Jazz Recommendations

Wow this thread is a classic. I will mention two books that I have with info on jazz: All that jazz-the illustrated story of jazz music. This book contains great pics and I recommend it for someone who is just starting out. The other is Jazz by John Fordham and has a forward by Sonny Rollins. Both are informitive and a must for your jazz library. Good listening!

If you can find it, Norris Turney - Big, Sweet, & Blue. It is somewhat obscure from the label "Mapleshade", but excellent jazz. He was an altoist and flutist for Ellington towards the end of Duke's life. This was his first and only release under his name. Great jazz and a great recording!
Lester Young with Oscar Peterson
John Coltrane My Favorite Things
Dave Brubeck Jazz at Oberlin
Dexter Gordon Live At Carnegie Hall
Ben Webster with Oscar Peterson
Miles Davis so much great music but as a beginner it all starts with Kind of Blue-my all time favorite- all genre

Jazz: From It's Origins to the Present by Lewis Porter and Michael Ullman is an excellent introduction to jazz. It's a paperback text book. Very clear and easy to read. It explains why certain people or music are "important" and puts them into their historical context. You get a good sense of what the good artists and pieces are.

The book accompanies/tracks a jazz collection put out by the Smithsonian, as they sometimes go into specific pieces on that set. Try to pick one up cheap on half.com.

I use the Penguin Guide to Jazz and www.allmusic.com to learn more about artists and pick albums. They're choices are pretty straight ahead and obvious to the more seasoned jazz fan, but you won't be lead astray with any critic's unusual tastes.

It's a difficult matter to recommend favorite recordings. Besides what has already been mentioned, I can suggest two sources for further exploration. And exploration is the best way to find out what one likes as well as to understand why fans/critics appreciate particular artists/albums. They are: the Penguin Jazz CD guide and Downbeat magazine. The year end issue of Downbeat has a listing of the years best cd's. All I can say is keep on listening, take chances on that next purchase, go to jazz clubs and keep an open mind!

A nice approachable recent release that I found easy to warm up to, is Terence Blanchard's "Let's Get Lost". It features a variety of popular female vocalist singing Jimmy McHugh standards. Blanchard's playing is nice and tight and it's sonically well produced and recorded. Have fun.
Paul.