Jazz

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Ok I'd like to smooth my way into jazz.

but the problem is I haven't the foggiest idea what is a good point/cd to start with. Can anyone give me some tips as to a good starting point?

I know a little ragtime (Jerry Roll Morton) and of course louis Armstrong but that's basically it.

Enlighten me please!

 

You will not get much smoother than Dianna Krall. She does alot of the standards in her own sultry, sexy way. It would be difficult for anyone not to like her smooth easy quality.

Early Miles Davis is always good, as is Sarah Vaughn (sp?) two of my all time fav's. Oh, and Louis Armstrong! Cole Porter and Benny Goodman are two early greats.

Oh, and another fav is Harry James! (can you tell I like jazz trumpet?)

You should stay away from John Coltrain until you have enough experience!

Hope you enjoy!

[ January 12, 2003, 23:07: Message edited by: scarampella ]

 

Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald are two of the main pioneers of jazz. Even though I don't listen to much jazz myself, I'm sure any of their songs will suffice.

 

May I ask what you mean exactly? Do you mean you want to get some nice tips for the smooth jazz or smooth your way into jazz (like you said literaly.)?

Do you like trumpets, or guitars, piano's, flutes, Hammonds, or vocals?
Do you prefer up-tempo or down-tempo? Acid, be-bop, vocal, fusion or bigband?

Some names you'll probably recognize:
Miles Davis (Trumpet!!)
Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong
Duke Ellington
Thelonious Monk
Art Blakey
Lou Donaldson
Shirley Bassey (vocals)
Bille Holiday
Herbie Hancock
Sarah Vaughan
Gene Harris
Ella Fitzgerald

Blue Note Records is the lable you want. Best since 1939.

Just walk into a music store (not Free Record Shop, there's no 'Fast Forward' button) and try some CD's when you feel like to. Take your time!
Try out some compilations and check the artist's album when you think you like it.

Have fun and enjoy!

----
Like Scarampella, I love trumpets. If you do so, too, I advice... encourage... ORDER you to get Miles Davis' records!

[ January 13, 2003, 00:13: Message edited by: Master of Nuhn ]

 

No one mentioned Glenn Miller. He's one of my favourites. I've just got a 2cd special edition. Wonderful.

 

Count Basie - nuff said.

 

We have a crowd of classicists here!
Imagine my wonderment!
If you only delved a tad into the realm of classical music you would find a field of dreams,
and nightmares,
and turmoils,
and salvation never imagined!

All the greats have been mentioned and I love them all. No doubt about jazz, if only people were so curious about classical music....there is so much to offer, it is not the stuffy BS you might imagine

 

If you are looking for something a little different, I bought a CD once of Steel Jazz. It was jazz, but instead of a trumpet or saxaphone, it was a steel drum. Man, talk about music.
Ramsey Louis is another good one to look into.
If you like listening to big band and a singer, then I would suggest the greatest (in my humble opinion) old blue eyes himself. Frank Sinatra.
Duke Ellington of course.
Preservation Hall Jazzband is another great group, if you're looking for something a little different.
Of course, if you really want and I'm feeling ambitious, I can always drag out my saxaphone and record some stuff! lol

 

thanks everyone! I wil try out some of these names (some more familiar than others)!

 

Louis Armstrong (trumpet & vocals)
Diane Schuur (vocals)
Keiko Matsui (piano)
and would you believe, Sting

although I don't have this group, I think they are commendable... Manhattan Transfer.

 

I'm useless with names so i just go for Acid Jazz compilations. I even had to buy Bullit on DVD, mainly for just the soundtrack. So simple but so effective.

I basically love any 'chase' music (you know the stuff - any jazz that could accompany any good 70's car chase).

 

Any compilations from Impulse label -

I can prticularly recommend...

Red Hot on Impulse
The Roots of Acid Jazz
or
Transcendence (scary, fantastic jazz)

this are the very cds that I started on a few years ago...

 

@Scarampella: One "problem" with getting into classical music, especially through recordings, is that so much depends on the conductor and orchestra. For example, I've always loved "The Planets" by Holst, but not until I heard a recording by Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony did I really *hear* it.

There's a lot to wade through to find the truly inspired works. Do you know of a good "Classical Music For Dummies"-style resource that lists some definitive recordings?

 

Wheee!

I just bought myself some nice cd's:
1)another Miles Davis
2) The Big Bands: ft. Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmie Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, and some others. The real bigband classics.
3) Art Blakey, best of...
4) Herbie Hancock: Cantaloupe Island (the one us3 covered and turned into jazz/hiphop--very funky)
5) Dizzy Gillespie & Stan Getz: Diz and Getz.

No need to say I love trumpets, heh?

I also bought a cd with almost every James Bond theme. Haven't listened yet.

An other day spending my time in my room, dancing freaky whiping tears of joy. Let them all flow!

 

Get anything by Clifford Brown and Charlie Mingus if you feel really adventurous.

There is also a lot of fantastic electric jazz starting from the 70's, such as Return to Forever (Romantic Warrior), Weather Report (Black Market), and the Mahavishnu Orchestra (anything, but they are a little odd for some).

If you want something more cutting-edge, check out Jonas Hellborg (Good People in Times of Evil), Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (anything), and Tribal Tech (Illicit or Face First).

@ rallymama - Try the Penguin Guide to Classical Music - reviews of almost every in-print classical recording

[ January 13, 2003, 20:15: Message edited by: Yochimbo ]

 

I asked a former boss who was a big jazz fan what would be a good first CD. He told me to get:

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

It's great stuff.

 

@Rallymama- actually I know of no such kind of book. Musical enjoyment is so subjective, and yet amongst many musicians there are certain recordings we all agree are the best. Like:

Sir George Solti and the Chicago Symph. playing Strauss Don Juan;

Boston Symph with Micheal Tilson Thomas performing Stravinsky's Rite of Spring;

The London Symphony has a great recording of the Planets as well.

Berlin and Karajan are always a sure bet for any German music.

Micheal Tilson Thomas is my fav for anything by Mahler, Berlioz, Prokofiev, or Stravinsky.

Old Philadelphia Symph recordings are great for lush music like Brahms.

Cleveland symph with Szell are great at the classical stuff Beethoven and earlier.

Just about anything coming from the Concertgebouw Orch is hands down exceptional.

That's a start, if you want to know more, or have something particular in mind e-mail me and I can make suggestions.

 

I forgot to mention Doc Severson.
I also was just listening to Quincy Jones' Birdland album. If you want to go a little more for the blues, try B.B. King.
Rallymama. I believe there is a cd actually called
"Classical Music for Dumies" I have the "opera for dummies" cd. When I bought it there was a whole bunch of cds like that. They should have it at Barnes and Noble if you have one by you, plus you can pretty much listen to most cds they have. And they have a great selection for classical and jazz.

 

I can only imagine what is on there!
top ten, some studio orchestras etc
geez, make me cringe!

 

'Kind of Blue' and 'Birth of the Cool' are said to be Davis' best. Too bad they were both sold. Must wait for a few days before I get them.

What about this:
Herbie Hancock - piano
Art Blakey - drums/percussions
Miles Davis - trumpet
Dizzy Gillespie - trumpet
Stan Getz - tenor saxophone
?Gopher? - Bass guitar
Scarampella Fitzgerald - vocals

What would it sound like?