Jazz....Where to start?

[Dutchess of York]

Ive decided to start branching out, and i dont feel i can be a contributing member of socieaty if i dont know anything about jazz music.

For all the Jazz fans out there, what do i need to get started? Im not looking for the best Jazz recordings of all time....that will be the second trip to the record store, im looking for 5 recordings to get my foot in the door.

From recomendations on this site, i reacently bought

Miles Davis- a tribute to jack johnson
&
John Coltrane-A love supreme

Both CDs are amazing, and i am hungry for more.

Thanks for your help

 

[DavidMahler]

The ten most definitive jazz recordings of the bebop and post bebop period are these....no particular order...

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

A love Supreme - John Coltrane (which I see you have)

The complete Savoy and Dial Sessions by Charlie Parker (3CD set, but can be substituted with Ken Burns Jazz - Charlie Parker)

Dizzy Gillespie - Complete RCA recordings (2 CD set)

John Coltrane - Giant Steps

Freddie Hubbard - Red Clay

Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come

Mingus - Black Saint and the Sinner Lady

Miles Davis - Bitches Brew

If you're really interested in Fusion check out Mahavishnu Orchestra Inner Mounting Flame.

Additional albums to check out are Keith Jarrett's Koln Concert, Thelonious Monk - anything from blue note, Bud Powell's Jazz Giant, Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch and Mingus' Ah Um

 

[pow3rtr1p]

Depends, do you want really laid back, small combo jazz? Big band stuff with screaming trumpets? I'm a trumpet player, so most of what I've heard has good trumpet players. I'll just tell you an artist to look into, unless they have a definitive record.

Laid Back, Combo Stuff:

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Almost any Freddy Hubbard Album
Dizzy Gillespie
Charlie Parker (played with Dizzy sometimes)

Big Band Stuff:
Maynard Ferguson - Master of the Stratosphere
Jaco Pastorius
Al Hirt
Duke Ellington

 

[som4ew]

Don't forget Dolphy's "Far Cry" "Live at The Five Spot" and all his discography see http://www.jazzdisco.org/dolphy/dis/c/
Happy listening.

 

[gz76]

What sounds do you like in the jazz that you've heard? Which instruments?

 

[grawk]

get Ken Burns Jazz, and go from there

 

[grawk]

Oh, and I strongly suggest avoiding bitches brew, unless you REALLY want way out there freeform

 

[rlanger]

Bill Evans Trio - At the Village Vanguard

<edit>Sorry, that one's for your second trip to the store</edit>

 

[tru blu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gz76 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What sounds do you like in the jazz that you've heard? Which instruments?

Great question! Here's a list, mostly saxists:

Dexter Gordon - Go

Duke Ellington - The Far East Suite or …And His Mother Called Him Bill

Lester Young - The President Plays with the Oscar Peterson Trio

Lucky Thompson Meets Oscar Pettiford

Stan Getz - Sweet Rain

Charles Mingus - Mingus, Mingus, Mingus…

Miles Davis - Filles de Kilimanjaro

 

[Dutchess of York]

apart from the two cds mentioned above, i have only four Thelonious Monk tracks, and that makes up my jazz collection (currently). I really like the Thelonius Monk that i have, any recordings with piano that i cant miss?

 

[bigshot]

Everything mentioned in this thread is from the same basic time period and style. Getting a feel for jazz by just listening to bop and post-bop is like appreciating Michaelangelo's David by just looking at his left ankle.

Here are five bargain priced CDs that will give you a decent overview of the entire history of jazz. Free shipping. You won't do better than that.

See ya
Steve

 

[scompton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutchess of York /img/forum/go_quote.gif apart from the two cds mentioned above, i have only four Thelonious Monk tracks, and that makes up my jazz collection (currently). I really like the Thelonius Monk that i have, any recordings with piano that i cant miss?

Dave Brubeck - Take Five

Vince Guaraldi's Greatest Hits

Cal Tjadar - Montery Concerts (Vince Gauraldi on piano)

Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard

When I started, I bought quite a few greatest hits of specific artists. The series I like are Ken Burns, Verve Masters, Finest Hour, Most Requested Songs.

 

[epaludo]

I personally like to recommend John Coltrane's Coltrane Plays The Blues album for jazz beginners. It's really smooth and easy to enjoy and understand. There are a bunch more excellent jazz albums. Other one that i love is the Miles Davis's Relaxin'. Perfect to let it play in the background when you're relaxing at home in your favorite sofa, maybe reading some book also ...

 

[tru blu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutchess of York /img/forum/go_quote.gif apart from the two cds mentioned above, i have only four Thelonious Monk tracks, and that makes up my jazz collection (currently). I really like the Thelonius Monk that i have, any recordings with piano that i cant miss?

Tons. Since you're already acquainted with Monk and Coltrane, however, why not start with the record Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane? There's also a fantastic live concert of the two of them at Carnegie Hall in the late '50s that was finally released a couple of years ago.

Piano:

Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners

Bill Evans - Portrait in Jazz (I like it a little more than Sunday at the Vanguard or Waltz for Debby, but these things are subjective)

Tommy Flanagan - Thelonica (all Monk tunes)

Phineas Newborn Jr. - A World of Piano (here's a youtube clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSUp7FeEM0E)

Jaki Byard - Hi-Fly


Enjoy.

 

[gz76]

I completely agree with what Bigshot said above. However, as a beginner there is nothing wrong with getting acquainted with the sounds you currently like, and then slowly branching out from there. Trying to absorb too much variety at once is likely to leave a bad taste in your mouth, and you might lack the appreciation that personal growth and discovery will provide you. Learn to crawl before you walk... or something like that!