What jazz artists do you like? Doesn't matter if they're instrumentalists or vocalists, or it's avant-garde or traditional jazz. Post any & all fave jazz artists & recordings here, please!



My top two favorites have to be Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

Among vocalists, nobody beats Billie Holiday, though Ella Fitzgerald is so darn cool.

Some great fusion i love is the Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return To Forever.

I'll have to come back and post some particular jazz cd's i love. Hope we got some jazz lovers out there. Even if it's just Norah Jones or Chicago, that's cool!

I posted this cuz one of my earliest fave jazz artists passed recently, the mighty Jimmy Smith, master of the organ, who recorded some really soulful, gritty jazz that was so wild it was almost punk! RIP Mr.Smith

<deep breath> Should I do this by instrument?



Trumpets
Louis Armstrong andDizzy Gillespie but I like Davis as well. ah heck, even Wynton Marsalis has his moments (He did a jazzy take of "My Favorite Things" w/ Kathleen Battle, of all singers, lol that was awesome).

Vocals
Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday.

I think Ella is my favorite of the singers. She was a scat pioneer...she had a real trumpet player way of attacking it. I like BH too. She didn't have the range of Ella, but she was a genius in what she achieved with it.

Composer
Duke Ellington and his arranger who's name escapes me at the moment (sorry, man). Jazz at it's hottest.

Of the current crop I really enjoy Squirrel Nut Zippers, but I haven't heard much out of them lately. Morphine wasn't really jazz, but there was definitely a jazz feel mixed in to the music. Maybe it was the bari sax.

Brucy scratches befuddled old head...
Chicago was Jazz...???


Hmmmmm.......

What the Hell do I know anyways...??
Uummm there was a number by Herbie Hancock I enjoyed .. I tried to get the name from Herky but she said if she told me she would hafta kill me..
So I didnt press the issue..
Umm I liked some Weather Report stuff....way back when

but Jazz is like stinky Cheexe to me
Great in small amounts but too much... heh heh

Well you know

quote:

Originally posted by Brucy Braless:
Brucy scratches befuddled old head...
Chicago was Jazz...???

Early Chicago is considered jazz-rock, by some ppl. You know, that kinda stuffage put out by Blood, Sweat & Tears, Cold Blood, later stuff by Steely Dan, Soft Machine, some recordings from Frank Zappa and Ginger Baker were labeled jazz rock. I dunno who still does jazz rock except maybe Van Morrison.

I like Don Burrows and James Morrison. Having been subjected to learning the flute in my teen years I was attracted to the Don early on. James is just far and away one of the best jazz trumpeteers ever, in my opinion.

I caught Renee Geyer singing the blues in concert recently, and the great lady was divine. Maria Schnieder is also a stand out, of the current crop of composers. An easy, breezy avant garde style.

My Dad has also got me listening to Bill Evans and I must confess that I find his piano playing brilliant.

I'm not sure if you'd call Roy Buchanan jazz, but I like him and George Gola as guitarists.

Finally, he fused country with jazz, but I still like listening to ol' Willie Nelson singing "when the evening sun goes down, you can find me hangin' 'round. The night time ain't no right time, but it's my time".

I love Renee Geyer. With a voice like hers, i dunno why she isn't a household name in the states. I first heard her on a comp cd of Aussie jazz & R&B singers & groups. That got me hunting down her records, mostly from ebay.

Roy Buchanan was a pretty amazing guitarist, excellent at jazz, blues, country,
rock (turned down an offer to join the Stones). If you like his style playing, ya might try hunting for something by Danny Gatton. Gatton and Buchanan were both versatile guitarists who could master any genre.

Dave Brubeck!!!!!!
Ella, Queen Latifa has been blowing me away here lately, Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Tito Puente, Donald Harrison

...yesh, that reminds me i gotta watch that Miles Davis dvd i bought a few weeks back.

Couple more "modern" jazz artists i like- Larry Coryell and Kenny Garrett.

quote:

Couple more "modern" jazz artists i like- Larry Coryell and Kenny Garrett.

I thought I read Kenny G and I was about to have some strong words for you.

Don't scare me like that man.

Is this better?

Kenny Garrett, a great cd, a great artist-






and then, well, WATCH OUT!



Kenny G warning!



Danger Will Robinson!

hot "new" recommend jazz release- Thelonius Monk Quartet with John Coltrane - At Carnegie Hall

Recorded in 1957, found recently on tape by accident, high quality sound, extreme high quality music, a must have jazz cd.