Surprised such a thread didn’t already exist so here’s to starting one!
I’ve recently been diving into listening to the Jazz classics that I never took the time to really listen to growing up or in college, as well as some more modern stuff, and have been loving it. Berklee gave me a pretty solid education on jazz theory, and I studied some basic Jazz piano (Bill Evans mostly) with Yoko Miwa for a few years. But a lot of this technical knowledge has since faded from my brain. And I think this is why I’ve been really enjoying my first real explorations of this genre, and probably why a lot of musicians like it. Most of the time I really don’t know what’s going on- it’s so foreign and fresh, every note is a surprise. It’s helping to break down some mental barriers and ruts I’ve been in harmonically and melodically. It’s a breath of fresh air.
I would love to hear some of everyone’s favorites and/or recommendations for anchors or good places to start for a somewhat beginning listener. It’s such a deep, varied, and complex genre that it can be hard to know where to begin.
Here’s just a few things I’ve been really enjoying:
Also surprised that such a thread did not already exist! Recently finished this book, highly recommend it. Written by a fantastic photographer who was heavily involved in the scene.
Currently listening to:
A bit early for what I usually listen to, but the playing/lineup are top notch.
It sounds as if we have a bit of similar but opposing history; I am a jazz pianist who is getting back into synthesis (Univ of Miami music grad). It took this topic to finally get me out of my lurker status here on lines.
A couple recent favorites of mine are Craig Taborn’s Daylight Ghosts and Fabian Almazan’s The Land Abounds With Life.
Also, Nate Chinen’s book “Playing Changes” is an amazing resource about the evolution and diversification of jazz over the past 35 years or so.
