Recommend me some good Jazz musicians.

[Derelict]

I'm pretty much bored with all of the bands in my play-lists and want to branch out a little, but I'm virtually illiterate when it comes to any artists. Suggest me some good musicians or even just songs so I can give my ears something nice to enjoy.

I'm pretty open-minded so if what you listen to is a little different, suggest it anyway. I'll give it a whirl.

Oh, and I did check out the other thread about expanding music tastes, but I'd like something a little more personal.

[blltmssgy]

Some bands that are out there:

Bela Fleck (with or without Flecktones, he is bluegrass without, and with, from what I hear, he is more jazzy)

and this band I mentioned that I just downloaded in my thread:
New Monsoon
They are jam, but they incorporate all types of music, like bluegrass, reggae, indian, etc.

[Soul]

Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra are probably a good place to start if your interested in listening to some jazz I suppose.

[Derelict]

Thanks, guys. I'll be sure to check all of those out.

EDIT: Listening to In Your Eyes by Bela Fleck right now. It's pretty nice, I must say.

[Mr Anorexia]

If you haven't checked out Miles Davis or John Coltrane, you have to.

[John Travolta]

George Gershwin is a fantastic Jazz pianist, I'd recommend Rhapsody in Blue and An American in Paris for starters. Thad Jones and Mel Lewis are great together they compliment each other fantastically with a drum/trumpet combination, I'd recommend Central Park North.

Luciano Pavarotti and the Three Tenors are great for a jazz/opera mix, listen to The Three Tenors in Concert. Definitely, if you listen to anything by Pavarotti make it Vesti La Giubba, it will fucking blow your shit apart. Pavarotti's My Way duet with Frank Sinatra is pretty great as well.

For more mainstream jazz taste of course I'd recommend Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Dean Martin, Sinatra of course, and my favorite, Tony Bennett(only one still alive, btw).

Great Ellington album, I would just go for the Centennial Collection. It's not my favorite but it pretty much covers everything.

Louis Armstrong: Ken Burns Jazz is a great Louis Armstrong album, it has a lot of his hits, but it doesn't have any Ella Fitzgerald duets so it's not the greatest. If anything, make sure to have at least one song with Ella-Armstrong. Summertime would be my recommendation.

Dean Martin- Dino: The Essential is pretty much all you need.

Sinatra- There are countless Best of albums, just pick one. My recommended songs are My Way, Fly Me to the Moon and Come Fly with me[/i] are my favorites.

Tony Bennett- My all time favorite. He and Stevie Wonder sing For Once in my Life and it is utterly awesome. He also has countless Best of albums, just choose. My favorite songs are The Way You Look Tonight, New York, New York and I Left my Heart in San Francisco.

There are a lot of great Artists that I didn't really mention, Matt Monroe, Nat King Cole to name a few are fantastic, but really just for a few choice songs in my opinion.

[exetra]

If you'd care for something more on the fusion side of things then check out a group called Karizma. The absofuckinglutely incredible Vinnie Colaiuta plays drums in this group. Have a listen to their version of Don Grolnick's "Nothing Personal" on their album "Document". 8 minutes of the most intense drumming and piano playing you will ever hear, in fact I'd say its worth buying the CD just for this piece.

[Android]

Some of my favorite jazz is done by Thelonius Monk. Monk's piano playing is some of the finest you will hear.

If you are after more of a guitar-based jazz I would suggest Django Rheinhardt. With two fingers, this man revolutionized the guitar and made it a respectable instrument in the jazz formula.

Someone else worth checking out is Dave Brubeck. His mix of contemporary and odd time signatures makes him and endearing jazz musician, if anything listen to "Time Out."

If you haven't heard of Herbie Hancock, I suggest you listen to Head Hunters, it is a jazz, funk-fusion masterpiece. Bitches Brew by Miles Davis also falls into this category and I would highly recommend giving it a listen.

If you are into something more contemporary, I would suggest listening to Pat Metheny, Medenski, Martin & Wood, or Frank Zappa.

The latter is an all around amazing musician whose music defies definition or category. Zappa could make a rock band sound like an orchestra or jazz band at any moment. His over 60 albums should give you plenty to listen to.

[Derelict]

I'm in the process of downloading 90% of the artists you guys mentioned. You've all been extremely helpful. Thanks a bunch!

Also, I really didn't peg copyright as the type of guy to listen to jazz. I pictured him more listening to Japanese techno or something really gay like that.

[xkittenxsocksx]

Charles Mingus
Frank Zappa.

Pepper Adams

[exetra]

stuff about Dave Brubeck.

I feel like such a dumbass for forgetting this guy. One of the only composers I've ever heard who can make such technically intricate and complex music listenable and fun. "Time Out" is great, also "Take Five".

[fabz]

Chic Corea- He plays the Fender Rhodes. Awesome.

Pat Methany- A great guitar player.

Wes Montgomery- another awesome guitar player

Mahavishnu Orchestra- and now for something completely different.

Maynard Ferguson- Peep his version of The theme to Sesame Street. He plays the trumpet.

[John Travolta]

I'm in the process of downloading 90% of the artists you guys mentioned. You've all been extremely helpful. Thanks a bunch!

Also, I really didn't peg copyright as the type of guy to listen to jazz. I pictured him more listening to Japanese techno or something really gay like that.

Lame.

[abbey]

If you like jazz piano, try some Vince Guaraldi. He did a lot of music for Charlie Brown.

I suggest 'Linus and Lucy' or 'Cast Your Fate Into the Wind'.

[Audioslave]

Oscar Peterson and Earl Hines (+Earl Hines Trio)

Personally my two favorites, along with Miles Davis.

[Idioteque]

So many good jazz artists, I'm very impressed.
Heres my picks:
-Miles Davis, fantastic trumpet player, the David Bowie of jazz.
-Maynard Ferguson, highest notes on a trumpet I've ever heard
-Dizzy Gillespie, quite a bit older, but he is a jazz classic
-Don Ellis, Revolutionary trumpet player, uses electronics along with jazz

[AccidentalMartyr]

I'm gonna go with the classic standards here and say:

Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

I mostly recommend Kind of Blue, Sketches of Spain, Giant Steps or A Love Supreme. I'm not sure about Bitches Brew, though, since I haven't heard it yet, but I would probably recommend it, too.

[BilkEmDanno]

David Sanborn and his Alto Sex are a really good combination. It's really nice smooth jazz, and I personally like him amongst my favorites.

[GenericInsanity]

David Sanborn and his Alto Sex are a really good combination. It's really nice smooth jazz, and I personally like him amongst my favorites.

Smooth jazz is for those who can't play real jazz. =p

But in all honesty, those are great musicians. Here's a list of my favorites

-Herbie Hancock
-John Coltrane
-Ella Fitzgerald (On the vocal side)
-Chic Corea
-Herbie Mann (As a flute player, I absolutely adore his playing. Yum.)