[TJ Elite]

Here are some more videos for you guys and gals to enjoy. 

 

 

 

[SpeakerBox]

+1 each to Jane Monheit and Joyce Cooling.  Have seen both in concert - awesome.
 
If you like a little fusion - don't forget one of the all time great releases - Return to forever - romantic warrior!
 
Pat Metheny also a great artist.

 

[TJ Elite]

Couple more amazing performances.
 


 

 

[Spyro]

  I'm trying to get into jazz music but I don't really know where to go from here. The only jazz or jazzy stuff I own is some Norah Jones, Diana Krall and some jazz fusion that is really more progressive rock than jazz. The fusion/prog that I am referring to is stuff like The Aristocrats, Gavin Harrison & O5RIC, Anglagard, IAmTheMorning, and Planet X.
 
So, any suggestions on what to try? I have a MOG account, so anything that is on there I am willing to try out. I like the idea that jazz is usually live instruments, meanwhile rock/metal is usually overproduced and is often not very dynamic. I love lively, well recorded drums, so anything with top class drummers would be good. This is head-fi, so recordings that are mixed/mastered well would be great of course. I'm open to ideas. My Last.fm account profile is in my signature if that helps to get an idea of what I like.
 
Thanks in advance guys and gals.

I know where you are coming from.  There is a careful transition from rock to jazz to make it work and smooth jazz can ruin it.  I suggest starting with jazz that is  accessible, a little catchy and not too overloaded with improv.  You will get to straight ahead jazz but don't start there.
 
"Yellowjackets" is the perennial contemp jazz band, period.  "Blue Hats" and "Four Squared" are two great places to start.  "Mint Jam" is another great live release.
 
"Spyro Gyra"....sensational..pretty much anything...."Road Scholars" and "Three Wishes" are favorites.
 
Early "Rippingtons" releases..."Curves Ahead" "Live in LA", "Black Diamond"
 
 
Then you have stuff like Acoustic Alchemy ("Aart, "Beautiful Game", Radio Contact"), Pat Metheny Group, Dave Weckl Band, Mike Stern, Ken Navarro ("Grace of Summer Light".....sensational)
 
I find the music above is a great segway into traditional jazz.  It is much more contemporary jazz than smooth jazz and is just a start

 

[jasonb]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I just received this in the mail and am listening now:

 

[jpoyarzun]

Hi, 
You have received really amazing suggestions...I just feel that you will need yo listen to Chet Baker, he is a smooth trumpet player, really great singer and jazz legend... His intimate whispery/velvety, soft voice was a breakthrough for his time; he was the first to take a full advantage of a microphone use.
 
Also his story is really a  great one to learn. 
 

 

[TJ Elite]

Thanks to this thread I've felt inspired to explore more modern jazz, which I typically don't listen to all that much, generally preferring what is for me at least "the golden age" of jazz that is the 50s and early-to-mid 60s.

 

Here's a couple more songs for you to check out. The first one is for fans of vocal jazz, as is the second, albeit not all of Youn Sun Nah's material is necessarily classified as jazz (perhaps this one included). Then again, definitions can be quite elusive and bear no impact on the music itself. There are many other videos of her performing on YouTube, so do check those out if she manages to leave an impression on you. The third video is an amazing arrangement of Kraftwerk's Das Modell (The Model). BTW, Viktoria Tolstoy is actually the great-great-granddaughter of writer Leo Tolstoy, I'm not even kidding.
 
 
 

 

[scoobie]

Some fusion/prggy/intense stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6-u-zqr1wU
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyGc8Qx-8ac
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dELD-3blj8
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjpOhR_Q9xw
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni0y4pd87WU

 

[jpoyarzun]

Some sweet guitar jazz (and a great guy also).
 
John Scofield.
 

 

[jpoyarzun]

Also great stuff is the latin american stuff, cuban legends like buenavista social club and compay segundo have great sound and vibe
 

 

[jpoyarzun]

Gipsy Jazz also is pretty good. Most iconic musician here is Django Reindhart... he is a 3 finger in the left hand guitar playing god, its a little dated music (between wars period) but there's new material always coming out in the style. here the Rosemberg trio. Playing one of most common jazz themes (Out of Nowhere)
 

 
Some little info about Django here:
 

 

[TJ Elite]

My interest to get better acquainted with modern jazz has led me to explore the catalog of the German ACT label. I must say that I am truly impressed by the diversity present in their releases and how they clearly let their artists freely pursue whichever musical direction they want to. From really smooth and non-intrusive tunes to full-blown avant-garde blowout sessions and plenty of things in between, I feel there is something for almost everyone to enjoy in the fruits of what I think is a wonderful, close-knit family. The influences of different artists range from classical, world music and folk to things like funk, metal and electronic music, among various other things. It has been a while since I've enjoyed discovering a new source of great music as much as I am right now. There's even a Christmas sale going on on the label's website, so I've ended up spending quite a bit of money buying some nice Christmas presents for myself. 

 

Below are some examples of artists whose music has managed to impress me so far. Approach with an open mind, and as always, enjoy.

 

 

  

 

[Prowler]

How about some jazz piano...
 
  

 

[TJ Elite]

Again something a bit different.
 

 

[StanD]

So let's try to get more electric and funkier, a few things to listen to. I've listed some sample individual pieces for a few artists, of course there's more to listen to of each of these musicians. The Google Play Streaming Subscription service has tons of jazz. They stream at 320 kbps.
 
Yellow Jackets
Why is it
Matinee Idol
Priscilla
Sittin' In It
Rush Hour
 
Marcus Miller
Detroit
 
Weather Report
--- Far too many pieces to list ----
 
Dave Weckl
Island Magic
The Zone
 
Herbie Hancock
Steppin' In it
 
Other Artists to listen to
Jean-Luc Ponty - Two albums come to mind, "The Gift of Time" and "Aurora"
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Spyro Gyro
Chick Corea
 
Allan Holdsworth - This guy can play guitar like there's no tomorrow, sometimes you think he's playing a wild sax. Find the right pieces to listen to and you will be amazed. Some pieces not so much, depends on who he played for and the content. Try:
    Stuff he's done for Tony Williams - a great drummer.There were two albums for "Tony Williams Lifetime" one of which one stunk.
         Fred - He busts out with a great solo
         Proto Cosmos - more great lead guitar
         Mr.Spock
    His own stuff
         City Nights
         Peril Premonition
         Joshua
         The Things You See
 
One thing that will surprise everyone is a piece from Jimi Hendrix called "Pali Gap" which is on the "Rainbow Bridge" album. This is fusion jazz years before it happened, very good.