Zaoman 0 Posted June 7, 2005 Share Posted June 7, 2005 Total beginner. If anything, bad image of jazz. Sounds pretentious, without form and.... annoying. But I want to try and a few friends are really into it and going to some jazz concert in July. Anyway. Any jazz fans out there? And good suggestions for artists/cds to start with for the beginner? Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
Thunderpants 0 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 Zaoman! I'm a big jazz fan Jazz is great, but there are so many kinds of jazz that it is almost impossible to like it all (for me anyway) I got into jazz when i was 19, Me and a friend of mine drove around U.S in a big ugly van. My friend had a lot of Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane tapes. that was all the music we had, the antenna was broken so no radio. It took a while for me to find the "form", but after about 6 months i started to like the sound of improvisations and i was able to interpret (but not fully understand) the solos. I really don'd like the New Orleans jazz, and most big band music bores me, the exception being Duke Ellington later stuff, and an hour or so of Count Basie. I don't know what kind of music you listen to at the moment Zaoman, but if you drop some names i may be able to help you a little on the way. A good album to begin with would be Miles Davis Kind Of Blue. But jazz is not dead, there are many young artists today who are soo good. What kind of concerts will you be going to? who is playing? Please don't give up on the jazz thing. good jazz is so much more than rock/pop can ever be (for me at least) Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 What do you like? piano, horns, bass?? I think Ron Carter is the best bassist out there and you can rarely go wrong with Miles Davis (although you ain't gonna be seeing him live!) If you want to experiment with jazz check out the Blue Note in Aoyama. It's pricey but they draw the best names in the industry. I'm not a huge jazz fan but it has never failed me as background music for a night out with some friends/family if you can catch it live. And occasionally the performers work themselves into a bit of a frenzy that is entertainment in itself. Another excellent place Zaoman, is in Ichinoseki (Iwate) a place called Count Basie. It's a little hole in the wall but a number of famous peeps have performed there..including Elton John (it is a true jazz bar..don't know why Elton John played there). Anyways, good luck. Link to post Share on other sites
sakebomb 0 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 I love jazz, great to relax to, work to etc. Personally I think it is the only music I can listen to at anytime and any mood!! Definetely check out Miles Davis & Coltrane. I would also recommend Stan Getz, Charlie Parker and my fav, Charles Mingus!! Link to post Share on other sites
Thunderpants 0 Posted June 8, 2005 Share Posted June 8, 2005 sakebomb, i should rate you 5 stars for Mingus Lately i have been exploring Kenny Garrett and Joe Lovano, Powerful dudes. As i wrote in my earlier post, i strated out with a lot of Sonny Rollins, he had a lot of power and has a catchy tone, but i have not listened to any of his albums for years, just grew tired of him. Anyone share that experience? Link to post Share on other sites
Weegeoff 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 Try dipping your toe in the water with some easy listening. Try this new kid on the block Jamie Cullum Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 My wife bought a CD of piano jazz the other day. It sounded like the piano was being dragged over cobblestones. It made me want to scream. Link to post Share on other sites
slow 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 I like Cuban jazz pianists. They sound very cool. I usually choose jazz paino or trio and never bought jazz vocal. I went to Motion Blue Yokohama the other night. It was flamenco night and I expected to see the dance. But it was more like jazz flamenco guitar trio. GERARDO NÚÑEZ is an excelent guitarist. The trio, Spanish guitar and double bass, percussion made a very cool sound. I'd love to travel around the world just for Jazz Festivals in summer. Link to post Share on other sites
powwwers 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 in my opinion, when you appreciate (understand?) jazz, you know what music is all about. have to agrre with earlier posts re: Miles Davis, John Coltrane. can`t really go wrong using these as a starting point. although my personal faves are Duke Ellington (that`s nice), Art Blakey and Mose Alison. I `got onto` jazz when i came here 5yrs. ago. so glad i did. goes well with any mood. Zaoman, get yaself a compilation album and go from there. you`ll soon work out what you like and don`t. stick at it though- it`s worth tha ride. Link to post Share on other sites
maoriboy 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 Yeah I agree Powwwers. Miles Davis, John Coltrane are good and getting a compilation album is a good starter. Im lucky enough to have a small Jazz bar just up the road from me. The Master has a great selection of jazz on LPs that literally cover the entire back wall, not to mention the countless cds he has. Its a great place to relax after work. Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by Weegeoff: Try dipping your toe in the water with some easy listening. Try this new kid on the block Jamie Cullum Went to uni with that guy, and spoke to him not so long ago, believe it or not he isn`t really into jazz at all! Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 For a good intro. I think you'd be hard pushed beat the Dave Brubeck Quartet (time out). He hooked me onto Jazz, and even years later I still find him hard to beat as the ultimate background for early evening vegging on balconies... but then I'm too lazy regarding music generally, let alone Jazz... I really must try to move on. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 If you want anything with vocals, nothing like some ol' Satchmo records, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sara Vaughn.... More contemporary stuff - check out Bobby McFerrin, that guy's a living genius. He has a recording singing jazz standards with Chick Corea on piano. His other stuff is less mainstream, but I love it. And Diane Reeves too.... I'm a big Keith Jarrett fan too (piano). Keith and Chick are wonderful. So's Herbie Hancock. And a whole slew of others, including some of the greats already mentioned above. Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 Herbie is a true great! Cool, understated mood tunes from the mid-Sixties like Cantaloupe Island! Spaced-out abstract, super deepness on Miles' In a Silent Way with Herbie, Chick and Joe Zawinul, the keyboard dream team! Tripped-out fusion like Sextant! Supercool street funk like Headhunters! Phat electro on Rockit, the tune that brought scratching to the masses! The man's a legend! Link to post Share on other sites
Zaoman 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Author Share Posted June 9, 2005 Hey thanks for the tips. I might look up some of these. Cheers. I'll let you know how I go on. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 shame on me for forgetting to mention Zawinul - but of course that opens up a whole nother can of worms of jazz fusion with Jaco, Wayne Shorter, Weather Report, Pat Metheny, Lyle Mayes, Oregon, Ralph Towner, John McLaughlin, Shakti... etc etc. Did you know that the Headhunters bassist is alive and kicking living in Osaka by the way? Paul Jackson? Used to live in Tokyo. Or wait - maybe he moved to Kobe... Yeh, rockit was happenin! Great clip, too. Link to post Share on other sites
wendy-cake 0 Posted June 9, 2005 Share Posted June 9, 2005 Sorry I hate jazz. Or perhaps I just haven't listened to any good jazz. This Quote: It sounded like the piano was being dragged over cobblestones. It made me want to scream. made me laugh Link to post Share on other sites
Thunderpants 0 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by slow: I went to Motion Blue Yokohama the other night. It was flamenco night and I expected to see the dance. But it was more like jazz flamenco guitar trio. GERARDO NÚÑEZ is an excelent guitarist. Slow, did you actually attend a Gerado Nunez concert???? if you did you are the luckiest person i don't know i love that man's work, my favorite album is "Calima" Zaoman, sooner or later you have to make a choice what kind of jazz you are going to concentrate on, tell us something about your current music taste! The reason i'm asking is because some people get headacke from Coltrane, other fall asleep to miles (50's cool). i feel like breaking stuff when i hear "happy New Orleans" jazz, and as much as i like Chick Corea, i must say that his Return To Forever-trip is really bad! Link to post Share on other sites
js 0 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 I agree with the lot of you - some jazz sounds like a whole lotta people tuning their instruments badly while other types sound pure cool. I remember being dragged to jazz concerts when I did music at school (unfortunately I never learnt to play a thing, only sing), and by friends some years later. They didn't appreciate me asking an hour into the events: 'when are they gonna stop tuning their instruments and start playing?' Having said that, I very much like Satchmo, Miles Davis, Ella F, etc - maybe it's the form of jazz I like ... the older stuff? Link to post Share on other sites
slow 0 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Quote: Originally posted by Thunderpants: Slow, did you actually attend a Gerado Nunez concert???? if you did you are the luckiest person i don't know i love that man's work, my favorite album is "Calima" [/QB] Yes, he was in Japan in May. His guitar is amazing, isnt't it? I don't have his album yet but will get one next time I go to HMV. This is his latest album Andando el Tiempo . miteyak, "Time Out" was my first jazz album and it's still the best jazz for me. I like The Bad Plus, Brad Mehldau, too. Link to post Share on other sites
maoriboy 0 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Has anyone been to the Tokyo Jazz festival? I have attended for two of the four years Ive been in the country..and its pretty good. First year I went Celia Cruz and the Buena Vista Social Club played. Awesome!! Last year I was given 12 "A" tickets but I couldnt go coz I was working..and I couldnt find anyone who wanted to go either. And I'll probably be getting free tickets this year too.. Link to post Share on other sites
powwwers 0 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 maoriboy, sounds good. didn`t realise there was a bit of a following here. lets have a SJ `LET`S JAZZING!` when is the festival? be sure to let me know when/if ya score som tix. there`s a good (Maori) boy Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 If you want to see some good local stuff in Tokyo I have some friends who are really happening. Here's a couple. Jazz singer (female) ex New York Monday nite in Shinjuku I think. http://www2.gol.com/users/pamelot/ Interesting jazz/latin band with American shakuhachi player http://candelatokyo.com And just some good more 'regular' players too. Any of these grab you for an SJ lets jazzing nite? I might go see Pamela on Monday. Link to post Share on other sites
powwwers 0 Posted June 10, 2005 Share Posted June 10, 2005 Good work Sunrise! mondays a `no can do`, but i woudnt mind chekin her out on Fridi. will post here or pm if i go. any other SJers Link to post Share on other sites
NoFakie 45 Posted June 11, 2005 Share Posted June 11, 2005 You can hear some hardcore Cuban piano action from the island's longest-running salsa band Los Van Van when they come to Japan in August. They pioneered dual-keyboard salsa and their pianists really push what can be done within the structure of salsa. All salsa music is underpinned by the clave, a wood block-type instrument that marks the basic rhythm. I quite like John Coltrane, but he's a bit of a "James Joyce", a name that people throw out for credibility points. When you ask them what Coltrane they like, you normally get "Favourite Things", a nice, but hardly earth-shattering performance, rather than the more militant free-form stuff like "Meditations" he did in mid-60s when he was established as a black icon. "Meditations" is very dense, and it not surprising that it get described as "tuning up". It has lots of intense soloing before any themes seem to evolve, and a different sax player and drummer on the left and right channels. You'd wreck the ambiance in a lot of jazz bars if you put it on. Link to post Share on other sites
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