I love this post!!
@fthompson251 i must be your music doppelgänger! I’m still trying to “get” traditional jazz after 50+ years.
Thank you @stuartk , your post was very enlightening and educational!
In addition to the many great recommendations you have received already, here are some jazz artist I enjoy. They tend to stick with a tune but some do improvisation along the way:
Guitar led:
- Chris Standring
- Chuck Loeb
- Les Sabler
- Larry Carlton
- Jeff Lorber
- Paul Brown
- Thom Rotella
- Chieli Minucci
- George Benson
- Earl Klugh
- Acoustic Alchemy
Trumpet led:
- Rick Braun
- Cindy Bradley
- Chet Baker
- Chris Botti
Piano/keyboardled:
- Brian Simpson
- Oli Silk
- Bob James
- Paul Hardcastle
Bass Led:
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I can’t recall ever reading a full set of responses and agreeing so thoroughly with them. There is a lot of great advice above. A reason to treasure this site. I’d add to the many excellent recommendations: Herbie Hancock, Headhunters and Cantaloupe Island and one of my favorite songs, Peaches en Regalia by Frank Zappa (he recorded a bunch of versions). Zappa has a lot of cross-over. This particular song has no lyrics and is more accessible than a lot of his other music. With my and the other recommendations above, I’d try stuff out and then dive in to what you find enjoyable. Have fun!
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Try "Jazz at the Pawn Shop". A wonderful live recording at a jazz club in Stockholm.
They cover some classics and the sound is amazing.
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@stuartk
Wow. This was a wonderful explanation of what Jazz is. I listen to Jazz almost as much as Rock and Roll but I dislike heavy improvisational Jazz. Your descriptions of the different types of Jazz and the various interpretations really gives me more avenues to search. Thank you for your contribution.
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I took it upon myself to learn to like jazz about ten years ago, and it has now become my primary genre. Lots of great recommendations here. In between sampling those, I would recommend finding some higher quality jazz stations and let them play. As you hear things you like, explore those artists further on your subscription platform of choice.
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Here are a dozen titles I consider a "Jazz Starter Kit:"
1) Dave Brubeck - "Time Out"
2) Miles Davis - "Kind Of Blue"
3 Duke Ellington - "Live At Newport"
4) Duke Ellington - "Blues In Orbit"
5) Lester Young and Teddy Wilson - "Prez And Teddy"
6) Oscar Peterson - "We Get Requests"
7) Monty Alexander, Ray Brown, and Herb Ellis - "Trio"
8) Bill Evans - "Live At The Village Vanguard"
9) Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong - "Ella And Louis"
10) Stanley Turrentine - "That's Where It's At"
11) Vince Guaraldi - "Greatest Hits"
12) Ahmad Jamal - "At The Pershing/But Not For Me"
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The suggestion to get a guidebook on jazz recordings is the way to go. A book like the All Music Guide to Jazz not only lists most of the major artists and their recordings, it has a decent rating of each recording so you can sample the best.
The recommendation of the Ken Burns documentary series is also very good because it places the music in a social and historical context and employs narrators who know and love the subject and convey what the music means to them. The series is long but it is rewarding. The biggest problem for me was that the series stopped well short of covering what would have been at that time current jazz artists and their music; it was mostly ancient history then, and more so ancient history now.
If you want to hear a decent cross section of jazz development at a particular time, and appreciate how advanced jazz performance was quite a whiles back, sample the top recordings from just one year--1959. Three giant recording came out that year: Miles Davis "Kind of Blue," Dave Brubeck "Time Out" and Ornette Coleman "Shape of Jazz to Come." Of these three, my favorite is "Shape of Jazz to Come."
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If you have an internet radio tuner there are hundreds of jazz stations to sample various types of music. A lot of us like different forms [not hard to tell that]. Lee Ritenour is an excellent guitarist a is Peter Frampton [yes indeed] "Fingerprints" or "Frampton forgets. the words".
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I'm surprised that no one has complimented stuartk for his thoughtful and detailed response! The first albums that really drew me into jazz were Kind Of Blue (Miles Davis, already mentioned) and Giant Steps (John Coltrane). Louis Armstrong (Satch Plays Fats) is another easy recommendation!
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Vocal jazz is for you - Holly Cole , Chantal Chamberland and many others.
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I only started listening to Jazz this year. Spotify is your friend. Currently, I'm listening to "70's Japanese Jazz/Funk" playlist. Don't like a song, click next. Like a song, I save to a playlist. Never heard of any of these artists, just the way I prefer vs the same handful of Jazz artists always listed.
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- Bill Evans trio ’Live at Shelley’s Manne Hole’
- Oscar Peterson ’We Get Requests’
- Ben Webster meets Oscar Peterson
- Jim Hall & Red Mitchell 'Valse Hot'
Or for something more modern and funky look into Jiro Inagaki
And I’ll throw in ’A Oscar Peterson Christmas’ since we are at Christmas Time...
If you can listen to any of those albums and still think jazz sucks than you’re hopeless and should quit being a audiophile and take up some other hobby
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Larry Carlton - "Alone But Never Alone"
About as smooth and listenable as it gets. Ebay probably has a copy, cheap.
Bob James
Earl Klugh
grp masters collections from the early 90s have a great mix of various artists. You can screen the tracks you like and go from there. Again, Ebay has them cheap.
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Return to Forever should make you a believer
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Two titles mentioned previously are worth underscoring and adding to my original list:
1) Herbie Hancock - "Cantaloupe Island"
2) Louis Armstrong - "Satch Plays Fats"
If you can stream it check out KCSM Jazz 91 in San Francisco
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Diana Krall, Lyn Stanley, Anne Bisson.
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If you like guitar give “Guitar Forms” by Kenny Burrell a shot.
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@yoyoyaya +1, Anything, not only on CTI Records (Creed Taylor Inc.) but also Creed Taylor’s KUDU Records whom the recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder made some of the best sounding recordings in those days on those two labels, facts. Creed Taylor's CTI Records and KUDU Records has an astoundingly large catalog of records/musicians in his roster.
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Dave Weckl and Jay Oliver - Convergence cd.
Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue and other albums.
Lee Ritenour - Six String Theory - A blend of styles ( Jazz, Blues and Classical ). Also, the Stolen Moments album.
Sara K - Hell or High Water, and her other albums too.
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God asked The Apostle Paul " why do you keep kicking against the pricks?"(funny way of putting it) I admire your tenacity. But why after 30 yrs is of trying are you making another attempt to force something that you just don't like? I ask these things because I mirror your thoughts about jazz .I've tried. But neither it nor female vocals are my cup of tea. It doesn't make me wrong. Nor are those who do like jazz wrong. Nor does it make me inferior. I listen to many different types of music, just not the 2 I spoke of earlier.
Big shout out to @stuartk . Great info. Being a musician I think I understood that already, instinctively. But IMO it still sounds disjointed. I'm not sure I'll try again but I'm not sure I won't either. Never say "never"
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@fpomposo
I hope you were just kidding . .
Since when does being an audiophile depend upon being a Jazz lover, or for that matter, a lover of any specific genre?
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Herbie Hancock, headhunter
Lee Morgan, sidewinder
come to mind as two that would be hard to ignore regardless of your musical leanings.
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I often peruse posts like this and liten to many of the recommendations. So thanks all.
Here are two easy ones
“Swiss Time” by Les McCann & Eddie Harris
“The Girl From Ipanema” by Getz/Gilberto
And a Jazz piano sampler http://open.qobuz.com/playlist/16555554
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I'm in the same boat. Most jazz is just too busy and complex for me to enjoy. I like jazz ballads best. Simple and soulful music is my thing.
Like you, I found Bill Frissell and Pat Matheny to be the most listenable. While both do their share of "complex" stuff, much of their work is more accessible to me. Stanley Turrentine has an album of ballads I like a lot.
Bottom line for me is "do I feel it". Most jazz feels emotionless to me. It's music for musicians.
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Crusaders - Chain Reaction" LP is hard not to like.
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I think that a big reason for the popularity of "jazz fusion" was because it felt somewhat familiar to rock music fans, yet it also represented a new avenue to explore. So, if "familiarity" is what you're looking for than your mention of Holly Cole might be important, since she tends to cover some well known songs that you are probably already familiar with.
If jazz vocalists are a priority, I'd add Michael Franks to your list.
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@ fthompson251
Welcome to the Club!
I have tried to like Jazz for decades, as well, including a dozen deliberate weeks of "maybe this time", "maybe this group". During the journey, I have found a few very good performers, but mostly duds. Listening to 'giants' (Monk, Coltrane, Davis, etc.) was, mostly, painful. I wish I could have these hours back...
With that perspective - I have some recommendations of Jazz performances that I truly enjoy and may be unique.
Getz/Jocbin
Boots Randolf
Henry James
Lenny Marcus - great Jazz transcriptions of Beethoven, plus some new pieces
Benny Goodman
Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey
Most of the Windham Hill artists - Montreux, Barbra Higbe, Daryl Anger, Michael Manring, Alex de Grassi, some Shadowfax, etc.
LA4
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As someone suggested I listened to "Jazz at the Pawnshop" on Qubuz by Aren Domnerus. I made it through!
There is an overwhelming about of infor mation on the thread, I can refer back ot it but this is a lot. Thanks to everyone. I've added about 15-20 songs to my Jazz playlist so far. What I do is use the qubuz web player keeping the window open and go through the suggestions on here from another window, then add those I like to the playlist after I listen. I use headphone fo that. All this takes time.
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@wsrrsw
I think you mean "Swiss Movement" , no?
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@fthompson251
Good! ;-) Now try Ben Webster at the Renaissance. Another great live recording, captured on an improvised early stereo setup by Webster's record producer.
There have been some excellent comments about the nature of jazz and what to listen for. I'm a somewhat conservative fan. I like it when I can:
1) Recognize the tune, or at least the chord changes, which are typically based on a standard tune, like "I Got Rhythm" or "How High the Moon" or something like that. Certain sets of "changes" can be inspiring for the soloist and allow him or her to create interesting and memorable improvisations.
2) Tap my foot! Whether it's a ballad or an up-tempo number, the rhythm section really has to swing. I'm not knocking other approaches to jazz, but I do like to be moved to dance around the room a bit. ;-) It's worth bearing in mind that many, many fine jazz albums of the '50's and '60's were geared toward people having cocktails and dancing in their homes. It was hard to sell a record you couldn't dance to!
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Chet Baker’s last album (the documentary soundtrack) is the one album that made me stop detesting jazz as a genre.
I would also recommend Cortex.
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@stuartk "Swiss Movement" Yes.Thx..Ah the wonders of the brain. Maybe I was "Trying to make it real compared to what."
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I bought the original Proprius release of "Jazz at the Pawnshop." I listened to it once and have never played it again. The recording IS VERY GOOD and captures the feel of a live club sound. But the style (sort of European swing) and performance was, for my taste, bland and uninteresting so I've not bothered to hear it again. It is still in my collection, as I never get rid of anything.
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A new radio station : jazzNEO.org. Copy their URL and listen to their expertise. I go to their daily playlists and randomly explore as my knowledge continues to expand, a life long classical listener.
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You might try smooth jazz or lounge music with artists like:
Kai Otten, highly recommended - Gary B. - Billy Paul Willams - Soul Ballet - Four 80 East - The Chillout Lounge - Chris Standring & Paul Hardcastle as previously suggested.
Smooth Jazz
Smooth Lounge Player
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You might think about which musical instruments you are generally drawn to and go from there.
for example, if you really like guitar, try Grant Green.
if you really like saxophone, try Ben Webster
if you really like piano try nat “King” Cole or Chick Corea
I suspect you will find something pleasing if you give that a try. And by all means listen to jazz at the pawn shop. Hard not to find something likable there
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Great, and please share your list. I keep trying...
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I am currently listening to some Billy Cobham, I remember listening to him late nights when I was in college. WLAV out of Grand Rapids MI. Also "Hey Joe" by Markusphillippe, Sweet Emotion by Leo Kottke and Mike Gordon. Also "Heard it through the Grapevine" by Bill Frisell. This is stuff I like.
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Check out the Sample This album by Joe Sample. He's a well-known jazz artist, but it doesn't sound like jazz to me. Great electric keyboard player.
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@larryi
From an experienced jazz-lover's perspective, no, the playing doesn't hold up very well compared to a typical Eddie Condon group or the Benny Goodman Sextet. ;-) But I'm glad it gave the OP a bit of a window into the genre.
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Just listen to Rush. You want Jazz, parts of Caress of Steel have a jazzy feel.
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• Some jazz can be annoying because it defys logic, order, and musicality. Some jazz is random hysterical chaos.
● Some jazz soothes your musical soul.
I’ll bet a pair of D’Agostino Epic 1600 monoblocks that you will like Dave Brubeck, Time out.
And I’ll bet a Pass Labs Int 250 that you’ll like Fourplay, Best Of Fourplay.
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There are various compilations of the "Best of Blue Note." This is one of the best ways to get into jazz--all of the selections are important pieces, accessible, yet much more than easy listening pablum. You can then branch out based on which of the selections you find most enjoyable.
If I had to pick a single artist that I think almost everyone would like, it would be Mingus. Any of his iconic albums would have something that a jazz listener should like. The same probably could be said of Dave Brubeck, Sonny Rollins, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet. Some of the other giants, like Coltrane, Monk, Davis, Gillespie, Dolphy, Hancock, Nelson are also reasonably accessible and at least some of their works should be well liked by any listener. It might take a bit more listening for most listeners to enjoy the likes of Coleman and Roland Kirk, but that is part of the learning process.
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Stanton Moore Fly'n the Coop is really fun, so is David Grisman Quintet Live at Jazz Alley.
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I have come to fix this situation!
A Charlie Brown Christmas - Vince Guaraldi
Your Mother Should Know - Brad Mehldau
You Must Believe in Spring - Bill Evans
Happy listening.
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If you have an interest in jazz contemporary jazz, there is an interesting series put out by ECM called "rarum" where their artists choose the tracks they want to include in their compilation, the order they want the tracks presented, and write the liner notes for the albums. Artist include the likes of Tomasz Stanko, Charlie Haden, Carla Bley, Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek and Chick Corea.
Another thing to look into is international stars that use traditional, non-European instruments in Jazz compositions. For example, Anour Brahem plays the oud, a North African string instrument in some very beautiful albums like "Thimar," "the Astounding Eyes of Rita," and "Blue Maqams." Another oud player, Rabih Abou-Khalil fuses Arabic and jazz and has produced a terrific album called "The Blue Camel" (If you can find the original LP, get it not only for the music and terrific recording quality, but also because the jacket is incredibly pretty).
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@fthompson251 I have been of a similar mindset, but have recently been able to appreciate some jazz offerings. What got me "primed" to be more open minded about this genre was listening to Internet Radio Station Jazz 24 out of Seattle. I have it programmed into my receiver as a favorite station and would have it on often for awhile as background music, or just while doing some other work tasks at my desk. Some of the music was quite striking and interesting to listen to, so I branched out from there. https://www.jazz24.org/ on the web but you can also search for them on my Internet Radio apps on your streamer. I liked them enough I contributed to their annual fund.
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I have a Bill Frissell playlist I'd like to share with you. I have it for Quboz or Amazon. If you have either, give me an address to send it to.
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