Newbie to Jazz, any recommendations?

[Nola25]

Hi

In the past few months, I've steadily been enjoying jazz, prompted by a few films watched recently.

So far I've listen to Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Duke Ellington (a duets album from a B&O freebie cd) and some random smooth jazz stations that came up on Apple Music.

Any other recommendations I can start to listen too to ease me into the genre? I have listened to some stuff that was a bit too manic that I didn't really enjoy.

Edited by Nola25 on Thursday 20th February 10:26

[OMITN]

It’s a broad church for sure..!

For me, way back in my 20s it was John Coltrane that flicked the jazz switch for me. Specifically his Giant Steps album. But you may find that his albums Blue Train and Soultrane are more instantly accessible.

More modern work I love is Fletcher Moss by Matthew Halsall. That’s a beautiful album.

But you might want something more funky like Ezra Collective - their recent album Dance, No One’s Watching is lots of fun.

(Oh and ignore anyone who says “nice” to you or claims it sounds like instruments being thrown down the stairs. Jazz is a wonderful music genre.)

ETA the soundtrack for the film Motherless Brooklyn is also excellent. Film is really good too.

[toon10]

Maybe check out Black Art Jazz Collective. I saw them at Ronnie Scott's last year. Talented collection of artists and not too out there. I think they're on Spotify if you want to sample.

[Matt_N]

I’m probably beginner level Jazz but if you start listening to Dave Brubeck, Thelonius Monk, Miles David, Nina Simone, Herbie Hancock etc you’ll start coming across stuff that you like.

[seiben]

In a similar boat to you recently I was recommended (and would now also recommend):

Paul Desmond
Les McCann
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Duke Ellington
Mose Allison

Also, depending on your appetite for something slightly 'out there' I really enjoy the two albums by Jazz Sabbath - yes, jazz renditions of Black Sabbath hits

[AndyTR]

Here are a few of my go to artists
Stanley Turrentine
Cannonball Adderley
Art Blakey
Oscar Peterson
Lee Morgan
Kenny Burrell
Allen Toussaint, check out the River in Reverse with Elvis Costello if you like the New Orlean's style stuff
Dave Brubeck, Christmas Album is always on Crimbo day at ours
Kermit Ruffins, also check out the Treme Brass band if you like his stuff

[Nola25]

Thanks for the replies

Listened to the Allen Toussaint/Elvis Costello album this afternoon and liked it

Downloaded Black Art Jazz collective some more Miles Davis to listen too over the next few days along with most of the others recommended.

Also have a few Preservation Hall CD's that I bought when I was in New Orleans a few years ago that I've never listened too, will have to dig those out.

[gazza285]

Alan Barnes is worth checking out, if you like saxophone bebop, I’ve seen him a few times over the years.

[GetCarter]

I spent 10 years playing Jazz (a lot at Ronnie Scotts in London), and I only say that because my recommendations might sound a bit low brow./ not that Jazz

If you don't know it, I'd check out Donald Fagen's 'The Nightfly'. There are many crossover rock jazz writers. Fagen is (IMO) the best. Most of the players on his albums are straight off the East Coast Jazz scene.

[M5-911]

Jazz is a vast subject. From what you are saying you have been listening to some great classics.
Are you focus on a particular instrument when listening?

If you like piano (no particular order but that is just a short list of some well known players, plenty obscure guys out there as good as the big names):

Oscar Peterson
Art tatum
Dave Brubeck
Keith Jarrett
Joe Zawinul
Michel Petrucciani
Chick Corea
Oliver Jones
Nina Simone
Ibrahim Abdulah
Ryo Fukui

Guitar orientated (again very short list but some great innovators):

Birelli lagrene
Wes Montgomery
Joe Pass
Wha wha Watson
Al di meola
Russell Malone
John McLaughlin
Georges Benson
Kenny Burrell
Grant Green

Bass:

Charles Mingus
Ron Carter
Calvin hill
Abraham laboriel
Jaco Pastorius
Stanley Clark
Esperanza Spalding
NHOP
George Mraz
Victor Wooten.

I will not bother with Sax, trumpet, drum and all other instruments as the list will be bigger than the Oxford dictionary.
Have a listen at Japanese Jazz as well; absolutely fantastic!

Edited by M5-911 on Friday 21st February 07:50

[Zio Di Roma]

Nola25 said:

Hi

In the past few months, I've steadily been enjoying jazz, prompted by a few films watched recently.

So far I've listen to Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Duke Ellington (a duets album from a B&O freebie cd) and some random smooth jazz stations that came up on Apple Music.

Any other recommendations I can start to listen too to ease me into the genre? I have listened to some stuff that was a bit too manic that I didn't really enjoy.

Edited by Nola25 on Thursday 20th February 10:26

From an educational standpoint four I would suggest:

Kind of Blue by Miles Davis
Time Out by Dave Brubeck
Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus
The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman

You may or may not like them (the first two are hard to DISLIKE) but they are important albums.

[thebraketester]

Jazz is an accident….

Roy Hargrove
Charlie Parker
Pat Metheny
Michael Brecker
Stan Getz
Chet Baker

…. Where do you start.

[ATG]

GetCarter said:

I spent 10 years playing Jazz (a lot at Ronnie Scotts in London), and I only say that because my recommendations might sound a bit low brow./ not that Jazz

If you don't know it, I'd check out Donald Fagen's 'The Nightfly'. There are many crossover rock jazz writers. Fagen is (IMO) the best. Most of the players on his albums are straight off the East Coast Jazz scene.

(Excuse an extension from a musical ignoramus. For rock fans, Fagen is from Steely Dan, and once you start listening to some jazz, the music of bands like Steely Dan will start making a lot more sense. In my yoof, I thought of them as being cheesy soft rock even though I at least recognised there was something pretty amazing about songs like Rikki Don't Lose That Number. Anyway, thinking at any point in my life that Steely Dan was crap is pretty good evidence that I was a complete ignoramus, and I'm happy to say the penny dropped about them a while back, so I now consider myself just an ignoramus rather than a complete ignoramus.)

[Nola25]

M5-911 said:

Jazz is vast subject. From what you are saying you have been listening to some great classics.
Are you focus on a particular instrument when listening?

Piano and trumpet immediately jump out for me, having played both myself (albeit trumpet & cornet in a brass band and piano for fun).

However it’ll be great exploring the names you’ve given to expand my listening.

Thanks again for all the suggestions, my Apple Music account is on download overdrive!

[ATG]

Empyrean Isles by Herbie Hancock ... piano, cornet, double bass and drums. You'll recognise Cantaloupe Island.

[M5-911]

Nola25 said:

Piano and trumpet immediately jump out for me, having played both myself (albeit trumpet & cornet in a brass band and piano for fun).

However it’ll be great exploring the names you’ve given to expand my listening.

Thanks again for all the suggestions, my Apple Music account is on download overdrive!

Just for the pleasure, 4 of my favourite musicians playing together (I reckon, my favourite live performance from a jazz quartet). Cecil Bridgwater on the trumpet (incredible). make sure not to miss Calvin Hill double bass solo (back to basics). Max roach... Genius. Odean pope on Sax, breathtaking.

https://youtu.be/aDxH3fLmDZo?si=sD9FcDvicx8-I_Br

Enjoy!

Edited by M5-911 on Friday 21st February 07:51

[GetCarter]

ATG said:

(Excuse an extension from a musical ignoramus. For rock fans, Fagen is from Steely Dan, and once you start listening to some jazz, the music of bands like Steely Dan will start making a lot more sense. In my yoof, I thought of them as being cheesy soft rock even though I at least recognised there was something pretty amazing about songs like Rikki Don't Lose That Number. Anyway, thinking at any point in my life that Steely Dan was crap is pretty good evidence that I was a complete ignoramus, and I'm happy to say the penny dropped about them a while back, so I now consider myself just an ignoramus rather than a complete ignoramus.)

Indeed. A good friend of mine was 'head of Jazz' at music degree level, and as the students arrived on day one, he simply asked them to analyse the chord structure, key sigs, and harmonies in the track MAXIME by Fagen.

Needless to say, they were all discombobulated.

Try it if you dare!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIL2ByJYgtA

[Robertb]

GetCarter said:

I spent 10 years playing Jazz (a lot at Ronnie Scotts in London), and I only say that because my recommendations might sound a bit low brow./ not that Jazz

If you don't know it, I'd check out Donald Fagen's 'The Nightfly'. There are many crossover rock jazz writers. Fagen is (IMO) the best. Most of the players on his albums are straight off the East Coast Jazz scene.

Definitely... on that note Larry Carlton is definitely worth a listen OP. Always loved On Solid Ground, which is west-coast 80's jazz... Absolutely sublime player, and the guitar tone on the album is just gorgeous.

A Pat Metheny Group track popped up on my Spotify feed the other day which I really enjoyed- called "Have You Heard"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rLXS4HuCzk

I love Snarky Puppy, for example... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuhHU_BZXSk

Not sure its really jazz, but Dirty Loops are outstanding too.

Jazz is such a broad church you need to have a bit of a dig around and find your genre. Enjoy!

[Magikarp]

Stan Kenton - New Concepts Of Artistry In Rhythm
Maynard Ferguson & The Big Bop Nouveau - Brass Attitude

[GetCarter]

Robertb said:

GetCarter said:

I spent 10 years playing Jazz (a lot at Ronnie Scotts in London), and I only say that because my recommendations might sound a bit low brow./ not that Jazz

If you don't know it, I'd check out Donald Fagen's 'The Nightfly'. There are many crossover rock jazz writers. Fagen is (IMO) the best. Most of the players on his albums are straight off the East Coast Jazz scene.

Definitely... on that note Larry Carlton is definitely worth a listen OP. Always loved On Solid Ground, which is west-coast 80's jazz... Absolutely sublime player, and the guitar tone on the album is just gorgeous.

A Pat Metheny Group track popped up on my Spotify feed the other day which I really enjoyed- called "Have You Heard"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rLXS4HuCzk

Yes and yes!