Jamie Cullum
Sade
Carmel
Last Exit
The Afro-Dizziac Experience
David Sanborn Again (great Christian jazz band, not everyone's cuppa tea...)
The Camden Dixieland Stompers (keeping the Trad faith)
etc
^ Is there any chance you could knock me up one of your "I can't believe it's not dinner jazz" comps?
I would, but I'm doing a comp for Blue Note called 'Ivy Jazz!'...you know...like Dean...but cooler.
Anyway, you didn't like all the Cecil Taylor, Albert Ayler and Glen Miller I put on the last one...so...
One way into jazz is jump blues (a fuzzy term, but so what). Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris, for instance.
This style is easier for the ear attuned to rock and roll.
Yes, in some way it's like that:
When most of the big bands broke up during WWII, there were basically two different ways to go for jazz musicians:
Modern Jazz, Bebop, Cool... the arty branch...
Jump Blues/ R&B... the pop/ entertainment way...
... of course, there were a lot of other things, too... some of the big bands didn't break up, some of them kept on swinging, some of them went more "progressive" (Stan Kenton etc.)... there were a lot of dance bands just playing the pop hits of the day... and there were even some musicians who played both R&B and modern jazz...
however, Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner etc... is definitely a good way into Jazz if you come from Rock and Roll... a ot of the early rock tunes were just jump blues cover versions...
Not forgetting that Kenton's big band was a school for many of the West Coast musicians.
There was a also the New Orleans Revival at the end of WWII spear headed by Lu Watters and Yerba Buena Jazz Band.
For real raw, musician hip and to the jive jazz, you can go no wrong with Norman Granz's Jazz at the Philharmonic series of live recordings from 1944-49, originally released on V-discs for the troops. Essential recordings.
Interesting that SJ is doing compiliations for Blue Note, over here in the Netherlands we have DJ Maestro who does that. Great live, a 'orribly handsome bugger too, lucky bastard.
I still think that Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive could be a nice way in for a newbie to... whatever. It's only really just a rehash of '40s pop (maybe?).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OliY3mHaSIY&feature=related
You mean like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgW3RxKdN0Q&feature=related
And this, the original (let Joe Jackson be remembered for the perfect 80's pop of Steppin' Out):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8yGGtVKrD8&feature=related
Much better.
I was only offering the newbies shandy to lead them onto the hard stuff...
Any start is a good start.
It's just starting that counts.
My bridge from blues, soul, etc. into Jazz (about fifteen or so years ago) was facilitated by this guy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkLbjHnhA8Y
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqSLoxwkCYE
I think as good of a way in as any.
Last edited by ScarletStreet (2010-02-17 14:18:25)
As an intro to Jazz I've always thought that Bill Evans Village Vanguard recordings were stellar. The recordings are live, wonderful and full of a mellow intensity that you can let take you away or just happen. I also like early Ramsey Lewis as a entry into jazz. One artist that I think gets neglected is Chico Hamilton, love the sounds and Pacific coast vibe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdcJc8LOmaw&feature=related
Welcome!
All good names - Ramsey is an especially good way in if you come from another direction.
Best -
Rrrrrrrrr.
Chico is still alive, that's why he's often neglected, he won't be neglected when he's dead that's for sure. Pretty much the definitive drummer of the West Coast during the 50's.
Oh God...
Let them die and you'll soon see the scum rush to praise them.
But you won't hear from them before that point.
Unless they can already smell money in their decline...