• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Definitive Jazz Recommendations

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Skittleguy

Ring a Bell for me
So I wanted to expand my jazz knowledge by getting to know some of the definitive recordings of the jazz masters.

So far, I've tried "Kind of Blue" by Miles Davis
MilesDavisKindofBlue.jpg

which is fantastic.

Now the question I put to you who would probably know better than me: what are some other defining recordings by other famous jazz musicians? I was thinking of trying "A Love Supreme" by John Coltrane next, since it was recommended by a friend.
John_Coltrane-A_Love_Supreme.jpg


Suggestions?
 
H

hie

Member
For a start:

Thelonious Monk
Charlie Parker
Charles Mingus
Rahsaan Roland Kirk

there's so much great stuff...
 
P

perryfarrell

Member
Skittleguy said:
Any specific records to check out? They all seem to have so many...
Click to expand...

Go to allmusic.com, type in the artist you like, and look up their discography. They'll tell you which ones are worth listening to.

Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz... those are all good names.

Also check out my mixtape in the GAF mixtape thread (I just posted it).
 
T

totowhoa

Banned
John Zorn (and the many groups he has played in) for some experimental jazz. He does some really, really crazy stuff with different groups, and he's a love/hate kind of guy, but I LOVE him as a saxophonist. He makes some crazy, crazy good music. It's worth listening to at least once... especially Electric Masada for some fucked up weird shit.

Sun Ra also... along with much of what GAF has already suggested. Sun Ra is great.

Edit:

here is a great John Zorn song to check out, although it may not be what you're looking for... great experimental jazz: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJkmTdoYQYE
 
P

PowersOfTen

Banned
Dave Brubeck Quartet
Metalwood
Herbie Hancock
Thelonious monk
Esperanza Spalding (beautiful singer too)
Jaga Jazzist (more modern and not strictly jazz)


MorisUkunRasik said:
I've been craving some jazzy stuff that uses electric guitars.
Click to expand...

Listen to some Guthrie Govan if you want something new. He's more of a fusion guy but has some really sweet jazzy tunes.

Wonderful slippery thing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z-2cPUUsXY

He also does some stuff for blues jam tracks for the extra money. His phrasing is killer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71izserFcek&feature=channel
 
T

thespot84

Member
I'd recommend the NPR jazz profiles podcast. The music is great and so is the commentary. I'm a piano player myself, so for that I'd recommend...

Oscar Peterson
Bud Powell
Herbie Hancock
Art Tatum
Chick corea (light as a feather, specifically)
Dave Brubeck

I like to think of jazz chronologically, since the developments in the music were so heavily influenced by what came before. If you're willing to start with earlier stuff I think you'll get more out of it.
 
DanteFox

DanteFox

Member
Sklorenz said:
.

Sun Ra also... along with much of what GAF has already suggested. Sun Ra is great.
Click to expand...
My man.

also:

something%20else.jpg


giant%20steps.jpg


d66937580cn.jpg


pretty much anything by

john coltrane
miles davis
cannonball adderley
charlie parker

also good:
arturo sandoval
joshua redman
phil woods
kenny garrett
wynton marsalis
michael brecker


I mostly listen primarily to sax players and trumpet players, so my list is composed of those.
 
T

thespot84

Member
MorisUkunRasik said:
I've been craving some jazzy stuff that uses electric guitars.
Click to expand...
Its slightly funky, but john scofield plays mean guitar. The older stuff, like Freddie green, is great, but way more rhythmic than melodic
 
S

speedpop

Has problems recognising girls
Don't forget Bill Evans! One of the greatest jazz pianists ever, was hired by Miles Davis back in '58 and left the sextet to try and form his own band. Eventually roped back in by Davis to help pump out the classic Kind of Blue before he formed the Bill Evans Trio.

Alongside Davis and Coltrane, Evans is one of those masters of jazz that will live forever.
 
T

thespot84

Member
DanteFox said:
My man.

also:

something%20else.jpg


giant%20steps.jpg


d66937580cn.jpg


pretty much anything by

john coltrane
miles davis
cannonball adderley
charlie parker

also good:
arturo sandoval
joshua redman
phil woods
kenny garrett
wynton marsalis
michael brecker


I mostly listen primarily to sax players and trumpet players, so my list is composed of those.
Click to expand...
Check out the high note Arturo Sandoval hits at the end on 'mis abuelos' ( I think that's what it's called)
 
T

thespot84

Member
speedpop said:
Don't forget Bill Evans! One of the greatest jazz pianists ever, was hired by Miles Davis back in '58 and left the sextet to try and form his own band. Eventually roped back in by Davis to help pump out the classic Kind of Blue before he formed the Bill Evans Trio.

Alongside Davis and Coltrane, Evans is one of those masters of jazz that will live forever.
Click to expand...
Seconded. Conversations with myself is a great album. He played one track and then dubbed over another track of himself.
 
S

Skittleguy

Ring a Bell for me
Thanks for all the recommendations. It'll take a bit to process and figue what I like for myself.

In the meantime, anyone else ever hear Bjork's jazz album "Gling Glo"?
Glingglo.jpg

It's pretty nuts considering who Bjork eventually became.
 
E

EatChildren

Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Anything by John McLaughlin. Look him up.

If you like jazz and you pass on McLaughlin you're doing yourself and the genre a disservice. Easily one of the greatest jazz guitarists ever.
 
P

Pringo

Banned
Hey guys, I've got a really lame question to ask. I recently started watching the anime series Welcome to the N.H.K. and it has this kind of jazzy intro song (with the obvious jpop trappings of course). Anyways, I've been looking for jazz songs in a similar vein, but without luck. Is this even considered jazz or am I way off the mark? And if it is, could someone point me in the direction of more songs of a similar style.
 
DanteFox

DanteFox

Member
Pringo said:
Hey guys, I've got a really lame question to ask. I recently started watching the anime series Welcome to the N.H.K. and it has this kind of jazzy intro song (with the obvious jpop trappings of course). Anyways, I've been looking for jazz songs in a similar vein, but without luck. Is this even considered jazz or am I way off the mark? And if it is, could someone point me in the direction of more songs of a similar style.
Click to expand...
It's a nice song, but not really jazz. I just looked that song up on youtube, and found the same version without the trumpet lol. so here's another song from the same album. sorry if that's not much help. :[

edit: http://www.youtube.com/user/NHKniYokoso

actually their channel seems to have many more of their songs. they seems to have this light rock/smooth jazz style. nice easy listening. :]
 
S

SonofdonCD

Member
Pringo said:
Hey guys, I've got a really lame question to ask. I recently started watching the anime series Welcome to the N.H.K. and it has this kind of jazzy intro song (with the obvious jpop trappings of course). Anyways, I've been looking for jazz songs in a similar vein, but without luck. Is this even considered jazz or am I way off the mark? And if it is, could someone point me in the direction of more songs of a similar style.
Click to expand...
The stuff in this thread is nothing like this, really. Sorry.

This is more of a typical anime opening/closing song (nothing wrong with that, I rather liked it myself), but stylistically it has more in common with Pop/R&B, with a sped-up drum & bass rhythm, I'd say. Perhaps there are some "jazzy" voicings in the piano, but nothing else that previous or present jazz has in common. It really reminded me of the opening song to Chobits, if I'm not mistaken. Maybe you should look up the composer of that anime and check out the rest of their discography.

I can't think of any bands with that particular sound. Can anyone else in this thread think of anyone?
 
T

TheLegendary

Member
Don't start off with a Love Supreme after Kind of Blue. In my opinion they're at the opposite end of the spectrum re: acessibility for a new listener. I'd go with some Thelonious Monk personally.
 
P

Pringo

Banned
Okay so it looks like I was completely off the mark after all. I was just looking for music like that with trumpets or whatever and the high tempo drumming (not jpop necessarily). I assumed it was some sub-genre of jazz but now I guess not.

Anyways, to keep this on-topic, someone posted a thread about this song a while back and I thought it was pretty great: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCQfTNOC5aE&fmt=18
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Recommend me some good mocktails or N/A beers
12
532
jufonuk replied
GAF, I need your help. My friend is dangerously depressed and I need game recommendations to make him feel better
2
97
4K
Hudo replied
The "I want to recommend this show but Netflix cancelled it." Thread
2
59
3K
dudester replied
Back at NeoGAF to ask for more game recommendations for my 7 year old daughter
32
931
DownLikeBCPowder replied
Anime recommendations for beginners (without fan service and similar cringy stuff)
2
77
5K
NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt replied
Top Bottom