Jazz

[Bridge]

So, I'm curious to see how many of my fellow forum-goers listen to the baddest genre of music in history. I don't want this to be just about linking stuff but I guess it would be only appropriate to open with some music. From the master himself:

[she]

while i like a lot of jazz vocalists like peggy lee, billie holiday, and nina simone, i admittedly know very little about the genre itself. i do, however, like acid jazz (thievery corporation, nujabes, bonobo etc). i'm always open to suggestions, though! jazz is pretty awesome.

[Bridge]

(06-02-2012 03:52 AM)she Wrote:  while i like a lot of jazz vocalists like peggy lee, billie holiday, and nina simone, i admittedly know very little about the genre itself. i do, however, like acid jazz (thievery corporation, nujabes, bonobo etc). i'm always open to suggestions, though! jazz is pretty awesome.

Jazz has a pretty long and fucked up history that you can read up on if you want (it is very interesting). I can recommend a couple more jazz vocalists to you if you want (and there my knowledge of vocal jazz ends).





^ One of the best performances ever (also from saxophonist John Coltrane, of course)





Though I personally, along with basically every other jazz enthusiast, am not that big on vocals in jazz because usually it gets in the way of the improvisation. As for non-vocal recommendations I'd recommend some Miles Davis if you're not really into virtuosic playing; he has a very concise and no bullshit way of playing. His album "Kind of Blue" is arguably the most famous jazz album ever and unlike in other genres, that actually means quality most of the time, so give that a shot. Here's one of the tracks from that album (all of them are now standards):





You also may have noticed almost all of my recommendations are of John Coltrane's music (and my avatar is a picture of him) which is no coincidence; he really perfectly embodies everything that is positive (and unfortunately negative) about jazz and is one of the most inspiring people ever (my personal hero); you can't go wrong with one of his albums, he just hasn't made a bad one.

[Damascus Rose]

I do like jazz a lot as a genre and I have a lot of respect for it, although I too don't know very much about it. I like listening to musicians like joe pass, and jaco pastorius.

[Bridge]

(06-03-2012 06:11 AM)Damascus Rose Wrote:  I do like jazz a lot as a genre and I have a lot of respect for it, although I too don't know very much about it. I like listening to musicians like joe pass, and jaco pastorius.

Both are great, though Jaco is more of a fusion bassist. I'd be happy to give you some recommendations if you want to explore jazz a little more.

[Traggey]

Not a whole lot of stuff that is as relaxing as doin' some modding while listening to jazz, mhm-yeah~

[Xanatos]

My only real exposure to jazz was the Hellsing anime OST, although the genre is branded as "acid jazz" (not sure if it counts). Here's some examples:










While I wouldn't consider myself properly acquainted with the culture, I do rather fancy jazz lingo. Even if none of the phrases make any literal sense, like "that cat that just swagged out of here was one cool customer, but he was up into some bad china if you know what I mean", one can still know exactly what they're on about (contextually, at least). One of the latest internet phrases "rustled my jimmies" has a jazzy ring to it, don't you think? It sounds like the sort of thing you'd hear some guy in a fedora say in some smokey basement with a pool table & a saxophone playing in the background.

[Bridge]

(06-04-2012 04:43 PM)Xanatos Wrote:  My only real exposure to jazz was the Hellsing anime OST, although the genre is branded as "acid jazz" (not sure if it counts). Here's some examples:










While I wouldn't consider myself properly acquainted with the culture, I do rather fancy jazz lingo. Even if none of the phrases make any literal sense, like "that cat that just swagged out of here was one cool customer, but he was up into some bad china if you know what I mean", one can still know exactly what they're on about (contextually, at least). One of the latest internet phrases "rustled my jimmies" has a jazzy ring to it, don't you think? It sounds like the sort of thing you'd hear some guy in a fedora say in some smokey basement with a pool table & a saxophone playing in the background.

Yeah, jazz lingo is awesome. Read up on Lester Young if you want to know where most of it comes from. He literally invented an entire subculture by himself and miraculously almost everybody adopted it (he's also theorized to be the one who first started using the word "cool" as "hip/fashionable"). If you actually do want to get acquainted with the culture, read Miles Davis' autobiography Miles. Apart from being one of the funniest books ever it is packed with jazz history (especially the huge drug problem [most notably heroin] which is by far the most negative thing about jazz) and general American history (from the 1940s to 1980s in New York and LA and a bunch of other places and countries). Really one of the most amazing books ever if you want something to read.

Also that Hellsing stuff is definitely not jazz but it is indeed acid jazz, which actually has very little to do with actual jazz. Acid jazz to my understanding is a general mixture of funk, soul and hip hop (the links you posted also have some pop and rock elements). Most jazz fans would argue (and I would too) that nothing can be jazz if it doesn't swing (swing is a general term describing typical jazz rhythm; if you know any music theory it basically means (usually) eighth notes with the eighth note preceding the upbeats being played very late, so it feels like a rolling or "swinging" motion).

[Xanatos]

Isn't it? I thought 'World Without Logos' sounded pretty jazzy, but maybe I'm just not fly with the whole business.

[Bridge]

(06-04-2012 10:40 PM)Xanatos Wrote:  Isn't it? I thought 'World Without Logos' sounded pretty jazzy, but maybe I'm just not fly with the whole business.

It is jazzy. But like I said: in my opinion, and basically everyone else's, there is no jazz without swing. This is what swing rhythm sounds like:





Listen to how, even though nearly all of the notes are eighth notes, none of them are evenly spaced. Listen to how the eighth notes that precede the 2nd and 4th beats are played shortly before the beats instead of falling exactly in the middle. Like I said earlier, this is what is known as swing and is the oldest jazz tradition. Most fusion genres, such as acid jazz, jazz-funk and jazz fusion do not have swing rhythm and so can't be considered true jazz. I'm not really an elitist and I don't split hairs, but there is no jazz without swing; that's pretty much a fact. It's why bossa nova is not jazz despite having the same harmony in essence and a big emphasis on improvisation usually: it doesn't swing, it's all straight.