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jazz - where do i start?


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This one deserves some mention. I've said this before, but this is not only my favorite Mingus album (that I own :stunned ) it's also a great great example of the period post bop/pre avant jazz. The "Fables Of Faubus" (with lyrics) is pretty inflammatory stuff for 1960. With Dolphy, Danny Richmond and Ted Curson.

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I guess what I am after is some recommendations on the earlier vocal jazz, especially female singers. Any tips would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
How early are we talking about here? There have been jazz singers since the dawn of jazz so early doesn't really describe much. What year are we talking about here? 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s or what?

 

LouieB

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I wrote the article attached to my signature for just such a conversation.......wow this is an old thread too...someone is really digging...(both literally and figuratively...)

 

LouieB

Yeah, the search feature came in handy on this one! Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone. I am really enjoying "Kind Of Blue" right now. I realized my wife has several Miles albums in her collection. We have about 700 CD's between the two of us, so we are always finding new treats we didn't know about.

I bet these would be amazing on vinyl............

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Yeah, the search feature came in handy on this one! Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone. I am really enjoying "Kind Of Blue" right now. I realized my wife has several Miles albums in her collection. We have about 700 CD's between the two of us, so we are always finding new treats we didn't know about.

I bet these would be amazing on vinyl............

Amost all ARE available on vinyl. Most jazz vinyl is available used and in many cases brand new if you can afford it. If you are ever in Chicago visit the Jazz Record Mart and you can find a ton of stuff.

 

LouieB

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How early are we talking about here? There have been jazz singers since the dawn of jazz so early doesn't really describe much. What year are we talking about here? 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s or what?

 

LouieB

Sorry, I missed this one before. By early I meant from the '20s to the 40's, around that era I think. I am pretty ignorant to the whole jazz genre still, I guess. I know what I like, but I don't know where to find it. I did some reading on the swing jazz era, and I think I will follow that up.

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Nice to see this old thread resurrected...

 

For 30s vocal jazz, nothing beats the Quintessential Billie Holiday series from Columbia. Many of its nine volumes can be had from Amazon for just a few dollars apiece. It's all good, much of it is top notch, and the price is right.

 

Lee Morgan doesn't get as many props as he should, nor does Freddie Hubbard. Both great players ... no, they're not Miles, but they're still great ... just different. I recommend Search for the New Land and Red Clay. Oh, and JuJu by Wayne Shorter. Classic.

 

Another great one is the Live in Europe Coltrane box set. Much of this stuff was available only on bootlegs for a long time, and it's completely addictive.

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I read the liner notes of the Billie Holiday album I have and found Teddy Wilson played piano on alot of my favorite tracks so I will look for more artists that worked with him, from the 30's and early 40's. That seems to be the era that I am really enjoying.

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Same here, and I actually have a bunch of other Coltrane that didn't make that list ... though I have to say that (obviously) if someone just focused on them, great as they are, they'd be missing out on a lot.

Not to hijack the thread, but anybody have Coltrane's Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings? I've been resisting the temptation to buy it, but I think I may "need" it. :lol

I have the complete recordings. As recorded residencies like this often go, there are a lot of repeats, but each track is an amazing exploration in modal jazz. If you're a casual fan, probably not necessary, but if you're really into Elvin Jones and Trane this is the ultimate unleashing of their forces with lots of stretching out.

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I began my jazz odyssey with Coltrane doing standards. The Stardust album, in particular. Coltrane doing "Time After Time," not to mention Red Garland, its a wonderful piece of jazz. That's my favorite Coltrane. His later stuff is almost a chore to listen to, at times. Although I love the revolutionary ideas behind it, and McCoy Tyner, its hard to listen to.

 

And Duke Pearson is another who doesn't get as many props as he deserves. Great pianist, but more importantly a great composer.

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This is also one of those jazz albums that all rock fans seem to have. I didn't mention it in my article, but it used to be everyone had this one. It is basically more of a rock/R&B album, but it is worth a listen. Not a classic or anything, unless classic means old and overvalued.

 

>Lee Morgan doesn't get as many props as he should

 

So true. Neither does Horace Silver.

Finger Poppin by Horace Silver was one of the first jazz LPs I ever bought..great stuff. I bought it in a used record store in Minneapolis, back when used record stores were something of a novelty.

 

As mentioned in my article, there are few Blue Notes that are not worth listening to...frankly they are are good on some level.

 

LouieB

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and JJ Johnson

Hell yeah. Him and Wes two of are Indy's main contributors to jazz. :worship

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Just to give you all an update on my jazz exploration.....

This last Sunday I got up, made a pot of coffee, and listened to "Kind Of Blue" front to back. It was amazing.

I am learning more about the entire scope of jazz, and the many categories, sub-categories, and so on.

"Kind Of Blue" is the most recent I am really enjoying. I am really diggin' alot of Billie Holiday (especially her work with Teddy Wilson, Lester Young, Benny Goodman), Jelly Roll Morton, Cannonball Adderly (the "Somethin' Else" album is a treat).

So I am guessing from the '30s to the late '50s is what I am really into, not that I have really narrowed it down that much, but I am getting closer. My wife still has a few more jazz albums I have listened to yet, so I still have some more exploring to do.

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I began my jazz odyssey with Coltrane doing standards. The Stardust album, in particular. Coltrane doing "Time After Time," not to mention Red Garland, its a wonderful piece of jazz. That's my favorite Coltrane. His later stuff is almost a chore to listen to, at times. Although I love the revolutionary ideas behind it, and McCoy Tyner, its hard to listen to.

Ironically, I began my jazz odyssey with the classic Coltrane quartet, which is sort of the opposite of "standards." I now own all the Village Vanguard recordings and the Live In Europe box set, and am collecting most of the later stuff. I like a lot of the Atlantic albums, but the Impulse recordings are where it's at for me. They're challenging, sure, but I find most of them to be (as I said above) utterly addictive. Then again, I'm probably a little nuttier than most. :lol

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Ironically, I began my jazz odyssey with the classic Coltrane quartet, which is sort of the opposite of "standards." I now own all the Village Vanguard recordings and the Live In Europe box set, and am collecting most of the later stuff. I like a lot of the Columbia albums, but the Impulse recordings are where it's at for me. They're challenging, sure, but I find most of them to be (as I said above) utterly addictive. Then again, I'm probably a little nuttier than most. :lol
I don't believe Coltrane was ever on Columbia (except as a sideman for Miles)....he was however on Atlantic, which are some first rate albums. His Prestige stuff is interesting as well. Coltrane's recordings are a cottage industry, with some rather off beat kinds of labels getting in the act. Heck there are even some cool live things on Pablo. I have not heard the Live in Europe Box set you refer to, but nearly anything live by Coltrane is worth a listen.

 

LouieB

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