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Old 01-06-2016, 06:15
J.Smith
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Jazz music... I've gotten the fancy to listen to some jazz, after seeing some French cinema. However I know nothing about the genre really. What are the big names, the go-to albums a beginner might look at? Classic must-have's or modern classics.
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Old 01-06-2016, 08:08
Elvisfan4eva
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Well one of the best known classic albums is A Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis, from 1958. Try that first if you haven't already.
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Old 01-06-2016, 08:54
Inkblot
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Here's a list of 88 "essential" jazz albums put together by a jazz radio station in California: http://www.jazzandblues.org/programm...p88/index.aspx If you have access to a streaming service like Spotify just check them out and see if you like them, or search on YouTube.

Kind of Blue has to be at the top of anyone's list, along with its sister album Somethin' Else by Cannonball Adderley (basically the same style of music - some people prefer Somethin' Else, some prefer Kind of Blue). But if you find those too serious try something like this legendary live recording of Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue by Duke Ellington: https://youtu.be/PYgow060zOg or the effortlessly groovy Moanin' by Art Blakey: https://youtu.be/Cv9NSR-2DwM .

Another one in that gospel vein is Mercy Mercy Mercy by Cannonball Adderley: https://youtu.be/s4rXEKtC8iY . Or Song for My Father by Horace Silver: https://youtu.be/CWeXOm49kE0 which was "borrowed" by Steely Dan for their song Rikki Don't Lose That Number

Here's an interesting new artist I literally heard yesterday: Michel Benita https://youtu.be/PunoO3AGzPg

And for a modern classic how about Keith Jarrett's Köln Concert - one long, very beautiful improvised piano solo: https://youtu.be/sRyZmt5sYbw
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Old 01-06-2016, 09:10
barbeler
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Sidney Bechet Live at the Olympia 1955. That's all you need really.
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Old 01-06-2016, 09:50
swingaleg
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Jazz music... I've gotten the fancy to listen to some jazz, after seeing some French cinema. However I know nothing about the genre really. What are the big names, the go-to albums a beginner might look at? Classic must-have's or modern classics.
French cinema and Jazz come together neatly in the shape of 'Ascenseur pour L'Eshafaud'.........or Lift To The Scaffold......which is a soundtrack Miles Davis wrote for a French film

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc4tT-55ZzI
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Old 01-06-2016, 10:06
swingaleg
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I'm pretty new to Jazz.......I starting listening to it last year and have dipped in and out of all different types

My absolute favourite discovery is 'Ole' by John Coltrane

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr5BotYA3U8

I listen to this almost on a daily basis......

Other than that there's also 'Impressions' by John Coltrane

I think the two albums are a bit similar in that they have long tracks which are a bit impressionistic,. 'soundscape' type things rather than songs or tunes

Prior to discovering these my absolute favourite was 'Flamenco Sketches' which is the last track on Kind of Blue..........and is similarly something of a 'soundscape of Spain'
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Old 02-06-2016, 16:11
J.Smith
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Thanks for the suggestions, and the links. I'm working my way through them.
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Old 03-06-2016, 16:35
Doghouse Riley
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Thanks for the suggestions, and the links. I'm working my way through them.
If you're into film noir as well as taking an interest in jazz try, "Lift to the Scaffold," starring Jeanne Moreau,

It's a great film and a good score by Miles Davis, which captures the mood of the film very well.

Here's a taster.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OKQdp6iGUk

If you let it run there's other musical clips from the same film.

Some good examples given by other contributors.

Here's another favourite of mine.

Try "The Gentle Side of John Coltrane."

This also features a much underrated Singer. Johnny Hartman.
This my all time favourite tune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRh7M9zQiIc
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Old 03-06-2016, 23:40
peter_s
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Such a huge topic!

These are some of my favourite albums.

Pianist Bill Evans influenced the playing style of many other piano players; his early trio albums are not a bad place to start if you're new to jazz imo.

Portrait In Jazz:

Autumn Leaves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Z8KuwI7Gc

Explorations:

Elsa

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...lsa+bill+evans


The Complete Live At The Village Vanguard 1961:

Some Other Time

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

Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz has such a beautiful tone imo ; one of my favourite albums from his Bossa Nova period is Getz Au Go Go:

Only Trust Your Heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJtl-ETv2MM

It Might As Well Be Spring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHbR1ixiyto

Listening to Dave Brubeck helped to get me interested in jazz; here are a couple of my favourite albums:

Jazz At Oberlin:

Stardust

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM2WcgR3rtw

The Dave Brubeck Quartet At Carnegie Hall:

Take Five

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVLIcbUL64M #

Jim Hall - Concierto:

Concierto De Aranjuez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD6k2E61ABY

This is not meant to be a "must have" list in any way; They're just some of my favourites.
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Old 04-06-2016, 05:33
J.Smith
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I appreciate these suggestions, I'm liking them, thanks.

I listened to Óle from John Coltrane, what a beautiful album, I was especially taken by the first 'track' olé. What a revelation! The cello(?) part made me think of modern classical a little. Another genre I know next to nothing about, but would like to learn.
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Old 04-06-2016, 09:12
RikScot
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I appreciate these suggestions, I'm liking them, thanks.

I listened to Óle from John Coltrane, what a beautiful album, I was especially taken by the first 'track' olé. What a revelation! The cello(?) part made me think of modern classical a little. Another genre I know next to nothing about, but would like to learn.
Try Max Richter...Joby Talbot...Arvo Part...all quite relaxing.

Though not really classical, Penguin Cafe Orchestra are worth a go, all sorts of tiff going on with them
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Old 04-06-2016, 09:57
swingaleg
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I listened to Óle from John Coltrane, what a beautiful album, I was especially taken by the first 'track' olé. What a revelation! The cello(?) part made me think of modern classical a little. Another genre I know next to nothing about, but would like to learn.
It's absolutely wonderful isn't it !

The great thing is that it gets better every time you listen because you need to listen a few times to pick up the rhythms and tunes in it

I love the piano solo in the track 'Aisha'........it doesn't last very long but it's perfect in the context of the piece
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Old 04-06-2016, 11:00
Doghouse Riley
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Such a huge topic!

These are some of my favourite albums.

Pianist Bill Evans influenced the playing style of many other piano players; his early trio albums are not a bad place to start if you're new to jazz imo.

Portrait In Jazz:

Autumn Leaves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-Z8KuwI7Gc

Explorations:

Elsa

https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...lsa+bill+evans


The Complete Live At The Village Vanguard 1961:

Some Other Time

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

Tenor saxophonist Stan Getz has such a beautiful tone imo ; one of my favourite albums from his Bossa Nova period is Getz Au Go Go:

Only Trust Your Heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJtl-ETv2MM

It Might As Well Be Spring

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHbR1ixiyto

Listening to Dave Brubeck helped to get me interested in jazz; here are a couple of my favourite albums:

Jazz At Oberlin:

Stardust

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM2WcgR3rtw

The Dave Brubeck Quartet At Carnegie Hall:

Take Five

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVLIcbUL64M #

Jim Hall - Concierto:

Concierto De Aranjuez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD6k2E61ABY

This is not meant to be a "must have" list in any way; They're just some of my favourites.
Certainly agree about Bill Evans, I've many of his CDs.

This is my all time favourite recording. Back in the days when the BBC was very much into jazz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2LFVWBmoiw

The distinctive sound of Brubeck was of course alto saxophonist Paul Desmond, immediately recognisable.

Here he is a few years before his death, already not a well man, but still as good as he ever was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZbahdBHv9E

Keith Jarrett has been mentioned, an excellent pianist. A few years ago I uploaded from my "Tribute" album his version of; "The Ballad of The Sad Young Men." It got thousands of hits, then YouTube took it down a gave me a warning!

The saxophone is ideally suited to jazz. So many different styles, some have been mentioned. One of my favourites, probably considered as old fashioned, is Ben Webster. Such a fantastic tone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CHzdyJps6M

Not forgetting the contributions of Cannonball Adderley. I bought this album as a teenager in 1960.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2xx3YTu2ac
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Old 04-06-2016, 12:04
RikScot
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Shostakovich Jazz Album...I love it.
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