OK, how can I be a real musician without having an appreciation of this idiom?

Of course, I'm familar with jazz-influenced artists, and I do have the first Jaco Pastorius LP (for obvious reasons). I know about Stanley Clarke, too.

Where the heck do I start? Perhaps the Ken Burns' DVD set, for a bit of education?

How about some free-form, folks? Whom do you like from that world?

Trane?

I have all the ken burnns cds and they're great when I learned Charlie loved jazz I became interested and bought Charlie Parker first and even got CW to sign the cd liner to "from one Charlie"

One of the first publicity shots in the history of music.
The Buddy Bolden Band, circa 1900. Buddy is on the lower right of the pic.
Bolden is widely considered one of the originators of jazz.
Sadly, no known recordings have survived.

Here is an interesting read about Bolden and the origins of jazz.
The article also points out relationships between jazz, blues and funk.

[en.wikipedia.org]

Regarding jazz music...
There have been so many admissions in the past... many great shows.

Regarding what's still ahead...
I have some reservations.

Trane & Miles - So What

Facinating, that picture of Buddy Bolden Band - looks like it's from an egyptian vase.

Hi Bassplayer,
I'm a big jazz fan, so if I may, my two sents worth:

An obvious beginning for a bassist would be "Mingus Ah Hum" (by Charles Mingus of course). Fantastic, as rich as it is accessible, funky and subtle. A must.

Then, yeah, Coltrane, "Love Supreme". With Coltrane I think you should start straight away with that very complex work, because although you get its subtleties little by little, it has a sheer impact from the first listen.

Then, maybe it would be good not to lock yourself in old stuff. In recent years, there have been many masterpieces that are as good as anything before, although they don't have the mythical aura. One such masterpiece, the one jazz record I'd take on my desert Island is:
Alexandre von Schlippenbach, "Monk's Casino". The complete work of Monk, surely jazz's most important composer, compressed and arranged in 4hours and 3cds by astonishing members of the Berlin scene. Schlippenbach is himself a semi-underground legend; all the members of his quintet are oustanding. This box-set I cannot recommend highly enough.
Enjoy!

"Jazz isn't dead - it just smells funny."
Frank Zappa

Never liked jazz until I heard Miles Davis Kind of Blue. Still play this when the mood suits, just glorious music. Also really like In a Silent way by Miles Davis.


John Nicholls

jazz is words without vowels