Jazz for someone who doesn't like jazz.

Not Jazz, but Robben Ford and the Blue Line - S/T is a GREAT album. Play it loud!

You are welcome. You are correct in saying that  Albert King, Buddy Guy and Hooker are blues guys. I always enjoyed the blues. For me blues and jazz have a strong connection. Rock also has a blues connection.  
Robben Ford can play blues, fusion, jazz. Very talented.  Like Jeff Beck who can play anything. Saw him about a year a ago and was blown away. What a guitar player.

As for Jazz Vocals. Check out Tony Bennett duets, Simply Red, Gregory Porter, Randy Crawford, Van Morrison, Dianna Krall, Etta James, Sarah Vaughn and of course Billie Holiday, Ella.
Enjoy.

@andresb is the one who mentioned Robben Ford. Thanks andres.

Okay, now I’ll make a recommendation for folks new to jazz who are into rock and blues:

Robben Ford’s The Sun Room with Bill Evans (sax player, not the other one), Keith Carlock and James Genus. Maybe more blues that jazz. I don’t know. Guitar heavy. I like it a lot. Seems well produced as well.


I know Keith Carlock for his work on Steely Dan’s Two Against Nature which is brilliant and one of the best produced albums I’ve ever heard. He is also an instructor on Drumeo which is an online drum instruction site. I’ve watched several of his classes.

Apologies (and thanks) if someone else already recommended this album.

@tubegroover I’ve watched the first five episodes of Jazz and I’m enjoying them.

@andresb I’m familiar with Albert King, Buddy Guy and Hooker. I consider them blues guys but I suppose there is some overlap.

Been listening to Metheny but I get a "new age" vibe from some of his stuff that I’m not into.
Will look into some of the guitar and bass guys you recommended.

@klimt I’ll listen to that Sarah Vaughn album. I’m not much into female vocals but I bet my wife will like it.

Also the Smithsonian Collection of Jazz is a great introduction as well.

Jazz covers a genre over the entire 20th century. What you really need is a course in the appreciation of the evolution and the important artists through the years. Someone recommended the PBS series "Jazz" a 10 part anthology of jazz by Ken Burns. I couldn't agree more. This is the place to start IMO. Many excellent recommendations but an appreciation of the genre will reward you with how American culture during the 20th century was reflected in this uniquely American contribution to music.

Another all time classic is Sarah Vaughan and Clifford Brown.

I was also a Rock guy. A friend turn me into some Jazz music. That was 15 years ago. A new world of music opened up.
A some of my favorites players:

For Saxophone and trumpet,  Kenny Garrett, Bobbie Shew, David Sanborn,Joe Lovano,Brian Lynch,Roy Hargrove, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollings, Freddy Hubbard, Clifford Brown, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, and of course Miles.

For Guitar , Pat Metheny, Jonny Lang, Robben Ford, Johnny Winter (blues), Jeff Beck , Bill Frisell, Buddy Guy, Albert King, J. Lee Hooker, 

For Bass, Brian Bromberg, Charles Mingus, Ron Carter, Eddie Gomez, Jaco Pastorius,

Enjoy. Andres.

Thanks. As mentioned I do have Amazon Music Unlimited. So far I have been able to find all of the music recommended here so I think Amazon's selection is okay.

Amazon has a hi-res option but I do not get that since my streaming gear is not good enough to notice a benefit. I usually use Amazon to find what I like and then buy CDs (or albums rarely). One day I might upgrade my streaming gear and subscribe to a hi-res service.

Hello n80,
You're definitely off to a great start with a lot of very good suggestions. Another thought that might play well into your on going discovery would be a subscription to a streaming music service, like Tidal. Tidal is currently offering "new" customers four months of any Tidal plan for just $4. Premium or Hi-Fi. So, instead of dipping your toes, for four months you can dive right into an incredible selection of whatever suits your fancy, including all those many suggestions, at the click of a mouse. I'm currently streaming "Good Hope" by Dave Holland, Zakir Hussain, Chris Potter. This is an album I would have likely never known about, had it not been for a test drive and subsequent subscription to Tidal. It's incredible. The discovery can be truly endless. Enjoy ... whatever you chose to listen to.

My Amazon Music account is now starting to give me jazz recommendations and I happened on Grant Green's Idle Moments. I'm enjoying it.

Like many here I got introduced to Jazz with Miles Davis' Kind of Blue.

Start with that and then go from there!

HTH

Few suggestions:
1.) Ahmad Jamal trio at the Pershing - But Not for Me
2.) Benny Carter - Cooking at Carlos 1
3.) Bobo Stenson - Goodbye
4.) Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - Ella and Louis

Baby steps brother start with a Lyle Lovett and his large band. There’s blues country and Jazz. Don’t get overwhelmed out of the gate. Great recording and great music. Don’t rush Coltrane and Davis. It will come later. Trust me. 

n80...The first “Jazz” album that I purchased on my own was “Swiss Movement” by
Les McCann and Eddie Harris.  I didn’t consider it progressive, bebop, or even, at the time of purchase, Jazz.  It was musical and listenable, and made me happy!  The second 
album I purchased was Ramsey Lewis’ “Maiden Voyage (and more)”.  This time I understood a little more of what I was hearing, but, again, it made me happy.  The two albums are for the most part instrumental, if you’re into that.
If you’re interested in something slower, Grover Washington Jr.’s “Winelight” and 
Freddie Hubbard’s “First Light” are soft and soothing.  Hope this helps.

Wow! Lot's good, and not so good (IMHO) suggestions here. As someone said, Jazz is a very broad genre. It has evolved over many years and has taken on many different forms. Understanding the history of Jazz and its artists over the years will make your listening that much more enjoyable. Listening to Jazz takes an investment in time to understand what the various musicians over the years were influenced by and why some Jazz appeals to a broader audience while some Jazz may be unlistenable unless 1) you are a musician or 2) you've made the investment in time. Strongly suggest watching Ken Burns 8 part documentary on Jazz which is available on Netflix or Amazon. 

As many have suggested, Kind of Blue is a good place to start. But there are so many different forms like BeBop, Cool Jazz, Jazz fusion, classical standards, etc. One thing I'ver found is that the more i listen to so called "easy listening Jazz", the more i find myself turning to discordant or improvisational Jazz to get that "edge".  

J.Chip

Yeah, Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (Master Sound gold disc if you can find it)
John Coltrain - Blue Train (Mobile Fidelity version if you’re inclined, ~$40 on EBay)

and check out Oscar Peterson, Exclusively for My Friends series and/or Night Train. , All sound awesome Esp.  on a med-hi res system

Sounds like you would like progressive jazz more than traditional jazz.
Surprised that no one has mentioned Pat Metheny Group.
Many have mentioned Weather Report. 
Also Carla Bley - especially the earlier albums with large groups.  

put on Billy Cobham’s “Spectrum” and let Tommy Bolin eat your brain !

Does mono get any better than this? Check the second cut out, beginning at 8:16. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLDawt10bIo

Frank

All of these available on Tidal but listed here with a sample track from YouTube.

Ahmad Jamal Trio - The Awakening
Title track (track 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DCpApGVXWg

Les McCann Ltd. - On Time (w/Joe Pass)
Title track (#1, again)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrsQIvgRJx0

Andrew Hill - Point of Departure
Flight 19 (track 4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYbVlKcP2fc

Tony Williams Quintet - Civilization
Geo Rose (track 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML83RdUqXtc

Alan Pasqua et al - Blues for Tony
It Must Be Jazz (live video of track 3 the album)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWPLaY9SyOY&t=1589s

Andy Summers - Earth + Sky
Red Stiletto (track 9)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrO2wECtW5o

Bill Bruford’s Earthworks - A Part & Yet Apart
No Truce With The Furies (track 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNRiHNv9K2M

pryso


Torme’s rendition of Just in Time is the best I’ve ever heard.

Great recommendation!

A friend of mine was a bit Torme fan.  He thought this was Mel's best album -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EqFrGcVJW0

He also considered Torme a better singer than Sinatra.  I stayed away from that debate! ;^)

^^^ 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

I had not thought about Mel Torme. I’ll have to dig a little.


Frank, I had not heard of that soprano (nor many others) but I will look her up as well.

I got into Italian cooking years ago after watching Molto Mario, one of the best cooking shows ever. He apprenticed in Emilia-Romagna. Not exactly the tourist heart of Italy but certainly the center of Italian cooking. Great people there too. So friendly. I’m not of Italian decent.....but I’m Italian at heart!

I haven't red any responses, but Steely Dan frequently referenced Duke Ellington.  His own big band recordings are well respected as well as "Digital Duke".  Quincy Jones big band arrangements, too,  GRP All Stars did some great digital recordings of original arrangements like Glen Miller.    The oldest jazz is Dixieland.   I can't suggest any particular beside Louis Armstrong.  Nat Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Mel Torme. You get into "modern Jazz" starting around 1950 with smaller groups.  Bird, Coltrane, Miles Davis.   Then you can try Jazz Rock fusion like Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Weather Report.  Or more pop jazz like Spyro Gyra, Larry Carlton.   You're right there are a lot of variations to what folks call Jazz

^^^

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

@oregonpapa Frank, great quote. And it reminded me of something off topic. I am not an opera lover but I can enjoy some of them. I have also not traveled much but in 2009 went to Italy for the first time. Driven mostly by interest in Italian cooking. Went to Parma. Lovely little city. Great opera house. Thought we might go to the opera while we were there. Wrong. Tickets impossible to get. The door of the opera house was covered with ’need ticket’ requests taped and pinned to it.

Came to find out that it sells out quickly. Yes, with the tux and tails crowd but also throngs of young people. And many of them can’t afford seats but they can afford the top row tickets where they stand and watch the opera. And these things go on for hours.

We went back in 2018. This time with tickets bought well in advance. Tosca. Sure enough, teens standing on the upper gallery for the whole show.

Those are true music lovers too!

At this point I am atrocious on the drums........but surprise myself fairly often that I can do anything at all.
And then there is jazz drumming............so hard.

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

Wow, that chick can wail on the harp!

I have dabbled with harmonica. Can’t play much of anything because I never stuck with it. Still have a few of them.

Have drums now. Same scenario but I can play through a few songs now. Went from small, quiet and portable to large, loud and stuck in the basement. My kit is electric and I’m really feeling limited by it. May get real drums before too long.........but the current pandemic is putting a real dent in the paycheck......so maybe later.

^^^ 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

@oregonpapa I knew they were mono. And I can hear that immediately. I thought I was supposed to look for other differences. I misunderstood.
However, I still felt like there was some sound stage. As impossible as that may be.
In terms of mono vs stereo, in the recordings you linked to, it did not make much difference to me.
However, I have some 60's rock album that are mono and they just sound flat to me.

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

@oregonpapa said: "To be honest, David Sanborn is not for jazz purists."

Of course, at this point I am not a jazz purist so that does not make a big difference to me. I do seem to recall hearing about Sanborn, in the 80's maybe, as being more pop oriented like Kenny G. But at that time jazz was not on my radar other than the bits I heard from Steely Dan.

However, the main thing I always got from Kenny G was cheese. I paid no attention to his ability on the instrument, it was just that the music seemed shallow and cheesy to me.

I have never heard Sanborn at all until this album. And while I have nothing to say about recording techniques or his proficiency on the instrument, the songs on Another Hand do not strike me as pablum. They seem mature and thoughtful. That's pretty much all I can say about that.

I did listen to the links you posted regarding 50's vs 40's (vs now).

On my system the recordings from the 50's sound pure, clean, precise, sharp, well defined, natural. I do perceive some sound stage but not much. Maybe all in my head. It has a shape but it is not deep.  The 40's recording sounds like it is in a can, far far away.

Compared to the 1950's recordings the modern recordings, Marcus Miller M2 for instance (aside from the heavy bass) seem to have much more sound stage and it is rounder and deeper. There seems to be more richness for lack of a better word, maybe that is the same as depth. However, they do not sound as clean and crisp as the 50s ones you shared.

I might be totally wrong about all that. I'm totally new to jazz and fairly new to serious hi-fi. Just giving it a shot.

This talk of Joey got me thinking about genres of jazz that may be accessible and enjoyable to those who prefer something closer to a rock jam session with a dash of funkyness thrown in. Some of the organ trios could rock their butts off.  Very gritty and in a good way. Give a listen to some of the Jack McDuff material with George Benson from the early-mid 60s.  Or from 1969 I believe "Moon Rappin" with Richard Davis laying down some very funky bass.   

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

@oregonpapa  - I'm glad you enjoyed The Joey D. and Houston P. record. Hopefully I've redeemed myself. Am I back in the club? ;~)

BTW, I love the Hammond b3. Doesn't matter the genre of music, I just love that sound.

@reubent @oregonpapa Since you mentioned Houston Person, him and Ron Carter have a beautifully recorded album called Remember Love. The double bass on that album is excellent. Excellent album all the way through really.

Joey D and Danny Gatton made an album together, Relentless. Two master musicians.

^^^ Now we're talkin'... I love this, especially Joey Defrancesco. The man plays a mean Hammond B3.  Houston Person's sax playing is so soulful. What a combo. 

Thanks for posting this, reubent. I just bought the CD off of Ebay. :-)

Frank

@n80 - Try this one.....

Joey DeFrancesco, featuring Houston Person - "Moonlight in Vermont"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTi5WA0zPD4

From Joey Defrancesco - "Live at the 5 Spot"

@oregonpapa  - And Yes, I did listen to the selections you provided. Thank you.

@oregonpapa  - Sorry, I was editing my post and just decided to delete it. I certainly understand what you're saying about the sound of the sax on "another Hand" when compared to a classic mono recording of sax. Valid point for sure.

I like "Another Hand" for the melancholy tone it carries throughout most of the record. A big part of that sound is Bill Frisell's guitar. Here's my favorite track on the record:

moniCa jane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMMLcyYWZUA

All good. Enjoy the music, wherever it takes you.....

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

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

@n80  - I'm happy that you are enjoying David Sanborn's - "Another Hand". I don't think it is/was a very popular album. Somehow I heard it back when it came out back in 1991. Been enjoying it ever since.

Anyone else heard this album? What do you think?

If you use Qobuz, check out some of their playlists and see if there are some artists you like. Then go look them up on allmusic which will show you similar artists that you can then go check out.  

Still enjoying Sanborn's Another Hand. Maybe the darker stuff is for me?
Listened to more Harry Connick, Jr. I like it okay. Wife likes it a lot.