Jazz... I just don't get it

Goose-ZA · 2009-03-26T13:52:51+00:00

Someone please try and help me here. I firmly believe you should be able to appreciate all forms of music but I just really struggle to understand jazz. It's so all over the place i can't follow what the player is trying to do, notes sound out of key or out of place, it just confuses me. Blues on the other hand I ADORE! I can hear the emotion in the singer's voice, feel the groove moving my body, feel every note and every bend (I even pull guitar faces when listening to it) With jazz all i can manage is a blank stare. Someone please enlighten me.

NorioDS

Agree with an earlier post, Larry Carlton's stuff is delicious. I downloaded an album from eMusic called "Smooth Jazz Guitar" or something. Wonderful intro into jazz, especially for us axemen. Go get it. Well worth it ?

Gearhead

Allright I'll add my favourite quote and jazz musicians:
"jazz is to music like masturbating to sex" (the Commitments)
Jamie Cullum
David Sanborn

Squonk

The easiest jazz fusion gutarist to listen to, although some would say he is more pop than jazz is Lee Ritenour.
Very easy place to start your appreciation of Jazz Guitar.
He has quite a couple of influences, Wes Montgomery etc, plays a lot of nylon and quite easy on the ear.
He brought out a good DVD called "Overtime" which is a career perspective that covers most of the musicians he has worked with. Brilliant and you also get a chance to see the Yamaha Silent Guitar that I am lusting after ?

One Guy who has brilliant tone and timing is one George Benson, if you can look past all the comercial more vocal R&B stuff. The Collaboration album with Earl Klugh is very good, Listen to George give you goosebumps.

Pat Metheny is more than just a Jazz guitarist, he is very good jazz musician.

Once you get into the groove, there are many more to investigate, Mike Stern, Scott henderson, John Scofield etc
Matin Talyor

Sheesh , too many to mention. Jazz is like developing a taste for Wine, you start with Tassenberg but will soon start appreciating Meerlust Rubicon

arjunmenon

Alan Ratcliffe wrote Bear in mind there are many different types of jazz. Don't jump straight in to the bebop stuff - it'll be alien to you. If you're a blues fan, ease yourself in by way of Django Rheinhard, Charlie Christian, Dixie Jazz and modern players like Scott Henderson. Also take a listen to the vocal jazz like Nina Simone. If you're also into Rock, take a listen to the fusion players like McLaughlin, DiMeola, etc.

Any other suggestions anyone?

Lee Ritenour (Squonk mentioned him, but i disagree with him being more pop than jazz. Squonk, two words..Captain Fingers), Rus Freeman of "The Rippingtons", Acoustic Alchemy, Oscar Lopez, Wind Machine, George Benson (somebody has mentioned him already), Scofield's "A go go" and "I brake 4 monster booty" are two brilliant albums (very funky), Steve Morse (i know he isn't all Jazz but he is awesome)..and of course, the terrifyingly brilliant....wait for it.....Jeff Beck (listen to Wired). In addition, it might not be a bad idea to listen to some of the older big band stuff to get a feel for the start of bebop. Some movies to draw from (and i'm sure Alan and Rene will agree here) The Glen Miller story, The Benny Goodman Show (Gene Krupa is brilliant), High Society (Bing, Frankie and Armstrong)
And if ur into something a bit out of the ordinary, i'd suggest Weather Report's "Sweetnighter" and the later stuff with Jaco in the mix.
For more guitar oriented Fusionesque stuff, you could check out Greg Howe (not the shrapnel stuff), Brett Garsed, Guthrie Govan, Shawn Lane, Allan Holdsworth...and the list goes on....and on....and on...
Just like sushi (now that's something i can't acquire..not that i haven't tried) ?

arjunmenon

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Lee Ritenour (Squonk mentioned him, but i disagree with him being more pop than jazz. Squonk, two words..Captain Fingers),
[/quote]

Apologies Squonk. I posted before i read the entire sentence in your post.
That'll teach me to never jump the gun.

aubs1

Listen to Dave Grusin, David Sancious, Pat Metheney and David Sanborn (all quite light, and funky jazz).
I must admit I also cannot handle the really heavy jazz stuff.

Dirk

aubs1 wrote Listen to Dave Grusin, David Sancious, Pat Metheney and David Sanborn (all quite light, and funky jazz).

I agree, David Sancious is pretty cool. He played keys on Eric Clapton's "One more car, one more rider" Show. Not a bad guitarist either..

dee

As part of expanding my musical exposure, I got hold of some Miles Davis. It's pretty much the first Jazz I've ever listened to, I'm really liking what I'm hearing so far. While there is not a guitar in site, there is something in his trumpet playing that drags you into the music...

Goose-ZA

Yeah I've tried a few of the artists mentioned in this thread. Miles is by far my favourite but i still get tired of it quite quickly. I will keep at it but maybe I should just accept that my soul was not wired to appreciate Jazz and is in fact eternally bound to the blues...

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