"Introduction to Jazz" compilation I made for a friend

[Kyo]

I've been meaning to create a compilation CD for a friend who's not

into jazz yet but willing to give it a try. I wanted to pick all original

compositions from some of my favorite (and also important) players.

With few exceptions I picked the originally recorded studio versions.

Here's what I came up with:

Milestones (1958 version)

Little B's Poem

This I Dig of You

Ceora

Blue Rondo A La Turk

In A Sentimental Mood (from Duke Ellington & John Coltrane)

Song For My Father

Maiden Voyage

Recorda Me

Naima

Well, You Needn't (from Monk's Music)

Waltz For Debby

What do you think? If he likes this disc I'll probably put together a more

adventurous set next. This one's supposed to be easy to get into and follow.

I hope all of you know the original artists/composers for those tracks.

[Chuck Nessa]

You might underestimate the power of musicians playing material the listener can identify.

[Kyo]

You might underestimate the power of musicians playing material the listener can identify.

My personal experience is that most of the popular songs that became

jazz standards aren't really well-known here in Europe, certainly not

among people around my age (nearing 30). With the exception of

some Beatles tunes I really doubt my friend would recognize any

of them except Summertime and possibly Autumn Leaves.

Having said that, I'm certainly planning to do a compilation of some

popular standards some other time. I just feel that when you don't

know the original songs (and possibly even lyrics), they are harder

to follow than a typical jazz tune, especially for someone new to jazz.

[Adam]

I'd include one hard-hittin soulful one by Mingus, either Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting or Better Git It In your Soul - something to dance to, if you know what I mean. Couldn't tell you what to cut though.

[Kyo]

I'd include one hard-hittin soulful one by Mingus, either Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting or Better Git It In your Soul - something to dance to, if you know what I mean. Couldn't tell you what to cut though.

I came very close to adding some Mingus. Although it probably would've been

Goodbye Pork Pie Hat (since he knows a modern version of it). Next time!

Edited April 26, 2007 by Kyo

[Dan Gould]

Have you no swing or first generation bop, or do you not think that this is appropriate for your friend based on his experience in the genre?

[Rooster_Ties]

You might underestimate the power of musicians playing material the listener can identify.

On the other hand, if your friend digs the recording enough to at least spin in once or twice a month, every month for a while (at least 6 months) -- many of the tunes you've chosen may start to become familiar enough to him that he might come to appreciate them in their own right, on their own merits.

Now maybe what I might do NEXT, is try to make another compilation for him constructed of exactly the SAME tunes, in the exact same sequence -- as recorded by OTHER players, with at least some using different instrumentation than the originals.

Nothing too far out, but maybe one or two that push the boundaries a bit more than the others. In fact, maybe have a couple of the alternate interpretations on the 2nd disc be much less "out there" than the originals, and a couple a little more "out there" -- you know, to show how the tune can be performed different ways.

One of the many joys of jazz for me is in hearing the same tunes performed different ways.

Edited April 27, 2007 by Rooster_Ties

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

You might underestimate the power of musicians playing material the listener can identify.

My personal experience is that most of the popular songs that became

jazz standards aren't really well-known here in Europe, certainly not

among people around my age (nearing 30). With the exception of

some Beatles tunes I really doubt my friend would recognize any

of them except Summertime and possibly Autumn Leaves.

Having said that, I'm certainly planning to do a compilation of some

popular standards some other time. I just feel that when you don't

know the original songs (and possibly even lyrics), they are harder

to follow than a typical jazz tune, especially for someone new to jazz.

Interesting point. I suspect it is a generation thing, rather than a European thing. These songs used to be on the radio all the time in the fifties and sixties, so people knew the words (more or less). As Chuck impliess, I think this was helpful in keeping jazz accessible to a wider audience (though other factors are also important).

What about jazz interpretations of Soul music standards?

MG

[andybleaden]

good brother ray (charles)could do that standing on his head....how about One Mint Julep.....just a little bit o soul now!

[Tom Storer]

In my experience, it's impossible to predict people's tastes. I've had non-jazz-listening friends be wowed by stuff I never thought they'd enjoy and be indifferent to stuff I was sure they'd love. A one-shot compilation may or may not do it. It's total guesswork.

Once I made a friend of mine three 90-minute cassettes (remember the cassette days?), one of 20's and 30's jazz, one of lyrical, swinging jazz of the 50's and 60's, and one of free stuff. I figured he'd go wild for the Miles, Monk and Mingus, and maybe have his mind opened by the more adventurous cassette. I threw in the Armstrong and Morton, etc. almost as a joke, since virtually no one I knew at the time (apart from the occasional jazz geek) ever heard it as more than a historical curiosity. Naturally, that was the one he loved.

[Morganized]

In my experience, it's impossible to predict people's tastes. I've had non-jazz-listening friends be wowed by stuff I never thought they'd enjoy and be indifferent to stuff I was sure they'd love. A one-shot compilation may or may not do it. It's total guesswork.

That's my guess as well. I have noticed that many of the 20's to 30's age group around these parts are becoming interested in free jazz first. That is to say post "Bitches Brew" but including and certainly not limited to Zorn, Scheep, late Coltrane, etc. Always surprises me, because I usually suggest Kind of Blue and Blue Train as a good staring point of entry for someone trying to get into jazz. Your list is a good cross section and probably better than single discs.....Another thing I always suggest to newcomers is to make sure that upon the first listen they have the time to listen to the whole disc all the way through at least 2-3 times. In my opinion, it will take that long before the tunes become familiar and they can begin to enjoy the improvisation. Folks that only listen to pop and rock are often surprised at how many times they have heard the song/tune on the radio before they purchase it.....

my two cents!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Folks that only listen to pop and rock are often surprised at how many times they have heard the song/tune on the radio before they purchase it.....

That's interesting. Motown deliberately engineered their records so they'd make an immediate impact on a car radio. I'd always assumed that they knew that a customer was hooked or not on the basis of that first listen in a car.

MG

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

CHEWY SPENT 35 BIG ONES MAKING TWO CDS @ KINKOS-- 35 BIG ONES FOR 2 LOUSY CDS. BUT I HAD TO CAUSE IT WAS FOR A BEAUTIFUL TOMATO WHO ALREADY LIKES JAZZ. SO I PUT ON SOME CHARLES THE BIRD PARKER RECORDED IN THE CITY SHES MOVING TO, FILLED THE REST OUT WITH SOME SONNY CRISS AND HANK MOBLEY REACH OUT AND DUKE PEASON THE PHANTOM

[Free For All]

CHEWY SPENT 35 BIG ONES

So, in "chew-bonics" is that 35 cents?

[sal]

Have you no swing or first generation bop, or do you not think that this is appropriate for your friend based on his experience in the genre?

This varies from listener to listener, but I've noticed that the poorer sound quality of this music can be a bit off-putting to newcomers. With this in mind, I always keep it strictly mid 1950's and later on the compilations I make for newbs.

[sidewinder]

CAUSE IT WAS FOR A BEAUTIFUL TOMATO WHO ALREADY LIKES JAZZ.

Salad, sun-dried or on the vine?

[Big Wheel]

I think that if the goal is to attract listeners who are used to pop and whatnot, going with primarily swing and bop and hard bop is a dubious strategy. You have to assess your audience and figure out what their frame of reference is. Here's a playlist I recently made for a friend who is primarily into whatever indie pap is hot:

Aaron Goldberg, Worlds: "Lambada de Serpiente"

Dave Douglas, Keystone: "Famous Players"

Gilad Atzmon, Exile: "La Cote Mediterranee"

Duke Ellington, Far East Suite: "Isfahan"

Hank Mobley, Hank Mobley and His All Stars: "Don't Walk"

Kurt Rosenwinkel, Heartcore: "Thought About You"

Maria Schneider, Evanescence: "My Lament"

Woody Shaw, Stepping Stones: "Blues for Ball"

Larry Goldings, Moonbird: "I Think It's Going to Rain Today"

[clifford_thornton]

CAUSE IT WAS FOR A BEAUTIFUL TOMATO WHO ALREADY LIKES JAZZ.

Salad, sun-dried or on the vine?

Chewy better toss that salad before she splits!

[clifford_thornton]

In all seriousness, a friend of mine recently asked me to make him a comp of jazz, including "accessible" and "out" stuff. Knowing full well that my tastes lean on the free stuff, and European free jazz especially, I'm still trying to figure out what to put together for him.

[Hot Ptah]

I have had no luck at all in efforts like this. Usually anything I pick is not appreciated or liked by the people who receive it, no matter how accessible, exciting, or otherwise appropriate it seems to be. I have had the experience of others on this thread, that the person hearing my jazz likes something I never thought they would like.

[Kyo]

This varies from listener to listener, but I've noticed that the poorer sound quality of this music can be a bit off-putting to newcomers. With this in mind, I always keep it strictly mid 1950's and later on the compilations I make for newbs.

I was thinking the same while putting together this compilation. The reason why

there's nothing from the 70s and 80s is simply because I have little jazz from

that time and I wanted to include many tunes that became standards.

[clifford_thornton]

I just finished making one. It reflects my tastes and his curiosity, without delving too much into obscurity or serious racket (as can be my preference)... criticize at will!

Anthony Williams "Two Pieces of One: Green" (fr. Life Time), w/ Rivers, Peacock, Davis

Eric Dolphy "Mandrake" (fr. Iron Man)

Dizzy Reece "Blues in Trinity" (fr. Blues in Trinity)

Warne Marsh "Yardbird Suite" (fr. Warne Marsh, on Atlantic) trio w/ Chambers, Motian

Andrew Hill "Ode to Von" (fr. Smokestack)

Stanley Cowell "Bobby's Tune" (fr. Brilliant Circles)

Jackie McLean "Old Gospel" (fr. New & Old Gospel)

Marion Brown "Juba-Lee" (fr. Juba-Lee)

Cecil Taylor "Mixed" (fr. Into the Hot)

Albert Ayler "Angels" (fr. Spirits Rejoice)

[paul secor]

I just finished making one. It reflects my tastes and his curiosity, without delving too much into obscurity or serious racket (as can be my preference)... criticize at will!

Anthony Williams "Two Pieces of One: Green" (fr. Life Time), w/ Rivers, Peacock, Davis

Eric Dolphy "Mandrake" (fr. Iron Man)

Dizzy Reece "Blues in Trinity" (fr. Blues in Trinity)

Warne Marsh "Yardbird Suite" (fr. Warne Marsh, on Atlantic) trio w/ Chambers, Motian

Andrew Hill "Ode to Von" (fr. Smokestack)

Stanley Cowell "Bobby's Tune" (fr. Brilliant Circles)

Jackie McLean "Old Gospel" (fr. New & Old Gospel)

Marion Brown "Juba-Lee" (fr. Juba-Lee)

Cecil Taylor "Mixed" (fr. Into the Hot)

Albert Ayler "Angels" (fr. Spirits Rejoice)

No criticisms here. Not familiar w. the Cowell, but everything else is stuff I've listened to for years.

[Tom Storer]

I think that if the goal is to attract listeners who are used to pop and whatnot, going with primarily swing and bop and hard bop is a dubious strategy. You have to assess your audience and figure out what their frame of reference is.

The flaw in your reasoning is that you're assuming that the way to get people listening to new stuff is to gradually nudge them in a kind of linear way from what they now like to something not too different, then from there to something a little further over, etc. But I think people often do the opposite, they have some kind of revelation when hearing something entirely different. Maybe the more different it is, the more likely it is to make an impression. Hit or miss, obviously, but so is the gradualist approach, which is "give them some jazz that won't scare them off." My approach now--I stopped evangelizing long ago, but sometimes people ask--is to give them a variety of styles, from most traditional to way outside, figuring that will cover all bases. But always things I really love myself.

[John L]

CHEWY SPENT 35 BIG ONES MAKING TWO CDS @ KINKOS-- 35 BIG ONES FOR 2 LOUSY CDS. BUT I HAD TO CAUSE IT WAS FOR A BEAUTIFUL TOMATO WHO ALREADY LIKES JAZZ. SO I PUT ON SOME CHARLES THE BIRD PARKER RECORDED IN THE CITY SHES MOVING TO, FILLED THE REST OUT WITH SOME SONNY CRISS AND HANK MOBLEY REACH OUT AND DUKE PEASON THE PHANTOM

I hope that she's moving to your city.