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What Jazz Records Would You Reccommend?

Posted by Cliff on from the for-my-fellow-jazz-geeks dept.

zmotula asks: "What Jazz records do you think are a must-have for a Jazz Geek? I've got about twenty records I really love (Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, Tijuana Moods by Charlie Mingus, Lush Life by John Coltrane, just to mention some) and I want to spend some more money on buying more. Alas, I can only afford buying around two CDs a month. What records do you think are essential?"

6 of 235 comments (clear)

  1. Two Suggestions by StillDocked · · Score: 5, Informative

    Time Out by the Dave Brubeck Quartet and Ella and Louis on Verve Records (which isn't the best of either of their work, however, they are amazing together).

    Another suggestion I would make is listen to the Music Choice Jazz channels, which are available on most cable and dish systems(in the States at least) They play great music and have the song/album information.

  2. Get Dizzy. by handsomepete · · Score: 5, Informative

    You've got to have a little Dizzy Gillespie in your collection. Pick something from later in his career (there's a three disc Verve comp that covers his career pretty thoroughly), then pick up Groovin' High which has some really beautiful orchestrated music that's perfect for... well... anytime, really.

  3. Let's See by GypC · · Score: 5, Informative

    "Mingus Ah Um" Charles Mingus

    "Bitches Brew" Miles Davis (early acid jazz, very unnerving)

    Try some big band stuff, you can't go wrong with anything by Duke Ellington.

    You're definitely going to need some Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, and Billie Holiday.

  4. Good Jazz Labels by mcSey921 · · Score: 4, Informative
    Good Jazz is easy to find by label. Look for anything on:
    • Blue Note (anything)
    • Prestige (50's to 70's)
    • Verve (60's)
    • Atlantic (make sure it's jazz;) (50's to 70's)
    • Savoy (any)
    • Pacific related jazz labels (50's to 70's)
    • CTI (any)

    Further if Creed Taylor produced it, buy it. If Rudy Van Gelder engineered it, for Chrissake buy it!

    Getting CD reissues of a lot of these labels is not a problem, and you always guaranteed pretty good stuff. Also check out Emusic.com, they've got a pretty good selection of jazz in a hastle free (though sometimes crappy quality) mp3 format.

    mcsey

    Emusic has 128 Kb joint-stereo mp3s? What is this 1999?
  5. What about modern Jazz by linkages · · Score: 4, Informative

    Ok. Enough suggestions for classic Jazz. If you want some more modern sounding albums, I would suggest the following:

    Any Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.
    You really can't go wrong here.

    Jaco Pastorious in any form which includes solo albums and any Yellow Jackets CD you can find.

    Victor Wooten
    By far the best modern Jazz bassist around.Also part of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones

    Stanley Jordan
    This man is just amazing. Plays the guitar with both hands like its a piano. If you can find any of the live stuff you will defineatly be able to tell that it is live and he is just that good.

    If you want more mellow stuff try John Pattatuci (spelling?). Modern Jazz bassist that plays with lots of emotion which most will translate into lullabies. Morons.

    Can you tell that I am a bass player.

  6. My Top Ten album by light101 · · Score: 4, Informative

    "Kind of Blue" Miles Davis Columbia CK 40579

    "Night Train" Oscar Peterson Verve 821 724-2

    "Time Out" Dave Brubeck Columbia VCK 40585

    "Birth of Cool" Miles Davis Capitol Jazz C2-92862

    "A Love Supreme" John Coltrane MCA Impulse GRD155

    "Getz / Gilberto" Stan Getz/Jao & Astrud Gilberto Verve 810 048-2

    "Giant Steps" John Coltrane Atlantic 781337-2 Rhino R2 71984

    "Blue Train" John Coltrane Blue Note B2-46095

    "Sketches of Spain" Miles Davis Columbia VCK40578

    "Bill Evans Trio Sunday at the Village Vanguard" Bill Evans Riverside RCD-018-2