Rolling 2011 thread where I buy and listen to jazz albums for the first time ever

UH

i mean which bands. im sure there are, like, one or two others, maybe some 3rd stream ish, but im pretty sure that 'big bands' from that era, to the extent that they did exist any more, were in the big band tradition im talking about itt

anyway, I just want to post again about how awesome Ayler's New Grass is -- one of these tracks is reminiscent of the Benny Hill theme

deej - bands from other eras, that have lots of musicians in them!!!

can u name one

bands from other eras that are large that don't sound like Big Band? Dude, there are tons -- I mean, Anthony Braxton and Bill Dixon to thread.

Darcy James Argue's Secret Society?

brass bands

brass bands

― ex-heroin addict tricycle (Shakey Mo Collier), Monday, January 31, 2011 4:25 PM (0 seconds ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

typically dont have more than 8-9 ppl iirc

Guillermo Klein y los Gauchos?

But these are all good big bands. I wanna know which are the bad ones so I can steer clear of them.

~sigh~ like i said i think there are a couple exceptions like gil evans but generally when someone says 'big bands' they are talking about the dominant tradition of 'big bands' in jazz which refers pretty much to your typical jazz band structure

I like Darcy James Argue's Secret Society a whole lot, because they reject a lot of the cliches of the style. The first two questions and answers from this interview will explain my position (and his take on it) more clearly than I've done in this thread. And Argue's album Infernal Machines is a must-hear.

i like late 20th century large ensemble jazz, and I also like big band stuff -- it reminds me of my grandfather and his stories about growing up during the depression in Chicago.

Jazz Composer's Orchestra, Gunther Schuller's big band stuff, Muhal Richard Abrams stuff. And you guys call us faux-naive.

8-9 people is a large group when it comes to jazz -- like, compared to a traditional combo with 3 or 4.

Is this about ilxor not liking "big band" big bands? ILXOR, LISTEN TO BIG BANDS. STOP BEING A SNOB.

Weasel Walter recently put out a CD of his large ensemble stuff -- does not sound like big band.

typically dont have more than 8-9 ppl iirc

even if this is true (and I'm not sure it is?), it's more than what ilxor/unperson (can't remember) which specified as preferable (5-6)

~sigh~ like i said i think there are a couple exceptions like gil evans but generally when someone says 'big bands' they are talking about the dominant tradition of 'big bands' in jazz which refers pretty much to your typical jazz band structure

no one's arguing this, but unperson expanded his dislike to include basically jazz bands that are bigger than 5 or 6 people.

Is this about ilxor not liking "big band" big bands? ILXOR, LISTEN TO BIG BANDS. STOP BEING A SNOB.

Yes, DJA has a whole thing about steering clear of certain compositional cop outs that beleaguer big bands. What about the um, Mingus Big Band, Phil?

which is Phil's right, I guess. If he doesn't like it, he doesn't like it. The only problem comes when he's saying something is good or bad in a category of something he categorically dislikes. Well, there's also a problem if an editor asks him to review something like that, but, that's another topic.

New Grass is great. Ayler doing Quincy Jones tv soundtrack type songs in a free fashion. I wish there were fifty more records like it.

New Grass is great. Ayler doing Quincy Jones tv soundtrack type songs in a free fashion. I wish there were fifty more records like it.

YES!!!!

Is this about ilxor not liking "big band" big bands? ILXOR, LISTEN TO BIG BANDS. STOP BEING A SNOB.

I will listen to everything! Just wanted to disclose up-front that, just like I have aesthetic leanings into certain types of jazz due to my non-jazz music interests, I've not enjoyed the big band stuff I've heard so far -- this may change, though.

it's more than what ilxor/unperson (can't remember) which specified as preferable (5-6)

This wasn't me.

I don't tend to like any jazz group with more than seven or at most eight musicians, and I prefer five or six, max.

^^^this is what got everybody to address bands apart from the classic "big band" archetype

xp I would make you a list but you have like 1,000 hours of listening ahead of you already.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NQ7TICCD-6U/Rw0sRr13uZI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/GjNrJ8FMEow/s400/Ben-Hur+sea.jpg
the original big band

General suggestion for ilxor given the volume of stuff here -- don't waste too much time yet on stuff that doesn't really grab you. Your tastes can get pushed really far just by naturally exploring what you like and branching out from it. No need to force things down your throat.

Another thing about a big band, it's pretty exciting to actually go to the show and hear all those horns moving air and then hear it all drop down for the solos and then roar back at the end.

In a way, it is similar to, at the opposite end of the volume spectrum, finding small group or solo jazz guitar being boring, too soft and silent as compared to rock guitar, and then going to the gig and being drawn in by relative quietness instead of being put off by it.

But anyway, Hurting otm.

Another thing about a big band, it's pretty exciting to actually go to the show and hear all those horns moving air and then hear it all drop down for the solos and then roar back at the end.

Yeah!! ilxor - why don't you go and see live jazz shows?

This is such a fantastic thread. Long time lurker, but first time poster here. Was moved to finally contribute b/c I seem to be going through almost the exact same thing ilxor is (ie, a sudden jazz kick/immersion). It's been fantastically fun and I appreciate all of the knowledge shared here.

Before a couple of weeks ago, my knowledge was more or less limited to Kind of Blue/A Love Supreme. In A Silent Way has been a favorite too. (Matter of fact, my copy of the Complete Sessions just arrived today. Can't wait to go deep into this one.)

Picked up a whole bunch of used titles over the weekend and have been enjoying myself. Gave Albert Ayler's "Love Cry" a first spin earlier today and must say it's possibly the most "out there" thing I've just about ever heard. Interesting. Not sure how much I'll be going back to it though. Is all of Ayler's stuff so challenging? It made my first listen to Coltrane's "Sun Ship" seem downright breezy by comparison.

NP: Coltrane's Sound

Apparently this big band performance set some kind of attendance record: http://new.lincolncenter.org/live/index.php/ood-2010-harlow-sanabria.

Love Cry is ok, but Witches and Devils is a better record imo.

Yeah!! ilxor - why don't you go and see live jazz shows?

Because I barely know a thing about jazz! I'm just now hearing the "classics" of the genre for the first time; how would I know what is worth my time in contemporary jazz? (Obviously I could go see local/house bands, or just go see stuff at random, but...)

This is such a fantastic thread. Long time lurker, but first time poster here. Was moved to finally contribute b/c I seem to be going through almost the exact same thing ilxor is (ie, a sudden jazz kick/immersion). It's been fantastically fun and I appreciate all of the knowledge shared here.

THIS MADE MY DAY

Thanks for coming out and posting!!

how would I know what is worth my time in contemporary jazz?

trial and error, just like everything else in life

Works for me. Where do you live again, ilxor?

Gave Albert Ayler's "Love Cry" a first spin earlier today and must say it's possibly the most "out there" thing I've just about ever heard. Interesting. Not sure how much I'll be going back to it though. Is all of Ayler's stuff so challenging? It made my first listen to Coltrane's "Sun Ship" seem downright breezy by comparison.

this is awesome... I remember playing Sun Ship for a non-jazz friend of mine and he was pretty overwhelmed, so I'd say you're doing great.

trial and error, just like everything else in life

Yes, but time and $$ are limited. Hence my asking for recommendations in this thread, for instance, instead of going out and buying every jazz album I see in the used bins.

Where do you live again, ilxor?

I live in Austin TX.

Oh, in that case you are out of luck.

not really a big music town

Just like its soundalike, Boston.

Ha ha ha. Most clearly a case of too many choices = overwhelming, not the other way around.

ilxor, are you in a city big enough to have a good variety of live jazz options? if you name the city, we can offer recommendations via Pollstar or similar on gigs, same as we're offering on albums.

xposts lol

Well, this place is one of our big jazz venues: http://www.elephantroom.com

Not sure about others offhand, but I'm sure I can fix that with a few minutes on Google, etc.

February calendar: http://www.elephantroom.com/February2011.html

THIS MADE MY DAY

Thanks for coming out and posting!!

You're welcome! Hope you don't mind me chiming in and seeking out similar guidance from the experts!

It occurred to me one of the things that makes this exciting for me personally is that since I'm suddenly most interested in a section of my various haunts that I previously pretty much ignored, it's like I've discovered a whole bunch of great new record stores too.

I often find that my acquisition of new music so far exceeds my ability actually enjoy. I'm with you on the whole "more time on fewer records" notion. That jazz more or less demands this on new ears makes it the perfect new thing to explore.

It occurred to me one of the things that makes this exciting for me personally is that since I'm suddenly most interested in a section of my various haunts that I previously pretty much ignored, it's like I've discovered a whole bunch of great new record stores too.

So, so true. I've gone nuts in my usual old boring record stores the past couple weeks.