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Jazz recommendations for a beginner?

Hello, I purchased my first 3 jazz cds just to experiment: Cafe Blue (Pat Barber), Love Scenes (D. Krall) and Kind of Blue (M. Davis). Now I want to officially start listening more jazz. I really liked tracks 2,3,4,9,10 and 11 on Barber's cd, almost every song on Krall's, but honestly 'Kind of Blue' was not too much of my taste. So based on this brief comments, has anybody some good recommendations for a beginner? I'd appreciate your suggestions. Thanks.
Jorge R.
jorge_err
wstritt
170 posts
 
This is an excellent thread on the subject, particularly Sdcampbell's contributions:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?gmusi&976325372&read&3&4&

Helped me quite a bit.
newbee
4,751 posts
 
Ben, just what in your estimation defines traditional jazz? I'm curious, not that I don't appreciate Davis, Coltrane, etc, but I certainly found them to be an acquired taste, and not necessarily mainstream, either now or in the era when they performed.
thebrock
8 posts
 
I'm kinda in the same camp with Ben. If you didn't like "Kind of Blue", then your are more aligned with "Singers/Songwriters". I would suggest you try Eva Cassidy, "Live at Blues Alley", Michael Franks, "Art of Tea and/or Sleeping Gypsies". Jazz has a lot of styles. Find out where you fit and jump in !!
tubemiser's avatar
tubemiser
98 posts
 
For a taste of traditional Jazz, log on to fantasyjazz.com. Under "Various Artist", Fantasy Jazz remastered 12 samplers from their sub labels....orginal jazz clssics, riverside, prestige, swingville, debut, bluesville, contemporary, Pablo, fantasy, galaxy, specialty, jazztime.

I collected all 12 at S.F. Ameoba Records used $7.95 ea. Great way to get a Taste of Jazz!
clueless
763 posts
 
If you don't like "Kind of Blue" it doesn't mean much IMHO (although I love it). I agree with Newbee. There are lots of things that are kind of acquired tastes and good music is often one. Keep it and listen to it a year from now. There is a lot going on in a minimalist kind of way.

Find a good local university jazz station and listen.

You will like some "traditional jazz" even if you do not like "Kind of Blue." There are so many styles. I'm not one for copilations but scroll down the page and listen to the first disk of this sampler from Blue Note: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000JB1W/ref=m_art_li_5/002-5144679-4032812?v=glance&s=music

Truth is you proabbly can't get two people on this thread to agree what jazz is. I like Cassidy too butI don't consider her jazz at all.

For a modern album try Charles Lloyd "The Water is Wide"
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004VXEZ/qid=1062702019/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_1/002-5144679-4032812

If you like Krall's trio albums/piano jazz (her first is my favorite)try Bill Charlap. No vocals but a tight melodic piano trio.

All of the above have some melody to them.

As said above, make use of Scott Campbell's lists in various threads here (do a search because there quite a few of them). Don't write stuff off. Go back to it in a year or two.

Good luck,
I remain,
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