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Top 10 jazz albums for a newbie


Burns-bass

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7 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

How did I omit this! Duh.

Also the bass playing on Alternating Currents by Denys Baptiste is a particular fave at the moment.

Just listening to this at work now - what a tone Ray Brown gets out of that bass... (I should point out I'm listening to Night Train)

Edited by Burns-bass
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43 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I think jazz can appear something of an enigma until you understand it (not that I'm saying you don't - merely I personally didn't appreciate it until I understood the theory).

I don’t think it has to be understood, in fact I think this is a thing that stops people from listening initially, that they are frightened that Jazz has to be engaged with on an intellectual level. If you dig it then great, if you don’t, no worries but I think the appreciation of Jazz purely on a dig it or don’t level is as important as understanding it. My Mum *spits* had no musical ability or theoretical understanding of Jazz but she turned me on to Brubeck, Ellington, Miles Davis loads of stuff.

Edited by Frank Blank
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5 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

I don’t think it has to be understood, in fact I think this is a thing that stops people from listening initially, that they are frightened that Jazz has to be engaged with on an intellectual level. Listen, if you dig it then great, if you don’t, no worries but I think the appreciation of Jazz purely on a dig it or don’t level is as important as understanding it. My Mum *spits* had no musical ability or theoretical understanding of Jazz but she turned me on to Brubeck, Ellington, Miles Davis loads of stuff.

Interesting. I was the opposite you see - until I could understand what was happening I never really got it. Now I do, and really love it. 

We can carry on this chat when I come and pick up that AER amp 🙂

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30 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

the iconic recorded versions of classic jazz standards you may be asked to play on a session (and be expected to know)

Particularly if singers are involved, you'll do well to be familiar with the American Songbook.   A crash course would be to listen to Ella's records all with the similar name: "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the [Gershwin/Cole Porter/etc...] Song Book".  
 

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22 hours ago, Burns-bass said:

  While I love the sound of the electric bass, these have to be records that feature an upright..

This is one to keep for yourself, then ;-):

Jimmy Heath, The Gap Sealer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4m1aAFJK8EE

There have been some excellent ones mentioned already, but just in case, here are some more with double bass which might perhaps be of interest:

Grant Green, Matador:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41CEdVrCisQ&list=OLAK5uy_kZaA66OI6CbN2F4yOFoXtKTU703gOPs-g

Wes Montgomery, Full House:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP1Bw0wKZtU

Gerry Mulligan, What Is There To Say:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSR1sfaSQE8&index=5&list=PLoWjNId-4Pl7lvvzIY5iyXqDsjlsmIZAY

 

Lee Morgan, Search For The New Land:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUYnnziZYDU&list=OLAK5uy_mDQUijgzKgU6RAxMSj-sJqwkrc8Y0cT_w

Bobby Hutcherson, Stick-Up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVubNyQmNYU&list=OLAK5uy_kogSSPI73YQanAKstx_NTOQMUtOvGDY8Y (esp. "Verse")

 

Edited by knirirr
Added album names.
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I picked up a massive compilation of Paul Chambers’ work on Amazon mp3 for a couple of quid that’s well worth a listen. 

Min addition to what’s already been suggested I’d go for:

Songs for distingue lovers - Billie Holiday

Oscar Peterson meets Louis Armstrong

Both amazing albums with great performances and really clear mixes; perfect for detailed listening or transcription.

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Anything featuring Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.

A perfect example is "Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag" from "the eternal traveller" 

It is my favourite passage of music featuring a bass.

sadly, I can't post a link from this device

Edited by GuyR
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1 hour ago, GuyR said:

Anything featuring Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen.

A perfect example is "Jeg gik mig ud en sommerdag" from "the eternal traveller" 

It is my favourite passage of music featuring a bass.

sadly, I can't post a link from this device

Allow me...

 

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Some amazing suggestions so far. As a practical note. For a newbie there are some amazing compilations out there going dead cheap because the age of many of these classics makes their licensing cheap and easy. A quick skim of Amazon and iTunes threw up these...

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-jazz-album/1113064945

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-very-best-of-jazz-50-unforgettable-tracks-remastered/539446930

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-no-1-latin-jazz-album-ever/552348564

https://www.amazon.co.uk/No-1-Jazz-Album-Various-Artists/dp/B000024U2A

 

There’s a lifetime of learning and jazz appreciation in just those! And change from 30 odd quid! Plus a good way to find out what styles of jazz float your boat!

 

 

 

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21 hours ago, ForestPoetry said:

Ralph Towner - Solstice : the first proper foray I made into more experimental jazz outside of your Kind of Blue, Somethin' Else etc. The opening track swept me away from the first note. Like the rest of this list, it was and still is really unlike anything I've ever heard.

 

Thought I'd give this one a try, holy moly what a record, just superb - I'm totally captivated.

One thing I'm finding very interesting is the influence I can hear it's had - directly or indirectly - on some of the heavy music I typically listen to.

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22 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

Kind of Blue - Miles Davis

Birth of the Cool - Miles Davis

Time Out - The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Brilliant Corners - Thelonious Monk

Return to Forever - Chick Corea

The Shape of Jazz to Come - Ornette Coleman

Ellington at Newport - Duke Ellington

Getz/Gilberto - Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto

Mingus Ah Um - Charles Mingus

Saxophone Colossus - Sonny Rollins

Somethin' Else - Cannonball Adderley

Speak No Evil - Wayne Shorter

Maiden Voyage - Herbie Hancock

Out to Lunch - Eric

Go - Dexter Gordon

This list ^

Add:

Moanin' - Art Blakey

Django - Joe Pass

Miles Smiles - Miles Davis

Round About Midnight - Miles Davis... in fact all of the late 50s - early 60s Miles albums

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane

Blue Train...

 

too many

 

 

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I would be very happy with these on my desert island 🏝️ >

 

Herbie Hancock  - Speak Like A Child 

Herbie Hancock  - Takin' Off 

Bill Evans - Everybody Digs Bill Evans

Bill Evans - Waltz For Debby

John Coltrane - Giant Steps

John Coltrane - A Love Supreme

Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue

Duke Ellington / Charlie Mingus / Max Roach - Money Jungle

Grant Green  - Matador

Don Patterson - The Exciting New Organ Of Don Patterson*


* not famous like the others but a personal favourite! marvel at the way Don plays fantastic walking bass with his left hand while improvising on his organ with his right 😜

 

 

 

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