Smooth Jazz

[Stephanie B]

From the "Roll Call" thread (to avoid diluting that one)



Originally Posted by lwt16
Doubtful.

I've brought my French Press and grinder to work on several occasions. Reportedly, our landfill is full of Mr. Coffee and Bunn makers since then. Keurigs are showing up there as well.

Whatever you plan to spend on an award, send fresh roasted beans instead. Or ammo. Or Belgian chocolate. Or smooth jazz mix tapes.
WTF? You had me up until smooth jazz. Ugh! (Everybody knows that real jazz is from the late forties through the mid sixties. Or they should. )
So about twenty years or so back, I had dinner with an acquaintance in Cambridge, MA. She suggested that we go to a jazz club afterwards for a couple of drinks. I thought about the jazz that I had heard in the French Quarter during a brief sojourn of "almost flunking out" at Tulane in the `70s, so I agreed.

Not the same. Not even close. It was a bunch of nearly atonal noise. People in the audience were nodding their heads in time to something, as there was no discernible rhythm. And, to be assaulted by noise that was less pleasing than the sounds of almost anything else I can think of, it cost a $16 dollar cover charge to get into that hellhole of acoustic inanity.

I soon said "I have to go." She stayed. Afterwards, she emailed me to ask what I thought of the music. I told her that it sounded as though they had given a bunch of MR patients instruments and told them to entertain themselves. Other than not smashing the instruments, a troop of baboons would have done better. Then I concluded by saying that Klingon opera would have been a better option.

(Of course, it being the `90s and it being the Boston area, "MR" was not the term that I used.)

Turns out that she was a huge "modern" jazz buff and was off-and-on buffing one of the on-stage "musicians". Which I didn't know.

That was the end of that. Never heard from her again.

[Malamute]

Concur on modern jazz.

My mom is a jazz fan. She likes all sorts of older type, including dixieland, which I can get an acceptable dose of fairly quickly. She asked me to go to a jazz festival. OK. Was surprised that there was a fair amount of 30s-40s type big band (?) stuff, which I quite enjoyed.

[GardoneVT]

"Smooth Jazz " is merely politically correct renaming of "porno music".

[Guerrero]

Concur on modern jazz.

My mom is a jazz fan. She likes all sorts of older type, including dixieland, which I can get an acceptable dose of fairly quickly. She asked me to go to a jazz festival. OK. Was surprised that there was a fair amount of 30s-40s type big band (?) stuff, which I quite enjoyed.Absolutely. The only kind of "jazz" that I will listen to is big band, or the '50's style piano-bass-drum combo stuff ("Charlie Brown Christmas," anyone?).

[Josh Runkle]

I’m probably using the wrong terms here, but I tend to think of the 1940’s Jazz as “big-band Jazz” or just “jazz”. I think of the 1960’s Jazz as “expirimental jazz” or just “jazz”. I think of modern Jazz as “Jazz” or “Polyrhythmic Jazz”.

Smooth Jazz, however, isn’t actually what I think of as Jazz. To me, it makes me think of either a person playing all of the parts of a jazz band on a keyboard/synthesizer or elevator music or Yanni.

Rhythm and Blues, Funk, etc., are all separate from Jazz.

Steph B., you seem to be excoriating about Smooth Jazz, while describing something else.


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[Stephanie B]

Steph B., you seem to be excoriating about Smooth Jazz, while describing something else.


I shouldn't have titled the thread the way that I did.

[Chance]

I've never gotten the improvisational variety of jazz either, but I'm not cool enough to get most modern things. If the music annoyed you, you should hear people explain the "philosophy" behind it. It's like hearing "literary enthusiasts" pontificate on how David Foster Wallace was a genius.

[lwt16]

Uncouth ruffians.

Lol.

[lwt16]

"Smooth Jazz " is merely politically correct renaming of "porno music".

You say that like it's a bad thing.

lol

[mtnbkr]

BTW, if you're a jazz fan, two great movies came out in the last couple years: Miles Ahead, which is about Miles Davis, and Born To Be Blue, which is about Chet Baker. Both movies are not biographies, but instead focus on specific periods of the artists' lives. Miles Ahead stars Don Cheadle in the title role. He's a Miles Davis fan and a trumpet player, which shows through in the quality of the portrayal. Ethan Hawke plays Chet Baker in Born To Be Blue. I don't recall if he learned to play trumpet for the role, but he obviously "got" Chet's drive and motivations based on the interviews I saw.

Full Disclosure: I'm a (bad) trumpet player and a fan of both musicians. I was naturally drawn to the two flicks.

FWIW, Chet has really grown on me these last few years. The music is just so subtle, you really have to listen to it. It doesn't slap you in the face like so many others. You can almost feel the heroin in his music.

Chris

[Robinson]

Love blues, big band, swing, rockabilly, and some rock (picky about that though). Played blues and rock guitar when I was a lot younger.

hate Hate HATE what they call smooth jazz.

But hey, taste in music is totally subjective and people like what they like. No worries.

[blues]

Jazz is an evolving, multi-dimensional musical form. There is no one "jazz". You can like one or more styles and dislike others. Some you may "get" and others not so much. It's all good. (Except for the stuff that isn't...but that's a personal thing.)

I had the good fortune of having a close friend growing up, Phil Schaap (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Schaap), (cousin of the late Dick Schaap), who was instrumental, (get it? instrumental), in my evolving interest in jazz while I was in my teens and early twenties. (Of course, he's also responsible for why I haven't been able to drink gin since one night listening to jazz records at his parents' home in Queens.)

When it's good, really good, it's truly sublime. I've been fortunate enough over the years to hear some of that music both in person and via recordings from artists the likes of whom are rarely encountered. Some of them even became close friends, like Billy Peeples (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Peeples) who was Ray Charles' drummer during his Atlantic years.

[lwt16]

Love blues, big band, swing, rockabilly, and some rock (picky about that though). Played blues and rock guitar when I was a lot younger.

hate Hate HATE what they call smooth jazz.

But hey, taste in music is totally subjective and people like what they like. No worries.

Love me some blues........

Musical blues.......not "blues" from the LE forum.

He's second on the list for a ride a long. Some guy with espresso is 1.

[blues]

Love me some blues........

Musical blues.......not "blues" from the LE forum.

He's second on the list for a ride a long. Some guy with espresso is 1.

Glad you cleared that up. Not that I wouldn't be proud to have had your adoration but being married to a Sicilian woman is not without its risks. ;)

Blues...well, alongside jazz, is my other favorite music. And like jazz, is a multi-dimensional musical form from the old Mississippi delta blues, up through Chicago and beyond. True American music with deep African roots. As hypnotic as it is beautiful. Gotta love them old 12 bars.

[lwt16]

Glad you cleared that up. Not that I wouldn't be proud to have had your adoration but being married to a Sicilian woman is not without its risks. ;)

Blues...well, alongside jazz, is my other favorite music. And like jazz, is a multi-dimensional musical form from the old Mississippi delta blues, up through Chicago and beyond. True American music with deep African roots. As hypnotic as it is beautiful. Gotta love them old 12 bars.

Bring that Sicilian with you on the ride a long.

The three of us will roust the hookers in my zone.

I got one of them SUVs that leak CO so the blues and jazz will get better and better the more we breathe.

[Totem Polar]

Since modern jazz has come up, and I spend my time around folks who are at the top of their game in that genre (I am not a jazzer, btw, though I have been a guest artist for our area’s top band), I’ll just put some stuff up here for folks to scroll through and explore, and either take or pass...

Snarky puppy (very au currant)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLFlF9jHX1CoEqmhnOyzJLV87VGT9-cyzi&v=L_XJ_s5IsQc

Kamasi Washington
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLeb_AzFfAcEADge_RACXGxZtY8cu19Pfi&v=rtW1S5EbHgU

New York Voices
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL15EoMoZ5fwhV2oC6VvR2S9ZlkKLEo4lI&v=Wx019uotfsA

Gordon Goodwin Phat Band
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLoIQEr7Oj68Iajp1OLCaUlARJJbytLxRP&v=SV1juxVlpic

Esperanza Spaulding (a favorite of mine)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLxrIGHfx1_Qt-ajM7Hfittz0cN7tzeqzA&v=nVhSCVVz5rI

Ryan Keberle (an old boss’s son, as an aside)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLPKHOEW7I58l55TRxukIQgx3s-N5TiIIu&params=EAEYATgBSAFYAmILWW00eE1zbTk0TG9oAA%253D%253 D&v=aEiff46NJn4&mode=NORMAL

Chris Potter
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL0UKk5SOfr1rmUPaSLHxqs_qBQoIvcI3S&v=cZq7dyTMk54

Hot Sardines (retro/old school, for blues)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLZyGfcAtG3g8Tu2mihJv8HBitTX6MkUlU&v=Q4-XIKt-ADs

[lwt16]

And a good marinara recipe.

[Totem Polar]

And a good marinara recipe.

Hey! Turn your son onto Ryan Keberle, since they both play trombone...

[lwt16]

Hey! Turn your son onto Ryan Keberle, since they both play trombone...

Heck yeah!

I'll tell him Uncle Sidheshooter said so.

[blues]

Hey! Turn your son onto Ryan Keberle, since they both play trombone...

Oh, how my mother enjoyed my trombone practice in our tiny apartment while I was in junior high...:rolleyes:

[WobblyPossum]

I am listening to a recording of Miles Davis playing Walkin' during one of his shows as I type this. Those of you who are into "Smooth Jazz" can go right ahead and keep that noise to yourselves.

[Totem Polar]

Heck yeah!

I'll tell him Uncle Sidheshooter said so.

Don’t get excited yet: I haven’t even gotten to a Q&D guitar list. You better give me the weekend for that... :D

[blues]

I am listening to a recording of Miles Davis playing Walkin' during one of his shows as I type this. Those of you who are into "Smooth Jazz" can go right ahead and keep that noise to yourselves.

My brother! The other Miles recordings on Prestige are awesome also. (Assuming that's the recording I'm thinking of.)

[WobblyPossum]

My brother! The other Miles recordings on Prestige are awesome also. (Assuming that's the recording I'm thinking of.)

This one was from Miles Davis The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965. It doesn't really mater which album you pick. He never played anything I didn't like.

[Stephanie B]

Oh, how my mother enjoyed my trombone practice in our tiny apartment while I was in junior high...:rolleyes:
I played trumpet and my brother played clarinet. Mom made us do our practicing as soon as we came home from school. It wasn't until much later that I realized it was so we'd be finished before Dad came home.

That clarinet squeaked like a rusty hinge and my horn-playing was a good simulation of a dented foghorn. After several years, we both realized that the only critter that enjoyed listening to us was the dog, who liked howling along.

My brother traded the clarinet for a guitar. He was never any good at that, either, but he did take the opportunity to dress up like El Kabong for Halloween. My horn stayed in a closet at my paren't house until one of my nephews took it up. Some goblin stole it out of my sister-in-law's car outside of Salt Lake City some years back.

[blues]

This one was from Miles Davis The Complete Live at the Plugged Nickel 1965. It doesn't really mater which album you pick. He never played anything I didn't like.

Okay. That's a later version. I think the one I'm thinking of was from Philly in the 50's. I'd have loved to have seen Miles.

I did see Charles Mingus at the Village Gate or Vanguard, I can't remember for sure now...and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in the 70's.
Also met and spent some quality time with bassist Richard Davis.

The aforementioned Phil Schaap introduced me to "Ram" Ramirez at the "West End" (where Phil was managing). Ram co-wrote "Lover Man". I happily brought him drinks as he regaled us with stories from back in the day.

[WobblyPossum]

Okay. That's a later version. I think the one I'm thinking of was from Philly in the 50's. I'd have loved to have seen Miles.

I did see Charles Mingus at the Village Gate or Vanguard, I can't remember for sure now...and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in the 70's.
Also met and spent some quality time with bassist Richard Davis.

The aforementioned Phil Schaap introduced me to "Ram" Ramirez at the "West End" (where Phil was managing). Ram co-wrote "Lover Man". I happily brought him drinks as he regaled us with stories from back in the day.

If you're ever back in NYC, I recommend checking out Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (dontcha just love sponsorship) at the Lincoln Center. They have live jazz music every day and the food's decent.

[blues]

If you're ever back in NYC, I recommend checking out Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola (dontcha just love sponsorship) at the Lincoln Center. They have live jazz music every day and the food's decent.

If it's Dizzy's they'd better have "salt peanuts". Just sayin'. :cool:



https://youtu.be/TvIXzeDLpMw

[tanner]

Trumpet kid here... Spent most of my youth listening to Maynard, Miles and a ton of Winton. Got turned on to Mingus a few years back, he instantly moved right up into my top 5.

This tune was made for a great set of headphones. Only click if you can handle some dissonance. :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__OSyznVDOY

[blues]

Trumpet kid here... Spent most of my youth listening to Maynard, Miles and a ton of Winton. Got turned on to Mingus a few years back, he instantly moved right up into my top 5.

This tune was made for a great set of headphones. Only click if you can handle some dissonance. :cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__OSyznVDOY

When Mingus wasn't punching out the members of his orchestra he was amazing...I just love his music. Not everything but most all of it.

Speaking of Bobby Timmons' Moanin', the classic version by Blakey is pretty damn awesome:


https://youtu.be/Cv9NSR-2DwM

[hufnagel]

Absolutely. The only kind of "jazz" that I will listen to is big band, or the '50's style piano-bass-drum combo stuff ("Charlie Brown Christmas," anyone?).

https://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0002/809/MI0002809200.jpg?partner=allrovi.com

my first CD ever. had it even before I bought a player. my jazz collection spans the gamut... chick corea (in all his eras and editions,) rippingtons, tom scott, mingus, baker, grusin, spyro gyra, acoustic alchemy, keith jarret, david benoit, fourplay, benny goodman, and more I can't remember off the top of my head. if I ever find a good 78 player I have a ton of my grandfather's stuff that dates back to before the War.

[alohadoug]

I've got a 14 year old that started playing alto sax in 5th grade. He was so so with it. In sixth grade, he switched to the bari sax and found jazz band. Now he's in love! He was working on Coltrane the other day. He's also listening to Pepper Adams on YouTube.
Also, check out Postmodern Jukebox on YouTube. Imagine Coolio's Gangster Paradise remixed and sung in a 1920's big band style.
Their current video takes Foofighters "My hero" remixed as a 1930's piano and clarinet with wonderful female voice. They're donating $10 for every 1k views. 104k views in 24 hours.
https://youtu.be/yQ_ti4Sj66A
https://youtu.be/yQ_ti4Sj66A

[Totem Polar]

Here's the most recent thing to come across my desk today... Some of you 80's folks will probably dig it. It's a hell of a cover:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FLrvnQG03E


Even has Trombone!

:cool:

[alohadoug]

Here's the most recent thing to come across my desk today... Some of you 80's folks will probably dig it. It's a hell of a cover:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FLrvnQG03E


Even has Trombone!

:cool:

She does a remix of Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby with Postmodern Jukebox that's amazing.

[Josh Runkle]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=83HoqIPlTl4


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[MVS]

My favorite Jazz is Western Swing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNP4M85oxIQ

[Stephanie B]

As long as we're mentioning the Post-Modern Jukebox:


https://youtu.be/VCTOpdlZJ8U

[Mjolnir]

Being Creole of Color and from Baton Rouge I'm somewhat of a Jazz snob.

"Smooth Jazz"?

Never heard of her.


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[Caballoflaco]

Being Creole of Color and from Baton Rouge I'm somewhat of a Jazz snob.

"Smooth Jazz"?

Never heard of her.


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So what are your thoughts on zydeco?



For those interested in checking out 'Nawlins Jazz American Routes is an NPR program from Louisana that takes deep dives into the history of American music and especially the Louisana jazz scene from the beginnings to modern artists. You can stream episodes for free off their website and I'd call it a great source for learning about all American music.

[Redhat]

Smooth Jazz = 90's Kirk Whalum in my book

[Mjolnir]

So what are your thoughts on zydeco?



For those interested in checking out 'Nawlins Jazz American Routes is an NPR program from Louisana that takes deep dives into the history of American music and especially the Louisana jazz scene from the beginnings to modern artists. You can stream episodes for free off their website and I'd call it a great source for learning about all American music.

I love zydeco. Might be a cultural thing to be honest.

I once worked in Acoustics and Sound Quality and jazz is shit harmonically as is the saxophone. LOL!

Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker... yeah, I can sit back with a good drink and fire [emoji91]; good for the soul.

Zydeco is HOME. I adore it.

But I'm admittedly heavily biased culturally.


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[alohadoug]

I've got a 14 year old that started playing alto sax in 5th grade. He was so so with it. In sixth grade, he switched to the bari sax and found jazz band. Now he's in love! He was working on Coltrane the other day. He's also listening to Pepper Adams on YouTube.
Also, check out Postmodern Jukebox on YouTube. Imagine Coolio's Gangster Paradise remixed and sung in a 1920's big band style.
Their current video takes Foofighters "My hero" remixed as a 1930's piano and clarinet with wonderful female voice. They're donating $10 for every 1k views. 104k views in 24 hours.
https://youtu.be/yQ_ti4Sj66A
https://youtu.be/yQ_ti4Sj66A

20831
That's him two years ago when I brought the bari home from Parent's Night. He's the only bari player in the school. New band teacher says he was born to play it...

Sorry proud dad moment.

[MistWolf]

I love the Blues and Jazz. I don't know enough to tell what type is what, but here are a couple of pieces I really enjoy

Let's start with my all time favorite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSkH-p1EW1o

Another piece I like very much is this version of Dave Brubeck's Take Five

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uamBdIYH9s

They picked cool music for the Bosch series. Can't wait for the next season

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkPRgxcvX-4

Smooth Jazz makes me want start stabbing things and bang my head against the wall until I self lobotomize
WARNING! SMOOTH JAZZ AHEAD!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnD76ZLWEz8

This is a great piece for dancing. Hey Pachuco!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zyGenasBrM

Bullit because Steve McQueen is always cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhU7WnBQNa8

[JAD]

I got no kick against modern jazz.

[mtnbkr]

regarding playing an instrument in school...

I played trumpet from 7th grade (when "band" started in that school system) up through 12th grade. In 9th grade, my parents gave me a very nice silver trumpet (F. Besson Meha made by Kanstul, selected by me after demoing a pile of "professional" level horns). I didn't play again in college as I was kind of burned out with band and not really "into" it any longer. During my sophomore year, the urge struck again and I got involved with Pep Band, which had a requirement that you also be taking a music class, so I joined Jazz Band. I played for a semester, but gave it up for my Junior year and beyond as I was in a fairly demanding program and didn't need the distraction of practices, games, and travel (in hindsight, a mistake because I think the distraction and artistic expression would have been valuable).

Twenty years later, I'm looking at the unused silver trumpet and seeing $$$. I posted it to Craigslist with a highish price and got an interested buyer who knew the significance of the horn (it being one of the more faithful recreations of the historic French Besson Meha). He arranged to meet me at work and I started shopping for my first Colt 1911 (what I was going to spend the money on). Well, he showed up and played the horn in the parking garage. I hadn't heard it sing like that since college. He liked it, but also had a "real" Meha lined up for demo. Since I wouldn't budge from my price, he decided to wait until after he tried the other horn. Luckily for me, I never heard from him again. However, I was now energized to pick it up again.

So, now I'm playing again. I suck mightily, but my youngest daughter gets a kick out of hearing me play and actually asks me to play (she like sit when I play tunes she recognizes). I'm also putting back to use a very generous gift from my parents, which means more to me as I get older than yet another gun would have.

The challenge I run into now is finding interesting and engaging music that isn't written for someone with strong chops and a wide range. I can't routinely hit notes above the staff, but so much non-beginner music lives up there. I suppose I could play it down an octave, but my sight reading isn't fast enough for that yet. I'd love to get my hands on some of the pep band or marching band music I played in school because that was fun to play and not overly challenging.

Chris

[Wondering Beard]

I got no kick against modern jazz.

Nor should you ;-)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhqJ_fK1zv8

[Wondering Beard]

I'm far from knowledgeable about jazz but if we're going to do jazz soundtrack:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8wWa3O9cUo



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDpm4ItLzlA

[Stephanie B]

I can't routinely hit notes above the staff,

Ancient memories surfacing: Maybe a different mouthpiece might help?

[blues]

Ancient memories surfacing: Maybe a different mouthpiece might help?

Or a swift kick in the nuts...;)

[mtnbkr]

Ancient memories surfacing: Maybe a different mouthpiece might help?

Nah. It's simply a conditioning issue. My chops aren't in shape yet.

Chris

[mtnbkr]

Or a swift kick in the nuts...;)

:p :rolleyes:

Chris

[MistWolf]

I'm far from knowledgeable about jazz but if we're going to do jazz soundtrack:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8wWa3O9cUo



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDpm4ItLzlA

Cowboy Bebop had the coolest music of any anime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyI635o2pmk

[Wondering Beard]

Cowboy Bebop had the coolest music of any anime

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyI635o2pmk

That it did.

I still have one of these somewhere in the house:

https://d2lzb5v10mb0lj.cloudfront.net/covers/300/12/12074.jpg

Apparently Yoko Kano and her band, the Seatbelts, were something live.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_25mVjKwcc

[JAD]

Nor should you ;-)

https://youtu.be/QZoclbefgak

Incidentally stumbled upon:
https://youtu.be/RI98xPkLNVU