I am an employee here at the station, and much like Barbara LambHall, I work behind the scenes for our Web Team with a focus of bringing new technologies such as our Twitter and our Blogs.
You may see this as the reason I am blogging, but this isn’t about Web, it’s about Jazz.
Anyone here can tell you, I’m always wearing my Jazz91 T-Shirts and Hoodies. I wear them with pride because I love this station, the people and the atmosphere.
The one thing I’ve found about Jazz is that more than any other genre of music, is that there is such a strong, passionate culture associated with it. People don’t just listen to Jazz, they really live it, everyday. Jazz musicians are amazing people and being a guitarist myself, it’s inspiring to talk to musicians who play for the love of the music and also command such technical knowledge of the music.
However, Jazz is just a genre of music I was never exposed to.
Great Malvern
I am a 25 year old Englishman. I was born in a little town called Malvern which is located near Wales where I lived until I came out to the United States 3 years ago.
Malvern is famous for Schweppes Spring water, and my least favourite classical composer, Edward Elgar. The only thing I know about Jazz in Malvern is that the American troops were stationed there during the WWII wooed the Malvanian girls with their steps on the dance floor, supposedly to Swing and Be-Bop (according to my Grandma).
My parents are huge rock fans. Black Sabbath was ringing in my ear drums before I could walk, Led Zeppelin the soundtrack to my first steps, and Queen’s “We Are the Champions” my song of choice at every sporting event.
When asked, I always told people “I like rock and heavy metal”. I would also say “I don’t like Dance” or “Jazz is boring”. It wasn’t so much that I was closed minded to new genre’s of music, more that I listened to a few tracks from a genre, would decide I didn’t like it, and think that it represented that entire branch of music. One afternoon here at the station, around a year and a half ago, something happened that changed my perspective.
I was talking with a volunteer, showing him some of the music I liked. It was heavy metal, and to my great surprise he actually liked it. I asked him what genre of music he was into, and he told me “Well you know Chris, there is good music and bad music”.
I really like this way of thinking about music. Ever since then I have started to enjoy other genres, provided the music itself is good. Jazz on the other hand, is a beast to listen to. Some say it’s like a fine wine, and you just need time and exposure to appreciate it. Frank Zappa once said “Jazz isn’t dead, it just smells funny”. I think there is something to be said about these comments, and I want to find out what all the fuss is about.
So it comes down to this. I know there is Jazz out there I must like. I’ve never been able to get into it before, admittedly it’s because I haven’t spent a whole lot of time listening to it , and I think that perhaps I need to find the right artist or genre of Jazz to get started. I’m looking for you to give me some recommendations. For someone who comes from a rock background, what’s the best way to get into Jazz? I would be interested in instrumental piano or guitar and I would like to start with some slower stuff. Perhaps a recent release too. I’ve always been an album person, I love concept albums, so rather then listening to the station, I need an album that I can check out. I’ll listen to it and then write about my experience.
I would love to hear your suggestions, and any similar experiences you have had “getting into” Jazz. If I start to enjoy Jazz, I will try to write regularly about my new endeavor.
Take a “world of Jazz” class from Frank Sumares. You will learn a whole bunch about jazz from a VERY FUNNY CAT!!! He sprinkles his class with jokes, stories and plays jazz piano every day when you walk in his classroom. Everyone LOVES the class.Ask Alissa about him and he was Chuy’s teacher at DVC and Cal State, in the 1980’s.
You are so lucky! I envy you listening to Mingus,Coltrane, Monk and Miles for the first time! For Coltrane I recommend a chronological approach to listening so you can take the same journey he did. For some new artists I recommend some people I like: pianists Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Danilo Perez, Vijay Iyer, also check out horn players Russell Gunn and Sean Jones….
First off….I am a musician….and a swing dancer. So I can tell you, if you want to equate the part of jazz that is more like contemporary pop including all the good hooks and melodies and gimmics that cause interest….you need to seek out Swing Music. And because the songs had to fit on a jukebox record they only lasted 3 minutes.
One of the thing that kills be is hearing the Newport Jazz festival versions of songs that were made popular at the cotton club or the Savoy Ballroom. Because they seem to go on forever. I would suggest starting out with Ella Fitzgerald when she sang infront of Chick Webbs Band, Anita O’Day infront of Gene Krupas band……and maybe Benny Goodman when fronted by Helen Forrest.
Then When Sinatra and Joe Williams sang in front of the Count Basie Band…that is the best.
A personal favorite is Having a Wonderful Time by the Tommy Dorsey & His Clambake Seven. Its a gateway drug to traditional Jazz.
The Swing and the sway of most of this music can be felt in your bones.
And it makes it easy to appreciate other kinds of Jazz. Cool, BeBop, Traditional.
Though don’t make me comment on Smooth Jazz or Fusion.
Even Blues…… I much prefer Boogie Woogie, Soul, and RoadHouse, and Rhythm and Blues over the Delta stuff. I guess I am a 3-5 minute dude.
But that’s my idea.
Start from the consumable dance band stuff and see what you like of that…because it goes by fast and is well crafted to please most of the time.
Good Luck.
Oooh I meant to spell ME not be and you should really get someone to lend you a good survey of Django Reinhardt.
Try anything by the Greyboy Allstars. Live is a good one. Great guitarist. For an all around good jazz hip-hop album, check out Mastered the Art by Greyboy. The guitarist from the greyboy allstars plays a lot of the instruments on that album. For some really great funk jazz check out Stanton Moore’s All Kooked Out! album or catch him with his band Galactic. Charlie Hunter who plays on the All Kooked Out Album is an amazing guitarist. With his custom made guitar he can play bass while making the other strings sound like a Hammond B-3. Google him and check out his abundant work. For some really good local hip jazz..check out the Jazz Mafia. A collaborative of awesome local musicians that play in various bands. One of my favorites is the Shotgun Wedding Quintet Hip Hop Symphony. They are playing at Yoshi’s on Wednesday night. http://www.jazzmafia.com/the-shotgun-wedding-hip-hop-symphony/
Check out the rest of The Jazz Mafia Site. Oh check out Medeski, Martin & Wood. Let me know what you think.
Chris, it would really help if you could find an album which has straight-forward jazz versions of tunes (standards) that you are already familiar with, so that you can hear what the improvisor is doing with the tune.
When I was 16 (70 now) I knew all the tunes to the musical My Fair Lady, and Andre Previn’s jazz trio version was a real eye-opener for me. This no doubt goes too far back for you, but you get the idea.
Good luck
Mark Peery
I suggest taking a Jazz Appreciation class. My dad (Herb Wong) who used to be a DJ at KJAZ teaches at the Palo Alto Adult School. He brings to life so many jazz artists not just by history, but stories of his experiences with musicians throughout the years. Jazz isn’t just the music, just like rock has much more to tell. Check out the class, you’ll be changed forever.
It’s great to see so many responses already! I will write a follow up on Wednesday to all the responses I have at that point and let you know what I’ve chose to listen to based on your recommendations. I want as many people as possible to have their say. Thank you so much to everybody who has contributed.
Great suggestions on the taking an appreciation class by-the-way. I will be studying full-time at College of San Mateo during the Autumn Semester as well as working for the station, so I don’t think I’ll be able to fit it in, but I will consider it for after Christmas perhaps.
I should point out that lengthy songs are really not a problem for me so don’t be afraid to recommend them. I absolutely adore progressive rock, where songs usually clock between 7-9 minutes. I love concept albums, so I’m hoping that can be applied to some of the Jazz I’m about to be exposed to.
Thanks again!
I suggest trying out different kinds of Jazz. There are so many periods and artists to choose from, and it might sound overwhelming, but you and your library card might do well to sample from here and there.
One other idea: I myself am new to Jazz, and came to it the same way MANY people did. Miles Davis’ album Kind of Blue. That album hooked me like nothing else, and has become the focal point from which I have extended my Jazz appreciation, both forwards and backwards in time.
Find the song(s) that you connect with, read up a little on it, and then extend your knowledge from there, even if you jump around.
Ken Burns’ Jazz documentary is also wonderfully entertaining and educational, but not without its own caveats.
If you start with Louis Armstrong you won’t go wrong, from what I’ve learned he’s the beginning and no one has been able to top him yet. Learn from the originators not those copying.
I think the the best bet would be the class, but if you can’t do it ,some albums I would suggest listening to for a start are Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue”, Horace Silver from the 50’s and early sixties e.g. “Horacescope”,”Song for My Father”, Sonny Rollin’s “Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders”, Cannonball Adderley-”Somethin’ Else”, and Louis Armstrong’s Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings.
Have fun!
Hi .. I once worked at a country radio station .. didn’t know ANYTHING about country music .. it was funny. I learned a lot though.
Yes, a jazz appreciation class will help you. You can also do it yourself.
Learn by decades. You will then learn the progression .. and understand the passion!
Good luck!
Chris, there are a lot of blogs about jazz out there–some I’ve found helpful, but like all blogs some are narrow and opinionated. Here’s a link to a New York Times article from a few years ago that provides a starting map of a couple of what I think are reasonably intelligent discussion forums. And of course the ones mentioned here have their own blogrolls, which contain a lot of other jazz blog links. Just remember when you read jazz criticism–Mark Twain pointed out that there are no monuments to critics. And as Duke Ellington said, “If it sounds good, it IS good.” Good luck–and do tune into KCSM as much as possible–now that’s a broad exposure!!
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/arts/music/06blog.html
Chris,
Although I did listen to some jazz on the radio when I was about your age, what sticks in my mind as probably the most significant aspect of my developing an ear for jazz was hearing it live. Of course being the age that I am, I had the opportunity to see some of the all-time greats (e.g.Monk, Miles, Cannonball, Sonny Stitt, Dexter Gordon, Roland Kirk). Of course, I didn’t understand them all at first, especially Monk, who I saw only once in 1968. It took years before I could really appreciate his music–now, I can’t get enough of it. Nevertheless, there are lots of great artists performing in the Bay Area. We’ll talk about some of them when I see you in a few weeks.
Chris,
I would start with the classic players. I fell in love with Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong when I was 13. Then later it was Lester Young and Paul Desmond. You can’t gp wrong with Bill Evans, either. Just listen to what you like and you will develop your own favorites. And by the way, many of my ancestors are from Wales and I was raised on rock.
Enjoy!
[...] have to tell you, I was genuinely surprised at the number of responses my previous post Help out a non jazz fan out got. There were 14 comments here on the blog and another 12 or so on Facebook, so it has taken [...]
Welcome to a new addiction! I would recommend checking out anything by Dave Brubeck (piano) and Paul Desmond (sax). The two played together for a long time. Ellis Marsalis is another ivory tickler to check out. Enjoy!
My 2 Cents: Check out “Heavy Weather” by Weather Report, anything by Charlie Hunter, and “Crooked Road” on “Potato Radio” by Nancy King and Glenn Moore. Thanks for being so open and honest, Chris!