Where do I start when it comes to Jazz?

[Coeball]

For a practical introduction to walking check out Ed Friendland's "Building Walking Basslines".

 

[Vakmere]

Learn all the scales....

and then some......

 

[guroove]

Chords > Scales. Seriously. Scales (or "note scales" as Carol Kaye calls them) are useless in jazz. Learn the chords. Scales are used to connect chord tones. In jazz, they just use chromatics.

 

[Stumbo]

You might want to check out the "Bass Knowledge" and "Bass Styles" linkw below in my sig. for some great info on Jazz and other topics.

 

[pica]

Are you talking about listening to jazz or playing jazz. If your talking about listening to jazz do a search on "The 100 best jazz albums" and go from there. You might want to check out a "Jazz For Dummies" book.

 

[LouisV]

Amen to taking a Community College class on Jazz/African American music. I already had a love of jazz when I took a class, and the class deepened my understand not only of the music, but of the social issues from which it developed. You cannot separate the two, IMHO.

 

[Bassmickeyd]

Chords > Scales. Seriously. Scales (or "note scales" as Carol Kaye calls them) are useless in jazz. Learn the chords. Scales are used to connect chord tones. In jazz, they just use chromatics.

"Just use Chromatics"
What?

Playing scales gives you hands the dexterity to move around on your instrument. Scales are not music. Learning, understanding and playing the scale tones 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 of a chord, any chord, gives you the musical dexterity to play thru songs because in those scale tones lies the melody. Understanding the melody of a song helps you become more musical in the way you approach a tune. Regardless if you play the melody perfectly isn't as important for a bassist but understanding what note of the chord the melody starts on gives you a better understanding of the music itself. ........

 

[jweiss]

Hey howz about everyone re-reads the first post? The OP is not looking for advice about how to play jazz...

 

[TheBasicBassist]

The Jimmy Blanton and Duke Ellington duos are a GREAT place to start.

 

[Hutzbordello]

Bitches Brew, Miles Davis

uh..............Charles Mingus?

OH and Coltrane with or without Miles and vice versa

 

[dvh]

Another vote for Miles' 'Kind of Blue'. There's a lot going on there yet transcendent in its relative simplicity... (as far as structure goes)

 

[CamiloDíaz]

Although I wasn't lookin for advice on playing jazz, but listening to it, I appreciate the playing tips. It's never bad to have those guidelines, and I bet you old jazz dogs would've love to be pointed the right way from the start when you begun playing. Jweiss, I saved your biased list of suggestions, and all the other's too, and will start trying to get me the Smithsonian Collection. Don't worry, you guys, soon you'll have me asking "where I go now" once I bathe myself in classic jazz.

This thread is gret example of what I call he TB spirit. You are taking the time to show an old time rocker some jazz. That's gotta count!

keep them coming!!

 

[Jonyak]

Find a good teacher.

 

[pica]

Find a good teacher.

If you people would bother to read the original post, he's not looking to play jazz he's looking to listen to jazz.

 

[fenderfunker]

Return to Forever, Weather Report.....If you want some seminal 70s jazz fusion. These guys changed jazz completely. There are loads more too, like George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Marcus Miller etc, but start with the first two. Good luck

 

[cat_saltnpepper]

get a real book (or fake book) and buy a recording accordingly. Miles Davis' 'Kind of Blue' is definitely good place to start since it's most sold jazz recording and also, very monumental and pivotal recording in two different periods. still, you'll have to figure out your own timeline and understanding based on jazz history.

 

[JimK]

I do enjoy his music, but for a first timer I don't think it fits with the other choices above.

Wow...as far as a Jazz band today, playing its butts off...Holland 5-tet has to be near the top.
Holland is a product of all those great '60s recordings you mentioned.
I wouldn't steer a Jazz newbie towards Holland's more 'out' material...something like Prime Directive would be cool, IMO...even for a noob.

As far as Mingus goes-
I don't know why but I'll keep on suggesting Changes 1 & Changes 2...seems like I'm the only one here at TB that ever mentions this 5-tet & these recordings.

 

[JimK]

you are correct, it is very complex stuff for a first timer. all of the horn layers might make your head spin.
some music friends of mine (guitar) refuse to listen to him because they say it makes their head spin. it makes my head spin too but in a good way!

True, you don't want to turn somebody off...way back when, I wanted to hear Coltrane & my Jazz-playing dropped the needle on Ascension. Honestly, it took about 25 years before I got back to Coltrane...& now I would call him my favourite musician.

As far as music making your head spin...I have a few that will make your head hurt!

 

[Philbiker]

True, you don't want to turn somebody off...way back when, I wanted to hear Coltrane & my Jazz-playing dropped the needle on Ascension. Honestly, it took about 25 years before I got back to Coltrane...& now I would call him my favourite musician.

As far as music making your head spin...I have a few that will make your head hurt!

Friggin classic story.

 

[otis_thick]

.....What to get my hands on first, what to listen to first, where can I find useful guidance about the fundamental recordings of the genre? Where, oh where do I start?

IMO
After knowing your scales and modes...note just the analytical rules and notes....hearing and understanding harmony IMHO is the most impotant. I think players who play by ear first have a head start on understanding harmony because they already "hear" it. They may not know the NAME of the scale or mode but they know what musically fits by ear.

So the first place to start is to use your ears and listen and listen to as much as you can! I look at extemporaneous really on the spot jazz like as in an open stage like a conversation with music-You need to know how to speak the languages. Then you would know how to add your two cents and stay on the same topic as the rest.

After you know what key you want to start.....What's the rythm saying? Then you add in the context of the rythm. Understand when the lead instrument at that oint of the converstation wants to change the topic...if you are doing 16s 32s or 64s etc. there is that moment of key change and the scale is different...usually the lead instrument starts throwing out cues....a note or two that hints at where they are heading next ....at the end of that measure, everyone turns the page so to speak.

I am from a very small town called Laurinbrg North Carolina, my father and uncles and thier friends were into music and jazz. I did not get at the time but one day a firend of my uncle told me the above to understand "Jazz" The reason I put in my hometown is because the man was "Dizzy" Gillespie. I was just a kid and I did not know he created "jazz" at the time. To add to this story, John Coltrane was from a town called Hamlet 8 miles away.