Get me into jazz! - Page 4

I don't know anything about the mechanics of Jazz really, but I know what I like and I don't like so much. To be honest, I am not even that crazy about everything in my library, such as some of the Marsalis, and there are artists that I don't like as much as I used to, like the Yellowjackets and the Rippingtons. But just because I don't own Armstrong and Ellington doesn't mean I am not appreciative of them or am ignorant of their heritage and contributions to the genre. More likely it's along the lines of the same reason that I don't have Billie Holliday or Robert Johnson in my Blues collection, or Caruso in my Opera tenors. Well I do have a Caruso CD but the recording is terrible, and that is my point; I just don't know quite enough about them and their recording legacy to make the right selection, plus there are so many bad pressings and what not. Or maybe I just haven't gotten around to them yet, I am the first to admit that my collection is "woefully incomplete", and I actually appreciate the suggestion to explore the Dukester and Pops/Satchmo more thoroughly. After all, the only Ray Charles I own is the Jamie Foxx soundtrack from Ray, and the only Nat King Cole I own is Natalie's covers. But do I get a lot of enjoyment from some of the great artists that these original masters have inspired, and that's good enough for me, for now. I have gotten some more ideas for further exploration from this thread; I have decided to try out this Art Blakey guy's stuff for example

Edited by grokit - 6/8/10 at 2:05am

Jazz Royalty, according to wiki-sensus:

mmm...any recommendations of jazz without singing and something that would be along the lines of well, e.g. brian culbertson 'nice & slow'? I prefer wholly instrumental stuff, more my cuppa tea and I guess I'm more into the new-school stuff, if you can call it that before I get smashed.

Excellent list. Anyone wanting to explore jazz would do well to check out all of these artists (except for a couple of ringers thrown in.). When I decide to investigate a new kind of music, I find that recommendations from people who have more experience in the music than I do usually point me in the right direction. I don't argue with them when they set me straight about the misconceptions I might have due to my own limited frame of reference. It's perfectly fine to not know. The problem is not wanting to know. I always try to be open to new music. When music seems boring to me, it's usually.me that is boring, not the music.
Edited by bigshot - 6/8/10 at 12:24pm

Charlie Parker or Bud Powell are not even mentioned on this list... :'(

 

Yes, it is representative but not complete. No Armstrong either

Just started to dip the feet into jazz and here is what I started with:

Kind Of Blue - Miles Davis

Time Out - Dave Brubeck

Going Back Home and Falling Off The Roof - Ginger Baker Trio

Gone....Like A Train and Good Dog, Happy Man - Bill Frisell

The Three - The Three (has a recording fault that the vinyl never had)

Travels, Trio and Trio Live - Pat Metheny

All excellent recordings and performances apart from the fault mentioned in The Three.

I just started listening to Art Tatum's "Solos" compilation I grabbed from the library. My god, this man was incredible. Only on the third song, but my jaw has left the building. I highly recommend him!

Your library probably has the whole solo Art Tatum box. It's fantastic.

Got a couple of new (to me) Larry Carlton albums:

 

 

^ (2000) Meh, just okay so far. A couple of good tracks for sure.

 

 

 

^ (2006) WOW. The first album I've heard that lives up to his self-titled first solo album released 33 years ago, it really rocks.

 

This is going to get some heavy rotation in MY library for sure, and makes me very curious about the two albums he has since released.

 

It also makes me more motivated to tune up my turntable, as it's been awhile since I heard that first album, and his stellar follow-up release in 1979, "Mr. 335 Live in Japan". I believe I have "Strikes Twice" on vinyl as well.

Edited by grokit - 6/10/10 at 3:42pm

Wow, best thread ever! I too have been looking for Cowboy Bebop style jazz.