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Need Jazz Suggestions

post #1 of 16
12/11/10 at 5:16pm
Thread Starter 

So, I've been trying to build a collection of some jazz CD's to give to my mother for christmas to hopefully avoid the onslaught of Josh Groban (*cringe*) music that typically haunts me over the holidays

But not knowing anything about jazz I am completely lost. So if you could please suggest me some of your favorite albums or something similar to Miles Davis (one of her favorites) that would be great.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated. 


Edited by Farnsworth - 12/11/10 at 8:53pm
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post #2 of 16
12/11/10 at 8:29pm

Miles Davis covers a really wide range of jazz - old school standards to wide open electric fusion, so we need to a little more information to do a good job of recommending, but...

 

CTI releases like Red Clay by Freddie Hubbard, Rite of Spring by Hubert Laws, and Prelude by Deodata always make nice presents, the music is good, the musicanship is first rate, recordings were superb and as a bonus the cover art was very classy.  A lot of the CTI musicians played with Miles at one time or another.

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post #3 of 16
12/11/10 at 8:56pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for the response, those all sound pretty great.

 

Im not exactly sure what kind jazz she is into but i would think more toward old school standard. I'll try and find out more but in the meantime are there any specific albums you enjoy?

 

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post #4 of 16
12/11/10 at 9:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Farnsworth View Post

Thanks for the response, those all sound pretty great.

 

Im not exactly sure what kind jazz she is into but i would think more toward old school standard. I'll try and find out more but in the meantime are there any specific albums you enjoy?

 


It's not a bad idea to stay in the Miles Davis '50s orbit…

 

Miles Davis - The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions (4-CD set)

 

Various artists - Jingle Bell Swing (can be had pretty cheap right now)

http://www.amazon.com/Jingle-Bell-Swing-Various-Artists/dp/B0000DELWG/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1292132324&sr=1-2

 

 

Hope this helps…

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post #5 of 16
12/12/10 at 7:15am

Two of Miles' older releases that I personally like are Kind of Blue and Sketches of Spain, although if she is a fan, she probably already has these two.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Kind-Blue-Miles-Davis/dp/B000002ADT/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1292166862&sr=1-1

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sketches-Spain-Miles-Davis/dp/B000002AH7/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1292166862&sr=1-5

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post #6 of 16
12/12/10 at 9:01am
Quote:

Originally Posted by R_burke View Post

 

…although if she is a fan, she probably already has these two.

 

Yup, that's kinda what I was thinking, too. I think the indie status of the earlier Prestige discs will make them a bit rarer for some, but also quite satisfying. I find that a lot of people know or recognize the tune "Bag's Groove", even though they might not have the record it's on.

 

I'd also suggest a great record by saxist Lucky Thompson: Lucky Thompson Meets Oscar Pettiford.


Edited by tru blu - 12/12/10 at 9:07am
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post #7 of 16
12/12/10 at 3:51pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Her actual collection isn't that large. She's more of a radio listener which is why i thought i'd get her some CD's.

So I think those Miles Davis suggestions and Lucky Thompson will be great choices.

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post #8 of 16
12/12/10 at 4:01pm

Since I've already mentioned it in another thread: Sonny Rollins -  "Way Out West". Upbeat and easy listening, easily accessible. 

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post #9 of 16
12/12/10 at 4:13pm

Charles Mingus "Ah Um" was given to me as a birthday present when I was 16. I was a complete noob to jazz at the time, and it got me hooked. 

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post #10 of 16
12/12/10 at 4:16pm

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out

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post #11 of 16
12/12/10 at 4:21pm
Thread Starter 

All great suggestions. I will put them on my list of possibilities.

 

This has been great help.

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post #12 of 16
12/12/10 at 4:28pm

I'm not really a Jazz person,however this time of the year I really like my GRP Christmas Collection #GRD-9574.It's one of my oldest CDs and although it came out in 1988,it has some great artists and sounds really good to me.Hard to believe it's 22 years old.atsmile.gif

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post #13 of 16
12/12/10 at 5:51pm
X2 on Brubeck's "Time Out." A classic, and I think Brubeck just had his 90th birthday. smily_headphones1.gif Also add his "Time Further Out" to the list. This is one of those rare sequels that matches - and possibly betters - the original. I find both indispensable.

Bill Evans' "Waltz for Debby" is another must. It is probably my most listened to jazz album.

You might want to check out the "NPR Curious Listener's Guide to Jazz." Nifty little book and a good place to jump off from. It recommends something around 100 albums and I have about 85-90 of them. Not the only list out there, but a strong one.
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post #14 of 16
12/12/10 at 6:20pm

Can't recommend Miles Davis enough.  One of my personal favorites is Bitches Brew.  But be warned, this album may go waaaaay over your head.  Best to start with something more traditional like Birth of the Cool. 

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post #15 of 16
12/13/10 at 7:14am

One last compilation:

 

The Savoy Story, Volume One: Jazz - 3 CDs of excellent early work by all kinds of big names…Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Lester Young, etc, etc…

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