llllllllllllllllllll wrote: Fri Jul 25, 2025 8:10 pm
Speaking of Duke Ellington, I learned about his mid-60s Sacred Music concert from the Miles Davis autobiography, which is also crucial.
For some reason this lp sounds really, really good on my tube receiver thru old JBLs. I like listening to that system anyways, but that record in particular jumps out of the speakers.
GODDAMN I LOVE THAT ALBUM.
Voted Free, though my concept of that doesn't necessarily mean the straight squonk.
Re: Best Jazz Era/Style
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2025 3:40 pm
by gotdamn
Plenty of great music in the "hot" 20's, but it'd be odd to prefer that to the later evolutions of the quintet etc. I remember being astounded by Louis Armstrong's playing in the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings, especially having grown up knowing his vocal stuff (which is great music, but weirdly sounds older than his 20's material!)
Every song featuring Eddie Lang on guitar is fire.
There's a real sweet spot in the late 1910's and early 20's where country music and jazz music share the same primordial soup. Emmett Miller to Jimmie Rodgers to Hank Sr. isn't even a stretch - maybe that's too "musicologist" based to enjoy for its own merits, like one would the 50's-70's stuff, but it's fascinating listening nonetheless. After the development of the phonograph, American culture evolved quickly and covered its tracks. It went from minstrel show 78s to what Lee Morgan called black classical music within a generation!
Re: Best Jazz Era/Style
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2025 3:46 pm
by gotdamn
Oh and bebop has come up in the thread without Bud Powell's name being mentioned. I'm not a big jazz piano guy, and even I think he's a goddamn genius.
That first outbreak of bebop is as exciting as early death and black metal or the first hardcore punk bands, you can hear the hunger and the vision coming out of the speaker. Dies off pretty quickly after that, but everything was about to get so much better anyways. Shoutout Miles Davis' Collector's Items for bridging the gap.
Re: Best Jazz Era/Style
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2025 6:54 pm
by Heath
gotdamn wrote: Sat Jul 26, 2025 3:40 pm
Plenty of great music in the "hot" 20's, but it'd be odd to prefer that to the later evolutions of the quintet etc. I remember being astounded by Louis Armstrong's playing in the Hot Five and Hot Seven recordings, especially having grown up knowing his vocal stuff (which is great music, but weirdly sounds older than his 20's material!)
Every song featuring Eddie Lang on guitar is fire.
There's a real sweet spot in the late 1910's and early 20's where country music and jazz music share the same primordial soup. Emmett Miller to Jimmie Rodgers to Hank Sr. isn't even a stretch - maybe that's too "musicologist" based to enjoy for its own merits, like one would the 50's-70's stuff, but it's fascinating listening nonetheless. After the development of the phonograph, American culture evolved quickly and covered its tracks. It went from minstrel show 78s to what Lee Morgan called black classical music within a generation!
Yeah Man I voted Hot Jazz without having to think too hard about it. And I love a lot of jazz. Those Hot Fives and Sevens, Django Reinhardt and Stephanie Grappeli, Bix Beiderbecke. These guys made music that punches me straight in the fuckin' head. Funny, wild, bursting at the seams. Love it so much. Get the Penguin Jazz Guide, find any record in the 20's and 30's , I'm having a great time.
I love bebop, hard bop, sure man. Post Bop? Is that Miles' tuneless mid 60's stuff? I don't get that at all!
The hardest part here is how much I love Thelonious Monk. Hard to quantify which of these guys make me happier to be alive, but my gut says Hot, so that's that.
Fusion leaves me cold but I keep trying, man. Maybe one day.
That first outbreak of bebop is as exciting as early death and black metal or the first hardcore punk bands, you can hear the hunger and the vision coming out of the speaker. Dies off pretty quickly after that, but everything was about to get so much better anyways. Shoutout Miles Davis' Collector's Items for bridging the gap.
ABSOLUTELY.
Re: Best Jazz Era/Style
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2025 10:15 pm
by Anonymous37
Re: Best Jazz Era/Style
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2025 2:21 am
by ChudFusk
Re: Best Jazz Era/Style
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2025 8:20 am
by Tree
Does Albert Ayler also count as "spiritual jazz"? If so, I may have to go with that.
I also like some structure in my "free" jazz. My favorite jazz album ever is Science Fiction by Ornette Coleman, which I think is loosely considered free jazz, even if it's pretty structured and accessible to my ears.
I mostly hate fusion outside of the Herbie stuff. Fusion guitar, that slightly distorted but totally clean-sounding tone, man. Just one of the worst sounds. Guitar has to be the least important instrument in jazz to me.
What is Giant Steps considered? Is that hard bop? That's pretty great stuff.
Re: Best Jazz Era/Style
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2025 11:55 am
by penningtron
Tree wrote: Mon Jul 28, 2025 8:20 am
My favorite jazz album ever is Science Fiction by Ornette Coleman, which I think is loosely considered free jazz, even if it's pretty structured and accessible to my ears.
Yes!!
I mostly hate fusion outside of the Herbie stuff. Fusion guitar, that slightly distorted but totally clean-sounding tone, man. Just one of the worst sounds.
That somewhat describes McLaughlin's playing on Bitches Brew but not at all Pete Cosey or Sonny Sharrock.
Re: Best Jazz Era/Style
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2025 1:08 pm
by scrotescape 4 real
Buell Niedlinger
Took the Powell/Monk stuff in a unique and wonderful direction.
