To understand jazz you need to go back to 19th century black American culture and the use of "code" words and expressions to obfuscate their meaning to anyone but those that "get" it. Ragtime music and piano rolls opened up new musical awareness and possibilities, and novelty acts and "jass" bands started to appear, often for the amusement of white Americans. Hip young college students were quick to embrace the music; the music had a status of "either you get it or you don’t". The cool kids got it.
New Orleans was already a musical center, and its multi-cultural cross-currents provided a fertile environment for jazz to fluorish. New Orleans was also a cultural touch spot where it was acceptable for white Americans observe and mingle in black culture (gambling, prostitution, and music being some of the big draws).
I would recommend Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings as a good intro to jazz. Go back and become familiar with ragtime, then just go up the river to Chicago., Soon, regional flavors of jazz were sprouting in metro centers all over the country.
Take it from there!
Help me build up a jazz album collection. Can you suggest a must have album?
Just got back into analog after not having a turntable for 38 years. That was a Thorens TD 320. Now I have a VPI. Building a jazz album collection now since jazz seems to be what I enjoy now. I have barely 12 albums from Miles Davis, Art Blakey, King Curtis, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Ike Quebec and Illinios Jacquet. Can you suggest a must have album? I generally like great sax, and percussion and sometimes a good vocalist, but I am open to anything that sounds GREAT. Also, if there is a particular label, issue or type of album. Thanks in advance.
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Duke Ellington, The Great Paris Concert. Someone mentioned Modern Jazz Quartet at Carnegie Hall. The ECM label specializes in very cerebral jazz, well recorded.
As mentioned, a lot of great Blue Notes have been re-issued. |
Some albums I've owned for years and revisit from time to time: McCoy Tyner's Focal Point & Fly With The Wind Buena Vista Social Club - eponymous album Afro-Cuban All Stars - A Toda Cuba le Gusta Herbie Hancock - Takin' Off Bill Evans - Portrait in Jazz & Sunday At The Village Vanguard Oliver Nelson - Blues and the Abstract Truth Any early recordings by Thelonius Monk and John Coltrain Modern Jazz Quartet Off beat suggestion: Lou Stein (many albums with him playing backup; his solo vinyl is long out of print) Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Dakota Staton, Ruth Brown You can use Tidal (for example) to recommend music related to these suggestions which will undoubtedly help you uncover more gems. |
Hardly a mention here of Count Basie. While best known as leader of his big band, towards the end of his career he made a number of outstanding small combo albums on the Pablo Label. Look for any that say Basie Jam or Kansas City. Great music and super high quality recordings. My favorite album unmentioned so far is Mulligan Meets Monk. I read somewhere that Gerry Mulligan was awed at the idea of playing with Monk. But he would only do it they could play together on Monk's masterpiece "Round Midnight." It is probably the most recorded song written by any jazz artist, and this version is as good as any. |
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