Rock for J*** Lovers?

I think this is exactly what you're looking for, especially if typical rock drumming is a problem for you:

JIMI HENDRIX - ARE YOU EXPERIENCED




You want soul, verve and swing? You got it!

Of course, the album is fronted by Jimi Hendrix, the visionary guitarist who still sounds ahead of his time, and with whom none other than Miles Davis wanted to collaborate. But this music would be radically different (not necessarily for worse, but certainly not as good) if not for the equally visionary drummer Mitch Mitchell, who found a way to incorporate the sensibility of jazz drummer Elvin Jones into a rock context.

Go directly to the song Manic Depression and hear for yourself. After that, try Third Stone From the Sun, and then the whole album top to bottom. Music from 40 years ago, still as fresh and ground breaking as the day they made it.

All best,
Fred

Steely Dan is the obvious recommendation. They helped me on my journey in the other direction from rock to jazz. I recommend "Countdown to Ecstasy" from their earlier, rockier period, and "Aja" from later on, when their jazz influences became more overt. I've been listening to the Dan for around thirty years, and their music can still delight me.

Regards
Nigel

quote:

Outside of three bands so far, Nirvana,

Nirvana were a great band and released a superb record in 1967 called the The Story of Simon Simopath. Nirvana's songwriting team of Patrick Campbell-Lyons and Alex Spyropoulos were more concerned with the lighter side of 60's psychedelia. The Story Of Simon Simpoath lays claim to being the world's first concept album, pre-dating The Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow and The Who's Tommy. It traces the story from life to death of the titular hero through short songs. The songs are strong enough to cater for Lyons' saccharine sentiments. Indeed, I Never Had A Love Like This Before and The Courtyard Of The Stars in particular, hold a defiant and tuneful flower up to the aggression of the concept albums which would subsequently follow. The orchestral skills of the band are also there to be heard on the well constructed Wings Of Love and Pentecost Hotel. Moreover, the album contains the original version of the big hit single We Can Help You.



However if you are into jazz and want to explore rock then my top recommendation would be the Valentyne Suite by Colosseum as well as other albums by Jon Hiseman and Barbara Thompson. I'd also recommend the first three albums by US Band Chicago and Fourth, Fifth, Six and Seven by the Soft Machine.

ATB Rotf

Originally Released: October 1969

Musicians:
Frank Zappa: Guitar, Octave Bass, Percussion
Ian Underwood: Piano, Organus Maximus, All Clarinets, All Saxes
Lowell George: Rhythm Guitar

Of course there's many Zappa albums to explore that in my opinion are more like jazz than other thing...
Zappa was a genious like Miles Davis they both changed music several times.

If you like Jazz and want rock albums you might also want some Santana

It does depend what you are seeking from rock, whether you are looking for something similar to jazz, or something in complete contrast, or something that offers a completely different set of sounds.

If you are looking for a rock band who have power and can also swing, I would say Led Zeppelin are worth trying.

I have always found John Bonham's drumming to very similar to Art Blakey, both complex but with a powerful drive, and also a lot of swing. His playing underpins Led Zeppelin and gives them a rhythmic content few other rock bands have. I would suggest trying either the double album 'Physical Graffiti' or 'IV'.

I would also second the Jimi Hendrix recommendation.

I suspect that the Nirvana you are referring to are the Kurt Cobain lead band from the 1990's and not the earlier psychedelic band. I think ROTF is being a little disingenuous with his recommendation, although the 60s Nirvana were a good band, they are not the band best know by the name Nirvana.

If it is the power of Nirvana and the Deftones, then Pearl Jam, albums 'Ten' or 'Pearl Jam' might be an option.

I might suggest Tool 'Lateralus', but they are very difficult to listen to even for rock fans, very complex, very loud. I would say they are about as easy to listen to as Miles Davis 'Bitches Brew', if you get it, essential, if you you don't unlistenable.

If it is rock music that is closer to jazz, I would say the above recommendations are very good.

If you like drumming then the best ever for me is Ronald Shannon Jackson, who was and may still be based in your very own city, although originates from Fort Worth.
I've seen his band Decoding Society quite a few times as well as playing with Bill Frisell and James Blood Ulmer.

He is more free jazz but has a heavy blues/rock influence. His drumming is powerful, primordial and emotive, and is based on developing rythms for the rest of the band to improvise over rather than keeping the band in time; but he always grooves!

His best album IMO is When Colours Play (1987), also excellent are Texas (1988) and Strange Meeting (with Power Tools 1987); Red Warrier (1990) is more heavy rock/blues as is Raven Roc (1992).



regards,
mat

quote:

I suspect that the Nirvana you are referring to are the Kurt Cobain lead band from the 1990's and not the earlier psychedelic band. I think ROTF is being a little disingenuous with his recommendation, although the 60s Nirvana were a good band, they are not the band best know by the name Nirvana.

They are the best band by that name though

Only ever heard the US band that took their name a couple of times and not really my cup of horlicks - not sure why they were allowed to to use the name of a band that had already existed. Still I'm thinking of starting a new band and calling them the Beatles.

Seriously though I think if you listen to The Story of Simon Simopath then you'll understand why I regard the 1960s UK Nirvana as definitive. Please click for a clip. And here is the Alan Bown's rather good version of Nirvana's We Can Help You.

Though Jamie makes a good point in that my other recommendations are of the jazz rock variety. I'd also add Skin Alley - sadly underrated, but quite magnificent on their day.

ATB Rotf

Love both the Hendrix and Zappa recommendations! My first two choices regarding great rock with jazz sesibilities. Especially the drumming!

Here's another classic:



Jim Gordon, who's brilliant drumming can also be heard on many of the classics, Dereck and the Dominoes' Layla, George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, Steely Dan ("Ricky Don't Loose that Number"), Joni Mitchell, is responsible for the wonderful combination of soulful/tasteful rock drumming with jazz sensibilities.

Sadly, he remains incarcerated to this day . . . a truly bizzare story of how he went insane, murdering his mother.

Max

different directions (not sure which is the one you are looking for)

1. Slint -- "Spiderland" (play a sound bite of "Good Morning, Captain")


2. Jazzy/experimental: Golden Palominos (try album with cover of Skip Spence song "Omaha") or Henry Cow ("Unrest" might be best album)

3. Pixies ("Surfer Rosa"), Screaming Trees/Mark Lanegan, Alice in Chains ("Jar of Flies" or "Dirt" or "Unplugged"), Soundgarden, Helmet



4. Bad Brains ("I Against I")

I really appreciate all these suggestions! I am certainly going to start with Jimi Hendrix and The Pixies. I have enjoyed one or two songs by Helmet too so I may investigate them further. I also like Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds if that's helpful.

To clarify, I'm not looking for rock that sounds like jazz per se (otherwise I'd just listen to jazz) but rock that has "jazz sensibilities" I guess. By jazz sensibilities I mean a band that is most of all lively with tight rhythm structures, a great ensemble performance (many bands are about just one personality) and musically adventurous. It's called "rock" right? So it should ROCK! What's with all this whiny whiny tone deaf literally off beat stuff that passes for rock? Somewhere along the line rock seems to have come to mean merely 'loud'.

double post

triple post!

Captain Beefheart

quote:

Originally posted by Naijeru:
I really appreciate all these suggestions! I am certainly going to start with Jimi Hendrix and The Pixies. I have enjoyed one or two songs by Helmet too so I may investigate them further. I also like Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds if that's helpful.

To clarify, I'm not looking for rock that sounds like jazz per se (otherwise I'd just listen to jazz) but rock that has "jazz sensibilities" I guess. By jazz sensibilities I mean a band that is most of all lively with tight rhythm structures, a great ensemble performance (many bands are about just one personality) and musically adventurous. It's called "rock" right? So it should ROCK! What's with all this whiny whiny tone deaf literally off beat stuff that passes for rock? Somewhere along the line rock seems to have come to mean merely 'loud'.

I believe you look up for the Derek Trucks Band
or the Grateful Dead.

another idea:
Manu Katchè is not only a jazz drummer. He made an nice job on Peter Gabriels "Secret world" album.

Are you ready to rock?



Brian Downey on drums.



SJB

If you get fed up with the drumming on a lot of rock, try looking out for bands that use jazzy drummers, or perhaps drummers that would become jazzy in time...

Bill Bruford is an obvious example, maybe try the recently re-released Bruford-Levin Upper Extremities (B.L.U.E.) as something rather more outre than most rock fare with a rhythm section that specialise in the non-standard.

More obviously mainstream, good quality rock with space in the drumming was ably provided by The Police. Regatta de Blanc the album of choice there for me.

Pete.

I would 2nd Peres' Santana recommendation, particularly "Caravenserai," which is a fusion of rock and jazz: the cover version of Jobim's "Stoneflower" is particularly good.
Simon

CS and Buddy Miles Live.

I might suggest Little Feat, just about any of the first 5 albums for tight ensemble, great drumming, interesting arrangements, and with fair amount of shuffle/swing. But they do rock, for sure.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:


CS and Buddy Miles Live.

good one howard!

You have mail John.

All this talk about rock drummers who swing - how 'bout two of them on the same stage

Bless Its Pointed Little Head by Jefferson Airplane

The Mirror Man Sessions by Captain Beefheart

The Velvet Underground & Nico by Velvet Underground

Larry Coryell - Live at the Village Gate