What are the best jazz albums?

me ^ | now | me

[ventana]

Hats off to you if you made it that far. The music biz has to be the toughest one to survive and actually create a career out of short of being a fine arts painter. Guys who go into the commercial arts can always work in advertising in any of the media, tv; print; internet, etc. They can see their work and make a decent living. Guys who go into music, after either coming up self-taught or going to a Berklee or Manhattan School of Music or something like that either end up playing in a wedding band or shelving it. Not too many make a career out of it as session guys. Well, I would have to say, also, dancers actually may have it the toughest. How many ballerinas ever make it to the big companies, and they train for years and have incredible discipline and talent. Of the arts, music and dance qualify as the toughest, and you are a success!

[jungleboy]

fyi - A buddy of mine went to North Texas State(big time music school)when Lyle Mays was going there. Mays had already made this first album with Pat Matheny. My friend said he was treated like a god on campus.

[Lower55]

Thanks for the comment about my friend. About meter, If you had an adequate 'internal clock' You could set your metronome to 75 and count the other in your head. I don't need a metronome, but for those of you who do, it can be used several ways to keep you close to time. And about the commercial music tyrade, If it weren't commercial, you wouldn't have heard it. Jazz is commercial , but so is a YUGO. Tastes vary, or we'd all be married to Pamela Anderson. I don't play country exclusively, it just so happens that's where the money has been for the last 15 or so years. ANY country guitar player worth his salt, can play jazz. Virtually NO jazz guitar player could play country...listen to Brent Mason. Guitar is not my main instrument, piano is. I also play fiddle, that's violin to you. Try one of those sometime. It should prove to be a humble experience. Do you know the difference between a violin and a fiddle?

[Lower55]

Not to be critical of your screen name, but I can't help thinking excremental every time I read it. I know that's my simple little brain playing tricks on me, but I have to call 'em like I see 'em.....sorry

[Lower55]

Be my guest. I don't care what your name is supposed to mean, when I see it, I see excrement. I said I was sorry about it. Does your pianist need a metronome to play also? And how many records has he played on??.."Dude" forget it. You've lost this argument.....lol

[Lower55]

Oh, I forgot to ask. What kind of drum do you play? Just curious.

[Benrand]

The Real McCoy: McCoy Tyner

Filles de Kilimanjaro: Miles Davis

Spectrum: Billy Cobham

Mahavishnu Orchestra: Inner Mounting Flame

Believe It and Emergency: Tony Williams Lifetime

Juju: Wayne Shorter (really most anything with Elvin Jones is good)

Michael Brecker: Michael Brecker (also the Brecker Brothers: Heavy Metal Bebop)

Pick Hits Live: John Scofield

And I like ECM music, sorta austere German/Icelandic crystalline jazz. It's relaxing and not abrasive or too involved...like Denmark.

[Nogbad]

I am surprised no one has mentioned:

Bill Evans: "Conversations with Myself"

This is not only one of the great jazz albums,
it is one of the greatest musical recordings of all times, of all genres.

(With that extraordinary gloomy meditation "NYC's no Lark"
which is an anagram on Sonny Clark)

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Oh my! Are you Elvis??????

If I were Elvis, you'd probably like me.

[Benrand]

berklee and other music schools turn out Wes Motgomery clones...ba boop bee doop bee doop. Those stale swung eigths...I liked Chet Atkins style a great deal. I saw a tv show a long time ago where he and Mark Knopfler played a duet and every note the two played was perfect. it was phenomenal.

[Lower55]

I didn't say I didn't like you, sorry you got that impression.

[Lower55]

Good ears there.

[Lower55]

I have a friend that went to Loyola School of Music. He plays violin (fiddle). He's an awesome player, but what he plays won't sell. I'll take Rob Hajacos or Johnny Gimble over him any day. But he is still my friend.

[Benrand]

I used to think that what sells is automatically bad. But there is a certain interesting concept in, say, Steely Dan's music...Billy Joel wrote some interesting songs, Dire Straits, Talking Heads, and all those killer bands of the 50's and 60's.

I sometimes laugh at some of these musicians who are "artists" with the attitude and so forth...too bad they eat bologna and mustard packets. It's harder to get hot chicks to shake their butts. :o)

[Petronski]

I want to thank you two gentlemen for treating me to one of the finest pissing contests I have ever had the pleasure to witness.