good jazz???

Holerbot6000 · 08-30-2012, 07:32 AM

A good thing about Jazz is that everyone seems to play on everyone else's records, so when you find something you really like, even a single album, that can lead to a whole world of exploration. Especially true with Bop music. Listening to Coltrane led me to artists as diverse as Lee Morgan and Pharoah Sanders. I recently picked up Thelonious Monk's 'Unique' album only to discover it features Art Blakey on drums. You kind of have to learn to follow your ears and trust your instincts. Not liking most 70's Jazz fusion is a good start. ^_^

I've been listening to Coltrane's Infinity album lately - the one where Alice took some old tracks and added all kinds of posthumous strings and effects. Like so much of her music, the end result is extremely trippy and I think complements the original tracks very well. An interesting experiment.

Also getting heavily into Nina Simone, a very underrated Jazz singer and pianist who plays and sings with tremendous style and wit. There is a lot of anger and defiance in her music and maybe some folks find that off putting, but the best jazz is usually the stuff that's the most uncompromising.

Blarobbarg · 08-30-2012, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holerbot6000

Also getting heavily into Nina Simone, a very underrated Jazz singer and pianist who plays and sings with tremendous style and wit. There is a lot of anger and defiance in her music and maybe some folks find that off putting, but the best jazz is usually the stuff that's the most uncompromising.

I have such a huge crush on her. I wish I was a time traveler so I could go back and woo her into my arms.

**Janszoon** · 08-30-2012, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holerbot6000

A good thing about Jazz is that everyone seems to play on everyone else's records, so when you find something you really like, even a single album, that can lead to a whole world of exploration. Especially true with Bop music. Listening to Coltrane led me to artists as diverse as Lee Morgan and Pharoah Sanders. I recently picked up Thelonious Monk's 'Unique' album only to discover it features Art Blakey on drums. You kind of have to learn to follow your ears and trust your instincts. Not liking most 70's Jazz fusion is a good start. ^_^

I've been listening to Coltrane's Infinity album lately - the one where Alice took some old tracks and added all kinds of posthumous strings and effects. Like so much of her music, the end result is extremely trippy and I think complements the original tracks very well. An interesting experiment.

Also getting heavily into Nina Simone, a very underrated Jazz singer and pianist who plays and sings with tremendous style and wit. There is a lot of anger and defiance in her music and maybe some folks find that off putting, but the best jazz is usually the stuff that's the most uncompromising.

I don't know if I'd call Nina Simone underrated. She's very well known and much beloved. Not particularly beloved by me, but by a lot of people.

But I totally agree with what you're saying about bebop. The simple act of reading liner notes on albums I like constantly leads me to discover new artists, and Art Blakey is like some kind of jazz nexus when it comes to that, probably because he had such a long career.

Lisnaholic · 08-30-2012, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holerbot6000

A good thing about Jazz is that everyone seems to play on everyone else's records, so when you find something you really like, even a single album, that can lead to a whole world of exploration. Especially true with Bop music. Listening to Coltrane led me to artists as diverse as Lee Morgan and Pharoah Sanders. I recently picked up Thelonious Monk's 'Unique' album only to discover it features Art Blakey on drums.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

... and Art Blakey is like some kind of jazz nexus when it comes to that, probably because he had such a long career.

Not sure if this link is going to help or just make things more confusing :-

TuneGlue° | Relationship Explorer

**Janszoon** · 08-30-2012, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

Not sure if this link is going to help or just make things more confusing :-

TuneGlue° | Relationship Explorer

This is fantastic! Thanks!

Lisnaholic · 08-30-2012, 09:55 AM

Glad you like it !

It`s fun, isn`t it ? I bet Miles, Zappa and John Zorn kick up a few links too.
Conversely, the saddest thing for an artist must be if you`ve got no links at all !

**Janszoon** · 08-30-2012, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

Glad you like it !

It`s fun, isn`t it ? I bet Miles, Zappa and John Zorn kick up a few links too.
Conversely, the saddest thing for an artist must be if you`ve got no links at all !

It's funny, it doesn't necessarily come up with the most obvious connections. For example I put in Martin Atkins and Public Image Limited didn't come up as a connection, even though it's probably the most famous band he was in. Maybe it intentionally tries to go for the less obvious connections of something.

Lisnaholic · 08-30-2012, 10:09 AM

^ Yes, maybe; I really have no idea.
I just took my own advice and looked at Zappa, and pretty soon it was telling me that there`s a connection between Beefheart and Red Krayola which is news to me.

**Frownland** · 08-30-2012, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

^ Yes, maybe; I really have no idea.
I just took my own advice and looked at Zappa, and pretty soon it was telling me that there`s a connection between Beefheart and Red Krayola which is news to me.

Zappa and Beefheart toured a lot together and Zappa actually produced Trout Mask Replica, if you can believe that. You can hear him giving direction on the dialogue at the beginning of Pena and he's the one that talks about how perfect the first take went at the end of The Blimp (Mousetrapreplica). Also, have you heard Bongo Fury? It's collaborative live album with the Captain and Zappa, it's really great. In addition, there's another live album that they did together called Live in El Paso '79. I'd recommend both records heartily and can give you a link for Bongo Fury if you like (I can't find the latter, but it is on youtube in its entirety.)

Lisnaholic · 08-30-2012, 12:14 PM

^ Thanks, Frownland.
The only reason I have heard of Red Krayola is because of the Mayo Thompson album that you nominated for the FAIR club. What surprised me is that there`s supposed to be some connection between Red Krayola and Beefheart. Any ideas ?
Didn`t know it was Zappa`s voice turning up on Pena and The Blimp , but I`ve heard of those Beefheart/Zappa collaborations - in fact the two guys used to go to high school together and have been buddies or rivals ever since, I believe.
Thanks for offering a Bongo Fury link, but I found that album a bit disappointing TBH. I guess I was hoping for something as good as the wonderful Willie The Pimp !

08-30-2012, 09:55 AM	#16 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	Glad you like it ! It`s fun, isn`t it ? I bet Miles, Zappa and John Zorn kick up a few links too. Conversely, the saddest thing for an artist must be if you`ve got no links at all ! __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

08-30-2012, 10:09 AM	#18 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	^ Yes, maybe; I really have no idea. I just took my own advice and looked at Zappa, and pretty soon it was telling me that there`s a connection between Beefheart and Red Krayola which is news to me. __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

08-30-2012, 12:14 PM	#20 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	^ Thanks, Frownland. The only reason I have heard of Red Krayola is because of the Mayo Thompson album that you nominated for the FAIR club. What surprised me is that there`s supposed to be some connection between Red Krayola and Beefheart. Any ideas ? Didn`t know it was Zappa`s voice turning up on Pena and The Blimp , but I`ve heard of those Beefheart/Zappa collaborations - in fact the two guys used to go to high school together and have been buddies or rivals ever since, I believe. Thanks for offering a Bongo Fury link, but I found that album a bit disappointing TBH. I guess I was hoping for something as good as the wonderful Willie The Pimp ! __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

08-30-2012, 07:32 AM	#11 (permalink)
Holerbot6000 Music Mutant Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: near a record store Posts: 327	A good thing about Jazz is that everyone seems to play on everyone else's records, so when you find something you really like, even a single album, that can lead to a whole world of exploration. Especially true with Bop music. Listening to Coltrane led me to artists as diverse as Lee Morgan and Pharoah Sanders. I recently picked up Thelonious Monk's 'Unique' album only to discover it features Art Blakey on drums. You kind of have to learn to follow your ears and trust your instincts. Not liking most 70's Jazz fusion is a good start. ^_^ I've been listening to Coltrane's Infinity album lately - the one where Alice took some old tracks and added all kinds of posthumous strings and effects. Like so much of her music, the end result is extremely trippy and I think complements the original tracks very well. An interesting experiment. Also getting heavily into Nina Simone, a very underrated Jazz singer and pianist who plays and sings with tremendous style and wit. There is a lot of anger and defiance in her music and maybe some folks find that off putting, but the best jazz is usually the stuff that's the most uncompromising.