afraid to dislike something, and don't try to like something just because everyone says you should". Remember that your preferences will change. It is a wide enough field that you will certainly latch onto something you like if you listen enough.

LM

 

If you come from a pop/rock background, check out some Pat Metheny, Yellowjackets, and the like. Then stretch your ears a bit, and get some early jazz as suggested above. Get some Bill Evans, Coltrane, and Sonny Rollins. Don't forget some Grant Green, Charlie Parker, Keith Jarrett trio, Jan Garbarek, Oscar Peterson, Teddy Wilson, Clifford Brown, Joe Lovano, Chucho Valdes, Sarah Vaughn, Johnny Hartmann, Dexter Gordon, John Scofield, Dave Holland. . .

'Cause I said so, that's why!


LM

 

My fave to this day is Miles Davis "Sketches of Spain".

I hear that there was some guy named Jaco something-or-other who used to play jazz too. You might want to try looking for some of his stuff.

 

I've been diggin the bebop as of late. There's so much out there. I'd suggest hitting up the local thrift stores and flea markets if you have a record player. You never know what you'll find and LP's are rarely over $4 so it's not a big deal to take a chance on something.

 

Another vote here for "Kind of Blue". This album is a "must" for jazz fans, and it is nice and accessible for newbies. Paul Chambers is superb with his bouncing feel.

 

I have bought this last weekend... but still have some hard time digesting it... it does have such a long liner notes though, the new remastered version.

I have to crank up the "loud" on my Car CD Player to hear what the bass was playing, but I guess I should pay more attention towards the melodies?

Is this one of the "you have to try to play it, then you will understand why it is so great" album?


p/s: the drum parts are so boring! I dun think I will ever coax my drummer to playing any of the stuffs in there!

 

You're listening to Kind od Blue on your car CD player!!??


No, no - you need a good Hi Fi, big speakers and absolute quiet - it is very subtle and "cool" - it is all about space - you can't listen to it in your car!!

 

While I'd second any Miles Davis recommendations - why not try someone new like this Swedish band <b>EST - The Esbjorn Svenssen Trio</b> - they make brilliant modern piano trio jazz with bass and drums but instead of getting all self-indulgent they actually write TUNES! Yes, their latest album 'Seven Days Of Falling' is packed with stunning melodies, that reference a wide range of styles like rock, broken beats and classic piano/classical melodies - all given a jazzy twist - plus their dsouble bass player Dan Bergland (sp) is utterly awesome - the guy makes incredible bas lines, amazing solos - sometime distorted and he is the pivotal figure in the band between the drums and the intricate piano.

One other thing I would add about listening to 'jazz' is that there are many different styles of jazz - and I'm sure there's one that would get you hooked straight away - if you like country for example why not check out <b>Bill Frisell</b> who has made some beautiful Americana style albums recently - or another classic is the duo album between <b>Pat Metheny and Charlie Haden 'Beyond The Missouri Sky'</b> which is sooooooo gorgeous i can't tell you - if you need any recommendations please just ask cos I'm a frikkin jazz journalist!

 

I think Dave Brubeck is a great place to start, simply because you will recognise so many of the songs (Pennies from Heaven, Take Five and Wonderful Copenagen) and also because Gene Wright was so amazing on Double Bass. Also, no one has mentioned Herbie Hancock and if you haven’t heard Chameleon or Watermelon Man you haven’t lived!

 

Get Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um

This album is most excellent and totally worth getting.

 

If I was to put together a starter kit for jazz CD's, it would probably go like this:

1. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
2. Dave Brubeck - Time Out
3. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
4. Herbie Hancock - Headhunters
5. Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um (sp?)

Once there, I'd then go:

1. Miles Davis - Bitches Brew
2. Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds of Fire
3. Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus
4. Thelonius Monk - any, really, but maybe Straight No Chaser
5. John Coltrane - Giant Steps