Jazz for someone who doesn't like jazz.
I've toyed with the idea of looking into jazz. Not sure why. Not sure what I'm looking for. Maybe just something to sound good on my system. I realize jazz is a broad category but much of what I hear I have not been attracted to. Don't ask me what I've heard.
What I'd like is a recommendation of two or three albums to start with. (I know that's insane)
And since I've given next to nothing to go on I'll point out a few things that I do like that might help narrow it down some maybe.
Jazz-like stuff I do like: Steely Dan. Almost all of their stuff. Van Morrison's jazz influenced stuff like Astral Weeks.
I like blues. Delta and hill country hard core blues.
I like a wide variety of rock from heavy metal, to prog rock to classic R&B.
Does any of that help? I know this is a crazy request but if I could get some recommendations I'll at least have somewhere to start. Not looking for specific recordings yet. Just content. When I find what I like I'll research the best recordings.
Thanks for any possible advice.
George
What I'd like is a recommendation of two or three albums to start with. (I know that's insane)
And since I've given next to nothing to go on I'll point out a few things that I do like that might help narrow it down some maybe.
Jazz-like stuff I do like: Steely Dan. Almost all of their stuff. Van Morrison's jazz influenced stuff like Astral Weeks.
I like blues. Delta and hill country hard core blues.
I like a wide variety of rock from heavy metal, to prog rock to classic R&B.
Does any of that help? I know this is a crazy request but if I could get some recommendations I'll at least have somewhere to start. Not looking for specific recordings yet. Just content. When I find what I like I'll research the best recordings.
Thanks for any possible advice.
George
Showing 23 responses by oregonpapa
In my estimation, Kenny G. at best played elevator music. He had a real niche, but it wasn’t in jazz. He sold tons of recordings and made tons of money but it wasn’t from jazz fans. I have thousands of jazz recordings, and there’s not one Kenny G. among them. There was that one night on the old Arsenio Hall show though ... By the way, are any of you fans of this guy? I am ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMD3TE61PBA&list=RDBMD3TE61PBA&start_radio=1 And then, if you like Coltrane with an international flavor, there’s this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d9cD_Es9k4 Let’s not forget Mingus ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxz9eZ1Aons And then for the harmonica fans, there's Toots ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLz4jwLN610 Frank |
Kind of Blue is an interesting recording. I have multiple copies, including an original "six-eye" stereo version that is the best of the lot among the ones I have, including Japanese reissues. I found it in a thrift store back in the ’80s for fifty cents. Those were the days. Listen to it and see if you agree with me on this ... When the first cut starts out, the album sounds like a good studio recording. Good, but not that inspired. Sort of like the musicians were there to collect a paycheck. Miles takes the lead, then Coltrane comes on second. THEN, Cannonball Adderley takes his turn and plays with an inspiration that is totally infectious to everyone else on the album. He played like Bird reincarnated. From that point on, it becomes one of the greatest jazz albums of all time. My take has always been that if it weren’t for Cannonball Adderley touching the souls of the other players, and subsequently the end listener, Kind of Blue would have been just another good jazz album. Your thoughts? Frank PS: If you like Kind of Blue, you’ll want this one too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u37RF5xKNq8 |
nicotico ... Thanks. By your comment, it is clear to me that you not only know how to listen, but you also know what to listen for. That, in my opinion, is what leads to the enjoyment and understanding of jazz. In trying to explain jazz to the uninitiated, I've made the comment several times on these threads that so much of the music exists between the notes. Bill Evans certainly was a master of that. So was Miles. The key is to recognize that and to learn to listen for it. Frank |
An excellent entry point to jazz is to listen to West Coast jazz. It is more melodic and easier to listen to for the beginner. Here’s some examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsz3mrnIBd0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcFRDj0z784 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ncRUjL-1xk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoUFb5KP4m4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8eP6WG0aDY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JlBWqSXXKU |
And then, there is the great P.T. Gazell ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5zGvLJwkqM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jijVFnRwKfw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIWZXPh89dk |
To be honest, David Sanborn is not for jazz purists. He’s similar to Kenny G., in that his music is drenched in artificial digital reverb. The naturally beautiful tonality of the saxophone gets lost in the fog. I’m not knocking anyone who likes it, as we all have our individual tastes in music. In fact, I think I know what audiophiles like about all of the reverb ... It gives an illusion of a larger, deeper sound stage. But it is totally artificial. As an experiment, pick up some really good mono jazz recordings from the 1950s, and you will hear what I’m alluding to. Here’s some examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWC5wBXyozM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2ax0nn-DU0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCZqyAn08Xc&list=PL4ypuAMic-GhjQyIWRBNtJNYzETPWo3yB And then, there was the 1940s ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxtomarjnj0 |
reubent ... Yes, I did. I listened to every cut on the album on Spotify. I’m not saying that David Sanborn plays like Kenny G. What I’m saying is that David Sanborn drenches his music in reverb like Kenny G. Did you take the time to listen to the mono recordings in my last post? They will give you an idea of what I’m alluding to. Every one of them is in my personal collection. If you can find the Jutta Hipp album, do yourself a favor and buy it. The sound is spectacular. Same with the Miles Davis "Round Midnight" album. They’re in the room with you. :-) And again, it is nothing personal, as I am not knocking anyone else’s taste in music or recordings. Check this out ... Bird in flight ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmroWIcCNUI&list=RDa7rSvaknRSI&start_radio=1 Frank |
reubent ... I already had a few of Joey's CDs. After I bought the one with Houston Person last night, I spent the rest of the night on Spotify listening to his various music. Wow! I didn't realize how much music this guy has recorded. Plenty of guest artists on his various recordings too. Lot's of live concerts too. Thanks again ... Frank |
n80 OP ... All of those 50s recordings were recorded in mono and not stereo. What I perceive in the difference is ... with stereo, you are there. With mono ... they are here. Honestly, I have tons of early mono jazz recordings where, while listening to them, one has to wonder ... "who needs stereo?" If you insist upon stereo only, for 50s and early 60s jazz, check out just about anything on the Contemporary and Pacific Jazz labels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsonRA6O0NE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TzgLzoo2Jg Check this one out. It was most likely taken from a 10" mono LP. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2on5XsIm-Ys Frank |
^^^ Well, believe it or not, on good mono recordings there actually is a sound stage. Maybe not as wide as stereo, but the venue is certainaly there. I wish you were close by ... I’d give you a demo. By the way, just as a side note, I’m a harmonica player. I’ve been following this woman for years on her Youtube videos. In the beginning, she was a good player. Now? Holy crapola! I keep thinking ... maybe there’s hope for me yet. :-) Welcome to your introduction to Christelle Berthon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FzBLdmMAk4 Here's another great player. Try to keep your eyes on the harmonica. *lol* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv5w--YW850 |
Well, take heart. The brilliant essayist H.L.Mencken said in an essay about true music lovers ... "When you go to the opera on opening night and see the gentlemen in their top hats and tails and the ladies in their flowing evening gowns, they are not the true music lovers. They are there to be seen in society." He continued ... "You can always tell true music lovers by the fact that they always try to make their own music. They may be atrocious at it, but they continue to try anyway." See ... it is, after all, all about the music. *lol* Frank |
^^^ A good friend of mine is an ex-professional guitarist and studio musician. He traveled all around the world playing guitar with Andy Williams. He’s on all of the Righteous Brothers albums. He can play virtually anything, including jazz. A totally amazing player. I asked him one time what his favorite music was, and he answered "classical and opera." I told him that I couldn’t stand opera and that it just sounded like a fat lady screaming in the shower. He told me to put a cassette tape in my car of a Puccini opera and just listen to it over and over. He said that learning to appreciate opera is a lot like learning to appreciate jazz, which I was totally immersed in at the time. He told me that eventually, everything would click in, and I would "get it." Well, I selected Puccini’s Madame Butterfly. Needless to say, things did click in ...and now, I have plenty of operas in my collection. Some of the arias are so beautiful, that even while not understanding the language, they make tears come to my eyes. I would love to see a live performance at La Scala one day ... maybe in the next life. I’m too old to travel now. Being Italian, I do make a mean sauce though. :-) Are you familiar with the German soprano named Rita Streich? If not, you may want to add her to your collection. She was one of the very best: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Gg-2XWQn0 Frank |
^^^ Yes, I used to watch Malto Mario all the time. I got an excellent recipe off of him for a spaghetti sauce using anchovies that is to die for. Just olive oil, anchovies, garlic, toasted Italian bread crumbs. Then, he showed how to make a great egg dish for breakfast with the leftovers. Simply delicious. He said it is a recipe to serve to people who hate anchovies. Ha, they will never know that they are in the dish. On Mel Torme ... One of the all-time great song stylists. Here's a fine CD to get if you don't already have it. Excellent vocals and sound quality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QSXJJOJCvk |
Does mono get any better than this? Check the second cut out, beginning at 8:16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLDawt10bIo Frank |
Here’s something a little different. This is a group that my friend Robert and I have heard live many times. A shout-out to Phil Salazar and The Kin Folks. (Phil is on the fiddle.) These guys kick Boo-Tay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6xZi8nByCQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVU96iE-DQg Frank |
n80 ... Well, I have to admit, I had never heard of the Squirrel Nut Zippers before you brought them up. I did, however, check them out on Spotify. I listened to everything that they offered on the site. If I had to categorize their style of "jazz," I’d put them somewhere in the Traditional Jazz camp, ala Louis Armstrong and his "Hot Five", with some Django Reinhart thrown in, spiced up for a little humor with the old Spike Jones band. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I got this CD in the mail today: A 1959 stereo recording of Mel Torme’ and the Meltones, "Back in Town." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaOpcJEfkQc&list=RDVaOpcJEfkQc&start_radio=1&t=32 The recording features Jack Sheldon - trumpet. Art Pepper - alto. Victor Feldman - vibes. Tommy Tedesco, Tony Rizzi, Barney Kessel - guitars. Joe Mondragon - bass. Mel Lewis - drums. The CD sounds way better than the YouTube video. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And as long as we’re on the subject of jazz "For Someone Who Doesn’t Like Jazz," how about we check out some "jazz" done with the feet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IBteauWsHA And then later in their career with the Cab Calloway band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8yGGtVKrD8 And finally, there is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzc7vY9VTnk Okay, is there anyone left around here who still doesn't like jazz? :-) Frank |