I've been recommended Charles Mingus by a friend... is this a good place to start?

Can anybody recommend me some good jazz guitarists?

That question would take days to answer but Charles Mingus is a good choice.

Other artists to consider (short list):
Louis Armstrong
Duke Ellington
Miles Davis
John Coltrane


Jazz Guitarists (short list):
Charlie Christian
Johnny Smith
Wes Montgomery
Freddie Green
Joe Pass
Grant Green
Kenny Burrell
Pat Martino
Django Reinhardt
George Benson (pre-Breezin')



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

I started with her...



Momma bought me a small compilation when I showed a small intrest, it sat on the shelf for a year untill I listened to it fully, thats when I took special pain in checking out the folks she worked with. I shifted my focus to her sidemen(Teddy Wilson, Lester Young, Ben Webster, Benny Carter, Coleman Hawkins, Hot Lips Page, Chu Berry, Roy Eldridge,,etc etc).

Each musician, led me to a different band(either Count Basie's or the Duke's, mainly). I would shift my focus on the bands and their sidemen, then I would switch it to their rivals.

I did this routine till I reached the 70's era and stumbled on the "Funk Jazz" era,,,enter Mr.Herbie Hancock and the Mizell Bros

theAudience said:

I agree with tA's short list of "Other Artists to Consider" and will add Thelonius Monk to the mix....

theAudience said:

...Just ask "Tha Axis

The first Jazz album I ever bought was Miles Davis' Kind of Blue.

I think it's kind of the Jazz "Sgt. Pepper". Meaning it's probably the most reconized Jazz Album. It's the album that got a majority of people listening to Jazz.

Depends on what kind of jazz you want to get into

I'm a 70s jazz kind of guy, jazz mixed with rock, funk and so forth.
The most interesting kind of jazz in my opinion

FuNkeNsteiN said:

give me some names, so I can check 'em out...

theAudience said:

I agree with the above

I wanted to ask you a question tA I am going through a strong 70's jazz fusion stage right now, The Eleventh House, select Herbie Hancock albums, Stanley Clark as well as albums like A tribute to jack honson by Miles Davis, can't get into fusion without Miles. Do you personally like or dislike this era? There are those purist who never accepted Jazz fusion I understand but, if you or anyone have anything they can recommend from this era let me know thanks.

Meloh9 said:

Ragtime, Dixieland, Big Band Swing, BeBop, Cool, Hard Bop, Modal, Free which is why I said it would take days to get into all the forms.

Miles' shadow loomed large over it from the 50s to the present.

And yes i'm a fan of a lot of 70s era Fusion music...



...from a Return To Forever concert I was at in 1975 where Larry Coryell's Eleventh House was the opening act.


And this Friday i'll be attending...





...the RTF Reunion concert here in L.A.


A few others to get you going...

Tony Williams Lifetime
Mahavishnu Orchestra
Weather Report
Herbie Hancock (early to mid 70s)

...This subject probably deserves its own thread.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431
[Edited 6/11/08 19:34pm]

NAMOR3000 said:

I see tA already beat me to it

You should definitely check out Weather Report, Return To Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Herbie's 70's output.
Also, if you like smoother jazz-funk, check out my man Grover Washington Jr.

Some other interesting acts include Airto (as in Airto Moreira, a Brazilian percussionist), Caldera (latin/jazz/rock/funk fusion), Stanley Clarke's solo albums, George Duke's solo albums and Jaco Pastorius' solo albums.

Oh and, on the more traditional side of things, you can't go wrong with Ron Carter!

theAudience said:

On the guitarist front, I was going to mention Birelli Lagrene, but I just noticed that tA included Lagrene's idol, gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. (You cover all the bases, Neal, don't you??? Love these lists, btw.)

I would add to that list Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose blues playing often ventured into jazz territory (Riviera Paradise, Lenny, Little Wing and Chitlins Con Carne -- a Burrell tune -- give hints where he might have gone, had he lived longer).

Two other guitarists I highly recommend are Bill Frissell and Larry Carlton. Chops for days.

Start with Miles Davis' "Kind Of Blue" album, and Wes Montgomery's "Smokin' At The Half Note." If you don't like those albums, give up.


I kid! BUt seriously, those are two incredible jazz albums and are a great place to start.

MattyJam said:

A record store.

I'm not kidding! You need to find a dedicated jazz specialist and just go through the records, spend a good while there and choose the ones with the best cover art.

I also would encourage you to check out Terence Blanchard. His compositions are masterful but accessible, too. His Hurricane Katrina-related project is amazing.

I consider the BASS a guitar.
I'd start with Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten.

Graycap23 said:

"The Sun Don't Lie"
"Tales"
"M2"
"Marcus"
"Live and More"
"Odell: The official Bootleg"
"The Crusaders: Healing the Wounds"
"Silver Rain"

er'ythang...

Seriously, Marcus bridges traditional and contemporary jazz really well... Goodness. He's a beast. I'm practicing to him now...

ThreadBare said:

I love everything this guy does. Still wish there was a Gia soundtrack.

JackieBlue said:

He scored "Gia?" Whoa. Never seen it.

ThreadBare said:

Yes! The music is hauntingly beautiful.

cubic61052 said:

Totally agree. I'm not a big jazz person (so maybe not the person to ask), but Monk was the first jazz artist that really got to me at the core. Pretty much any album will do.

And also Miles Davis' Jack Johnson album.
[Edited 6/12/08 19:08pm]

theAudience said:

yup I'm diggin' Herbie Hancock "thrust" is a great album, I like it better than head hunters. and Weather Report. I also highly recommend to the person that started this thread a album by Sonny Sharrock called 'Ask The Ages' guitar in genral doesn't get anymore captivating than that in my opinion.

Meloh9 said:

Definitely an interesting take on guitar playing...



...And with Pharoah Sanders & Elvin Jones on board, you're in for a ride.



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Thanks for the suggestions.

What about Dizzy Gillespie? I love A Night In Tunisia....

theAudience said:

'Ask the Ages' is one of my favourate jazz albums, probably my favourate of the '90s. It's got some great playing and some interesting compositions (or at least ideas) from Sharrock. Wierdly, though I'm not particularly a fan of John Coltrane (brother played too many damn notes for one thing . As my illustrious namesake always said.), this is one 'post'Trane' record I really dig.

Sharrock and Sanders are on terrific form and Elvin Jones' 'jazz snarls' in the background while drumming certainly add to the 'ambience of intensity'.

Miles said:

yup we have Bill Laswell to thank for reviving Sonny's career, Ask The Ages is a great album.

are we forgetting MCCOY TYNER??

SAHARA inparticular

JackieBlue said:

If we're speaking about new movies' scores,,,Love Jones' score should be in there too

If you can, check out the Ken Burns doco series "Jazz." Great for learning the basics of all the greats.

For smooth jazz

Kenny G - Duotones
Just for "Songbird" alone.
[Edited 6/15/08 10:39am]