Jazz recommendations for a beginner?
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! |
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, |
Early jazz: Louis Armstrong,Hot Five/Hot Seven recordings.(The recordings suck,but that's ok;the music does not.) Swing:Duke Ellington,Live at Newport. Bop:Charles Parker,Ornithology Cool:Miles Davis/Gil Evans,Birth of the Cool Modern:Bill Evans,Sunday Afternoon at the Vanguard. John Coltrane,My Favorite Things Giant Steps These should give you an idea of what kinds of jazz will appeal to you. Mark C. Gridley's jazz history text is excellent.In it he includes a list of his recommended recordings. Happy listening |
I won't even get into the discussion of what is and isn't Jazz. Simply judging by the fact that you like Krall and Barber and did not care for Miles I would DEFINITELY go for Eva Cassidy as others have recommended. I like Songbird and Imagine and Live at Blues Alley. Also no one's mentioned Jacintha. Try "Here's to Ben" and "Autumn Leaves" Barber's "Modern Cool" would also be a good pick. Holly Cole's fantastic album of Tom Waits tunes titled "Temptation" would be another great choice. Marco |
