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Recommended Musicians/Recordings etc. for Jazz!

Hi, TBers!

First of all I’d like to wish you a groovy new year. Better late than never. :)

Let’s come to the point.

My story with the bass is not too long. It’s been only nearly 2 months that I started to take lessons and I am really satisfied with my instructor who is a good jazz bass player as well as being a good instructor. What we have focused upon so far is mainly walking bass. It seems that it will surely get some time to gain fluency. And I am also pretty new to the immense world of jazz. So I would like fellow TBers to provide me with a starting point as to the greatest musicians (doesn’t have to be confined only to bass players), recordings, etc. which are considered as one must listen to and know of and give me insight into the world of jazz. (Could they be referred to as "Standards"? I dunno.) My instructor’s first suggestion was Miles Davis – Kind Of Blue.

Of course suggestions other than just musicians, recordings etc. are also welcomed. But I would kindly like the content to be limited to jazz only. Hope to make the most out of your suggestions and experiences and thank you in advance.

Greetings!
 
Good start- for walking bass you can't do better than Paul Chambers. look for anything he played on in the late '50s and '60s.

Go back some and listen to Jimmy Blanton on ellington recordings from '40-'42, and then hit some Ray Brown from anytime. That should give you a great base to go from.

Scott LaFaro and Gary Peacock are two of my favorites, and then you have Mingus, a whole world in his bass playing. So many great DB jazz bassists, its mindblowing.
 
Thank you for guiding me towards these points shots, One Drop! I am sure they will keep me busy for quite a long time. I hope I will get a better understanding of their music in the long run :) Thanks again.

Greetings!
 
Some of my personal favourites:

Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Ray Brown, Oscar Peterson, Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Nat King Cole, Wynton Marsalis, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Horace Silver, Benny Golson, Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, Joe Henderson, Stochelo Rosenberg, Bireli Lagrene.