Someone had previously posted a thread requesting some jazz album recommendations. Curiously, I managed to listen to quite a few songs and really enjoyed them (especially Blue Train). Recently, I have been thinking about the music that came about before me and what I may be missing. So I call upon the B&B crowd to recommend me some of their personal favorites prior to the 90s. I will post some of the earlier music I enjoy: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Queen, and Miles Davis. Thanks gents.
Music Recommendations
- Thread starter PTurchan
- Start date
I'm not sure exactly what you're asking for. If you want to explore jazz, there are numerous classics in the many forms. Here are a few must-haves:
Louis Armstrong: The Complete Hot Fives and Sevens...can anything come
anywhere near "West End Blues"?
Duke Ellington: The Blanton-Webster Band
Coleman Hawkins: Body and Soul
Lester Young: The KC Sessions
Benny Goodman: The Complete Small Group Sessions
Charlie Parker: The Essential Charlie Parker
Bud Powell: The Complete Bud Powell
Ella Fitzgerald: The Best of the Songbooks
That's but a small start. Its impossible to come anywhere near comprehensive without leaving out essentials. The musicians mentioned are all stellar, as are: Billie Holiday, Art Tatum, Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie.....
One consideration for an intro would be the Ken Burns "Jazz" book, DVD series, and CD's. There is a 4-disc set, then a series of separate discs featuring major artists. Also, a good website is: allaboutjazz.com
Have fun (and happy listening)!!
Louis Armstrong: The Complete Hot Fives and Sevens...can anything come
anywhere near "West End Blues"?
Duke Ellington: The Blanton-Webster Band
Coleman Hawkins: Body and Soul
Lester Young: The KC Sessions
Benny Goodman: The Complete Small Group Sessions
Charlie Parker: The Essential Charlie Parker
Bud Powell: The Complete Bud Powell
Ella Fitzgerald: The Best of the Songbooks
That's but a small start. Its impossible to come anywhere near comprehensive without leaving out essentials. The musicians mentioned are all stellar, as are: Billie Holiday, Art Tatum, Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Count Basie.....
One consideration for an intro would be the Ken Burns "Jazz" book, DVD series, and CD's. There is a 4-disc set, then a series of separate discs featuring major artists. Also, a good website is: allaboutjazz.com
Have fun (and happy listening)!!
I'm a confessed jazz nut, but just like shave creams and razors, the phrase "YMMV" applies here as well. I absolutely love everything John Coltrane ever did, including his late stuff, while others love his early work and can't stand anything he did after leaving Mile Davis' band. There's also way out, avant garde musicians like Cecil Taylor. The key is to listen to everything you can find. Many libraries in the larger metropolitan areas have good audio/visual collections with decent jazz CD collections you can borrow. I'd start there. Here are a few I'd recommend: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonius Monk, Bill Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Keith Jarrett, Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, Oliver Nelson (his Blues and the Abstract Truth is a classic), Modern Jazz Quartet, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz, just about anything on the Blue Note label from the 1950s or 1960s, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Johnny Hartman, Nat King Cole Trio, Duke Ellington, Tom Harrell, Bill Charlap, Tommy Flanagan, Art Tatum, Woody Shaw, J.J. Johnson, Gerry Mulligan, Pepper Adams, Freddie Hubbard, Hank Mobley, Bud Powell, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, Wayne Shorter, Cedar Walton, Blue Mitchell, and Oscar Peterson.
I think you'll find that there are two schools of thought about the Burns series. These two camps are diametrically opposed and as volatile as as the conflicting nations in the Middle East. personally, I think Ken Burns' series does a gross disservice to the person who may not know much about jazz but wants to get a general, good staring knowledge base about it. Burns relied way too much on Wynton Marsalis and Stanley Crouch as the "be all/end all" font of all knowledge, and paid criminally short shrift or completely left out some of the most influential jazz artists and composers in the history of jazz. Most of the emphasis in the Burns series is on Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington and the roots of jazz in America from New Orleans, Congo Square, etc. That's all well and good, and of course Armstrong and Duke are two of the all-time greats in teh jazz pantheon. But to spend hours on artists like those two, and to give Sarah Vaughan just a few minutes? Or Bill Evans less than that (and even then only to mention him in the context of his role in Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" quintet)? Bill Evans is, along with McCoy Tyner, generally recognized as one of the two most influential pianists in the history of jazz, yet Burns gives him less than five minutes. McCoy Tyner himself gets not much more time in this lengthy series (again, Tyner gets his time only in his role as a member of Coltrane's quartet). So, in my opinion, watch Burns' series for what it is, but don't accept it as the gospel, by a long shot.
- Thread starter
- #6
Thank you all for contributing, I really am interested in any type of music.
Pre-90's? Okay (but this will reveal my age
): Traffic, Zombies, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Yes, any Motown, Doors.
I agree with most of the jazz recommendations above (but I think Ken Burns did a great job; it would have taken twice the number of hours to please all of us).
As for non-jazz, check out Little Feat's albums from when Lowell George was in the group, particularly Sailin' Shoes and Feats Don't Fail Me Now. Or The Who, particularly Who's Next. Frank Zappa, with or without The Mothers of Invention produced enormous quantities of very unique music, blending rock, jazz, and 20th Century classical concepts. That's just for starters.
As for non-jazz, check out Little Feat's albums from when Lowell George was in the group, particularly Sailin' Shoes and Feats Don't Fail Me Now. Or The Who, particularly Who's Next. Frank Zappa, with or without The Mothers of Invention produced enormous quantities of very unique music, blending rock, jazz, and 20th Century classical concepts. That's just for starters.
Absolutely agree with Zappa. The guy was a genius, way ahead of his time.
Speaking of jazz, some of the best DVDs out there are the Jazz Icons series. Check them out: http://jazzicons.com/
All of the recommendations above are wonderful but, IMO, (other than Frank Zappa) they are coming from too narrow a range.
I have thought long and hard before posting on this thread. The truth is, you have posed far too broad a question to be answered comprehensively, so I will just throw out a few albums for you to try, from which you can explore on your own once you decide which styles appeal to you:
Zappa/Mothers -- Roxy & Elsewhere: jazzy, intense guitar work at times, interspersed with incisive, often hysterical lyrics. Zappa was a true musical genius, if a little warped.
Jimi Hendrix -- Blues: There is no way to pick a definitive Hendrix album. I like this fairly recent posthumous release because of the astonishing blues guitar playing; but do yourself a favor and explore every Hendrix recording you can get your hands on. This is the guy who is idolized by anyone who ever picked up an electric guitar, whether they know it or not.
Mahavishnu Orchestra -- Between Nothingness and Eternity: Unbelievably virtuosic electric jazz with a very hard edge. Post Miles Davis John McLaughlin (guitar) at his best. If you like Jimmy Page on guitar, John McLaughlin will make your head explode.
The Allman Bothers Band -- Live at Fillmore East: Bluesy/jazzy southern rock at its very best.
Grateful Dead -- Europe '72: This may be a slightly controversial choice, but you don't need to be a Dead Head to like this album. The truth is you need to explore the Dead's live catalog in order to truly understand what they were about, and if you like this album, you should check out the 36 volume Dick's Picks series (one at a time of course!). The Dead are unique unto themselves, and people either love them or hate them. They did, however, invent the jam band concept, and, when they were "on" (not always), they could improvise like no other rock band before or since.
Muddy Waters -- Folk Singer: Buddy Guy is just phenomenal and Muddy is Muddy; one of the best, truest bluesmen ever. This is the kind of music that inspired Clapton, Page and Duane Allman in the first place.
Thelonius Monk -- Live at the Five Spot: Monk is one of the most influential, innovative jazz pianists of all time. This is music that will never fail to put a smile on your face. (The recently discovered Carnegie hall album with John Coltrane is also wonderful but, to me, that one is more about Coltrane and less about Monk).
The Who -- Live at Leeds: Get the more recently released two disc version, which has virtually all of Tommy. This was the Who at the top of its game, confident and edgy. They just came in and dominated the audience at Leeds University. Just listen to Young Man Blues really loud and you will see what I mean.
Derek and the Dominoes -- Live at the Fillmore: This is an expanded version of the In Concert album. It is post-Duane Allman, but the loose harmonies between Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock are truly exquisite at times, and Eric's mood (and, therefore, his guitar playing is infectiously happy). IMO, one of the quintessential, if overlooked, Clapton recordings.
Bob Dylan -- Blood on the Tracks: One of many perfect albums from the poet laureate of rock n' roll. Everyone from Jimi Hendrix to the Grateful Dead covered Dylan songs. This just happens to be one of my favorite Dylan albums, but they are virtually all worth a listen.
There are a million Miles Davis and John Coltrane albums to explore, but you mentioned those yourself, so I have left them off my list. This list is by no means exhaustive -- I could go on for pages and pages -- but I think there is enough variety here for you to get started exploring on your own. Add these choices to the others mentioned above and you will have a tremendous base from which you (and only you) can determine what you like and what you don't.
You are about to embark on a wonderful journey. Enjoy!
I have thought long and hard before posting on this thread. The truth is, you have posed far too broad a question to be answered comprehensively, so I will just throw out a few albums for you to try, from which you can explore on your own once you decide which styles appeal to you:
Zappa/Mothers -- Roxy & Elsewhere: jazzy, intense guitar work at times, interspersed with incisive, often hysterical lyrics. Zappa was a true musical genius, if a little warped.
Jimi Hendrix -- Blues: There is no way to pick a definitive Hendrix album. I like this fairly recent posthumous release because of the astonishing blues guitar playing; but do yourself a favor and explore every Hendrix recording you can get your hands on. This is the guy who is idolized by anyone who ever picked up an electric guitar, whether they know it or not.
Mahavishnu Orchestra -- Between Nothingness and Eternity: Unbelievably virtuosic electric jazz with a very hard edge. Post Miles Davis John McLaughlin (guitar) at his best. If you like Jimmy Page on guitar, John McLaughlin will make your head explode.
The Allman Bothers Band -- Live at Fillmore East: Bluesy/jazzy southern rock at its very best.
Grateful Dead -- Europe '72: This may be a slightly controversial choice, but you don't need to be a Dead Head to like this album. The truth is you need to explore the Dead's live catalog in order to truly understand what they were about, and if you like this album, you should check out the 36 volume Dick's Picks series (one at a time of course!). The Dead are unique unto themselves, and people either love them or hate them. They did, however, invent the jam band concept, and, when they were "on" (not always), they could improvise like no other rock band before or since.
Muddy Waters -- Folk Singer: Buddy Guy is just phenomenal and Muddy is Muddy; one of the best, truest bluesmen ever. This is the kind of music that inspired Clapton, Page and Duane Allman in the first place.
Thelonius Monk -- Live at the Five Spot: Monk is one of the most influential, innovative jazz pianists of all time. This is music that will never fail to put a smile on your face. (The recently discovered Carnegie hall album with John Coltrane is also wonderful but, to me, that one is more about Coltrane and less about Monk).
The Who -- Live at Leeds: Get the more recently released two disc version, which has virtually all of Tommy. This was the Who at the top of its game, confident and edgy. They just came in and dominated the audience at Leeds University. Just listen to Young Man Blues really loud and you will see what I mean.
Derek and the Dominoes -- Live at the Fillmore: This is an expanded version of the In Concert album. It is post-Duane Allman, but the loose harmonies between Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock are truly exquisite at times, and Eric's mood (and, therefore, his guitar playing is infectiously happy). IMO, one of the quintessential, if overlooked, Clapton recordings.
Bob Dylan -- Blood on the Tracks: One of many perfect albums from the poet laureate of rock n' roll. Everyone from Jimi Hendrix to the Grateful Dead covered Dylan songs. This just happens to be one of my favorite Dylan albums, but they are virtually all worth a listen.
There are a million Miles Davis and John Coltrane albums to explore, but you mentioned those yourself, so I have left them off my list. This list is by no means exhaustive -- I could go on for pages and pages -- but I think there is enough variety here for you to get started exploring on your own. Add these choices to the others mentioned above and you will have a tremendous base from which you (and only you) can determine what you like and what you don't.
You are about to embark on a wonderful journey. Enjoy!
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- Thread starter
- #12
Excellent, excellent reccomendations so far. I am sitting here listening to Zappa and am honestly a bit jealous. The quality of music turned out by these older musicians shames most of anything being churned out now. Perhaps because people cared about an artist's true abilities instead of their appearance and how well a computer can fix their voice for them. Thanks again gents, this is pretty awesome to explore.
As was said, if you're lucky enough to have access to a good library, it can be a huge advantage. Our regional has quite the variety of jazz (classical, country, rock, etc.), checking things out and sampling prior to purchase can save you tons of money.
I know there's been a lot of squabble about the Jazz series, but that's to be expected by any attempt to tell a huge story in a relatively small period of time. Of course it was heavily-focused on the roots, which is as it should have been. There will always be endless debates over who was left out or shorted. Pick any instrument, and the same difficulties arise.
I know there's been a lot of squabble about the Jazz series, but that's to be expected by any attempt to tell a huge story in a relatively small period of time. Of course it was heavily-focused on the roots, which is as it should have been. There will always be endless debates over who was left out or shorted. Pick any instrument, and the same difficulties arise.
+1 on the Zappa, just ignore the poopoo and peepee jokes. He probably did a lot of that just to freak out the stuffed shirts.
You owe it to yourself to check out Steely Dan. There was a lot more to them than the few hits that get played over and over on the radio. Go back and try a few of the earlier albums, the stuff before they got soft and turned formulaic (i.e. Aja and Gaucho). Go listen to Countdown to Ecstasy or The Royal Scam and you'll hear some pretty eye-opening stuff for sure.
Listen to early Heart, especially Little Queen. There are bits and pieces of Led Zeppelin scattered all over that album, filtered through the prism of the rainy Northwest forests. This was Rock, when rock was still important in the world.
Oh yeah, speaking of Rock with a capital R, go back and see why Cheap Trick was the biggest band in the world in the late 70s. Listen to albums like Heaven Tonight or In Color if you want to hear pure rock with a Beatles-influenced pop flavor.
Hmm, that's all 70s stuff. Let me think of something good in the 80s...The only thing earth-shaking that I can remember from that era was some amazing metal albums by early (pre-pop/pre-top 40/pre-emasculation Metallica and Megadeth) and of course some great albums from XTC. Try Black Sea or Oranges and Lemons. If you're a Beatles fan you will probably like this stuff.
Then in the 90s, an absolutely terrific album was released by a flash-in-the-pan called Jellyfish. The album was called Spilt Milk. This is well-played, beautifully arranged rock with a pop influence that takes equal parts from Queen, the Beatles and XTC. Big rock songs with huge vocal harmonies that you won't be able to stop singing inside your mind for days afterwards. Why these guys weren't a huge hit, I'll never know. I've listened to a lot of music for a lot of years, but I can say without reservation that this is the best album I've ever heard.
You owe it to yourself to check out Steely Dan. There was a lot more to them than the few hits that get played over and over on the radio. Go back and try a few of the earlier albums, the stuff before they got soft and turned formulaic (i.e. Aja and Gaucho). Go listen to Countdown to Ecstasy or The Royal Scam and you'll hear some pretty eye-opening stuff for sure.
Listen to early Heart, especially Little Queen. There are bits and pieces of Led Zeppelin scattered all over that album, filtered through the prism of the rainy Northwest forests. This was Rock, when rock was still important in the world.
Oh yeah, speaking of Rock with a capital R, go back and see why Cheap Trick was the biggest band in the world in the late 70s. Listen to albums like Heaven Tonight or In Color if you want to hear pure rock with a Beatles-influenced pop flavor.
Hmm, that's all 70s stuff. Let me think of something good in the 80s...The only thing earth-shaking that I can remember from that era was some amazing metal albums by early (pre-pop/pre-top 40/pre-emasculation Metallica and Megadeth) and of course some great albums from XTC. Try Black Sea or Oranges and Lemons. If you're a Beatles fan you will probably like this stuff.
Then in the 90s, an absolutely terrific album was released by a flash-in-the-pan called Jellyfish. The album was called Spilt Milk. This is well-played, beautifully arranged rock with a pop influence that takes equal parts from Queen, the Beatles and XTC. Big rock songs with huge vocal harmonies that you won't be able to stop singing inside your mind for days afterwards. Why these guys weren't a huge hit, I'll never know. I've listened to a lot of music for a lot of years, but I can say without reservation that this is the best album I've ever heard.
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Have you ever listened to Frank Zappa? He takes a little getting used to, but the man was a genius.
Tim
Edit - I see I was late with this recommendation. It is still a good one.
Tim
Edit - I see I was late with this recommendation. It is still a good one.
+1 on Allman Bros at Fillmore East. One of the great albums ever recorded. This was prime Allman Bros, with Duane ALlman playing his *** off for a New Years Eve crowd. Wasn't there another album from the same concert? (Eat a Peach, maybe?)
+1 for Monk at the Five Spot. This was the original quartet with Coltrane that played for weeks on end at that legendary NYC club. This set was actually recorded by Coltrane's wife on a portable tape recorder, so it wasn't a planned recording and you really hear what is was like to be at that club when it all went down.
Another recommendation for a great live recording is Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio, "Smokin at The Half Note". Their recording of the tune "Four on Six" is alone worth the price of the recording.
The Moody Blues never disappoint.
I also love anything by Vince Guaraldi. The soundtrack to Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown is a great holiday album, and good jazz all around.
I also love anything by Vince Guaraldi. The soundtrack to Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown is a great holiday album, and good jazz all around.
Here's something a little different: Joe Ely and Joel Guzman with a very modern style of Western music. Try Slow You Down. I could listen to it over and over.
Tim
Tim
Dave Brubeck
Weather Report
Mannheim Steamroller
Weather Report
Mannheim Steamroller
