hiphop-elements.com

http://www.allmusic.com will probably be your best resource. Look up the artists you know/like, check out their best rated albums, check out the similar artists, and make an account so you'll be able to check out audio samples.

Another good way of finding some stuff you might like is finding the samples on some jazz-influenced hiphop albums that you like, then delving into artists based on how much you like what was sampled. http://www.the-breaks.com is the best sample resource. There are also some great sample compilations, like Tribe Vibes.

But anyway. Lately I've been listening to a lot of Yusef Lateef, Cal Tjader, Cannonball Adderley, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Pharoah Sanders, Jimmy Smith, and a bit of Eric Dolphy.

Thanks a lot man.

getz and gilberto is where it's at, I dunno what anyone on any of the other pages posted because I didn't have the attention to read it but here's some stuff that is must have.

Wessel Anderson - Warmdaddy in the garden of swing
Coltrane - ALL albums
Miles Davis - Prince of darkness (and countless other albums by him, or have him on it)
Sun Ra - Some of the more mellow albums, I can't really get into all that outerspace jazz shit that borderlines ambient music.
Ornett Coleman
Chet Baker
count basie
sidney bechet
art blakey
tommy dorsey
booker ervin
umm.... coleman hawkins

What's that? I don't seem to find any info about it. Upload?

Bernard Toudie Heath - Kawaida

A bit of a silly question but ehh.. I've been trying to get into jazz for quite a while now, and some things still sound as horrible to me as they did when I first started listening. Am I ever going to learn to like it or should I just give up?

i'd say its definitely an acquired taste. don't give up, i think eventually you'll hear something you are feeling and it will open up a whole new world to you. i honestly got into jazz by hearing a herbie hancock song on a skate video when i was in high school. after rounding up all the herbie hancock i could find, i became familiar with other musicians and started checking out their shit.

if you have any type of jazz history or appreciation courses at your school, i'd recommend taking them. it's a good way to learn names if anything..

Thanks, I'll definitely look into that! Any specific artists that I should look into as a newbie to jazz?


I know you're not into amy winehouse, but check this video out if you've got the time to. It's from back in her more jazzy days (still got the hiphop attitude going on there too haha) and I think you might like it. She is actually the reason I started looking into jazz and other kinds of music too. She starts singing at about 2 minutes into the video. Just give it a try, there's a few moments in there that blow my mind every time I hear it (4:20, 6:15).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGzVkr2vgD8#GU5U2spHI_4

Herbie Hancock is indeed a very good artist to introduce yourself to jazz. Go for Maiden Voyage for the more normal jazz, and Headhunters for his typical blend of jazz & funk. Miles Davis is also a great artist to start with, specifically Kind of Blue. A personal favourite is Charles Mingus, his music is more rooted in blues and gospel and more composed than that of most other jazz artists, and that makes him both a compositional and improvisational genius.

Something you might find easier to get into, is some more contemparory artists who use jazz, but mix it with more popular genres. I'd say, check out Cinematic Orchestra (Motion is their most jazzy album) and Bonobo, they are somewhat hiphop. Also check out Guru's first two Jazzmatazz albums, they might be interesting

Another thing to do is to try and go to jazz concerts. Seeing as you live in or close to Amsterdam, head down to some jazz café and check out when they have groups performing, most of the time those'll be conservatory-students, who'll stay close to the traditional jazz norms. Certainly with the more traditional forms (mostly bebop), concerts are fantastic because of the even higher grade of improvisation and intensity. For instance, I don't really like freejazz when recorded, but I love going to freejazz-concerts, because of the insanely high intensity with which the musicians play. But I'd recommend staying away from freejazz for the moment, you need quite a strong musical stomache for that. It certainly ain't easy listening.

Thank you!! I needed some specific advice like that. There's so much out there I had no idea where to start. I'll start checking out the artists you mentioned and look for a good jazz cafe.

I just found out I like Monk btw, so he might be my way into jazz. I was watching some videos of him and found myself staring at the screen with my mouth open, just waiting to see what he'd do next. So that's good! I play piano myself so I understand what he's doing and that he's not just banging on a piano. It's intriguing to see him play. Plus the drums and bass really help me to get into the music too.

Esperanza Spalding...she plays the double bass and is DOPE! I got her album recently and it's definitely worth a listen.

R.I.P. Freddie Hubbard



His playing on Herbie Hancock's Maiden Voyage is fantastic. I really need to get some albums of his, especially now.

B.B. King on Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual 1968 Part 1

Carmen McRae - Trouble Is A Man - Jazz Casual

B.B. King on Ralph Gleason's Jazz Casual 1968 Part 2

John Coltrane :: Alabama :: Jazz Casual

Jazz Casual with Cannonball Adderley Quintet

Jazz Casual Keith Jarret 68 <- that's my shit!

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Jazz Casual - Part 1

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Jazz Casual - Part 2

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Jazz Casual - Part 3

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Jazz Casual - Part 4


I want the jazz casual box set. I love how the black and white contrasts with the music played.

Personally im not a HUGE fan of Herbie, I believe him to be highly overrated and don't really feel his (undeniably unique) sound too much specifically on his solo albums. I much prefer albums that he merely features on as part of an ensemble such as.......