Jazz

[navidson]

Where to begin?

The genesis of Jazz commences with New Orleans ragtime, so rags from Scott Joplin and Jellyroll Morton, are worth attempting.

So many brilliant Jazz pianists to mention, but I can only give you a peek at my own personal favorite, John Lewis.

Good luck with the musical studies!

Cheers @LEONARD - looking forward to delving into his magnum opus - "Never Knowingly Undersold"

 

[jazzy]

Recently started playing the piano and it's opened my eyes (a little bit) to jazz

Any recommendations for a beginner to enjoy (mainly piano jazz)

Not sure I'm ready for some of the atonal, 'flay a trombone to within an inch of it's life' stuff yet

I agree with @LEONARD about John Lewis ( played in the Modern Jazz Quartet and more recently on a wonderful album called New Klear Jazz.)

However as as starting point for jazz piano you can't go far wrong with Nat King Cole ( yes he was a crooner but a fab jazz pianist too ) Oscar Peterson and much more recent Diana Krall.

All pretty easy to get into.

Avoid stuff by Monk and Keith Jarrett at this stage.

As a pianist you should listen to Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. Bill Evans plays on all tracks except track 2 where Wynton Kelly plays. Both are fantastic but the difference in styles is incredible.

Enjoy the journey.

 

[navidson]

I agree with @LEONARD about John Lewis ( played in the Modern Jazz Quartet and more recently on a wonderful album called New Klear Jazz.)

However as as starting point for jazz piano you can't go far wrong with Nat King Cole ( yes he was a crooner but a fab jazz pianist too ) Oscar Peterson and much more recent Diana Krall.

All pretty easy to get into.

Avoid stuff by Monk and Keith Jarrett at this stage.

As a pianist you should listen to Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. Bill Evans plays on all tracks except track 2 where Wynton Kelly plays. Both are fantastic but the difference in styles is incredible.

Enjoy the journey.

Thanks @jazzy (wonderfully appropriate name BTW)

I actually have this - Picked up a selection of Miles Davis from a charity shop last year, think I actually enjoyed it but haven't revisited it yet

 

[LEONARD]

Everyone on this thread is pretty pluralistic and cool.

But like classical music, Jazz can give rise to some real purists and zealots, snobs basically.

If you can't understand or appreciate a certain artist, IE= Ornette Coleman , then they won't talk to you.

 

[jazzy]

Everyone on this thread is pretty pluralistic and cool.

But like classical music, Jazz can give rise to some real purists and zealots, snobs basically.

If you can't understand or appreciate a certain artist, IE= Ornette Coleman , then they won't talk to you.

I don't like Ornette Coleman or Charles Lloyd or Sun Ra or Eric Dolphy etc , etc !

But for eveyone that I don't like there's a Charlie Parker , Benny Carter , Stan Getz , Bobby Watson etc etc lol

 

[No Alla Violenza]

lovely jazz-ish album out today

She has a beautiful voice

 

[coollino]

Recently started playing the piano and it's opened my eyes (a little bit) to jazz

Any recommendations for a beginner to enjoy (mainly piano jazz)

Not sure I'm ready for some of the atonal, 'flay a trombone to within an inch of it's life' stuff yet

Thelonious Monk

 

[jazzy]

Thelonious Monk

A very acquired taste @coollino

 

[Raindog]

Recently started playing the piano and it's opened my eyes (a little bit) to jazz

Any recommendations for a beginner to enjoy (mainly piano jazz)

Not sure I'm ready for some of the atonal, 'flay a trombone to within an inch of it's life' stuff yet

Depends what you're after. The album Jasmine by Keith Jarrett and Charlie Hayden is fantastic for blissed out chill, but if you like it funky check out Ramsey Lewis. This is a fsvourite of mine, although admittedly its a Rhodes or something similar.

 

[jazzy]

@LEONARD listening to MJQ The Last Concert. I'm familiar with their stuff but this concert is off the scale . Amazing how such cool cats can swing so well and the sound quality / recording is exceptional.

Milt Jackson , John Lewis , Percy Heath, Connie Kay what a collective

 

[jazzy]

Depends what you're after. The album Jasmine by Keith Jarrett and Charlie Hayden is fantastic for blissed out chill, but if you like it funky check out Ramsey Lewis. This is a fsvourite of mine, although admittedly its a Rhodes or something similar.

Yeah Ramsey is very cool

 

[Raindog]

Thelonious Monk

Saw these guys last Sunday, this was a highlight

 

[coollino]

A very acquired taste @coollino

All part of the fun tho

 

[LEONARD]

I don't like Ornette Coleman or Charles Lloyd or Sun Ra or Eric Dolphy etc , etc !

But for eveyone that I don't like there's a Charlie Parker , Benny Carter , Stan Getz , Bobby Watson etc etc lol

Spot on.

Take Miles Davis, I love the early and middle stuff, but the later 'rock-jazz' fusion music, was to my ears , just an unbearable noise.

 

[jazzy]

Spot on.

Take Miles Davis, I love the early and middle stuff, but the later 'rock-jazz' fusion music, was to my ears , just an unbearable noise.

Couldn't agree more. Got just about every Mikes recording up to 1965 but apart from the 1964 Concert Complete and My Funny Valentine I can't listen to anything after Tony Williams joined the group.

Which is bizarre because the pianist was Herbie Hancock whose solo stuff I adore.

Yeah went Miles went Jazz rock fusion I headed for the exit.

But it's like you said before Jazz is a broad church and one man's meat is another man's poison.

I'm the same with Coltrane. Loved everything up to Love Supreme but not beyond.