Adam2 Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I would love to get into jazz, but I have no idea where to start. I love Tom Waits, and his music has jazz influences... any suggestions? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Basil II Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 In a word....Maynard Ferguson!!! -robert. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
El Picador Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Count Basie Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 i've wondered the same. i've heard quite a bit through a friend (fucked if i know what the music was) but i prefered the upbeat stuff a lot more... any ideas? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bjorn_skurj Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 There are many different types of jazz. I kind of approached it via Steely Dan and now I listen to Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Coltrane and Louis Armstrong from the 1920s. Like some big band and western swing too. It'll never be my favorite form of music, but there's certainly some good, life-enriching stuff out there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aricandover Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 start with these Quote Link to post Share on other sites
j4lackey Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 A Love Supreme, by Coltrane, influenced many a rock guitarist. I bought it after seeing it name-checked in a handful of interviews in a Rolling Stone special edition on guitar gods. Great album. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 i've wondered the same. i've heard quite a bit through a friend (fucked if i know what the music was) but i prefered the upbeat stuff a lot more... any ideas? Charles Mingus: Mingus Ah Um Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IATTBYB Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Kind of Blue Quote Link to post Share on other sites
quarter23cd Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Charles Mingus: Mingus Ah UmGood one. Coltrane's "Blue Train" and Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" are pretty standard suggestions for this sort of thing. That's where I started and they're still among my absolute favorites, but there's a whole universe of music out there and so many styles that it will take some exploring. Highly rewarding, tho! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Anything on Blue Note, Prestige, Impulse and a number of other standard labels are good. PM me for more specifics. I think we need a FAQ on jazz somehow. I would have to say that Waits is influenced alot by the "cool jazz" from the west coast, so artists like Chet Baker and Jerry Mulligan come to mind. Maybe some Errol Garner and piano stuff like that. There are lots of important and interesting jazz figures, some of which never get mentioned here. The usual Coltrane and Davis and Mingus (and Monk) are certainly important though. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Is Chicago Is Not Chicago Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 John Coltrane - Giant Steps it got the ball rolling and crossed me over Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 John Coltrane - Giant Steps it got the ball rolling and crossed me overThe Coltrane on Atlantic is all good (My Favorite Things as well), then move on to Impulse. If you know nothing about jazz and just want some general stuff, I always recommend the Smithsonian Classic Jazz collection. It is a great survey of most of the great musicians and representative numbers, from the earliest days, but not up to the present. I looked through the 5 disk comp that came out with the PBS Jazz series and it seems pretty good too and works closer to the present and includes some of the same material. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
morelikethemoon Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Coming from the perspective of a jazz guitarist... my favorite jazz guitar album is The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery. And then just in general, one of my favorite jazz albums is Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. You'll probably recognize atleast two songs on this album even if you don't listen to jazz. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
viadurham Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Coming from the perspective of a jazz guitarist... my favorite jazz guitar album is The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery. And then just in general, one of my favorite jazz albums is Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. You'll probably recognize atleast two songs on this album even if you don't listen to jazz. Grant Green would be another excellent choice if you're looking for jazz guitarists. Other than the greats above, Tenor Madness by Sonny Rollins is another. The new Monk/Trane at Carnegie Hall is incredible and some old Bird. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 For guitarists, try VC fan favorite Django Reinhardt or one of the great originators, Charlie Christian. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Welsh Rich Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 I don't own many jazz records, but I'd second the recommendations of Miles Davis > Kind of Blue and John Coltrane > Love Supreme. Both amazing records. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
viadurham Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 and sun ra if you want to get weird. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tblair Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 i think some of the compilations are quite a good start. There's sooooo much to choose from. Do you like instrumental stuff? guitar? sax? keyboards? modern? traditional? vocal?If you have a lending library that has cd's, that's a perfect way to find out what you like? Also, some of the 100 (or however many) best albums lists aren't a bad way to get some ideas...Django Rheinhardt, John Coltrane, some Count Basie... some of my 'likes' Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rghammo Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Here is a top 50 from http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/jazz100/top100.html that is pretty good. There is so much jazz and it's so hard to tell what you're going to like that I would just start with some of the obvious "landmark" CDs and see what grabs you. Lists are stupid and I could find lots of fault with this one, but this is as good a way to start as any. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue - 1959John Coltrane - A Love Supreme - 1964John Coltrane - Giant Steps - 1959Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um - 1959Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus - 1956The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out - 1959Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else - 1958John Coltrane - Blue Train - 1957Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage - 1965John Coltrane - My Favorite Things - 1960Miles Davis - Bitches Brew - 1969Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch! - 1964Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Moanin' - 1958Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come - 1959Louis Armstrong - 25 Greatest Hot Fives & Sevens - 1929Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil - 1964Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners - 1956Bill Evans Trio - Waltz for Debby - 1961Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool - 1950Charlie Parker - The Savoy & Dial Studio Sessions - 1948Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder - 1963Oliver Nelson - The Blues & the Abstract Truth - 1961Miles Davis - In a Silent Way - 1969Miles Davis - Sketches Of Spain - 1960Stan Getz & Jo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Adam2 Posted August 16, 2006 Author Share Posted August 16, 2006 its hard to say what i would like because i really am completely new to the genre. like i said, Tom Waits is one of my favorite artists, and i've been exposed to some jazz influence via his earlier albums. also, i guess, Nels Cline has some deep jazz knowledge. stuff like that. i guess i should just get into the most obvious artists, the ones people are talking about when they say "jazz". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 You can't go wrong with anything on the above list; lots of classic stuff on it. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CalebMac Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 Miles Davis: "Kind Of Blue" Horace Silver Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 There are certain jazz records that, to me, are essential to any music collection, not just a jazz collector's. They include the above mentioned Miles Davis, Kind of Blue and John Coltrane's Love Supreme. I also have the following from that Top 50 list, and they are all great to incredible: John Coltrane - Giant Steps - 1959John Coltrane - Blue Train - 1957Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage - 1965John Coltrane - My Favorite Things - 1960Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Moanin' - 1958Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil - 1964Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool - 1950Lee Morgan - The Sidewinder - 1963Miles Davis - In a Silent Way - 1969Miles Davis - Sketches Of Spain - 1960Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane - Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane - 1957Miles Davis - Round About Midnight - 1956Miles Davis - Milestones - 1958Dexter Gordon - Go! - 1962 If you're into the jazz vocal thing at all, I'd add that even a modest jazz collection would have to include some 1930s-era Billie Holiday. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rghammo Posted August 16, 2006 Share Posted August 16, 2006 From the list I posted above, I have and love: Miles Davis - Kind of Blue - 1959John Coltrane - A Love Supreme - 1964John Coltrane - Giant Steps - 1959Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um - 1959Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus - 1956The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out - 1959John Coltrane - Blue Train - 1957John Coltrane - My Favorite Things - 1960Miles Davis - Bitches Brew - 1969Bill Evans Trio - Waltz for Debby - 1961Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool - 1950Charlie Parker - The Savoy & Dial Studio Sessions - 1948Miles Davis - In a Silent Way - 1969Miles Davis - Sketches Of Spain - 1960Stan Getz & Jo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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