[Anders]

Trendy, I don't know? I have liked Miles Davis since the 1970s. Maybee his recognision is about that he has created some trends?
If your equate jazz with MD, of course you miss lots of other very good artists.
A thing that is a little surprising is that Kind of Blue is so often used as a reference recording when testing equipment.
Otherwise, I have hard to understand your reaction as this thread started by someone wanting recommendations on Miles Davis records and others, and he got both.
I said that Kind of Blue is an exceptional peak and it is hard to find recordings with a similar musical quality. Hard to find doesn't mean that there are no others. Suggestions welcome!

 

[Nezer]

Quote:

Originally posted by RMSzero A lot of people have done a lot of jazz over the years. It's really worth checking it out because no man stands alone -- do a search for some jazz threads, there've been some great ones with tons of suggestions. What "jazz stations" on the radio do you listen to? My god, other than NPR I've never even heard of a jazz station that plays anything other than "smooth jazz" which is NOT the same thing at all. With that said I want to ask -- seriously, people, what's the deal with miles davis? He's good, yes, but why does he have godlike status dwarfing all other jazz musicians for some people? I listen to jazz, I enjoy it, hell I play it, but in the last few weeks all I've heard from people about jazz is "miles davies miles davis kind of blue omg omgomg" -- is it really THAT much better than everything else to you guys? Is there any reason why miles davis would be more accessible to new jazz listeners? I don't get it. I know everyone has their favorites, but what is it that makes him the trendy favorite to have?

I've been into this CD for a bunch of months now. I'm at the point where I know every drum fill, snare snap, note, and noise on it. It's time to learn to play the album and start listening to something else for me.

I have noticed a lot about KoB being posted lately.

As for the Jazz stations I was listening to an all jazz public station in Charlotte NC last week. Here at home in Denver we have KUVO which is an outstanding jazz station and I'm not talking that Kenny G crap either.

The great thing about jazz is I could *HATE* Coltrane (not that I do) and LOVE Davis. Jazz is diverse enough that anyone should be able to find some great inspiration from it.

As far as listening for the emotion, I've never done that with music. I just don't enjoy it as much. To me it's not enough to *feel* the music but I want to *understand* it. I want to know what was going through the musician's mind when he/she played this passage. Why does this change work so well over this run? It's how I've always been. I even do the same crap with Pearl Jam.

I've decided that Silent Way is next on the list after Blue Train.

 

[mrselfdestruct]

Quote:

With that said I want to ask -- seriously, people, what's the deal with miles davis? He's good, yes, but why does he have godlike status dwarfing all other jazz musicians for some people? I listen to jazz, I enjoy it, hell I play it, but in the last few weeks all I've heard from people about jazz is "miles davies miles davis kind of blue omg omgomg" -- is it really THAT much better than everything else to you guys? Is there any reason why miles davis would be more accessible to new jazz listeners? I don't get it. I know everyone has their favorites, but what is it that makes him the trendy favorite to have?

well ya see RMS, the thing about Miles isnt that hes trendy, altho thats definitely the reason a lot of people listen to him, its that for a period of about 25 years just about every record he put out became a milestone in the history of jazz. and thats not something you can say of a lot of people. neither is being able to basically single-handedly create lasting trends in jazz, and having astounding progressions in his music within relatively short timespans. and yet, throughout, you can still somehow tell that its Miles, not just playing, but writing and arranging the music. listen to Tribute to Jack Johnson, sounds very little like any other Miles album, yet theres something about it that withing minutes of listening to it you know that it is him. that and the sheer listenability of all of his albums, each one is like a story, you can totally get lost in them, even if they are all standards. so hes not trendy, he made most of the trends we think now of as modern jazz and fusion, short of free jazz.

 

[BenG]

The signifigance of Miles was as a musical groundbreaker and a great assembler of talent. He was not the greatest individual player -- his playing style did not evolve alot. But he was great on the harmon mute and a master of the use of space in his soloing.

My fav Miles record is "Miles Smiles" -- anything by the mid 60s classic Quintet is worth checking out.

As far as recommendations, we have discussed alot of general recommendations in similiar threads.

 

[coolvij]

Quote:

The great thing about jazz is I could *HATE* Coltrane (not that I do) and LOVE Davis.

The great thing about me is that I won't let you hate Coltrane and LOVE Davis.

 

[Nezer]

Well, I don't hate him... I just don't *get* him. I get him enough to see the genius but it just doesn't appeal to me right here right now. I tried again today to take-in A Love Supreme but couldnt get past Part 1. I dig the "A Love Supreme" riff that the bass has after the sax intro which just soars and takes you on a flight. After that it just kinda goes downhill for me.

I feel the same way about Miles' later works.

Maybe one day it will 'click' but not today.

Technically speaking I'm jsut not ready for it. I've barly conquered variations on 12-bar turn-arounds. The stuff Trane et al. are doing is just light-years ahead of me.

 

[BenG]

If you're looking for a pretty non-speculative biography of Trane written for wannabe muscians, I recommend checking out "John Coltrane - His Life & Music" by Lewis Porter. Transcriptions and explanations galore.

 

[drob]

Quote:

Originally posted by Nezer To give you guys some idea of other stuff I listen to I really dig Pat Metheny's Question and Answer, just about anything that John Scofield does, Jimmy Smith (a B3 trio is as close to heaven as one can get in this life), and Diana Krall (Russell Malone has to be the best backing guitarist that has ever walked). If it's not obvious from the above list I'm a guitarist. Keep the recomendations coming, I really need to get away from the guitar paradigm I've been stuck in for so many years.

Hello.

You may already have covered this territory, but my recommendations (in addition to all the greats mentioned above) might keep you in "guitar-land". Although the sound quality might be lacking a bit, I would recommend:

* Charlie Christian...
* Jean Baptiste "Django" Reinhardt...

Both of these guys are amazing players AND musicians if you can deal with the sound quality of the reissues and both of these guys are *earlier* , both chronologically and stylistically than Miles, ETC. More of a jazz-swing-dance , BUT it really depends on the group they were playing with at the time.

Good Searching...

 

[SEK]

Speaking of guitarists, have you heard Grant Green? My favorites by him include the classic, "Idle Moments", and his work with pianist Sonny Clark. Another fine Grant Green effort is with my sometimes favorite trumpeter, Lee Morgan, a magical session called "Search for the New Land".

Indeed, most sessions with Lee Morgan are worth checking out, including sessions led by him (ie. "Lee Morgan Vol.3", "Cornbread", "Gigolo", "The Procrastinator",...), Art Blakey ("Moanin'", "Big Beat", "Witch Doctor",... ), Wayne Shorter ("Night Dreamer"), John Coltrane ("Blue Trane"), Joe Henderson ("Mode for Joe"), Hank Mobley, Clifford Jordan, Jackie McLean, etc.

I've also been getting into Sonny Clark. "Leapin' and Lopin'" is essential.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by Anders Another Miles record that is intimate and with a blue feeling is In a Silent Way, recorded shortly after Kind of Blue, with the new musicians but still far from Bitches Brew and the following.

Huh? In A Silent Way was actually recorded in 1968 and issued in 1969. That's almost a DECADE after Kind Of Blue - which was recorded and issued in 1959!

 

[TaffyGuy]

ahh i remember when i first found jazz... really found it, probably also with Kind of Blue, which is in my opinion probably THE most accessable jazz album of ..well our generation perhaps.

Don't let these "jazz" folk lead you astray (thats right, follow my opinion) you'll overload if you go for Love Supreme (as you found) and Bitches Brew right away. hell, I can't even listen to bitches brew unless i'm in the right mood.

Also, forget birth of the cool (for now)... and i don't want to say forget blue train (so good) but i'd say go for giant steps first. its that pure sound that we all want to call cool, but its really the modal feel [of Kind of Blue] that really captures us, and IMHO the "sheets of sound" in giant steps is a great compliment to it... i belive that trane had recording sessions for kind of blue and giant steps in the same day (even though the giant steps release was delayed) hard to believe, given the difference in style. point is it captures that same pure sound that is unbeaten (but not unmatched) in Kind of Blue.

I have to cut now and agree with an earlier post mentioning bill evans trio. forget your ordered list, go out and get Bill Evans Trio "Sunday at the Village Vanguard" right now. I won't try to explain it but just say I listened to this album every night before I went to sleep for ...about 6 months, and it's still magic every time I hear it. be careful though, without scott lafaro who sadly died 10 days after this concert was recorded, his trio music never sounded the same... (for future reference)

Next for davis is not his big production Gil Evans productions... they sell but... not the same magic you're looking for. I recommend ESP for that great modal sound that leaves you lost in space, which was the first of his new 60's quintet, so no more trane, but don't underestimate wayne shorter (the new horn man) And with Trane don't forget "Seven Steps to Heaven" "Milestones" <-- the introduction of modal to jazz and "Someday my Prince Will Come" which all surround that same blue feel. Milestones is perhaps a little brighter, but regarded probably in higher respect historically than kind of blue itself.

I'm making this unreadably long again. but I must continue. I love Herbie's 60's stuff, but they're simply not as catchy as davis', so put those off 'til later. Jazz listening takes some working up to, so once you're ready you can move onto guys like the jazz messengers and thelonious monk on the early side and bitches brew (but start with "in a silent way" if you want to listen to fusion, its brilliant) on the late side.

remember:
Sunday at the Village Vanguard
Giant Steps
Esp...
"time out" was a great suggestion... very very cool sound
then go for anything by any of these guys released from '55 to '65, and they started a lot of crazy stuff in this time period... but by the time you get through it you won't need any advice anymore

oh and just reading through... miles may not have had dizzy's chops but lets remember that he frontlined almost 3 decades (and not some foofy decades) of new styles, so i'd say his sound developed perhaps a bit

 

[Nezer]

Well, I actually found jazz many many years ago... I just don't have much in my CD collection.

This week something amazing happened. I had a guitar lesson (first one in about 10 years) and the teacher and I were talking about different jazz recordings and, naturally, A Love Supreme came up. He explained that at one point Coltrane plays the theme in all 12 keys over the tonic.

I took another listen to the album and realized that's what I wasn't 'getting' before (my ear is quite rusty anymore). I could hear the genius behind it but couldn't place it. Once I 'got' that everything else fell into place and I now think it's an incredible album.

 

[TaffyGuy]

Congrats

 

[Kronsteen]

It might interest you to know that NPR's Jazz Profiles will be airing a repeat performance of Miles Davis: Miles' Styles . This is a great show that gives lots of interesting info about Miles, as well as interviews with the people he played with. An even better show was Miles Davis: Kind of Blue - which dealt exclusively with the making of Kind of Blue. Follow this link to find out Where to Tune In in your local area. TIP: I'd suggest calling the station to confirm the broadcast time - I don't know how up to date this information is and many stations switch their programming around at the last minute. ALSO: you might find the program airs either this week or next week, so specify what show you are looking for - it would really suck to set up the tape recorder only to find the show is about someone else.

Enjoy

 

[Anders]

Eagle_Driver,
You are right, In a Silent Way was issued in 1969. An obvious lapse in my chronology. But it feels more intimate and blue compared to the more funky albums coming shortly after.