Jazz for someone who doesn't like jazz.

^^^

A good friend of mine is an ex-professional guitarist and studio musician. He traveled all around the world playing guitar with Andy Williams. He’s on all of the Righteous Brothers albums. He can play virtually anything, including jazz. A totally amazing player.

I asked him one time what his favorite music was, and he answered "classical and opera." I told him that I couldn’t stand opera and that it just sounded like a fat lady screaming in the shower.

He told me to put a cassette tape in my car of a Puccini opera and just listen to it over and over. He said that learning to appreciate opera is a lot like learning to appreciate jazz, which I was totally immersed in at the time. He told me that eventually, everything would click in, and I would "get it."

Well, I selected Puccini’s Madame Butterfly. Needless to say, things did click in ...and now, I have plenty of operas in my collection. Some of the arias are so beautiful, that even while not understanding the language, they make tears come to my eyes.

I would love to see a live performance at La Scala one day ... maybe in the next life. I’m too old to travel now. Being Italian, I do make a mean sauce though. :-)

Are you familiar with the German soprano named Rita Streich? If not, you may want to add her to your collection. She was one of the very best:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Gg-2XWQn0

Frank

I haven't red any responses, but Steely Dan frequently referenced Duke Ellington.  His own big band recordings are well respected as well as "Digital Duke".  Quincy Jones big band arrangements, too,  GRP All Stars did some great digital recordings of original arrangements like Glen Miller.    The oldest jazz is Dixieland.   I can't suggest any particular beside Louis Armstrong.  Nat Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Mel Torme. You get into "modern Jazz" starting around 1950 with smaller groups.  Bird, Coltrane, Miles Davis.   Then you can try Jazz Rock fusion like Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Weather Report.  Or more pop jazz like Spyro Gyra, Larry Carlton.   You're right there are a lot of variations to what folks call Jazz

I had not thought about Mel Torme. I’ll have to dig a little.


Frank, I had not heard of that soprano (nor many others) but I will look her up as well.

I got into Italian cooking years ago after watching Molto Mario, one of the best cooking shows ever. He apprenticed in Emilia-Romagna. Not exactly the tourist heart of Italy but certainly the center of Italian cooking. Great people there too. So friendly. I’m not of Italian decent.....but I’m Italian at heart!

^^^ Yes, I used to watch Malto Mario all the time. I got an excellent recipe off of him for a spaghetti sauce using anchovies that is to die for. Just olive oil, anchovies, garlic, toasted Italian bread crumbs. Then, he showed how to make a great egg dish for breakfast with the leftovers. Simply delicious. He said it is a recipe to serve to people who hate anchovies. Ha, they will never know that they are in the dish.

On Mel Torme ... One of the all-time great song stylists. Here's a fine CD to get if you don't already have it. Excellent vocals and sound quality:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QSXJJOJCvk

A friend of mine was a bit Torme fan.  He thought this was Mel's best album -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EqFrGcVJW0

He also considered Torme a better singer than Sinatra.  I stayed away from that debate! ;^)