Anyone listen to Jazz?

[Ian H]

Totally unlike the rest of popular music then.

Well, yeah, but jazz fans seem to me to more virulently exclusive - some of them, that is.

 

[ianrauk]

Jazz is just the sound of a Blues band playing whilst falling down a long set of stairs..

 

[ttcycle]

Jazz is just the sound of a Blues band playing whilst falling down a long set of stairs..

lol

 

[snorri]

Some names to explore
Stephane Grapelli, Artie Shaw, Errol Garner, George Melly, Gerry Mulligan, Django Reinhardt, Pasadena Roof Orchestra.

 

[Slim]

A few more names...

Stochelo Rosenberg - acoustic guitar jazz (gypsy flavoured)
Art Pepper - accessible bebop. Landscape is excellent.
Charlie Parker - bebop but you can still hear the tune.
Zoot Sims - Cool swing jazz
Oscar Peterson - once you get over the sheer flood of notes he plays, you can still hear him riffing on the tune.


HTH

 

[Fab Foodie]

Good Man Mr Austin!

I don't know too much, but no what I like when I hear it! Some of the stuff I’m really into…

There was a great documentary recently: 1959, the year that changed Jazz; Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck and Charlie Mingus are very accessible, the 4th Ornette Coleman is not really for the faint hearted and I’ve not linked to it!
Featured huge albums, each different each great and would all be good starters (and cheapish on Amazon too)

Miles Davis; Kind of Blue IS a masterpiece and easily accesible, some of his later stuff isn't. Great starting point.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEC8nqT6Rrk


Dave Brubeck; Time Out, features 'Take 5' Interesting album rhythmically, but also very lyrical.

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwNrmYRiX_o


Charlie Mingus; Ah Um. A variety of styles here, I’ve linked 2 adjacent tracks of the album. Again really accessible. Goodbye Pork Pie Hat and Boogie Stop Shuffle

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS7obQ7XNt4&feature=fvw

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xSyWwQPU-U


Billy Holiday’s already mentioned. The Verve label album ‘Lady Sings the Blues’ is a treat.
Others, Bill Evans Trio, Early Herbie Hancock ( try, Watermelon Man), Charlie Parker. Am slowly getting into John Coltrane, but it seems to be taking its time.
I also like the Trad./Dixieland early stuff, Jelly Roll Morton, Bix Biederbecke and the stuff made popular by Chris Barber as Aperitif mentions.

But for a real chilled session, nothing beats this little known, but supremely well recorded album:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jazz-at-Paw...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1262041585&sr=8-1

I bought the double LP anearly 20 years ago after hearing it at HiFi trade shows, it;’s beautifully played in a Scandinavian bar where you can here glasses collected and the till ringing. For less than a fiver it’s very good value and a great listen.

The internet’s a great searching tool and local libraries a good place to rent discs.

Jazz is great and a pleasant change from the Boom-Tish of pop and rock.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Actually, building on what Cranky said, Chris Barber is taking care of the Trad Jazz corner...

Yes, good stuff.

 

[Davidc]

Try Bix Beiderbecke for something a bit different in the trad jazz mould. He played cool jazz before it was invented.

 

[kewb]

acoustic ladyland anyone ?

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1rXve_cyQU

 

[swee'pea99]

This is about as accessible as it gets.

 

[mangaman]

Try Blue Note

I particularly like their compilations - like Blue Brek Beats

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Break-Beats-Vol-1-Various-Artists/dp/B000002V1Q

Lovely mixture of mellow jazz with a cool dose of early funk.

Also another vote for Dave Brubeck

 

[Andy in Sig]

I'd also recommend some of the Best of Blue Note compilations. Names to look out for would be Art Blakey (specifically the track Moanin'), Kenny Burrell, Lee Morgan, Lou Donaldson, Cannonball Adderley.

 

[KevinG]

Coincidence - I have been looking to learn more about jazz too.

One thing is for sure, it is a vast genre.

Anyway, when it all gets too serious, I watch the Jazz Club sketches from Fast Show :-)

 

[Milo]

If its not been mentioned Kind of Blue by Miles Davis is a great album. Or try blue train by Coltrane. If your feeling like fusion Weather Report.

 

[palinurus]

What sort of jazz do you like? I can't be doing with the Miles Davis/John Coltrane stuff, which sounds to me like people shouting "LOOK!! Look how clever we are!

Naah