My daughter happened to drop into a small
jazz club in Manhattan last night, and discovered she liked jazz:-)

She's 21, was a music theatre major, then an acting major, so she's pretty open to all kinds of music.

My taste tends to run toward the keyboard players (Tatum, Monk, Evans, Jimmy Smith, etc.).
But.. she heard a quartet and really like it.

So...
Any suggestions for some good jazz collections to get her started?

Thanks,

- Frank B.

Dave Brubeck Quartet is great - one of my favorite CDs is "The Dave Brubeck Quartet at Carnegie Hall." Along with Dave the quartet features Paul Desmond on sax.

Someone contemporary I like is Michel Camilo. "One More Once" really grooves with a large band. "Triangulo" is a trio setting. Camilo has a lot of latin influence.

Miles Davis's "Kind of Blue" is a CD every jazz enthusiast has - features Bill Evans on piano and John Coltrane on sax.

Just a few ideas to get you started.

All depends on the type of jazz she was listening to at the club.
Brubeck is fairly easy listening jazz, while Camilo, as GJ says, has a more latin-feel to his playing.
FWIW, IMHO, the Triangulo CD might be a bit too 'heady' for someone new to Jazz. Odd rhythms, etc etc. 'Thru my eyes' might be a better introduction to Camilo.
Definitely Kind of Blue - excellent suggestion.
Cya
Pete

Check out some Brad Mehldau -- in particular the Art of The Trio CDs. I also really like Michel Camilo for his latin jazz mix and superb piano playing. Other favorite CDs include:

Chick Corea - Light As A Feather
Dave Brubeck - Time Out
Bill Evans - You Must Believe in Spring
Keith Jarrett - Whisper Not
Kenny Werner - A Delicate Balance
Lyle Mays - Fictionary
John Simon - The Fourth Stream

"Ultimate Oscar Peterson" is my favourite jazz CD.

Hi Frank,
Do you know which club she went to? That might help you find a CD in the same genre.

Hello Frank B.,

That wasn't Roy Haynes at the Vanguard with Clark Terry sitting in, which was one of the most magical live performances I've seen in 45 years of concert-going, was it by chance?

I'd try

Bill Evans Live at the Village vanguard
Keith Jarrett Out of Towners
Herbie Hancock Speak Like a Child, The PIano, Inventions and Dimensions, and especially, Gershwin's World

Hi SteveY and footom,

I don't know which club, I'll try to find out.
A friend convinced her to go, and now she's glad she did.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, much appreciated.

- Frank B.

If she likes melodious jazz, I would recommend:

1. Keith Jarrett Quartet - My song (check out: Conutry)
2. Keith Jarrett Trio - Standards Vol. 1 (the rendition of "God bless the child" alone is worth the entire CD - so groovy)

RG Tim

Frank,

I am having a lot of fun listening to various CD's made by Charlie Haden and Quartet West. "Haunted Heart" is one of the earlier CD's. All very good, straight ahead jazz.

I also recommend a new Stan Getz release, where he appears in a quartet with Kenny Barron on piano and a rythm section. Excellent stuff. I think it is called "Ballads and Bossa Novas" (or something close to that).

21 year old daughter interested in jazz...I'm jealous. My kids all run the other way when I play it. TGG

If you don't know what kind of jazz she likes, you might consider getting her a CD that has a collection of various artists and styles.

The Smithsonian has a 4-CD Jazz Piano collection which goes from early Dixieland through modern jazz. Very nice.

Bob

The Gene Harris Quartet:

"It's the Real Soul"
"Like a Lover"

The late great Gene Harris had a monster of a left hand. Check him out.

+1

If you're into Keith Jarrett, I would also recommend his The Cure CD. I would not consider it exactly melodious, actually -- his singing is a bit out of tune every once and a while.

My all time favorite jazz pianist is Joe Sample. I recommend 1) The Pecan Tree 2) Carmel 3) Rainbow Seeker to get you started. Sample is the best contempory composer I know.

In the late 80's early 90's, Joe Sample used to sit-in with various groups all the time at the Baked Potato in North Hollywood. I shook his hand on more than one occasion. Always seemed like a good person in addition to being an amazing player.

I try to see Joe when hes' in my area (LONG Island). Once a stage hand took me back stage and introduced me. I was with a friend who blabbed that he wasn't familiar with the music except the stuff that I played for him. Well then Joe and I sat down and talked like buddies for about a 1/2 hour about the performance, music, electric bass etc. I suggested he do a live album. He said he thought it was good idea but this was 3 years ago and no live album. He also told me to come to the next tour that he should have a singer. That never happened either. Joe is a great guy as well as a great musician. I often wonder what it would cost for a private concert, at my house when hes' in town.

Try an Oscar Peterson DVD; like the Norman Grantz Jazz Festival; Ref Google, don't have the DVD by my PC. If you can survive the frustration of the silly camera shots by some non-musical minded camera-man you will not forget this performance of Oscar's. Two of the world's best bass players no drums, fantastic stuff.

alan

Since it wasn't mentioned, I would add the following:

Joshua Redman, Live at the Village Vanguard. 2 disk compilation.

For more contemporary music, with very inventive stylings and a lighter approach to jazz: Pat Metheny. Start with "We Live Here", "The Road to You". He has a ton of great stuff, and quite a variation of recordings.

I strongly concur and recommend this pianist! Born in the Dominican Republic, I believe. A fabulous contemporary jazz pianist! "One More Once" is a great recording. He brought the band to the Kennedy Center a few years ago and played the set from the recording. His cover of "Poinciana," found on his "Thru My Eyes" album, is exquisite.

Have you ever played a Metheny tune? Or seen him live? Contemporary? Maybe. Lighter? No way.

Right. The way I understand the use of the terms (in the industry):

"Contemporary" and "light" are not synonymous.

"Smooth" and "light" are.