EBrew Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 I recently purchased Kind of Blue for my mother and she loved it. Before listening to that CD she was definitely in the camp of people who thought that smooth jazz was the ONLY jazz. Now that I have her hooked I want to keep her interested. I’m trying to get a few CDs to add to her collection. Any suggestions? I’m thinking stuff like Miles Ahead but small combo stuff would be great too. Hank Mobley’s Soul Station? Anything with Kelly, Cobb, Chambers rhythm section? I don't want to bombard her with the adventerous stuff that I listen to - yet. Thanks in advance. Quote
Noj Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 What's up EBrew, welcome aboard. This page at AAJ might be perfect for your mom: http://www.allaboutjazz.com/library/index.html Quote
Guest Chaney Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 Bill Evans... YES! How about a nice Stan Getz or Paul Desmond best-of? A non-jazz loving (former) friend of mine fell in love with Brubeck's Take Five so that may also be an obvious choice. Quote
vibes Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 More good recommendations from Tony. Stan Getz is especially good for newcomers. "Jazz Samba" and the "Cool Velvet + Voices" comp are very good choices that I've successfully used. I've also found "Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane" to be good for newcomers to jazz. Another laid-back date that really swings is Milt Jackson/Wes Montgomery on "Bags and Wes." Grant Green's "Street of Dreams" might be good too, although I've found that for many people, warming up to the organ takes a while. Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 Yeah, get some Getz with Jobim. Everybody loves those records! Ella with Louis too. Those are hip, accessable, swinging sides!! Quote
John Tapscott Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 A non-jazz loving (former) friend of mine fell in love with Brubeck's Take Five so that may also be an obvious choice. Agreed. Time Out would be a great choice. Others that come to mind: Paul Desmond - Pure Desmond Miles - Someday My Prince Will Come Getz/Byrd - Jazz Samba Oscar Peterson - Night Train Zoot Sims - and the Gershwin Brothers (turning up the swing temperature a bit) You might want to hold off the big bands for a while, though Miles Ahead and something like Ellington's Three Suites might be OK. Somewhere I read that surveys done for jazz radio stations put big bands are way down the list in popularity. I guess all that brass and the wide dynamics tend to startle more casual listeners. (Personally, I love big bands, far more than vocal jazz which seems to be quite popular these days). Quote
Dan Gould Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 I've also found "Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane" to be good for newcomers to jazz. I don't understand "Monk and Coltrane" as a good introduction to either artist. Both are demanding and distinct musicians and their one CD together is the last thing I would use to introduce them to a newbie. What do you use to show Trane as a leader? Interstellar Space? Quote
vibes Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 I've also found "Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane" to be good for newcomers to jazz. I don't understand "Monk and Coltrane" as a good introduction to either artist. Both are demanding and distinct musicians and their one CD together is the last thing I would use to introduce them to a newbie. I merely mentioned that as a somewhat accessible CD. It swings, and it's not too out there for either of the two musicians. I've shared it with people and they like it. My experience with newcomers to jazz is that they just want to hear good songs in the beginning, and don't care so much about the individual artists. For good songs, I think Monk with Trane definitely fits the bill. Quote
minew Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 The Ellington/Coltrane album on the other hand is a good place to start. All kinds of possible listening directions from that. Quote
EBrew Posted June 30, 2003 Author Report Posted June 30, 2003 These are excellent suggestions. Thanks to everyone for your help! I may have to grab some of these for myself Quote
king ubu Posted June 30, 2003 Report Posted June 30, 2003 What do you use to show Trane as a leader? Interstellar Space? Dan, I'd suggest the Japan concerts 4CD box! 60 minutes of My Favorite Things! B) Seriously: either start with some Atlantic recordings (Coltrane Jazz rather than Giant Steps, maybe My Favorite Things and Plays the Blues) or start with earlier Prestige records (Settin' the Pace, Soultrane, Traneing In) or with with any Miles Davis record with Coltrane as a sideman. Another one might be Blue Train, or Sonny Clark's Sonny's Crib. Then the Ellington/Coltrane is nice, as is Ballads (though a beginner might like it as easy mellow jazz, I think there's more to it, but that you might realize only after having listened some more hours to some other *jazz*) ubu Quote
davef Posted July 1, 2003 Report Posted July 1, 2003 If you want to break it in soft and sweet, get Antonio Carlos Jobim's Wave... a classic, beautiful album. Blue Note issued a series of Ballads CD's a while back too... ... I've used Stan Getz to break the people from that Kenny G habit Quote
Dave James Posted July 1, 2003 Report Posted July 1, 2003 EBrew - IMO, the key to getting anyone interested in jazz is to start with music that's heavy on melody. Most people who dismiss jazz will complain that it's music without melody. While all of us know that's not the case, a newcomer is looking for something they can hang their hat on. That's the grounding that melody provides. It also won't hurt if you initially expose them to music with which they may already be familiar, albeit in a passing manner. I'm talking about standards. Artists that come immediately to mind in a melodic/standard context would include Ben Webster, Lester Young, Wes Montgomery, Coleman Hawkins, Red Garland and the aforementioned Bill Evans. Ballad retrospectives are always a good idea for starters. The key is to set the hook gently and in as non-threatening a manner as possible. Then as their tolerance increases, you can begin to introduce them to material that's a bit more challenging. Up over and out. Quote
mgraham333 Posted July 1, 2003 Report Posted July 1, 2003 Interesting comment Dave James made: music with which they may already be familiar. It reminded me of how I got started really listening to Jazz. I had dabbled here and there, but I bought Phil Collins: A Hot Night in Paris which was a live date of his big band that played mostly Genesis and PC songs - but also included Milestones. Upon hearing Milestones, I sought out the Miles Davis version and that kicked off a journey in jazz that has been going for over 5 years now. Quote
dug Posted July 2, 2003 Report Posted July 2, 2003 Have her listen to "The Amazing Bud Powell, Volume 1". If she can't get into this................you may have to let mom wander in the vast wilderness of smooth jazz. Quote
Soulstation1 Posted July 2, 2003 Report Posted July 2, 2003 (edited) the verve recordings of ella/louie trane and ellington or trane and hartman miles - milestones- i forgot i had this cd paker and dizzy- bird & dizzy verve maybe the new 2 disc dexter bn set. the ladies love dex ss1 Edited July 2, 2003 by Soulstation1 Quote
Saint Vitus Posted July 2, 2003 Report Posted July 2, 2003 (edited) Ellington and Coltrane is a good suggestion. Evans and Bennett will work, too. Also, I can recommend: Something Else - Cannonball Adderley Focus - Stan Getz Wave - Antonio Carlos Jobim Alone (Again) - Bill Evans Chez Toots - Toots Thielemans Live in Paris - Diana Krall Edited July 2, 2003 by Saint Vitus Quote
brownie Posted July 2, 2003 Report Posted July 2, 2003 The Modern Jazz Quartet never fails to impress people who think jazz is just loud unruly music. And they swing, too! Quote
JSngry Posted July 2, 2003 Report Posted July 2, 2003 (edited) Moms are funny - I was home from college one summer and was jamming SORCECER and my Mom walked in during Herbie's solo on "Limbo" and says, "That's NICE! Who IS that?" TOTALLY out of character for the woman, but hey... Here's some more recs for Moms - Coltrane/Hartman (Impilse!): works for damn near EVERYBODY! Milt Jackson's SUNFLOWER on (CTI): perhaps the apex of the CTI sound. Easy on the ears, yet some truly beautiful and GREAT playing by Bags, Freddie Hubbard, and Herbie Hancock. Dexter Gordon - THE JUMPIN' BLUES (Prestige): Mom might not be ready for the full-frontal Dexter of the BN or Steeplechase things, but this is a really good side with plenty o'meat, yet it maintains a mellowish vibe throughout. One of my favorite Dexter sides, actually, and seemingly underecognized, so give Mom her first taste of "insiderism" and of Dexter all at once! SO many more to recommend! Edited July 2, 2003 by JSngry Quote
Brad Posted July 2, 2003 Report Posted July 2, 2003 Not that my wife might be the perfect model here, but she has a limited appetite for jazz but enjoys anything that is melody based or is relaxed swing. I'd recommend starting out with some Ellington, perhaps a best of kind of cd. I think KOB might be a little too much. Actually, not a bad place to start would be of one of those Ken Burns Jazz show sampler. If you can get her to be more adventurous, my wife liked Trane's My Favorite Things. After that, who know. Hope this is helpful. Quote
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