Perhaps there should be a Jazz subforum.

[readyeddy?]

I'm not an expert on Jazz but I do like it. My first jazz album was "Mysterious Traveller" by Weather Report. I was blown away. Now this is jazz fusion so I can honestly say I lean toward that a little more then other forms of jazz but I wouldn't mind expanding my musical horizons by trying other forms. I have a lot of Miles Davis stuff, a little Return to Forever, a little David Sanborn, a little Jean Luc Ponty, a little Tower of Power, some Ella Fitzgerald collections, a Billie Holiday collection some other stuff. I have some other stuff but I have to look.
Talk to me about Jazz.

[readyeddy?]

So, am I the only guy on the realms that is interested in Jazz at all?
I have a surprise for you guys. I have a Jazz collection that features a song with Slash from G&R on it. If he can appreciate jazz, you ought to be able to.

[turdburglar47]

Judging by a lot of these album contests, I don't think you're gonna get a lot of jazz conversation. Some folks think Kelly Clarkson and Alanis Morissette made some of the best albums of all time.

[readyeddy?]

Judging by a lot of these album contests, I don't think you're gonna get a lot of jazz conversation. Some folks think Kelly Clarkson and Alanis Morissette made some of the best albums of all time.
Well, there's got to be some folks that pay some attention to the genre. Like perhaps you, oh cynical one. Cough it up, What do you like?

[turdburglar47]

Honestly, I want to like more than I do. I'm just starting to segue towards it. I like some blues stuff, and I've been pondering buying a bunch of Miles Davis stuff just to do it and see if I dig it.

I used to go to a place in my home town called Rusty's Jazz Cafe and just sit back and watch some cats go to town for a night.

I guess I'm a little uncertain as to what all qualifies as jazz. Does it include stuff like Billie Holiday and Louis Prima, or is it generally considered the more instrumental improvisation?

[readyeddy?]

Honestly, I want to like more than I do. I'm just starting to segue towards it. I like some blues stuff, and I've been pondering buying a bunch of Miles Davis stuff just to do it and see if I dig it.

I used to go to a place in my home town called Rusty's Jazz Cafe and just sit back and watch some cats go to town for a night.

I guess I'm a little uncertain as to what all qualifies as jazz. Does it include stuff like Billie Holiday and Louis Prima, or is it generally considered the more instrumental improvisation?
Actually it does, though I'm unfamiliar with Louis Prima. Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald both did Skat. Jazz is actually almost as broad as rock. I'm trying to get up the nerve to investigate more John Coltrane. The one album I ever bought seemed inaccessible, but I'm always hearing how great he was. There's all kinds of different jazz artists from Al DiMeola to George Benson to Louis Armstrong to Maynard Ferguson. The problem is it's an isolated musical genre. Jazz stations never have much commercial viability. You have to invest yourself a little to enjoy it. Even I don't commit enough to feel completely comfortable talking about it too much. I'm kind of fishing for someone who's more of an expert. When you have parties you don't really say, "Hey, have you heard this latest jazz release?"
It's an acquired taste, like Scotch.

[turdburglar47]

Louis Prima is a blast. He had me when he was singing this duet with a woman and she sang something like "My heart's made of stone" and he cuts in with 'What do ya think mine's made out of, lasagna?' Gloriously dopey fun.

I'm in the same boat with Coltrane. I need to poke at it a bit more.

Jazz is something you kinda gotta be in the right mood for, and it doesn't really seem like something you can listen to in the daytime. It's definitely a late-night sound.

[JKLantern]

The only jazz albums I have are "Ginger Baker Trio: Going Back Home" and arguably parts of "Jeff Beck: Wired."

[readyeddy?]

The only jazz albums I have are "Ginger Baker Trio: Going Back Home" and arguably parts of "Jeff Beck: Wired."
I've always felt that "Wired", "Blow By Blow", and "There and Back" all are as much jazz as they are rock.

[Inbetweener]

I love Jazz music. And I'm not just talking about fusion...when I was a teenager a lot of my LSD buddies liked the pyschadelic pop rock from the late 60s and early 70s (i.e. the Doors, Pink Floyd)...I thought it was pretentious then and I still do now (although the musicianship is incredible). My dad introduced me to B!tches Brew, a double album with some of the greatest Jazz guys for the time, lead by none other than Miles Davis himself. That was a Jazz record that I found accesible (it is THE definitive Jazz Fusion record) and opened me up to Jazz and Big Band completely...from Paul Whiteman, Artie Shaw, Nat King Cole and Charlie Parker to Norah Jones and The Cinematic Orchestra. I'm partial to older Jazz though, in it's purest and most improvisational state.

Anway, Jazz forum? I don't know how many people will come post but I'm an advocate for one I suppose.

[Inbetweener]

I guess I'm a little uncertain as to what all qualifies as jazz. Does it include stuff like Billie Holiday and Louis Prima, or is it generally considered the more instrumental improvisation?

This is a good question. The great Dizzie Gillespie once said "it's all music." He is to Jazz what Jonny Rotten is to Punk...Jazz personified. I'm not sure that helps but Jazz, like all music genres, finds its way into everything. It definitely doesn't have to be instrumental to be Jazz though and even the biggest of Jazz snobs can admit that.

Over the last 30 years or so you have Jazz influencing every genre and it often goes unrecognized...especially in Electronica which is more often than not old Jazz using different sounds and instruments. Even Christina Aquileira did a pure retro Jazz record and Jazz is a huge influence on modern artists from Bjork to Amy Winehouse. It is also pretty much omnipresent in hip-hop and R&B.

[readyeddy?]

Here are some links for Weather Report, the band that caught my attention and made me appreciate Jazz, though I only wish they had some links for cuts from "Mysterious Traveller". It blends in some cool African rythyms that give it a great primal feel.

Birdland
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqashW66D7o

Teen Town
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDQlSSOXU6A

Black Market
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7fOetV0ha4

Waterfall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50WEbUCDfjE

Portrait of Tracy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25DXcFg1TFo

[AlienFlanders]

This is a little out of left field and I should find and re-read the story, but there is a Cthulhian story that had a character become terrified after seeing a record album (maybe Coltrane) called the Man with a Horn, but I have never been able to track the record down, anyone cast any more confused light on it?

[VelvetGuru9]

Actually it does, though I'm unfamiliar with Louis Prima. Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald both did Skat. Jazz is actually almost as broad as rock. I'm trying to get up the nerve to investigate more John Coltrane. The one album I ever bought seemed inaccessible, but I'm always hearing how great he was.
Billie Holiday wasn't really a scat artist, but Ella...now that woman was the undisputed Queen of the genre.

If I may make a suggestion about Coltrane, try starting out with Coltrane Plays the Blues. It's not very jazzy, but it really showcases another side of Coltrane and you'll find it very easy to listen to.

Giant Steps is another CD and the song itself is such a great tune that many college jazz courses dissect it and break it down to understand the genre/song creation.

If you want something sultry with vocals, try John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. When you first hear Coltrane come in on the first cut, They Say It's Wonderful, you'll be knocked out by how brilliant it is. It's special is about all I can say.

[VelvetGuru9]

This is a little out of left field and I should find and re-read the story, but there is a Cthulhian story that had a character become terrified after seeing a record album (maybe Coltrane) called the Man with a Horn, but I have never been able to track the record down, anyone cast any more confused light on it?
What you're looking for is the Miles Davis recording "The Man with the Horn"

Be afraid of this man with a horn...be very afraid.

[AlienFlanders]

What you're looking for is the Miles Davis recording "The Man with the Horn"

Be afraid of this man with a horn...be very afraid.

Thanks, I'll have a look for it, I have a feeling that the writer didn't use Miles Davis' name.

[VelvetGuru9]

Here are some links for Weather Report, the band that caught my attention and made me appreciate Jazz, though I only wish they had some links for cuts from "Mysterious Traveller". It blends in some cool African rythyms that give it a great primal feel.

Birdland
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqashW66D7o

Teen Town
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDQlSSOXU6A

Black Market
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7fOetV0ha4

Waterfall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50WEbUCDfjE

Portrait of Tracy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25DXcFg1TFo
Sadly, I just heard this news about te founder of Weather report:
VIENNA, Austria - Jazz legend Joe Zawinul, who soared to fame as one of the creators of jazz fusion and performed and recorded with Miles Davis, died early Tuesday, a hospital official said. He was 75.:sleep:
And since I live here in South Florida, that reminded me, Jaco Pastorius, bassist for WeatherReport, died 20 years ago this month.

[readyeddy?]

Sadly, I just heard this news about te founder of Weather report:
VIENNA, Austria - Jazz legend Joe Zawinul, who soared to fame as one of the creators of jazz fusion and performed and recorded with Miles Davis, died early Tuesday, a hospital official said. He was 75.:sleep:
And since I live here in South Florida, that reminded me, Jaco Pastorius, bassist for WeatherReport, died 20 years ago this month.

That is sad news. I urge anybody who liked what they heard on my links to check out other Weather Report music and any separate projects by those two gentlemen and Wayne Shorter. I especially recommend "Mysterious Traveller". I wish I knew a method where I could share my copy with you so you could see what I mean.

[VelvetGuru9]

That is sad news. I urge anybody who liked what they heard on my links to check out other Weather Report music and any separate projects by those two gentlemen and Wayne Shorter. I especially recommend "Mysterious Traveller". I wish I knew a method where I could share my copy with you so you could see what I mean.
Since Jaco is buried about 20 miles from where I live, my wife and I had discussed going to his gravesite on the 21st (20th anniversary of his passing). Now Zawinul is gone too. I encourage people also to listen to some of the the links that readyeddy posted and to sit back and enjoy great music. For those who love virtuosity on bass, then watch Teen Town, it's Jaco's magnum opus.

[readyeddy?]

Here's a couple of interesting songs from the Pat Metheny Band. For the second one, I'm posting two versions, as the original version was Pat Metheny working with David Bowie.

Last Train Home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g6nPYyIS_I

This is Not America (Pat Metheny)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRjivIBCHDc

This Is not America (David Bowie)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3osvs63aPUs

[readyeddy?]

Here's a link to a nice David Sanborn song

Straight to the Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA4CQuIRpCk

Strangely it's listed as "through" instead of "to" on the Youtube link but I'm listing by it's name from the CD of the same name.

I was hoping for a link for "Smile" from the same CD but the link I found didn't sound like the one I was familiar with.

[neutralmarkhot]

turdburglar - def. check out (more) coltrane. it's awesome awesome stuff. i'm not into a lot of jazz but for coltrane i make an exception. amazing music.

i like armstrong and prima, but i think of them as pop-swing-jazz moreso that straight-up jazz.

[readyeddy?]

Right now I'm putting a collection called Smooth Jazz (the Essential Album) on my iTunes library. Partially because it shouldn't disturb anyone's sleep, and partially because I need to listen to more jazz. This is a two CD set that has artists like Chuck Mangione, George Benson and Grover Washington Jr on it. It also has one track by a saxophonist by the name of Candy Dulfer who is pretty good but probably has to struggle a little for respect in the business because she's hot.

I suppose this is the kind of Jazz that doesn't really challenge anybody but it's still good listening when you're in the mood.

[AlienFlanders]

The funniest reference I can give for Candy Dulfer is from Prince - Partyman she plays on the track, and Prince says "When I want Sax, I call for Candy"

[readyeddy?]

The funniest reference I can give for Candy Dulfer is from Prince - Partyman she plays on the track, and Prince says "When I want Sax, I call for Candy"
Cute, I hate Prince but that's cute.

You know this CD has Miles Davis' cover of "Time After Time" by Cindy Lauper. Before I started really paying attention to Miles Davis I remember a quote I heard about how he dismissed her music until he heard that song. He totally reassessed his opinion of her on the strength of that song.

[readyeddy?]

Thread resurrection!

Sketches of Spain - Miles Davis

No sense posting this on the "What are you listening to now?" thread. Most of the crowd there hardly even cares about the Blues much less jazz.

I needed to play something mellow so my wife wouldn't complain so #####e's Brew will have to wait til she's at work.