Im trying to broaden my musical tastes... help please?

Question

I LOVE R&B and Soul. So I thought I would give jazz a try. I know its something you just cant hop into but I think I like. Some of what i have been listening to is In a Sentimental mood by John Coltrane and some Amy Winehouse. Could you throw some music around that I may like? and shed some more light on ella and lena... since they seem to be the jazz ambassadors??? thanks =)

btw, im 13 and a music-holic.

Answer 1

Besides the artists you mentioned, who are great, listen to Nancy Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James,Sarah Vaughn, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley(sp?), Wynton Marsalis, Charles Mingus,Oscar Peterson, Errol Garner.
I am impressed that you are listening to Coltrane at such a young age.
Something that happens to me when I hear something new(to me) is, I may not like the song or the artist at first listen, but with persistence, I "hear" what the artist is trying to accomplish and they will wind up being a favorite. Just keep at it. You are on the right track.

Answer 2

13 and you are into John Coltrane? How cool is that! In A Sentimental Mood by John Coltrane is one of my all time favorites. Personally I never heard Of Amy Winehouse though.
Lena a jazz ambassador? Lena Horne? Billie Holliday and Ella Fitzgerald are. Some of the more current female jazz vocalists are Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Diana Krall, Sade (not really jazz though), Randy Crawford.
Jazz instrumentalists worth checking out are John Coltrane (You know about him.), Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Paul Desmond, Herbie Hancock, The Crusaders, Freddie Hubbard, Charlie Mingus, Chick Corea, Jean Luc Ponty, Django Reinhart, Ronnie Laws, Michael Brecker, Larry Carlton, Acoustic Alchemy, Eddie Harris

Answer 3

Jazz is a huge genre, so it's gonna be hard to give recommendations. I'll try to describe each style to you, but this will probably end up enormous, even if I try to condense.

The oldest jazz I listen to would be Louis Armstrong, so if you want any dixieland or old trad jazz (pre-20s) I can't really help you there.

If you're into sounds of swing and big band, the dance music of the 20s and 30s, you might want to listen to Count Basie, Duke Ellington (one of the most prolific American composers, but a fantastic innovator), and the Glenn Miller Orchestra. They typically featured limited improvisation based around the melody. The goal was dance music, so it had to retain a more structured, danceable sound.

Around the early 40s, jazz bands shrunk considerably in size to quartets and quintets. Developed and popularized mainly by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie, bebop focused more on harmonic improvisation. The tempos were faster and the solos more elaborate. Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie are required listening for this style, as well as Bud Powell, Thelonious Monk, and Max Roach.

Cool jazz and hard bop went on from here around the 50s, slowing down the fast tempos of bebop and focusing more on "sophistication," for lack of a better term. Miles Davis is a very popular jazz artist of this time (his early work anyway), known mostly for one of the best selling jazz albums (possibly the best-selling): Kind of Blue. Other prominent artists include John Coltrane (his early work), Herbie Hancock (early work), Art Blakey, and Dave Brubeck.

In the 60s, jazz became a bit more avant-garde. Ornette Coleman lead the free jazz movement, with artists like Eric Dolphy and Don Cherry experimenting heavily. Charles Mingus expanded on his idol Duke Ellington's style, creating symphonic jazz compositions such as The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. John Coltrane created A Love Supreme, a heavily spiritual album, and ventured further into the avant-garde with Ascension.

After that, jazz lost a lot of its popularity, and jazz has since forked considerably. Miles Davis started with more electronic fusion albums, such as the influential Bitches Brew, bands such as the Mahavishnu Orchestra expanded on fusion, and Don Ellis ventured further in creative time signature usage, akin to Dave Brubeck.

I can't really help you much more after this era, unfortunately, however I can give you some modern bands I listen to. Orange Then Blue, lead by George Schuller, was an early 90s jazz big band with small band creativity. It has many cultural influences and a very lush, creative sound. Either/Orchestra is a similar artist, a larger band retaining creativity of smaller ensembles, and they're still around, I think. There are many such more bands, including the Vienna Art Orchestra.

Sorry this was so long. I tried cutting it down. Hope this helps!

Answer 4

At 13, I was playing chord melodies.. .ie.. satin doll, meditation. Big fan of Joe Pass at 13.. Start out small.. Listen to all of it. Smooth Jazz might be appealing in the beginning., George Howard, Gerald Albright are two of my favorites.. GH passed a few years back but has some good stuff out there. Grover Washington was another good player too.. one of my favorites. If you like jazz guitar, try John Pizzarelli, Jimmy Bruno, Russ Malone just to name a few. I personally enjoy Mike Stern, the Breckers, Miles, Coltrane, So many to name.. just jump in and start listening. Your ears will dictate what you enjoy and as you get more experience, your taste will change.. Have fun.. It's a life long adventure.

Answer 5

John Coltrane is the best tenor sax player.Some more good jazz
artists are David Sanborn,Phil Woods,Miles Davis,Candy Dulfer,Wayne Shorter,Karl Denson,Eric Marienthal, Count Basie,Gorson Goodwins Big Phat Band,and Ella Fizgerald.
Thats all i can think of at the time.

Answer 6

You cannot go wrong with Ella - get a greatest hits package. A couple newer female jazz vocalists I like are Diana Krall and Holly Cole.

Maybe you'd like the "Time Out" album by Dave Brubeck.
"Saxophone Colossus" is a nice one by Sonny Rollins.
If you like big band, try Glen Miller, Duke Ellington, etc. You probably already know some and don't realize. Same for Louis Prima (Sing Sing Sing you probably know)
Charles Mingus - "Ah Um"

Answer 7

Aside from the obvious ones listed by my fellow music lovers, you can try Roy Hargrove. If you're into R&B and Soul (especially Neosoul), you'll dig him. Also check out the Marsalis brothers (Wynton and Bradford). The Yellowjackets are cool if you're into a mellower jazz sound. You might also enjoy some jazz singers like Michael Franks.

You've got great taste!

Answer 8

Your musical tastes are a reflection of your person own type, so in case you opt to enhance your musical repertoire, you're able to do it for your self and not in basic terms via fact your pals elect to. My wager is, with the help of your assertion of your dislikes, they're possibly followers of one or the two genres, stunning? lol My musical tastes selection a lot, so i'm undecided in case you will have an interest in what i admire, yet once you like an extremely wide selection, you need to objective listening to musical soundtracks inclusive of "Phantom of the Opera". I additionally like 50's and 60's song like the Platters (No, i'm no longer that previous. I discovered approximately them in swing choir at school). Enya and Enigma are very relaxing. yet, I hear to easily approximately something. Classical, jazz (all varieties), enormous Band era, classic rock (Def Leppard, Jethro Tull, Moody Blues), slightly rap...i'm no longer partial to usa, yet I do like some lady artists who've a "take cost" physique of ideas. yet, as I reported, I doubt my checklist will help you many...yet you could attempt some in case you like! :)

Answer 9

Girl, I feel you. I love music too. I listen to Amy Winehouse too, I love her. But, anyway, try Billie Holiday. She is a fantastic Jazz singer, one of my favorites. I hope I helped you! Continue to broaden your horizon with music; you learn more everday! =)

Answer 10

ella is great! i like her records with count basie orchestra, like "ella and basie"
if you like coltrane, try mccoy tyner(piano) and art blakey and the jazz messengers(drummer), and miles davis(before 1965)
also, oscar peterson(pianist) hank jones(pianist), joshua redmon(sax),
and dave brubeck, and brad meldau(piano)
and johnny hartman(singer)