Let's talk jazz - Monk/Miles/Coltrane/Green

[Meriphew]

These are some of the guys I listen to when I want jazz. Are there any contemporary artists making good "old fashioned/old school" (Smooth jazz makes me ill) jazz nowadays? Are any of you guys recording any cool jazz combos? Let's talk some jazz here.

[Tibbon]

Jazz is a-changing just like all forms of music. You don't find too many Romantic or Baroque composers burning up the charts these days (and ignoring ALL influences from the music that has came after it).

Nora Jones perhaps? Pat Metheny? With the rise of rock and roll, we have moved a bit more away from brass players as being the stars and more to guitarists IMHO.

However, at Berklee I hear brass players tearing it up all the time, so they still exist obviously.

[Jazzpunk]

http://www.bradmehldau.com/

This guy is rediculous

[ArcCirDude]

Nicholas Payton, Tom Harrell, Tim Hagans, The Yellowjackets, Kenny Garrett, Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Spelling?), Michel Camilo, Wayne Shorter (His latest burns! {As do they all...} Brad Mehldau is on a couple of cuts), Joshua Redman, Joe Lavano, Phil Woods, Pat Metheny (Check out their latest. It really pushes the parameters of jazz.) Of course Wynton, Branford and Jason Marsalis (Jason absolutely SMOKES!!!) Terrence Blanchard, Michael Brecker, Astral Project.... Lots out there, just gotta make an effort. Subscribe to Downbeat. Happy listening!

[AdamJay]

rufus reid!

he was just here in Indy last night, too.

[henryrobinett]

There are a loy of guys playing out of the older mold. Check out any jazz station. Norah Jones?? I don't think so. But nothing is static. It's a twist of today.

Eric Alexander. Terence Blanchard. Wynton Marsalis. Chris Potter. Dave Douglas. Metheny. Eldar.

[True North]

Some of the new guys and semi new guys (i.e. the last 15-20 years) that play bebop well

Wynton Marsalis
Terence Blanchard
Michael Brecker
Sean Jones
Kenny Garrett
Martin,Medeski,Wood - not really bop but interesting nontheless

That should give you a good start

I reccomend finding a good jazz station in your area that plays bop. Most jazz stations in smaller markets will split their shows up into different genre's - i.e. Big Band, Vocal, Bop,Fusion etc.... With some of the larger markets in the US you have to wade through a lot of CRAP. The good stations will be a great way to get hip to the newer cats as well as educate yourself on some of the legends.

Good luck in your worthy search!!

[wildsheep]

Mark Turner (his group 'Fly' is extremely underrated), Lovano, Dave Holland, Robin Eubanks, Vijay Iyer, Matthew Ship, Rudresh Muhanthapa are among the extremely talented, underappreciated musicians making quality jazz in NY right now. The scene is somewhat stagnant but there's good music if you know where to look.

Norah Jones, Yellow Jackets, etc are not jazz. Metheny has great jazz chops but they're usually in the service of some other type of fusiony music that he's known for.

[Meriphew]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

There are a loy of guys playing out of the older mold. Check out any jazz station.

I listen to KPLU (a local jazz station). They are a good station, but it seems like I mostly hear either the old stuff (which I like), or new stuff that sounds way to polished for my tastes.

[jbo]

dave douglas, chris potter, donny mccaslin

[sedohr]

I second Brad Mehldau, he´s great. Giovanni Mirabassi too, he´s italian but lives in France. Kenny Garret is ok, Wynton Marsalis did some nice standard albums.

KAlli

[noiseflaw]

Originally Posted by Tibbon

Nora Jones perhaps?

Norah Jones, Jazz?....... - Noo way! complete Country/Folk i'd say. It really irritates me when I see her stuff listed under 'Jazz' in record stores, her music is wholesome folksy country, drowsy. It ain't Jazz.

[ArcCirDude]

Originally Posted by wildsheep

Mark Turner (his group 'Fly' is extremely underrated), Lovano, Dave Holland, Robin Eubanks, Vijay Iyer, Matthew Ship, Rudresh Muhanthapa are among the extremely talented, underappreciated musicians making quality jazz in NY right now. The scene is somewhat stagnant but there's good music if you know where to look.

Norah Jones, Yellow Jackets, etc are not jazz. Metheny has great jazz chops but they're usually in the service of some other type of fusiony music that he's known for.

The cats Yellowjackets are all excellent jazz players. Bob Mintzer, Russel Ferrante.... Same with the entire Pat Metheny Group. But yeah, if you mean that they aren't carrying the trad acoustic hard bop "head, solo, solo, solo, head" torch, you're right.

[wildsheep]

It has nothing to do with style - although I see the Yellowjackets as a more complicated form of rock.


Jazz must swing.

[Alexi]

i like those guys:


http://www.thebadplus.com/

[Tibbon]

Originally Posted by noiseflaw

Norah Jones, Jazz?....... - Noo way! complete Country/Folk i'd say. It really irritates me when I see her stuff listed under 'Jazz' in record stores, her music is wholesome folksy country, drowsy. It ain't Jazz.

Jazz drumming, jazz record label, lack of banjos... sounds like some sort of jazz to me. I'll have to hope that I run into Arfi Mardin at some point to ask him if he thinks that it's Jazz or Country.

If anything i'd call it pop.

[henryrobinett]

Jazz is a big subject. The swing derived players - Scott Hamilton. The Bop derived players who specialize in the II-V patterns - Bobby Shew (not exactly young, but still at it and under appreciated in some circles), Nicolas Payton, Tom Harrell, Jessica Williams; the post Bop, modern/modal school - Lovano, Brecker, Kenny Garrett, Dave Holland, Chris Potter, Dave Douglas, Latin - Gonzalo Rubacalba, Arturo Sandoval, Big band - Maria Schneider, Vince Mendosa; blues/organ - Joey DeFrancesco.

Most do a combination of all of the above these days . . .

Of course much of the older guard is still active - Chick Corea, Kieth Jarrett, Sonny Rollins, . . .

[henryrobinett]

Originally Posted by wildsheep

It has nothing to do with style - although I see the Yellowjackets as a more complicated form of rock.


Jazz must swing.

Hm. There's a lot of jazz that purposely didn't swing. Thats why they called it straight eights. Bobby Timmons, Lee Morgan wrote and performed a lot of music that didn't swing. Stylistically Billy Higgins didn't have much of a swing. Even when he swung his 8ths were so tight as to sound straight.

I'd have to differ with you re the YJ. Much of their music is harmonically dense, like many jazz tunes; have similar improvisational forms and structures. Borrowed tones, altered, nieghbors, techniques in ways that have nothing to do with the background or history of rock. And some of those YJ tunes swing. They defintely do not get their lineage from rock.

Definitions must be applied in such a way as to allow music to grow rather than stiffle, IMHO. I'd agree that swing is endemic to most jazz and crucial to certain styles of jazz.

Please realize that you can think whatever you wish. I don't mean to refute your personal opinion, but my personal opinion disagrees.

[ArcCirDude]

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

Hm. There's a lot of jazz that purposely didn't swing. Thats why they called it straight eights. Bobby Timmons, Lee Morgan wrote and performed a lot of music that didn't swing. Stylisticallyy Billy Higgins didn't have much of a swing. Even when he swung his 8ths were so tight as to sound straight.

I'd have to differ with you re the YJ. Much of their music is harmonically dense, like many jazz tunes; have similar improvisational forms and structures. Borrowed tones, altered, nieghbors, techniques in ways that have nothing to do with the background or history of rock. And some of those YJ tunes swing. They defintely do not get their lineage from rock.

Definitions must be applied in such a way as to allow music to grow rather than stiffle, IMHO. I'd agree that swing is endemic to most jazz and crucial to certain styles of jazz.

Please realize that you can think whatever you wish. I don't mean to refute your personal opinion, but my personal opinion disagrees.

Go Henry!

[resound]

Matthew Shipp is probably the most innovative jazz musician around today, or at least among my favorites. I also have to mention Paul Motian's recent work, especially his latest album Garden of Eden. Beautiful tunes, beautiful playing, and what a gorgeous sounding recording.

[lubaloo]

a couple of favourites: Dave Holland, EST (amazing), Zorn - if I'm in the right frame of mind!

[centurymantra]

It is hard for a jazz fan to avoid lamenting a little bit for the old sounds. If one is really tuned in and digging deep though, there is a lot of solid jazz, the best of which is forward thinking but rooted in the classic jazz tradition. I think the more avant-garde and 'out' jazz scenes may have a bit more going on but there's still a lot out there if you devote some effort to looking for it. I admittedly have become a little out of touch with what's happening lately, but can vouch for David Holland, as mentioned in previous posts. William Parker is one of my favorites as well. Nearly anything he's involved in will simply have the 'vibe'. Also just about anything under Fred Anderson's name is exceptional. One of my absolute favorites is Kahil El'Zabar, both his solo stuff (some with the Ritual Trio) and the always amazing Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. Veering off to the left a little, I've gotta recommend an Australian trio called The Necks. They are not really 'jazz' but are clearly jazz musicians performing a continually evolving musical hybrid one might call 'trance jazz'. I'm still not sure what I think of their most recent experiments in ultra-minimalism, but the discs they were cranking out a few years back ('Hanging Gardens' 'Drive By', 'Drums, Bass, Piano') are all pretty amazing IMHO.

[henryrobinett]

Yup. But you know, here's the deal from my perspective (again!). We can all lament that they don't play jazz the way they used to, (and they don't) but I got to also tell you, jazz is one of them most recorded musics, if not well compensated. Except for that lost period in the birthing stages of be-bop during the recording ban, it's there on vinyl and CD. If that's what you want to hear. I just picked up three Jackie McClean CDs that are smokin'. I've re-stocked my Bud Powell collection as well. Rollins, Dizzy, Bird too.

The thing is the music is alive and still viable. Wallace Roney is still doing his Miles thing.

I think the younger generation has lost a little footing, but not for long. There are plenty of factors. But there are some great players. Leaders, who are real leaders like Trane, Monk, Mingus, Duke, aren't here, not like they used to be. But there are reasons. But we got players . . .

[mizzle]

Jason Lindner is worth checking out. It's a few years old now but his disc "The Ensemble Premonition" is amazing. If you can find the Impulse comp "Jazz Underground- Live at Smalls" his track Hexophony is worth the price of the CD.

The Chigago Underground do some challenging work.

[Mike O]

Originally Posted by Tibbon

Jazz drumming, jazz record label, lack of banjos... sounds like some sort of jazz to me. I'll have to hope that I run into Arfi Mardin at some point to ask him if he thinks that it's Jazz or Country.

If anything i'd call it pop.

Pop it is. And who cares what Arif thinks (or is says) it is? HIS job is to manipulate the masses to buy it.

[autodidactic]

If you want old school sounds and feel in a horn player, then check out Grant Stewart. That guy is absolutely fantastic. He can play it all and he does it very swingin and with a big tenor sound ala Sonny Rollins. Ever wonder what 'Trane would have sounded like with a nice fat tone like Rollins? I've heard it. This guy is the shiznit. He's on criss cross but I also think he is on that live at smalls compilation in Omar Avital's band. If you're in NYC check Grant Stewart out with Joe Cohen on guitar at fat cat's or smalls. You won't be disappointed.

[hitherto]

Originally Posted by AdamJay

rufus reid!

he was just here in Indy last night, too.

Rufus for sure....not only a great musician, but great person, and teacher....how's he soundin' these days?

[riteup3]

jazz must swing?
i guess that disqualifies the works of weather report & jaco

[Remoteness]

There are a couple of live Jazz records I just completed that fit the bill...

Gil Golstein and Kenny Werner's Cosmocentric which were both recorded live from the Blue note Jazz club in NYC.

Kenny Garret also comes to mind. We have a DVD in the works with him which shall be released very soon. We're trying to arrange our schedule to mix the performance.

Half Note Records is putting out some really awesome live straight ahead Jazz recordings... You must check them out. Pretty much everyone on the label is on point...

CD Universe has compiled Half Note Records' discography.

[dpianomn]

Originally Posted by Jazzpunk

http://www.bradmehldau.com/

This guy is rediculous

gotta second that vote for mehldau!
also, joshua redman, christian mcbride, brian blade, bill frissel, potter, garret...plenty of good stuff out there!