Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Music › Jazz favorites?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Jazz favorites?

post #1 of 22
9/3/09 at 6:57pm
Thread Starter 
Looking to get more into jazz. I already have and love Bitches Brew, Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Rich vs Roach, and Karma (Pharaoh Sanders). Any others? Preferably with awesome sound quality. I like quick, kinetic, frenetic jazz (what's that called?) as opposed to smooth jazz (like Fourplay). Thanks.
Reply
post #2 of 22
9/3/09 at 7:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LingLing1337 View Post
Looking to get more into jazz. I already have and love Bitches Brew, Complete Columbia Recordings of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, Rich vs Roach, and Karma (Pharaoh Sanders). Any others? Preferably with awesome sound quality. I like quick, kinetic, frenetic jazz (what's that called?) as opposed to smooth jazz (like Fourplay). Thanks.
Based on what you've listed, I'd say the next stop is either Charles Mingus's Mingus Ah Um or more Coltrane: Giant Steps, My Favorite Things, A Love Supreme.
Reply
post #3 of 22
9/3/09 at 10:46pm
I'll cover some of the fringe element:

Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet
Ponga
Sex Mob
Vandermark 5
Cecil Taylor (Silent Tongues is my favorite; definitely frenetic and driving but may be an acquired taste)
Tuatara - Breaking the Ethers (others are hit or miss)

More mainstream though, I'd strongly recommend the Miles Davis Complete Quintet 1965-68. I actually think this is better than the complete Coltrane. The band is much tighter, almost telepathic, and the compositions much more challenging.
Reply
post #4 of 22
9/3/09 at 11:04pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tru blu View Post
Based on what you've listed, I'd say the next stop is either Charles Mingus's Mingus Ah Um or more Coltrane: Giant Steps, My Favorite Things, A Love Supreme.
Thanks man, I'll give those a go. I've been meaning to listen to more Mingus. Cheers.
Reply
post #5 of 22
9/4/09 at 2:15am
I personally like Lionel Hampton's work, one of the greatest vibraphonists ever. Unfortunately, I haven't found anything that is of great sound quality
Reply
post #6 of 22
9/4/09 at 2:15am
Hm, maybe some bebop for you? Try out Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. I had the CD Live at Carnegie hall and I liked it, but there may be other recommendations.
Reply
post #7 of 22
9/4/09 at 3:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyberidd View Post
I personally like Lionel Hampton's work, one of the greatest vibraphonists ever. Unfortunately, I haven't found anything that is of great sound quality
You might try "The Complete Lionel Hampton Quartets and Quintets With Oscar Peterson on Verve." Sound quality is good IMHO. On par with anything put out on Verve in the mid-50s. Tasty stuff too.
Reply
post #8 of 22
9/4/09 at 7:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazznap View Post
You might try "The Complete Lionel Hampton Quartets and Quintets With Oscar Peterson on Verve." Sound quality is good IMHO. On par with anything put out on Verve in the mid-50s. Tasty stuff too.
You read my mind…2x.

And to the OP: If you're up for Cecil Taylor, start with Conquistador.
Reply
post #9 of 22
9/4/09 at 11:17am
Canonball Adderly-Mercy Mercy
Lee Morgan-Sidewinder
Keith Jarrett-Fort Yawuh
Keith's a little on the smooth side but I'd say his energetic yelps while playing tip the balance a little.
Reply
post #10 of 22
9/4/09 at 11:46am
X2 on Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - very tasty indeed

I personally like Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus and John Coltrane's Blue Trane for that fast, frenetic jazz sound.

Those two albums are top of mind because they were on my record player last night .
Reply
post #11 of 22
9/4/09 at 11:54am
Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come, Live at the Hillcrest Club
Miles Davis - Miles Smiles
Dave Brubeck - Jazz Impressions of Eurasia, Take Five, Time Out
John Coltrane
Thelonius Monk
Charles Mingus
John Zorn
Reply
post #12 of 22
9/5/09 at 9:42am
You are getting a lot of good suggestions. I especially like the suggestion that you check out Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. Jazz has so many styles, that it is good to check out some different sounds. Most of the suggestions you have recived would fall into Avant-Garde.

In this same light, I woud suggest two artists.

Freddie Hubbard Red Clay, Ready for Freddy
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section

For something a bit different.

Los Hombres Calientes

This latter is modern very heavy influenced New Orleans style of jazz Their first two releases featured Bill Summers, Irvin Mayfield and jason Marsalis. Jason is not a part of the next three.

A recent release (2009) that I have been enjoying is Sonny Rollins road shows. This does not meet your criteria of a good recording sound quality wise, but the music is excellent. These are tapes from live shows that were not originally meant for release.

One last suggestion. You might want to look into a book.

"The All Music Guide to Jazz." published by Back Beat Books. Its not the last word in jazz, but it will give you a lot to look at. I have the fourth edition. I don't know if there is a fifth, but if there is I am trading mine in.
Reply
post #13 of 22
9/5/09 at 11:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoagie View Post
"The All Music Guide to Jazz." published by Back Beat Books. Its not the last word in jazz, but it will give you a lot to look at. I have the fourth edition. I don't know if there is a fifth, but if there is I am trading mine in.
You can access the All Music Guide online now (allmusic). It's a great resource. I got rid of all the AMG Jazz editions once I found it.
Reply
post #14 of 22
9/5/09 at 8:20pm
thanks for pointing out the on line guide. It appears to be a good source. It does not appear to be as complete. It seems as if it is a "best of" type of listing. I think I prefer the detail of the book.

However as always its nice to learn something new.
Reply
post #15 of 22
9/6/09 at 1:37am
some great albums mentioned already.. some to add to the list:
Charles Mingus- Black Saint and the Sinner Lady; possibly one of the greatest jazz compositions of all time.
Charles Mingus - Blues & Roots; fantastic bluesy, spiritual jazz.
McCoy Tyner - The Real McCoy; amazing lineup, amazing album.
Art Blakey - Moanin'
Dexter Gordon - Go
Thelonious Monk - Monk's Music, Brilliant Corners & Monk's Dream

IMO some of the most satisfying and spiritually & emotionally fulfilling albums are on the free jazz side of things, but I'd recommend checking out some of the more accessible works first (above). but if you're feeling a bit more adventurous, and willing to go into free jazz & avant-garde territory, I highly recommend:
Albert Ayler - Spiritual Unity (sound quality not the best, but an extremely influential and mesmerizing album)
Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch
Art Ensemble of Chicago - Les Stances a Sophie
John Coltrane - Meditations, Sun Ship and Interstellar Space

if you're feeling even more adventurous, then John Coltrane's Ascension is essential listening, but quite inaccessible and definitely a grower. make this one your last stop.

hope this isn't too much - there's so much great music in the jazz realm, it's great fun discovering all this amazing music for the first time. these albums should keep you busy for a while.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Music
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › Music › Jazz favorites?