[terance]

I plan on buying a CD today, and I'm going to brach out a little.

I want a really good sounding jazz recording. Since i got my im716's and an amp for them, i've noticed alot of my recording don't seem to be done very well. (they are encoded fine).

So i'm looking for something that will get me into jazz music, and i figured it anyone would know you guys would!

thanks

 

[Wmcmanus]

Jazz is so diverse, but if you want to hear some nice interpretations of some of the older jazz classics, here's a nice sampler:

http://www.amazon.com/Number-Jazz-Al...e=UTF8&s=music

Most of the songs are fairly well recorded, which is no surprise because Verve is an excellent label. If nothing else, you can say that you already have the "Number One Jazz Albulm"! (Hey, if you hurry, you might be able to grab one of those cheap used copies.)

BTW, if Sarah Vaughn's voice in "Misty" doesn't move you at least a little then you might want to move on to instrumental jazz and stay away from the old time jazz 'singers' which is what this albulm is mostly about.

 

[rock\]

That's a hard one. There are so many different types of jazz, it's hard to predict what someone else will like.

Big Band Jazz
Swing Jazz
Contemporary smooth Jazz
Latin Jazz
Traditional Bebob Jazz

and countless others. I just got into jazz myself within the past three months. The most prominent instruments in jazz are horns, piano, and guitar. If you have favored one of those instruments over the others in the past, then I would pick an artist that plays that instrument and start from there. I use Amazon as a great tool to find out what others like, and then go to half.com to buy the CD's used.

I'm listening to Grover Washington Jr.'s "All my Tommorows" Album, which is probably my favorite right now. I recommend finding your local jazz radio station, listen to it for while, and find out what types of songs that you like. Also check out Ramsey's Lewis' "Legend's of Jazz radio show". He will introduce you to Charlie Parker, Oscar Peterson, and the the more traditional players, but will also hip you to some current cats as well.

Jazz is a long winding road, because it truly comes from the soul, so there is no way you can define what is good/bad jazz. You just have to find music that talks to your soul.

Good luck.

 

[terance]

thanks for the reccomendations guys =)

i'll report back when i buy it this afternoon

 

[Coltrane]

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue


that is the only correct answer for someone's first jazz album.

 

[Duc]

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
and
Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out

are the 2 best selling Jazz Albums ev-er.

I'd start there (they are the best selling for a reason eh!)

B

 

[elrod-tom]

Chet Baker - Chet (see avatar)

 

[bigshot]

Dave Brubeck's Take Five fills the bill.

See ya
Steve

 

[GlendaleViper]

Chick Corea and Return to Forever - "Light as a Feather"

 

[ak622]

I send Kind of Blue as well since it was my first jazz album. Its a great intro to Davis' work and also to jazz itself..

 

[werdwerdus]

another vote for Kind of Blue. It's the best jazz album I have IMO and my favorite jazz album. This is what I consider classic/standard jazz. (instrumental and lots of improvisational solos.) Just my opinions

edit: I definitely would NOT recommend any "free jazz" until you develop a pretty trained and appreciative jazz ear. I even can't stand most of it, and I've been listening and playing jazz for over 6 years.

 

[Gatticus]

Branford Marsalis - The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born - with guests Wynton Marsalis (trumpet) and Courtney Pine (tenor saxophone).

 

[ssportclay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duc Miles Davis - Kind of Blue and Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out are the 2 best selling Jazz Albums ev-er. I'd start there (they are the best selling for a reason eh!) B

Excellent start Duc. I have some additions:
Charles Mingus/Mingus Ah Um
John Coltrane/Giant Steps
Sonny Rollins/Saxophone Colossus
John Coltrane/Blue Train
Cannonball Adderley/Somethin' Else
Herbie Hancock/Maiden Voyage
Thelonious Monk/Brilliant Corners
The Horace Silver Quintet/Song for My Father

 

[rlanger]

Kind of Blue really is a great choice for someone's first Jazz album. Depending on what you get out of that album you could spend the next 20 years of your life going in different directions.

Just think about where one might go after Kind of Blue if he got hooked on the beauty of Bill Evans' touch, or the power of Coltrane's tone for example.

Enjoy the journey!

P.S. If you are coming from primarily guitar based music and want to check out some jazz guitar, a good place to start would be Wes Montgomery's Smokin' at the Half Note

 

[ssportclay]

Gees!I forgot 2 very important recordings:
Vince Guaraldi Trio/A Boy Named Charlie Brown
Vince Guaraldi Trio/A Charlie Brown Christmas
These are the two world's finest jazz recordings without a saxophone and belong in every jazz collection and in every child's Chiritmas stocking.These are the only Vince Guaraldi recordings I own and I should probably buy some more because I like them so much.