I want to start listening to Jazz, but need help!

[arion]

actually this thread has been a big help for me i just never figured there were so many people here that listen to jazz

[RadarScope1]

I never knew there were so many jazz fans here, either! Saxophone player here and longtime jazz fan. I've branched out into other stuff as I've gotten older but my first love is jazz.

Listen to bobbynewmarkiii - he has some good suggestions.

On the sub-genres: jazz has a lot of periods with different sounds, much like rock. It's fun -- and very helpful to understand and appreciate -- to get a feel for many of them. You'll also get an idea of what you like and can dig deeper into that particular sound. Here's a VERY basic roadmap, with an emphasis on instrumental jazz.

Start with some Louis Armstrong. Compilations are everywhere, but a word about jazz comp albums in general -- there's a lot of shitty ones. Look for some quality releases. You'll know it when you see it. Decent artwork. Some liner notes. Pretty deep song list. The Ken Burns-PBS sampler is actually a great overview of Louie's career.

Count Basie and Duke Ellington were the kings of the big band era when jazz and pop were one and the same. I really like Basie. "Atomic Mr. Basie" and the live at Newport album are recommended.

Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie brought it back to a small-group thing with blistering solos. Look for albums with the two of them together FTW.

Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck did the "cool jazz" thing in the 50s and a lot of people find this style of jazz really easy to get into. Two MUST HAVE jazz albums from this period and jazz overall are "Kind of Blue" by Davis and "Time Out" by Brubeck. Buy buy buy.

Some great experimental stuff followed after that. Listen to those who recommend Coltrane and Ornette Coleman's "Shape of Jazz to Come." Coltrane has a lot of great albums and comps, but I'd have to recommend "A Love Supreme." OMG it sounds so hip even today. Another must-have. And I'll second the Herbie Hancock love.

IMO the best vocal jazz album ever put on wax is "Sinatra Live at the Sounds" with Count Basie's band backing him up. You will feel like a hip mofo every time you listen to it.

I'll also put in another word for a few of my favorite recent albums (relatively anyway):
"A Go-Go" by John Scofield with Medeski, Martin and Wood backing him up. Funky and tight.
"Largo" by Brad Meldau. Just on the edge of experimental. Something about the textures on this one I just love.
"These are the Vistas" by the Bad Plus. Some people don't much like these guys, but it might be a good bridge album if you are a rock fan. They cover Nirvana and Aphex Twin. Good examples of one of the best things about jazz: re-interpretation of others' work and making it your own.

If someone ask me where to start and I had to pick just three, they would be without a doubt:
Kind of Blue
Live at the Sands
A Love Supreme


Great thread!!

[noiseredux]

Coltrane's take on "My Favorite Things" is one of the most amazing pieces of music ever. Ever.

[Kevman]

WOW this is a really helpful thread. I suppose I'll start with Louis Armstrong and see where that taks me. I'm sure iTunes new "Genius" feature can help me out too. Thanks for all your help!

[fastbilly1]

Hmm, more mp3s to buy for the jukebox. But I do love the bigband sound.

[bobbynewmarkiii]

Thanks RadarScope - I'll be checking out the Basie Sinatra album, sounds awesome. Great recommendations and knowledge

Sun Ra.

...why not?

[Radiant Hero]

Nels Cline! That is if you what to go straight up alternative/indie, jazz/noise rock with no messing around! I believe that he just released a new album with a famous drummer in tribute to Miles Davis. For open minds only.

[racketboy]

I enjoy female Jazz singers like Norah Jones and Diana Krall.

I would recommend plugging a few names into Pandora as channels and see what you like from them and the similar artists they recommend.

[RackGaki]

Sun Ra is all over the place. Some of his stuff is pure genius, while other albums are downright unlistenable. I would second this choice, just because he had such an expansive library that you are sure to find something you like.

Some of the albums I have, and consequently, recommendations:

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Birth of the Cool (earlier cool jazz stuff); Bitches Brew, Cellar Door Sessions (more jazz fusion + experimentation)

John Coltrane - Blue Train (classic, must have, everyone who likes jazz at all should own it)

Eric Dolphy - Out To Lunch (favorite free jazz musician)

Kaoru Abe - Kurai Nichiyoubi (Japanese sax player, had some very impromptu sets, and unbelievably emotive solos)

Nina Simone - I've mostly enjoyed her Verve era stuff

Soil & Pimp Sessions - Pimpoint, Pimp of the Year (very upbeat quality fusion material)

Sun Ra - Heliocentric World of Sun Ra (good jumping off point for his free jazz material)

Django Reinhardt - great gypsy jazz guitarist, listen to everything he has

Ultimately, I would agree that Kind of Blue and Blue Train are the greatest places for a Jazz newbie to start. Personally, my favorite stuff tends to be the free jazz or jazz fusion, but I like all sorts of jazz from the big band to the vocalist. Except smooth jazz - I hated jazz for so many years as a child because I thought this crap was representative of what was out there.

[dsheinem]

Miles Davis-Kind of blue, is the biggest selling jazz record of all time. A decent place to start.

Seconded.

As suggested, you might also check out some compilations. I know that FYE often has those 100 songs 4CD box sets for like $10. You'd get a good cross-sampling there and could dig deeper as you see fit.