It’s music that is outdated and probably something that your grandparents’ listened too, and while that might be true for many, that does not have to discount the fact that it can still be listened to today. Personally, my love of jazz started in high school, when I was coaxed into joining the school jazz band, and my love for the genre has not wavered since. Through listening and playing, jazz has taught me many life lessons that could be of great use in modern day.
First and foremost, it has taught me patience. Jazz music requires time and effort on the listeners’ end in order to really appreciate and understand the chord progressions and the “story” that is being told throughout the piece. While all jazz does not have a vocalist, there is still a “story” that can be heard, a rise, climax and a fall. Jazz pieces sometimes do not have clear-cut structures like some modern music, and so it definitely takes some time to appreciate.
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Secondly, jazz music showcases individual and group talent. Many of the older recordings of jazz are done without edits. For example, Miles Davis and the album “Kind of Blue” was recorded in a single day. Not only that, but improvised solos and overall technical skills on an individual instrument takes years and years of practice and finessing. Speaking from my very limited experience, jazz musicians, even the best ones, are always learning and improving their technique.
Jazz music and the very many subgenres can be played for just about any occasion. There is jazz for social occasions, dancing, studying, reading, driving, and for just about everything in between. With jazz, no two pieces are the same, and so you cannot get bored of listening to it. Jazz has spanned through several decades, each changing instrumentation, and influencing genres that are popular today, each song just keeps getting even more interesting.
If you are interested in listening or even expanding your palette in jazz, here are some personal recommendations of artists and albums that you all should definitely give a listen to:
- Miles Davis Kind of Blue
- Frank Sinatra The Very Best of Frank Sinatra
- John Coltrane A Love Supreme
- John Coltrane Blue Train
- Miles Davis Bitches Brew
- Sonny Rollins Saxophone Colossus
- Weather Report Heavy Weather
- Nat King Cole The Very Thought of You
- Buddy Rich Big Band Machine
- Benny Goodman The Very Best of Benny Goodman
Now, there are a plethora of other musicians and albums not even mentioned here on this list, but this list will provide very accessible albums and songs that can be found at almost every music retailer. This will allow you to get a taste of the many different sub genres and decades of jazz.
Happy listening!
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