Jazz Anyone?

@Dylan

You should add some bossa-nova and samba as well. Probably the most famous, from the jazz side, is the Stan Getz/Joao Gilberto albums. (I don’t even the titles.) But Paul Desmond and Jim Hall had some nice ones, too. There a ton of vocalists, and I wish I was more familiar with them, but the one I’ve been enjoying recently is Eliane Elias’ Dreamer. (It’s not all bossa-nova/samba, and might be too light and night lounge-y, but I like it; plus, Elias is a solid pianist.)

What about Zappa do you like? Classical?

Hope, I’m not being a bother….

Oh no. I love doing this sort of thing.

Well, I just listened to most of Time-Out, and I liked it….

I’m listening to a little of Elias right now, I think she has a good voice.

Now, regarding Zappa, I like all sorts of things from him, although I haven’t heard much of his classical work. I liked some of his earlier work, like Lumpy Gravy, Hot Rats. As well as some later work, like 200 Motels (I didn’t care for the movie too much, but some bits of the soundtrack are stuck in my head.) I like a little of his extremely long parodies of rock-opera, like Greggery Peccary. Occasionally, some snippets of Sheik Yerbouti, get stuck in my head, as well as others. I also liked several tracks of Uncle Meat.

When you asked classical, what are you referring to? Zappa? or classical music?

I meant, classical music.

If you like Zappa, I’m thinking you might like some jazz musicians who play with dissonance. Try someone like Eric Dolphy—maybe Out to Lunch. It’s more abstract and not very soothing, imo. Or Eric Dolphy with Booker Little on the album Far Cry.

Glad you liked Time-Out. Anything specific about it that you liked?

What Elias albums/songs have you heard?

In classical music, I like a little of Beethoven (Like the third movement to the 15th string quartet), I recently posted a piece of Bach to the Classical Music board.

What I liked about Time-Out was that I could have it on in the background and it would sound good. I would have to sit down and just take the music in, in order to really go into details.

I only listened to one song by Elias, and it was Movin’ Me On, I wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics, but the sax and her voice worked really well together.

I’ve also heard a bit of Ahmad Jamal in the past, the soundtrack to Breathless and Django Reindhardt.

OK, thanks for the feedback.

That song by Elias is not a bossa-nova tune, so try some other things on that album or other stuff by her. (Anything written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Ivan Lins will probably be a bossa-nova or samba tune.)

I think you should seek out Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue.

Ok, I’ll check those out! :)

Let us know what you think.

Ok, I’m listening to Out to Lunch right now, and so far I like it, I liked the drum beat at the very beginning. I can hear the dissonance. :) I heard one piece by Rabih Abou Khalil, but I don’t remember it well. I have to listen to it again. Also, one question, how could I distinguish bossa-nova, or samba. If you could give me some recommendations on those, that would be appreciated.

@Dylan

Well, I’m embarrassed to say that I really don’t know the difference between bossa-nova and samba. One of the yahoo answers says that they differences are pretty subtle. I’m not sure. I just know that I like both. :)

As for recommendations, I wish I had a lot. I love the music, but I feel like I’ve only listened to a handful of albums. Some of the more famous ones are the Stan Getz albums—Getz/Gilberto (has the famous version of “Girl of Ipanema,” sung by Astrud Gilberto) or Jazz Samba. You might also want to try Paul Desmond’s Bossa Antigua.

I also mentioned Eliane Elias. You can check out her Sings Jobim album or Dreamer. Also, you might want to check out Antonio Carlos Jobim’s albums, but I haven’t really heard them.

On a non-related jazz note, I know you mentioned you like the soothing quality of the music. Check out Bebel Gilberto’s Tanto Tempo. It’s kind contemporary lounge/pop/bossa-nova album. It’s good background music.

Well, if you really like Out To Lunch, I can recommend more albums in that vein. (Here are some: Andrew Hill Point of Departure; Cecil Taylor Jazz Advance—the latter is stepping into “free jazz”) It’s pretty abstract, cerebral jazz (for me, that album never grabbed).

So, did you like the Rabih Abou-Khalil stuff? You might also want to check out Avishai Cohen’s Devotion—which seems various world music influences, including what sounds like Middle-Eastern influences.

I ordered two more live albums through Gambit records of Spain. They are releasing a treasure trove of complete European concerts including,

and

Great music!

For my taste, live recordings are the way to go, and if you have a place that sells vinyl at decent prices buy a turntable and get the old recordings. Not that I’m necessarily a purist, but you just can’t beat Eric Dolphy’s three album set at the Five Spot,

@Dzimas

Those look interesting. I’m curious about the Rollins/Cherry album. Let me know how that turns out.

Is the Dolphy Five Spot date the one with Booker Little? I think I actually preferred the music on Far Cry (which wasn’t live, to my knowledge).

The concert was released individually on CD under various titles and I think suffers in sound quality. Surprised no one has thought about going back and restoring this great concert and packaging it as a box set.

Long enjoyed Stan Getz. I think one of his “last dates” is well worth getting, in which he backed up Abbey Lincoln on You Gotta Pay the Band,

paradoxically, it marked the triumphant return of Abbey Lincoln after languishing for many years in obscurity. I thought Getz played wonderfully off Abbey’s distinctive voice.

I’ve heard that album, but I have any strong memories of it. (I think it’s at the local library, so I’ll try to listen to it again.)

Btw, I’ve heard that the complete live recordings of Getz and Kenny Barron were released this past year. I really liked the original release—particularly Barron’s playing. (Perhaps, it’s my favorite duo recording.)

Greetings everyone! Good see fellow jazz fans here :)

Hey Rohit,

I noticed the Out to Lunch cover on your username graphic. Are you a Dolphy fan or just a fan of that album?

Some of my favorite artists are…

John Coltrane
Thelonious Monk
Miles Davis
Charles Mingus
Lee Morgan
Duke Ellington Band
Art Tatum
Horace Silver
Eric Dolphy
Bill Evans
Cannonball Adderley
Lester Young
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Wes Montgomery
Grant Green
Paul Chambers

seeing this lovely lady the day before Valentines Day with fiance

@Jazzaloha

Hey! I am a big Dolphy fan. I love his solo albums as well as his contributions on albums by Booker Little, Coltrane and Oliver Nelson

Good list. Have you heard some of the new recordings from Indian-American jazz musicians like Rudresh Mahanthappa, Rez Abbasi and Vijay Iyer? I’ve liked what I’ve heard from Abbasi.

I haven’t heard those artists. The only Indian jazz fusion I have heard is Shakti with McLaughlin and Prasanna. I will definately try your recommendations. I mainly listen to classic jazz though.

If you like Andrew Hill, you might like Iyer. From what I’ve heard of him, he has a cerebral, “inside-outside” style of playing. Abbasi has some jazz-rock elements, but it’s not over-the-top fusion, imo. But give it a shot anyway, and let me know what you think.

Was McLaughlin in Prasanna? I don’t think I’ve heard of them.

@Den

Sounds like a good date!

I am hoping so.

Her and jazz tho is like me and Lady Gaga.

oh well I also booked a room at the Sheraton and there is a beach nearby so I’m sure she will enjoy.

Prasanna is a carnatic jazz guitarist and has no relation to the band Shakti with John McLaughlin. I haven’t been able to digest Andrew Hill yet but I will definately try Abbasi.

@Den

I think your finance could get into the type music you played in the clip, though. Young people have liked Harry Connick Jr. and other young-ish crooners (can’t remember their names now), so I think she might get into it. There’s always the beach and the room to fall back into. :)

@Rohit

Try Mahanthappa, too.

I’ll check out Prasanna as that description sort of appeals to me.

Oh, and don’t really put too much stock in my description of Iyer. I haven’t heard him enough so I don’t want to mislead you about him.

@Jazzaloha

Hehe…I will check out both of them. The thing is that I haven’t been able to digest avant garde pianists like Andrew Hill and Cecil Taylor yet so anything synonymous to their music is scary :P

@Rohit

(You liked my packpeddling, huh? :)

You know, Hill is not really avant-garde—sort of in the same vein as the Out to Lunch album. Taylor is another story, though.

Also…you must try out Shakti if you haven’t. Try the album Natural Elements.