Exposing Kids to Jazz

[StarThrower]

My dad, who along with my mother, spends the winters in Baton Rouge with my sister's family. My sister's 10 year old son Cole is a very precocious kid. My dad was driving him somewhere and he had some jazz music playing on the radio. When my father went to change the station, my nephew asked him not to, and told my dad he liked the music.

I've been thinking about this ever since, and would like to take the opportunity to expose my nephew to some jazz recordings. The rest of my family members don't know anything about jazz, so it would be a shame if my nephew never received any guidance. I had a similar experience as a kid when my mom's step father gave me the Rich vs Roach album, and some drum instruction books. It really captured my imagination.

I got a little carried away over the weekend and bought him a bunch of classic jazz recordings and a coffee table jazz book with nice photos and the basic history chronicling the birth in New Orleans through the fusion era, Pat Metheny, etc...

Here's a list of the recordings I bought for a basic, beginner jazz library:

Miles Davis-Kind Of Blue

Dave Brubeck-Time Out

John Coltrane-Blue Train

Horace Silver-Song For My Father

Oliver Nelson-The Blues And The Abstract Truth

McCoy Tyner-The Real McCoy

Roland Kirk-Domino/Reeds And Deeds

Weather Report-Heavy Weather

Michel Camilo-One More Once

And I was thinking of picking up the One Night With Blue Note DVD. I realize this is a lot to lay on a 10 year old kid, even if it doesn't come close to representing the entire evolution of jazz history. I decided I would take the incremental approach and turn this into a ongoing series of installments. I'll start off by sending him the jazz book, along with Time Out; Song For My Father; and either Kind Of Blue or Blue Train. You never know what will capture a kid's imagination? He may take to the more extroverted music on Blue Train, or maybe the subtleties of Miles will draw him in? Then I plan to continue the series in six weeks or so with a few more CDs. What do you think?

[Dan Gould]

I think its a fine idea but personally I might give him the widest range of recordings possible - like the Weather Report, Blue Train, and a Basie or Ellington big band. Another option is some sort of really wide ranging comp, to give him a super broad sample of the music. My exposure - after I expressed interest -was through a two volume Columbia Jazz Masterpieces comp. Some I really liked and some not so much but it got me started in a lot of directions.

I wouldn't push him too hard though, I'd keep it very laid back. I think a single compilation might be the best thing, then let him tell you what he liked. It almost sounds like you are so excited that he's interested in jazz that you will overwhelm him.

[StarThrower]

Yeah, I don't want to go on overload and get the kid all scatterbrained. So that's why I'm going to spread things out over time. I don't expect a 10 year old to absorb all of this music, but at least he'll have the recordings and can grow into them. His parents are conscientious, appreciative folks, so I'm hoping they will act as curators, and keep this stuff around for him to enjoy as he matures. If they don't, at least I can't say I didn't try.

And maybe I'll exchange a couple of the 60s titles and replace them with some different era recordings to give a broader exposure to the entire history.

Edited May 6, 2013 by starthrower

[Steve Reynolds]

Must have some current jazz

[Steve Reynolds]

My point might be that whether it is a 10 year old or a 20 year old the assumption that the older classics is the way to introduce jazz to a new listener is flawed in so many ways that I won't begin to start to try to explain.

[StarThrower]

I'm not opposed to current jazz. But it's got to be somebody with their own voice who has something to say. Great players who remind me of somebody older just don't do it for me, and I'm not interested in buying their records for somebody else. I know a lot of people like Chris Potter, EST, etc... but they don't do it for me.

Michel Camilo is on my list, and I think he's great. Especially the big band album I listed. I like John Hollenbeck a lot too, so maybe I'll get one of his records for the kid. And Esperanza Spalding. She's so damn talented and gorgeous, it's hard not to pay attention.

Edited May 7, 2013 by starthrower

[JSngry]

Give him a good Louis Armstrong record recorded in hi-fi. Everybody loves a a good Louis Armstrong record recorded in hi-fi. If not liked, then save your money and your time, not your problem now, send the kid a Best Buy gift card for appropriate occasions, buy him a tie when he turns 18, and wish him good luck on his endeavors. You did your part, right?

[StarThrower]

Hey, I love pops! If I could find more current jazz with that kind of originality and personality, I'd get the kid some new records. But I haven't heard too many original voices in recent years. At least when I was first getting into jazz 30 + years ago there were some young cats with their own sound. Metheny, Scofield, Frisell, Steve Coleman, Kenny Garrett, Jaco, and drummers like Joey Baron, and Smitty Smith. I'm not hearing too many that stand out these days.

[Bright Moments]

Hey, I love pops! If I could find more current jazz with that kind of originality and personality, I'd get the kid some new records. But I haven't heard too many original voices in recent years. At least when I was first getting into jazz 30 + years ago there were some young cats with their own sound. Metheny, Scofield, Frisell, Steve Coleman, Kenny Garrett, Jaco, and drummers like Joey Baron, and Smitty Smith. I'm not hearing too many that stand out these days.

here's an original voice for you - carpe diem!

[JSngry]

Give him some cuts off the Pops Plays W.C. Handy album, or something like that. Something that hipsters with beards don't listen to at Starbucks and that young people think sounds like it comes from another planet, but obviously doesn't.

He'll figure the rest of it out on his own, if he's going to.

[Hot Ptah]

I think that it is very easy to overwhelm him. I would back off for a time. I think you have given him enough to last a 10 year old for a year.

I say this as one who did overwhelm a niece, to the point where she rebelled and would not listen to jazz any more.

It can be a delicate balance. If he comes back to you and says that he has played the albums to the point where he is tired of them and wishes he could hear more, then I would get some more.

When I was 10, I had not purchased my first album yet. I didn't get any albums at all until I was 14.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Hot Ptah

[StarThrower]

Give him some cuts off the Pops Plays W.C. Handy album, or something like that. Something that hipsters with beards don't listen to at Starbucks and that young people think sounds like it comes from another planet, but obviously doesn't.

He'll figure the rest of it out on his own, if he's going to.

I think he will, because he's a smart, sensitive kid. I'm just gonna go with the CDs I picked out. I'm betting he's gonna love Roland Kirk. That Mercury stuff has so much soul and personality, it's got to strike a chord with anyone who's got even the slightest interest in good music.

I think that it is very easy to overwhelm him. I would back off for a time. I think you have given him enough to last a 10 year old for a year.

I say this as one who did overwhelm a niece, to the point where she rebelled and would not listen to jazz any more.

I'm not gonna send him everything at once. A few CDS at a time. And I'm not gonna say shit. I'll let him take it from there.

[Steve Reynolds]

Bring him to The Stone in October and place him 10 feet in front of Hamid Drake

Deal will be sealed

Edited May 7, 2013 by Steve Reynolds

[JSngry]

Yeah, I'd think so too. Rahsaan hits a lot of people in a lot of places!

[Steve Reynolds]

Btw I am only half joking.

It worked with my wife. Live jazz played by the greatest musicians I know with a great drummer in the band.

In or out or way way out, it doesn't matter.

Again the idea that if the kid doesn't like the old classics at first then he won't like jazz is a flawed thought.

Kid or otherwise, some people get into jazz through Mats Gustaffson. A friend of mine came into the music through Brotzmann

Not suggesting it is for a 10 year old but Hamid Drake live would work for anyone.

[StarThrower]

Btw I am only half joking.

It worked with my wife. Live jazz played by the greatest musicians I know with a great drummer in the band.

In or out or way way out, it doesn't matter.

Again the idea that if the kid doesn't like the old classics at first then he won't like jazz is a flawed thought.

I don't really distinguish between "old classics" and new stuff. It's either good stuff or it isn't. As far as taking him to hear live music, that'll be up to his parents. They only live an hour away from New Orleans, and they're taking him to NYC in July.

[CJ Shearn]

For Pat Metheny, "Still Life (Talking)", "Imaginary Day", or the ECM Rarum will be best. There's no real best of for the Geffen stuff and "Imaginary Day" covers enough stylistic ground as challenging as that record is. I agree with "Heavy Weather", but "Black Market", "Sweetnighter", "Mysterious Traveler" or "Tale Spinnin" would have been just as good. Kenny Garrett's "Pursuance" would show him the direct lineage from Trane, although that may be a later down the road album. I didn't get into that one till my early 20's when I finally became into the modern mainstream. Brad Mehldau, EST, anyone integrating pop into the modern jazz sense is a good idea.

[StarThrower]

I'm getting him a Metheny Group DVD. He can watch it with his dad. I got him the one with Antonio Sanchez, Richard Bona, and Cuong Vu. I attended one of the shows from that tour, and I had a great time.

I love all of the Weather Report stuff, but for a 10 year old, Heavy Weather will be fine. It's loaded with catchy melodies.

[CJ Shearn]

Oh yeah "Speaking of Now Live" is my favorite PMG DVD outside of "More Travels" which is only available on DVD in Japan, I imported both about 10 years ago. Sanchez' drum solo will blow his mind, though between then and now he's really grown as a player and composer of note, "New Life" is a strong album.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

What was on the radio when he asked you not to turn it off? A bit more of whatever it was ought to go down well.

MG

[StarThrower]

I wish I knew, but it wasn't me in the car. It was my Dad, and I don't think he knows more than one or two jazz tunes.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Oh well, it was worth a try

MG

[Dan Gould]

I wish I knew, but it wasn't me in the car. It was my Dad, and I don't think he knows more than one or two jazz tunes.

But he habitually listens to jazz? Do we even know it was jazz that was being played? Is it possible your father had the G-Spot on, or some pseudo jazz like Dave Koz or Boney James?

[StarThrower]

No, he wouldn't listen to that stuff. He's 78 years old, and he likes the older stuff. He's old enough to remember when Take Five was a hit. And he likes Satchmo, Ella, etc...

[A Lark Ascending]

When I was a kid any adult trying to influence my musical tastes had the opposite effect. Part of being a kid is finding your own distinctive way.

My nephew was brought up in a house where everything from classical to punk, jazz to reggae was played. As a young kid he was open to everything (loved Prokofiev's 'Romeo and Juliet') but by mid-teens was a hardcore rap fan. But because no-one every tried to steer him he's still got respect for those other musics. Later in life those early seeds might sprout and give him wider pleasures.

The last thing any kid wants are evangelical adults.