Entry Level Jazz

TColumbia37

Silver Member
I do apologize if this thread already exists somewhere on here.

So, I've recently started working on a jazz inspired project with a few friends. We've jammed three times now, and things are coming together really well. We plan to continue this project and find more members. I am at a disadvantage, however. While the other three current members are fairly fluent in jazz and have been playing it for some time, I am pretty new to it, and have only been studying it for the past couple of months. My instructor and I have been going over different exercises and principles, but I've found what works the best for me is to really listen to and absorb the feel of the music. The playing seems to come naturally that way.

So what I want to ask, is if anybody can recommend some 'entry level' jazz tunes for me to throw together a playlist of; stuff with fairly clear and simple heads, and more basic comping. I've been looking and listening to a lot of jazz, but there's just so much out there, it gets overwhelming.

Thanks for any help, guys.
 
pick up

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Art Blakey - Moanin

great place to start

play along with those and you will learn a ton about forms and melody .... the two keys to playing jazz music .... and also the vocabulary that is necessary for jazz conversation

and most of all have fun
 
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I'm really glad somebody has asked this - and that somebody has replied! Jazz has been tempting and tantalising me for a while now but I just haven't known where to start. Now I do - thank you!
 
Thanks for the references.
Can't hurt to get at least started in that direction.
 
I'm a big fan of play alongs and Ed Soph's Musical Time book/cd is a very good one. It starts out with very basic comping and progressively gets more complicated. The play along tracks are top notch and really emphasizes the piano/drum relationship. Kenny Washington's Jazz Conceptions and John Riley's The Art of Bop are also very good.
 

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Seeing as you say you learn better by listening I recommend Tommy Igoes groove essentials. The play alongs in it are really nice to play to plus he gives you a few different ideas that will work with each tune. Each changes the overall feel of the tune loads.

I'm happy to hear some more good 'starter' jazz albums from people though. It's a style I need to do some more looking into
 
Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I'll definitely be looking into them.

pick up

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Art Blakey - Moanin

great place to start

play along with those and you will learn a ton about forms and melody .... the two keys to playing jazz music .... and also the vocabulary that is necessary for jazz conversation

and most of all have fun

I've been listening to these at work and just taking them in as much as I can. Both great albums. I can't wait to sit down and play along.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. I'll definitely be looking into them.



I've been listening to these at work and just taking them in as much as I can. Both great albums. I can't wait to sit down and play along.

glad you got them and are digging them

it is important to understand what you are listening to

lets take the first tune on Kind Of Blue.... So What

it is an AABA 32 bar form

when listening next time count the measure when the head starts ... which I believe is around :34
A - 8
A - 8
B - 8
A - 8

when the B kicks in you will hear the change in the notes then you will hear it return to the A as well

this form continues through the tune

when you play along it is important to know where you are within the form

when you ear becomes keen to the change at the B part , if you ever get a bit lost you will hear that B change and know right where you are

the tune has a strong quarter note pulse and is a great tune to play along with

here is a nice diagram of the tune written out

http://people.virginia.edu/~skd9r/MUSI212_new/diagrams/so-what.html

the second tune on the record is another good one....Freddie the Freeloader

a 12 bar blues form which is another form you should be familiar with

have fun my man .... this is an extremely exciting journey you are embarking on
 
I'll also recommend two albums:

John Coltrane - Blue Train
Clifford Brown & Max Roach - Study in Brown

Both are excellent for jazz beginners, Study in Brown particularly is full of vocabulary, Max takes solos on nearly all the tunes and they're all pretty much perfect.
 
I'd highly recommend you listen to Buddy Rich. Although it's not entry level, the core principles of jazz drumming is there. Don't worry that you can't play it now. Over time those rhythmic ideas will begin to seep into your playing, plus you'll get a lifelong dose of inspiration from him too.
 
Seeing as you say you learn better by listening I recommend Tommy Igoes groove essentials.

Since they're tracked with a click, the playalongs present a clear sounding "click track" for practicing the execution of your musical ideas and recording them. However, I find them lacking in terms of learning the actual jazz language, sound, feel, melody and common song forms. I was amazed none of the tracks featured the 12 bar blues or the AABA -- the two essential forms for jazz.
 
Since they're tracked with a click, the playalongs present a clear sounding "click track" for practicing the execution of your musical ideas and recording them. However, I find them lacking in terms of learning the actual jazz language, sound, feel, melody and common song forms. I was amazed none of the tracks featured the 12 bar blues or the AABA -- the two essential forms for jazz.

I've always felt that too. If I remember correctly, I think there were a few 2 bar breaks in the slower tunes, instead of the normal 4 or 8. It's a nice snippet of a jazz tune to help get the feel for it though I'm sure a lot of Latin purists would rip on the World section tunes too.

The Turn It UP and Lay It Down series has better play-alongs IMO. That, and the tracks on The Art of Playing with Brushes.
 
There's also playalongjazz.com which has drumless recordings of standards.

All very nice and allow you to get to grips with the melody, form and feel

D
 
I agree Numberless but I find that students have a hard time playing along with jazz records as there is a lot of drumming info happening and it can be hard for them to ignore it and play their own ideas.

Playalong leave a blank canvas without having another drummer bashing away in the background ;-)

D
 
Thought I'd throw in two of my favorite entry jazz videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4PO8ScrppE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EytXAzHDWWc
VERY tasteful playing, just shows how even with 'just' the basic ride pattern, a little comping, a fill or so, and you can easily give one of the most musical performances I've ever seen.

On Latin styles, most people just don't differentiate between American Latin and traditional/authentic Latin. I personally can't stand Americanized Latin, because its all wrong and nobody admits it :).
 
On Latin styles, most people just don't differentiate between American Latin and traditional/authentic Latin. I personally can't stand Americanized Latin, because its all wrong and nobody admits it :).

This is very true.

I've asked many drummers what they do for a Samba feel...a few big name drummers too. I always get answers all across the board from using Stick Control exercises to not playing the "Samba feet" pattern all the time, etc.

No, in the USA, we typically go for the "feel" in our Latin tunes.

Adam Nussbaum even mentioned something like this in the Art of Playing Brushes DVD. He admitted what he played for the Latin track demonstration was in no way authentic, but he tried to capture the vibe.
 
This is very true.

I've asked many drummers what they do for a Samba feel...a few big name drummers too. I always get answers all across the board from using Stick Control exercises to not playing the "Samba feet" pattern all the time, etc.

No, in the USA, we typically go for the "feel" in our Latin tunes.

Adam Nussbaum even mentioned something like this in the Art of Playing Brushes DVD. He admitted what he played for the Latin track demonstration was in no way authentic, but he tried to capture the vibe.

My instructor and I went over a few latin exercies yesterday, out of an Afro-Cuban drum book. Now this has me wondering how 'authentic' those really were.
 
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