How do you 'get into' a style of music?

It’s doubtful that anybody who listens to fidelity will ever experience the “goose bump effect”

Choosing jazz records on the basis of their fidelity or being on SACD is probably not the best idea, as a lot of the greatest jazz is 50+ years old.

Have you read the excellent intro to jazz here?

I don't think you can force yourself to like it, but you do have to give it a fair go. Your best bet is probably to pick a dozen or so classics of the genre and play them a few times, giving them reasonable attention. If nothing appeals, forget it and move on, but if it does, investigate similar musicians.

quote:

Originally posted by munch:
What are your ten Jazz CDs???

Please tell us. Jazz is a huge field with many different types of music called jazz. With your love of Floyd there may be "jazz" artists to listen to where the jump is big but not that big so that you make a connection and then move on from there. For many, jazz is the old jazz of the 50's and 60's but there is so much other stuff out there. I have a particular interest in modern European artists and some of these might be your route in.

Have you heard any jazz that you have liked?

Not sure about Ghom's idea about picking up 10 classics as each genre/style has it's classics.

If he tells us what discs he has that he likes maybe we can give him a couple of recommendations to listen to.

Personally I was like you up till about 4-5 months back. Wasn't a great jazz fan and started nibbling away at Blue Note jazz as I have always quite liked certain Blue Note albums- Art Blakey- Moanin, Lee Morgan- Sidewinder amongst others.

Now I have been bitten by the bug and have about 140-150 Blue Note discs.

I now buy more jazz albums each month than rock-folk or soul discs. In my case it is almost like I have gone full circle from Elvis in my early years through Motown, then blues and rock, then country, folk and now jazz.

Mind you my wife is moanin because of the size of my collection and how much room it is taking up.

Adrian also got me into some great European jazz such as E.S.T. though think I would struggle with listening to much more of it. Not really my scene as some of it is a bit too avant garde for me. Just can't get into it but no doubt that will change in the future.

quote:

Not sure about Ghom's idea about picking up 10 classics as each genre/style has it's classics.

By classics of the genre, obviously everyone has their own opinion, but I mean things like:
John Coltrane - Giant Steps, Love Supreme
Charles Mingus - Black Saint & the Sinner Lady, Mingus Ah Um
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Bitches Brew
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus
Eric Dolphy - Out to Lunch
Dexter Gordon - Go
Dave Brubeck - Time Out
Some Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington
You can also approach it by label: check out Blue Note or Impulse compilations for example, or maybe ECM for something different?

Jon,

Don't know how to even begin to address this issue, but please post your resolution if you get this worked out.

The usual procedure is to run after what turns you on. I have had music I didn't get that I leaned to appreciate, such as the Beethoven String Quartets, but I used musical means to overcome that. In other words, I studied the music.

With jazz, the immediate appeal is to try to play along or to memorize favorite "licks", but I quickly came to enjoy much of jazz music, and became able to take it on its own terms as a listener.

On second thought, I do have a recommendation. Take some lessons and learn to hear harmony. If you do this, you will quickly become aware of one of jazz's principle charms. The rest should follow naturally.

As a bonus, you will find all music to be more involving.

What an huge question!

Jon, I can't answer your question but I will glady suggest a few things...

1/. The term 'jazz' covers a vast and different spectrum of music. I have been a huge jazz fan for more years than I care to remember and there is still a fair bit of jazz that I don't 'get' or just can't listen too! Also, thanks to Lontano and others, I have recently discovered that good jazz didn't end in the middle of the last century. Jazz is a relevant now as ever with some stunning artists and recordings emerging since the seventies.

2/. You could start off by checking out the 'jazz' albums listed on this very forum via spotify.

3/. I would advise to put some 'jazz' on in the background first; maybe when you are playing with the kids/dog/doing the cleaning/reading the paper, etc. I think that trying to will yourself to like jazz on an intellectual level is a souless journey which will end in tears. Let it slip in through the cracks in your intellect and bypass your conscious so that when you least expect it you will find yourself enjoying it. Then you can investigate that label, artist or style further.

4/. If at the end of the day it ain't your thing...then it ain't your thing.
Best of luck, let us know how you get on.

Gordon

Dear Jon,

What I am curious about is why you would bother.

There must be some music about which you are really passionate? Perhaps you could let us know. The names of one or two composers would do the trick.

For me it the music especially of JS Bach and Joseph Haydn, and there is more than I could ever learn from these two alone in the rest of my life, unless I could retire and devote myself to it full time.

I enjoy a few pieces that are called Jazz and do not enjoy a much larger proportion. This does not worry me, and though I tried to get some advice on selections to investigate from some fine Jazz enthusiasts here, it was not a success really!

The Duke of Wellington[of Waterloo fame] said that one should re-inforce success and abandon failure.

Thus I take it that loving Bach and Haydn the best would be that I should continue to investiugate their music and leave Jazz to those who like Jazz the best.

My advice is to keep an open ear for what does appeal to you outside your obvious favourites, and give anything attractive some attention - but mainly concentrate on your favourite music.

Abandon music that does not attract you, and most of all buy recordings on the basis of them containing music you love - not on the basis of the technical quality of the recordings. That leads to very early boredom in my experience of dealing with friends who have done it!

It is amazing how many people I have introduced to Bach though!

ATB from George

I have thought about this some more, and I have a thought for consideration :

Desire precedes acceptance.

If you can work up a yearning to hear jazz, then you will come to love it.

Eating without hunger is is lesser experience.

I went through a jazz phase when - in a former life! - I used to play the guitar. It never really did it for me, the main reason I think being that I do not really see the point of music or art in general whose main aim is simply to create "a mood" without having much else to say about anything.

quote:

In short, I hate jazz music

If this is a true, why do you feel the need to "get into" it then.

From my experience, the music I came upon innocently by my own investigation and discovery is the music that has been with me throughout my life and will be to the end (I imagine). It is because I somehow felt a very real connection to it. The more I put into it the more it gives back.

The music that I listened to because my friends were listening to it (peer group)...well, some of it sticks or resonates with me but quite honestly, most of it falls by the wayside. You have to be honest and decide what speaks to you and pursue that. Some people quite simply never connect with music at any level but do keep an open mind and when you hear something that interests you you can then follow that lead and find out more. Otherwise, don't force it. Too many people do things for the wrong reasons. (In this case, maybe because many Naimees listen to Jazz?)

When you're ready for jazz or any other style of music you will know...

Regards,
Doug

quote:

This question has to be asked as I can tell that there are many jazz fans on the Naim forum. Now, I own about 10 CDs that I regard as jazz and bought them incidentally over the years due to their fidelity being SACD/HDCD.

Now I would love to become absorbed in jazz and experience the emotion within it, but I just can't!! In short, I hate jazz music and cannot understand how people can introduce themselves to it and then feel those goose-bumps???

Well, I was as you for a long time, I hated jazz and probably had about ten records picked up for the same reasons as yours!

Then, suddenly, out of the blue, about three years ago, I found that I liked it. Loved it, even!

Can't explain it, though. But it's a wonderful new world to discover for me at a ripe age of 51.

The only regret today is that I didn't buy more of those japanese early 1980's vinyl re issuses of cool jazz when they where sold as cut outs many years ago

JohanR

I grew up in late 50s and my parents had on the music of the day, Sinatra Doris Day, Ella, sarah and these people were also on the variety shows. Singers of this age weren't being edgy they wanted to lull you and engage you. Only started buying Jazz when I got a Naim system and it was all these singers. I'd rather have an easy time listening to this music genre rather than edgy music. I had enough of that in R&R. Still listen to edgy music. Time Out should be in everybody's beginning collection. Think I'll put it on now.

I must thank you all for your responses!!

I did take some ideas from a few of your posts and will try them (e.g. 'background music' being the first place for jazz).

The only trouble I do have is that whether one likes something is - for the most part - not through conscious decision. One cannot look at a sunset and tell oneself that one likes it. It is just a pleasant experience.......

(Although I do note at this point, that the interaction between consciousness and the appreciation of qualia is reciprocal!!!!)

Now the jazz CDs I have include:

Perfect Houseplants
Gerard Presencer - Platypus
Gerard Presencer - Th Optimist
Claire Martin
Tommy Smith

Is this a good cross-section of jazz?

Should I just give up trying to like it?

Kind regards,

Jon

Barbara Thompson - my favourite jazz musician - jazz for the rest of us who are not aficionados - Barbara is, of course, Mrs Jon Hiseman.

Jon, I'm going to suggest my own album, Since Forever, for three reasons:

1. I'm required by federal law to plug my music. Of course, I'm proud of it and I think you'd dig it, too.

2. It's an album on this here Naim label, and I know you'd do anything within your power to support Naim, wouldn't you?

3. I've often heard folks say about my music, "I don't particularly like jazz, but I like this." Of course, I've also often heard folks say, "I like jazz, and I like this."




Enjoy!

All the best,
Fred

quote:

Originally posted by fred simon:


Jon, I'm going to suggest my own album, Since Forever, for three reasons:

1. I'm required by federal law to plug my music. Of course, I'm proud of it and I think you'd dig it, too.

2. It's an album on this here Naim label, and I know you'd do anything within your power to support Naim, wouldn't you?

3. I've often heard folks say about my music, "I don't particularly like jazz, but I like this." Of course, I've also often heard folks say, "I like jazz, and I like this."




Enjoy!

All the best,
Fred

Shameless plug Fred

quote:

Originally posted by ewemon:

Shameless plug Fred

Actually, it's full of shame.

But if I don't do it, how can I expect others to do so?

All best,
Fred

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Consciousmess:
I must thank you all for your responses!!


Now the jazz CDs I have include:

.....Tommy Smith

Is this a good cross-section of jazz?

Should I just give up trying to like it?[QUOTE]


Jon,

Whilst I cannot speak for your other choices, some Tommy Smith stuff is a bit like starting with "Bitches Brew" rather than breaking yourself in with "Kind of Blue", in genre that you are not sure about.

Personally I really like Tommy Smith and have five or six of his records, but depending on which of his albums it is, you may find yourself in at the deep end.

Fred's albums are very good, but similarly I would would start with his album "Dreamhouse" first.

What instruments do you prefer? Might be another way of suggesting choices. Most of my mates cannot stand my "twiddly jazz", but it makes perfect sense tome without having to try to like it.

Regards

Nic

quote:

I really like Tommy Smith

Can't say I do - still remember his dreadful tackle on Paul Mariner.

ROFT,
That would be the Tommy Smith in shorts rather than the one swinging a sax I presume.

Regards

Nic

quote:

Originally posted by ROTF:

quote:

I really like Tommy Smith

Can't say I do - still remember his dreadful tackle on Paul Mariner.

quote:

quote:
I really like Tommy Smith
Can't say I do - still remember his dreadful tackle on Paul Mariner.

Not many Jazz musicians have scored in a European cup final though...
Where did I put my coat?

I can heartily recommend my most recent jazz acquisition: 'The Promise' by Vassilis Tsabropoulos. It's rather bewitching solo piano. For a modern jazz piano trio that is easily accessible, try any of Tord Gustavsen's albums.

Nigel

MJQ - Skating in Central Park is one of my all time fav's, on mono black stuff.

It was also an inheretance from my father so it's emotional link is even stronger.

Jono

quote:

Originally posted by fred simon:


Jon, I'm going to suggest my own album, Since Forever, for three reasons:

1. I'm required by federal law to plug my music. Of course, I'm proud of it and I think you'd dig it, too.

2. It's an album on this here Naim label, and I know you'd do anything within your power to support Naim, wouldn't you?

3. I've often heard folks say about my music, "I don't particularly like jazz, but I like this." Of course, I've also often heard folks say, "I like jazz, and I like this."
Enjoy!

All the best,
Fred

Fair play Fred, if you were a politician I would vote for you on the strength of your bravado alone!

Gordon