# Only Serious Jazz Ethusiasts Need Reply **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159 "2006-10-19T23:56:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/21 "2006-10-20T04:53:12Z")
Five CDs I would give an aspiring jazz fan: 1. Charles Mingus, Mingus Ah Um 2. Dexter Gordon, Our Man in Paris 3. Wynton Marsalis, Black Codes (From the Underground) 4. Bill Evans, Riverside 5. Duke Ellington, Ellington Indigos (Yes, I know. But there’s plenty of time for Kind of Blue.) ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/22 "2006-10-20T05:23:56Z")
My personal opinion is that you can’t go wrong with ANYTHING by either **James Booker** or **Vince Guaraldi**. (And yes, I know that’s a fairly odd pairing - but they are my two favorites!) For the OP - Booker is a New Orleans pianist who will quite frankly blow yer socks off if you like jazz piano. Serious virtuoso, serious drug addict. Guaraldi is the guy who wrote the piano music that you hear in all the Charlie Brown/Peanuts cartoons. But that’s not all he did - I love his style. Check out his greatest hits. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/23 "2006-10-20T06:28:33Z")
As long as you’re going to get the Miles Davis Quintet _Workin’_, _Cookin’_, and _Steamin’_, you might as well round it out with _Relaxin’_. All four albums were the result of two 1956 sessions in Rudy van Gelder’s studio in New Jersey. Rudy van Gelder is a genius recording engineer whose output from the mid-'50s through the '60’s (at least) was always reliably superb. If you have an album in your hands that you want to know if it’s any good, look at the engineer on the back cover. If it’s van Gelder, you can’t go wrong. Also, check out Benny Golson and Art Farmer with their Jazztet. Claude Bolling and Jean-Pierre Rampal collaborated on some pretty fun records in the late seventies / early eighties. Look for _Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano_. If you like what you hear of Brubeck, especially his playing around with exotic time signatures, you’re sure to enjoy these guys. Arrangers can also be a useful bellwether for quality product. A few names that are hallmarks of excellence are Fletcher Henderson, Neal Hefti (he wrote the title music to the TV version of _Batman_, so at least you’ve heard something of his, probably), Bill Holman, Nelson Riddle, and Quincy Jones. Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/24 "2006-10-20T09:17:18Z")
[The Essential Duke Ellington](http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Duke-Ellington/dp/B0009RQSC8/sr=1-2/qid=1161334251/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/102-6419329-4960157?ie=UTF8&s=music) gives a good overview of Ellington’s career - one of the longest and most important of any jazz musician/bandleader/composer. Sidney Bechet is another early jazz musician worth listening to. He specialized in soprano sax (and also played clarinet, although not as often as the soprano). There are a zillion Bechet CDs out there - good collections include the [Complete Blue Note 1939-1951 Master Takes](http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Note-1939-1951-Master-Takes/dp/B000066CR0/sr=1-3/qid=1161334702/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/102-6419329-4960157?ie=UTF8&s=music) and the [Complete Original American Rca Victor Masters](http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Original-American-Victor-Masters/dp/B000066CR1/sr=1-11/qid=1161334702/ref=sr_1_11/102-6419329-4960157?ie=UTF8&s=music). One CD set I really love is [The Luis Russell Story](http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/7038575/a/Luis+Russell+Story+1929-1934.htm). Russell was a Panamanian-born pianist who took over a band formerly led by King Oliver and turned it into one of the first swing bands. The transformation in sound is amazing - the band was years ahead of its time. Another important early jazz band was Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra. This is the band that Count Basie more-or-less inherited when Moten died in the early thirties. Moten’s orchestra was the most important and successful territory band of its time. They started with a distinctive sound and later switched to an early form of swing (when Basie and others joined the band). You can hear most of Moten’s output on [Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra, Vol. 1](http://www.amazon.com/Victor-Recordings-Vol-Bennie-Moten/dp/B00003IE40/sr=1-7/qid=1161335334/ref=sr_1_7/102-6419329-4960157?ie=UTF8&s=music), [Bennie Moten’s Kansas City Orchestra Vol.2](http://www.amazon.com/Bennie-Motens-Kansas-Orchestra-Vol-2/dp/B00003IE41/sr=1-2/qid=1161335334/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/102-6419329-4960157?ie=UTF8&s=music) and [Band Box Shuffle](http://www.amazon.com/Band-Box-Shuffle-Bennie-Moten/dp/B00004WGY3/sr=1-3/qid=1161335334/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/102-6419329-4960157?ie=UTF8&s=music). ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/25 "2006-10-20T09:36:44Z")
I agree with those who say listen on the radio and find your taste before you go out and buy. And here’s an amusing (though evidently untrue) aside regarding Thelonious Monk: > [@](#): > > This is an apocryphal story. During Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign, he was doing an interview with supposed intellectual, Tabitha Soren of MTV. Soren asked him if there was anything he dreamt of doing. Clinton replied that he had always wanted to play sax with Thelonious Monk. Soren screwed on her best smart-girl face and replied, “And who was the loneliest monk?” [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=18738](http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=18738) (snicker) That’s always cracked me up. ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/26 "2006-10-20T09:46:39Z")
Miles Davis is always a good place to start - but before “Kind of Blue”, I’d recommend “Miles Ahead”. It’s Miles playing flugelhorn with a 19 piece group, and has some fantastic tunes - “Springsville” is one of the most incredibly uplifting pieces of music you’ll ever here. “Blues for Pablo”, “My Ship”, “The Duke” - tons of great stuff. “Seven Steps to Heaven” is also really accessible (and under-rated) Miles with some great blues playing on it, and the remarkable debut of Tony Williams, who spices some of thetracks up nicely Bill Evans is a remarkable player - his music is complex and lovely - I listened to it a lot as a jazz newbie and it got me used to complex melody and harmonisations. Cannonball Adderley is a mixed bag -he’s enjoyable enough but some of his later music is a bit simplistic. Be very wary of John Coltrane. If the cover picture shows him holding a soprano sax - run far, run fast. Actually, this is pretty good advice for any soprano sax players. Avoid at all costs - Ornette Coleman, Pharoah Saunders (guaranteed the WORST music you will ever hear), Jimmy Guiffre and Alice Coltrane Good luck and please keep us posted on your growth as a jazz lover! mm ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/27 "2006-10-20T10:38:49Z")
What, no Ella fans? Get some Ella (that’s Fitzgerald). In particular Ella and Louis. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/28 "2006-10-20T13:13:02Z")
Female vocalists Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, Shirley Horn, Terri Thorton and Dianne Reeves. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/29 "2006-10-20T13:14:31Z")
Sample the late Terri Thornton in “I Believe in You.” > **[Thornton, Teri - I'll Be Easy to Find - Amazon.com Music](https://www.amazon.com/Ill-Easy-Find-Teri-Thornton/dp/B00001X57J)** > > Amazon.com When veteran singer-pianist Teri Thornton delivered her stunning performance to win the 1998 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition at the Smithsonian Institute, she was regaled with a thunderous ovation. I'll Be... ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/30 "2006-10-20T14:12:51Z")
[QUOTE=mamboman] Be very wary of John Coltrane. If the cover picture shows him holding a soprano sax - run far, run fast. Actually, this is pretty good advice for any soprano sax players. [/quote] It’s useful to divide Coltrane’s career into 3 separate categories: his career as a sideman with such names as Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis (_Kind of Blue_) and Thelonious Monk (_Thelonious Monk With John Coltrane_), his mid-career as the leader of his own trios and quartets (_Blue Train_, _Giant Steps_) and the last couple of years of his life where he went completely avant-garde with chaotic experimental free jazz (_Kulu Se Mama_, _Meditations_). Personally, I find much value in all stages of his career and I find _Kulu Se Mama_, in particular, to be one of his most intriguing. [QUOTE=mamboman] Avoid at all costs - Ornette Coleman, Pharoah Saunders (guaranteed the WORST music you will ever hear), Jimmy Guiffre and Alice Coltrane [/quote] Or, on the other hand, they might just be among some of the most provocative and challenging voices in jazz. Granted, free jazz is definitely not for everyone but it can be rewarding for anybody who’s willing to make the effort. Of course, it’s a big plus to have a solid grounding in jazz fundamentals to aid in understanding this genre. Other artists in this vein include Charlie Haden (Ornette Coleman’s bass player), Don Cherry and Sun Ra and, more recently, John Zorn’s '80s-'90s work with Naked City and Marc Ribot’s work with Shrek. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/31 "2006-10-20T22:39:59Z")
It seems that Miles Davis rings a few bells around here. I’m going to start there. Thanks ya’all and I’ll try to keep you informed. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/32 "2006-10-21T03:38:04Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] It seems that Miles Davis rings a few bells around here. I’m going to start there. Thanks ya’all and I’ll try to keep you informed. [/QUOTE] That’s cool 🆒 Just remember that if you don’t like him, it’s only one style of jazz he’s playing, and there’s much more to choose from. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2006, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159/33 "2006-10-21T04:38:00Z")
[QUOTE=Carnac the Magnificent!] Female vocalists Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, Shirley Horn, Terri Thorton and Dianne Reeves. [/QUOTE] Thanks for posting these, CtM. Wonderful vocalists each and every one of them. Every musician on my list has been mentioned in this thread. I just wanted to mention that I’d rather scrub the whole house with a worn-out toothbrush than spend more than 10 minutes listening to Diana Krall. She bores me to tears, yet she has a knack for hiring good musicians to play with her. Enormous irritation level here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/only-serious-jazz-ethusiasts-need-reply/377159.md?page=1)