Comments on: What Are Some Good Jazz Artists/bands I Should Start Listening To?

By: Teaim

Teaim — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:39:55 +0000

I remember being where your at now. I was new to jazz and didn’t know a thing beyond Miles and Trane. I didn’t have a website like this so I called up the local college radio station and begged for some suggestions. I was lucky, because that night the dj had a few of his friends hanging out in the studio with him. They were all yelling out albums, and getting excited about each others suggestions. I was writing them down as fast as I could.
They did me right. Now all these years later, I can pass on the short list version, with my own own approval.
Miles Davis Kind of Blue album. It’s a great album for a beginner, and it’s great even if you’ve heard a whole lot of jazz. Get it.
Thelonious is another great and important master of jazz. I suggest that you start out with the Monk’s Dream album. Monk swings the hardest of any jazz musician, in my little opinion.
This is the album that really turned me onto jazz. I still enjoy it and respect it. Roland Kirk’s Inflated Tear album.
Booker Ervin’s album called The Freedom Book is completely amazing, from start to finish. The chemistry of the musicians is amazing.
Grant Green’s Matador album is a great album, centered around the guitar playing, although McCoy Tyner is at his best (piano player from Coltrane’s band). It’s another great album that’s easy to like.
Wayne Shorter’s album called Speak Like A Child is a great album that you really have to hear. I can’t even talk about it. The whole band is amazing.
Herbie Hancock’s album, Maiden Voyage is another great and easy to like album. Freddie Hubbard is at his best through the whole album (on trumpet, fluglehorn). It’s a concept album, and it really does flow like the sea, as Herbie intended it to.
Horace Silver plays piano with soul. The songs are great and so is the band. Everything works on this album called Song For My Father. It’s another easy to like album too.
Oliver Nelson’s album called Blues and the Abstract Truth is another classic. It features the great Eric Dolphy. Get it!
Honestly, I think that the jazz of the current scene is some of the best I have ever heard. I live near New York City, and I am lucky enough to be able to hear today’s musicians in little intimate places. Today’s jazz musicians are VERY creative. Its not popular because its not advertised, and like Frank Zappa said “Most people wouldn’t know good music if it hit them over the head”. Anyway, here is a short list of musicians/albums that are great, in my opinion.
Drew Gress- Seven Black Butterflies
Scott Colley- Archetiect of the Silent Moment.
John Ellis- Roots Branches and Leaves
Kurt Rosenwinkel-Deep Song (any album)
Seamus Blake- Stranger Things Have Happened
Tim Berne and Science Friction- The Sublime and the…(live)
Ried Anderson- Dirty Showtunes
Ari Hoenig- Inversations
Dafnis Prieto- Absolute Quintet
Mat Maneri Quartet- Blue Decco
Roy Campbell- It’s Krunch Time
Human Feel- Galore
Aaron Parks- Invisible Cinema
Bernie Maupin Quartet- Early Reflections
Mario Pavone- Toulon Days
Chris Potter- Song For Anyone
William Parker- Painter’s Spring
PS-The best radio station for innovative jazz (BY FAR) is WKCR(.org). Check their schedule, because sometimes they play other styles of music too. WKCR is where I discovered most of the musicians on this list.http://www.columbia.edu/cu/wkcr/

By: robbie h

robbie h — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 00:56:35 +0000

Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis and John Coltrane

By: ♥Michael you are still Missed ♥

♥Michael you are still Missed ♥ — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:15:46 +0000

If you want to try a different type of Jazz listen to Sade she gives you chill vibe

By: Acoustic

Acoustic — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:19:26 +0000

Incognito
Maysa
Dave Koz
Kenny G
Grover Washington,Jr.
Ella Fitzgerald
Billie Holiday

By: username

username — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 10:49:35 +0000

i don’t know.
but this band is like jazzy progressive metal!
they’re called Cynic

By: Cam

Cam — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:29:22 +0000

Start by listening to Miles Davis’ album “Kind of Blue.”
It is one of the most beautiful and accessible jazz records in history: even people who DON’T like jazz love it.

By: Big Band Jazz Music

Big Band Jazz Music — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:18:51 +0000

Try George W Carroll’s website:
http://www.GeorgeWCarrollBigBandJazzMusic.com
He has great tunes on his site in a high quality format. (may take a minute to load), but worth it!

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:56:27 +0000

Stick with the first answer you got, I think from robbie, those are the godfathers, their are many different directions jazz takes these days, and those guys he listed will help you find which way you want to go.

By: ^ glen ^ ^muffler dent^

^ glen ^ ^muffler dent^ — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 15:29:08 +0000

Their is Jazz Rock Fusion for your consideration.
Herbie Hancock is involved in a lot of that fusion.
A particular album with Herbie Hancock on it that I like is White Rabbit by George Benson.
Lots of different styles of jazz. You should begin to sort through these variations to see what works for you.
Here is the map to show you the way;http://www.wnur.org/jazz/styles/

By: Barbra H

Barbra H — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:48:14 +0000

So I figure you like the horn styles in Jazz – Charlie Parker is one that is hard to beat but there are many more younger musicians recording nice tunes – Leroy Jones or Kermitt Ruffins out of New Orleans, Arturo Tappin to name a few. Go to myspace music and do a search, they usually have some samples of their music.