The Jazz Thread

Smoochie Wallace said:
I was never exposed to jazz growing up, never knew anyone who listened to jazz or anything. The few occations jazz came up in conversation it was always just to ridicule it and those pretentious nerds and "fancy" goofballs who listen to it. But as I grew older I noticed how widely celebrated the jazz genre was by everybody, and even by people whose taste in music I usually share. It's like I'm missing something so amazing that's right in front of me but I just can't see it. I've tried getting into it multiple times, but it's never happened for me. I'm starting to think that it might be one of those thing you inherit from your parents if you're exposed to it when young and such.
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Good post brother, it shows a person can not be turned on or tuned in to a type of music without having to resort to derision and mockery (which is just pure ignorance)
 
moreorless87 said:
Its does I think take a prolonged effort to "get", I didn't grow up listening to it and didn't really take easily to it, took several years of the odd listen.

Added to that as well a lot of what gets recommended probably isn't the best intro, better to start with say Blue Trane than A Love Supreme.
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I think it's easier to get into jazz if you know a bit of music theory. You don't have to be a musician by any means, but having a bit of knowledge of tonal vs. modal music is helpful, as is knowing a bit about rhythm (and especially polyrhythms)

As far as turning people on to jazz, Robert Glasper's really good, especially for people who like hip-hop or R&B.

 
Daverisimo said:
I think it's easier to get into jazz if you know a bit of music theory. You don't have to be a musician by any means, but having a bit of knowledge of tonal vs. modal music is helpful, as is knowing a bit about rhythm (and especially polyrhythms)

As far as turning people on to jazz, Robert Glasper's really good, especially for people who like hip-hop or R&B.

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Love how he works Badu into this piece's kiss goodbye:

 
This trio is explores a lot of world sound influences, like Al Di Meola, and his guitarist definitely reminds me of Al on this track. I thought for sure he was also on a Les Paul, but apparently his main guitar is a Marchione semi-hollow:

 
Since the Jazz master race hijacked this thread I'm coming back to post this; the Lincoln Center's "Jazz Academy" YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8ycFlguVIToxRB34x3g1eQ

Here's a really cool piece that shows how seeming discordance in jazz is often just the groundwork for a later culmination of harmony that wouldn't make sense without the contrast. It's like a jigsaw puzzle for puzzlers. You never really appreciate the beauty of the whole piece unless you first see the chaos of all the parts strewn individually. Ignore the lame bass solo. This one's all about the piano, the lead saxophone, and the flugelhorn:


Another piece I adore with almost no views that I posted recently in the VG to represent my favorite video game music of all time which captures the very heart and soul of jazz (the simple midi melodies of Mega Man 3). I dearly wish I had a better recording of this arrangement by this ensemble, or one of equal caliber. They are a bit sharp with the volume between the sections a bit out of balance at the beginning in a few spots, and the piano solo is weak, but the lead saxophonist (a girl who finally comes into frame at the end) is brilliant with how she carries the simple melody, and the trumpets nail some cathartically stupefying high notes from 5:39-5:44:


It's easy to take for granted a professional level of instrumental proficiency since that's all that most people ever hear. When you play an instrument you practice in a lot of rooms throughout your life with varying level of skills. You'll perhaps appreciate the technical skill of the above ensemble when you listen to the same piece (different, crappier arrangement) performed by the Fairfield University Jazz Ensemble. They're not terrible, but you can hear obvious mistakes-- like missed notes-- peppered throughout the piece. Most of their players don't emit a strong or steady tambre even when they hit the right notes. They sound more like a high school than a university:
 
Jack Reacheround said:
I agree. I do like some jazz. But often times the musicians are so into the musicianship of the song, and making sure they do some kind of cool polyrhythm and mode change, that they lose sight of the concept of writing a good song. You know, one that actually sounds good.

It’s masturbatory bullshit a lot of times.
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...like a lot of metal
 
zuffazombee said:
...like a lot of metal
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Oh yeah, for sure. Metal didn’t used to be that way though. It has recently become that. Now, if you don’t have at least 5 key or mode changes per song, played polyrhythmically, people are like “They suck.” But really, I’d rather listen to something that sounded good and was not maybe the most sophisticated.
 
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FKJ really is amazing. Seems like he can do anything in a green room:

 
Been really digging Thrust by Herbie Hancock. Same line up as Head Hunters:

 
Jack Reacheround said:
Oh yeah, for sure. Metal didn’t used to be that way though. It has recently become that. Now, if you don’t have at least 5 key or mode changes per song, played polyrhythmically, people are like “They suck.” But really, I’d rather listen to something that sounded good and was not maybe the most sophisticated.
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nah in 2020 you have to sound like Entombed

Techdeath/Melode/Prog is for the birds these days :/

Hardcore/deathcore/nu metal are making a comeback, metal has begun to regress in popularity.

More young kids are getting into heavy stuff but not death influenced. It's all a pendulum. Luckily there is so much access to music there is always something on the horizon for genres.
 
Bamboozled said:
nah in 2020 you have to sound like Entombed

Techdeath/Melode/Prog is for the birds these days :/

Hardcore/deathcore/nu metal are making a comeback, metal has begun to regress in popularity.

More young kids are getting into heavy stuff but not death influenced. It's all a pendulum. Luckily there is so much access to music there is always something on the horizon for genres.
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I don’t know who Entombed is. But I’ll check it out. That’s interesting. I do like Archspire though. They’re fun to listen to.
 
Daverisimo said:
I think it's easier to get into jazz if you know a bit of music theory. You don't have to be a musician by any means, but having a bit of knowledge of tonal vs. modal music is helpful, as is knowing a bit about rhythm (and especially polyrhythms)

As far as turning people on to jazz, Robert Glasper's really good, especially for people who like hip-hop or R&B.

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No credit was given to Glasper, but it's obvious they sampled this cover performance by him for this mix. Timestamped (if timestamping doesn't work, it's the song that begins at 9:26):

 
calling the fact checkers....yes, it's confirmed.

this is a fact!
 
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