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where do I start?

  • 18-04-2005 12:00PM
    #1
    golfgirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 96 ✭✭


    have always loved jazz and blues especially after visiting New Orleans .. I have a Billie Halliday cd, and woody allen movie music cd, love listening to these but want to hear more stuff .. I just don't know where to start ! Any suggestions appreciated ... Cheers.


Comments

  • #2
    Beruthiel
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 42,361 Mod ✭✭✭✭Beruthiel


    nina simone is wonderful
    as is louis armstrong and ella fitzgerald


  • #3
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 166,005 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    Yea Ella Fitzgerald is really it for me for great vocal jazz! Some more modern jazz vocalists that I'd recommend are Jane Monheit and Silje Nergaard.


  • #4
    Fusion251
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,044 ✭✭✭Fusion251


    Yeah Ella is good, so is Sara Vaughan and Louis Armstrong, for instrumental stuff Miles Davis is a good place to start...


  • #5
    golfgirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 96 ✭✭golfgirl


    ta for replying, I've just ordered Miles Davis, Kind of Blue (the remastered edition as I read it's worth it) ... should arrive in time for the weekend ... I'll see how I go and report back, got a good feeling about this ! :cool:


  • #6
    Velvet Vocals
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭Velvet Vocals


    I agree with the previous posts, Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald are amasing, Nina Simone is also great for piano and voice, much better piano player then she was a singer but both together are wonderful. If you are looking for good vocals, then you might try Julie London as well, what a pair of lungs that lady had. Also another one of my favorites is Peggy Lee, she has such a soft voice!
    You could try a compilation, that might get you started.


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  • #7
    a_ominous
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 751 ✭✭✭a_ominous


    Worth having a look in your local library for CDs and books on jazz. There was a programme on BBC a few years ago which covered the history of jazz. Very interesting programme. One thing that puzzled me as a kid was all the various combos. Many of the musicians had addiction problems and got kicked out of bands, moved on to another group, or just recorded a few sessions, so there's loads of recordings out there.
    Re buying jazz CDs, I find it difficult to pay out 20 euro for a CD when I know little about the musicians. My first ever gig was as a 14 yo seeing Stan Getz play in the Olympia. Found 10-15 minutes pieces hard to take, still do a bit and find it harder to pay 20 yoyos for a 4 track CD.
    But Kind Of Blue, definitely one to have in the collection. As I said earlier, if you try some of CDs in your public library, you can get an idea of albums you want to buy. Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting you copy these.

    One other favourite of mine is the Kansas City sound track. Plot is set in old Kansas jazz clubs using modern players in the big band. Not very often you'll see that.


  • #8
    Fusion251
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,044 ✭✭✭Fusion251


    Not all Jazz cd's are 20 squid though, there are some complations I would recommend, that can be bought for 10euro, Jazz Guitar Great etc, they have alot of good stuff on them, I think there's a series of them for singers, trumpet, Sax and then individuals like Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, not bad to get started on for 10euro, there's a book shop in Dun Laoghaire across from Pennies that actually sells them so good to check out.



    Fusion


  • #9
    Velvet Vocals
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭Velvet Vocals


    You can also try availing of the offer here http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=239228


  • #10
    humbleCounty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 240 ✭✭humbleCounty


    Kind of Blue is great, Nina Simone is a great vocalist but i find some of her songs a bit patchy,


  • #11
    Velvet Vocals
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭Velvet Vocals


    humbleCounty wrote:
    Kind of Blue is great, Nina Simone is a great vocalist but i find some of her songs a bit patchy,

    I know what you mean, I was listening to a live album of her's recently and to be honest (and this is from me, who ordinarily thinks she's great) she sucked! She was out of tune for most of the songs she was doing and the arrangements made no sense.

    In saying that she has recorded some amasing numbers!


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  • #12
    golfgirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 96 ✭✭golfgirl


    Well I promised to get back to you ... and yes, I knew there was something missing from my life .. jazz !

    Love Kind of Blue, dreamy and smooth, glad I got the remastered version, there's a great cd cover that explains about the recording, I am officially hooked.

    Bought a Peggy Lee/George Shearing album at the weekend, called 'Beauty & The Beat' , really because I discovered a song called 'Another Spring' from a film by Woody Allen (yes, but for Allen movies I would not know jazz!). I am listening to this at the mo' and that song is beautiful.

    My next purchase may be Nina Simone ... anyone got a good all round starter album by her? ps. the net is great for cheap cd's.


  • #13
    Velvet Vocals
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭Velvet Vocals


    Your not the only one who's life needs a jazz injection! It's great that you've started getting into it.
    Woody Allen sure knows his jazz, he's an amazing clarinet/sax player, ever hear him play?

    Peggy Lee is one of my favorite jazz singers, what an amazing voice, you know she wrote a lot of the music for Lady and the Tramp and did all the singing on it. If you can get your hands on her live version of Bye Bye Blackbird then do, it's one of the best songs I've ever heard!


  • #14
    randombassist
    Closed Accounts Posts: 99 ✭✭randombassist


    On the Blues front you could try out all the usual guitarists. 'Layla and other assorted love songs' by Derek and the Dominos is incredibly bluesy, would be a great intro. And the story behind it is very intersting as well. Clapton was in love with George Harrisson's wife (Harrisson being his best friend) while writing it. No wonder the solos sound like they're heart felt on it!


  • #15
    fish-head
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,896 ✭✭✭fish-head


    You, there are a wealth of excellent jazz cd's in tower for only 9.99, check them out!!


  • #16
    humbleCounty
    Closed Accounts Posts: 240 ✭✭humbleCounty


    i got a hmv brand best of nina simone that was very good, (you know the kinda blue and white cd's they have)


  • #17
    Velvet Vocals
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭Velvet Vocals


    yea, I got a few of those HMV ones and they are very good. And currently in HMV they are selling the Black Box of Jazz for 7.99, It has 4 cd's and its WELL worth the buy!


  • #18
    Velvet Vocals
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭Velvet Vocals


    golfgirl wrote:
    have always loved jazz and blues especially after visiting New Orleans .. I have a Billie Halliday cd, and woody allen movie music cd, love listening to these but want to hear more stuff .. I just don't know where to start ! Any suggestions appreciated ... Cheers.

    How are you gettin golfgirl? Have you been listening to some good jazz?


  • #19
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,456 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    here.
    golfgirl wrote:
    Well I promised to get back to you ... and yes, I knew there was something missing from my life .. jazz !..........

    My next purchase may be Nina Simone ... anyone got a good all round starter album by her? ps. the net is great for cheap cd's.

    Nina Simone Gold would be a pretty good place to start. There are so many albums available at the moment that it is hard to make a choice but thats a good all round compliation and it often goes fairly cheap for a double.

    Nina recorded her earliest stuff in 1957 (My Baby just cares for me etc) for a label called Bethlehem and she spent a lot of her subsequent live performances bemoaning how she was cheated out of the royalties she was due for these tracks. They crop up on loads of compilations usually from strange labels.

    EMI have just re released all her Colpix albums with extra tracks and they are going for around a tenner at the moment. Then there are the Philps ones which are usually readily available - some of them as 2 on 1 cds.

    Her RCA period     represents her last stay for any length with one company and lead to a comback with hits like Ain't Got No and To Love Somebody. These albums have all been issued on twofers and are also available in cardboard covers similar to the original issues. Theres also an excellent RCA double compliation called Sugar in My Bowl
    Apparently Nina Simone and Piano was one of her favourite albums - From a Nina Simone interview, March 1999:
    • " Would you rather be remembered for 'My Baby Just Cares For Me' or… " / I'd rather be remembered for 'Nina Simone And Piano!' "

    The full discography is here. and the NIna Simone official website and lots more info here.

    I suppose that a lot of people nowadays dont realise that after the RCA period Nina drifted into relative obscurity only to be 'rescued' in 1987 when 'My Baby Just Cares for Me' was used in a perfume and helped by a great video became a big hit all over again.

    I have a very soft spot for Baltimore the only album she ever made for Creed Taylor's label CTI - apparently he found her incredibly difficult to work with. Anyways I think 'My Father' from this album is one of her greatest performances. You can usually pick this up for about a tenner in town - its on the Sony label now.


  • #20
    golfgirl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 96 ✭✭golfgirl


    Hi Saint et al,

    Havn't made any more jazz puchases since (except for Manhattan soundtrack, my first Ebay purchase!) .. Rhapsody in Blue and some nice numbers ...

    Really loving Peggy Lee's 'Beauty & the Beat', gorgeous rendition of 'Don't ever leave me' .. and as I mentioned before 'Another Spring'. Must get my hands on Bye Bye Blackbird. I'm beginning to see that this music has the power to make you feel so sad, but then another number, will uplift like no other... it is deep and meaningful and romantic and true ....

    Thanks for the info. on Nina dub45, I'll check out Gold soon.


  • #21
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,456 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    golfgirl wrote:
    Hi Saint et al,

    Havn't made any more jazz puchases since (except for Manhattan soundtrack, my first Ebay purchase!) .. Rhapsody in Blue and some nice numbers ...

    Really loving Peggy Lee's 'Beauty & the Beat', gorgeous rendition of 'Don't ever leave me' .. and as I mentioned before 'Another Spring'. Must get my hands on Bye Bye Blackbird. I'm beginning to see that this music has the power to make you feel so sad, but then another number, will uplift like no other... it is deep and meaningful and romantic and true ....

    Thanks for the info. on Nina dub45, I'll check out Gold soon.

    Just on the subject of Bye Bye Blackbird there is a great version by Miles Davis on Round Midnight (this is the luxury edition!) First Miles Davis track I ever liked!

    Dont forget theres plenty of jazz to be heard on the radio BBC Radio 3 has lots of jazz programmes as of course has RTE's Lyric FM.


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  • #22
    Velvet Vocals
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,345 ✭✭✭Velvet Vocals


    dub45 wrote:
    Dont forget theres plenty of jazz to be heard on the radio BBC Radio 3 has lots of jazz programmes as of course has RTE's Lyric FM.

    How do you get BBC Radio? I love listening to it, but I haven't been able to tune it in at home or in my car?


  • #23
    dbs_sailor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 339 ✭✭dbs_sailor


    Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock.

    All great pianists.


  • #24
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,456 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Saint Something wrote:
    How do you get BBC Radio? I love listening to it, but I haven't been able to tune it in at home or in my car?

    Well to listen on FM you have to be within about 90 miles or so from the transmitter so that can make BBC stations difficult to pick up. NTL carry them on their cable service as do SKY but you have to tune them in especially (their is a sticky in the Sat forum on how to do this) and if you have bb you could listen on the
    net.


  • #25
    jwb1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 205 ✭✭jwb1


    I'd strongly recommend Jazz Alley on RTE's Lyric at 1900 on Staurday (Donald Helme) and Sunday (Eamonn Lenihan) + The Third Wave with Eamonn again on Friday nights (2230) and Saturday nights (2230 or later - time varies). These are really excellent programmes for people who are "experienced" jazz listeners or people just getting into the music....

    Also, The Blue of the Night on Lyric (Sun - Thurs, 2230) often strays into jazz or, at the very least, plays stuff that is jazz-related....

    JB


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