Musicdok and others:
I, too, love Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown music. I think it made its mark on me as a kid watching the cartoons and I have listened to it during the holidays for years ever since.
I was a little embarrassed, however, when I "interviewed" with a jazz piano teacher who was a professor of jazz and musical composition in New York.
When inquiring about my goals and musical interests, he sneered dismissively at the mere mention of Vince Guaraldi --"That's NOT jazz...." At least I recovered slightly with my interest in Bill Evans. Dave Grusin, however, somewhere in between Vince Guaraldi and Britney Spears on his jazz rating scale.
So maybe someone can explain snobby, highbrow jazz to me and I can begin a more serious study there. I totally get Kind of Blue and might even say it has already changed my life. As I write, I am listening to Thelonius Monk Straight no Chaser on SACD which I also like.
Who are the other serious, hard core, jazz afficionados only, , double black diamond, graduate level, straight into the deep end guys?
Thank you.
