I've recently gotten into jazz music. Can anyone tell me some good artists to listen to?

I remember being where your at now. I was new to jazz and didn't know a thing beyond Miles and Trane. I didn't have a website like this so I called up the local college radio station and begged for some suggestions. I was lucky, because that night the dj had a few of his friends hanging out in the studio with him. They were all yelling out albums, and getting excited about each others suggestions. I was writing them down as fast as I could.

They did me right. Now all these years later, I can pass on the short list version, with my own own approval.

Miles Davis Kind of Blue album. It's a great album for a beginner, and it's great even if you've heard a whole lot of jazz. Get it.

Thelonious is another great and important master of jazz. I suggest that you start out with the Monk's Dream album. Monk swings the hardest of any jazz musician, in my little opinion.

This is the album that really turned me onto jazz. I still enjoy it and respect it. Roland Kirk's Inflated Tear album.

Booker Ervin's album called The Freedom Book is completely amazing, from start to finish. The chemistry of the musicians is amazing.

Grant Green's Matador album is a great album, centered around the guitar playing, although McCoy Tyner is at his best (piano player from Coltrane's band). It's another great album that's easy to like.

Wayne Shorter's album called Speak Like A Child is a great album that you really have to hear. I can't even talk about it. The whole band is amazing.

Herbie Hancock's album, Maiden Voyage is another great and easy to like album. Freddie Hubbard is at his best through the whole album (on trumpet, fluglehorn). It's a concept album, and it really does flow like the sea, as Herbie intended it to.

Horace Silver plays piano with soul. The songs are great and so is the band. Everything works on this album called Song For My Father. It's another easy to like album too.

Oliver Nelson's album called Blues and the Abstract Truth is another classic. It features the great Eric Dolphy. Get it!

Honestly, I think that the jazz of the current scene is some of the best I have ever heard. I live near New York City, and I am lucky enough to be able to hear today's musicians in little intimate places. Today's jazz musicians are VERY creative. Its not popular because its not advertised, and like Frank Zappa said "Most people wouldn't know good music if it hit them over the head". Anyway, here is a short list of musicians/albums that are great, in my opinion.

Drew Gress- Seven Black Butterflies

Scott Colley- Archetiect of the Silent Moment.

John Ellis- Roots Branches and Leaves

Kurt Rosenwinkel-Deep Song (any album)

Seamus Blake- Stranger Things Have Happened

Tim Berne and Science Friction- The Sublime and the...(live)

Ried Anderson- Dirty Showtunes

Ari Hoenig- Inversations

Dafnis Prieto- Absolute Quintet

Mat Maneri Quartet- Blue Decco

Roy Campbell- It's Krunch Time

Human Feel- Galore

Aaron Parks- Invisible Cinema

Bernie Maupin Quartet- Early Reflections

Mario Pavone- Toulon Days

Chris Potter- Song For Anyone

William Parker- Painter's Spring

PS-The best radio station for innovative jazz (BY FAR) is WKCR(.org). Check their schedule, because sometimes they play other styles of music too. WKCR is where I discovered most of the musicians on this list.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/wkcr/

Well there are a lot of substyles in jazz, such as bebop, hardbop, jazz/fusion, cool jazz, and many many others.

But really, there are some people that everyone should know about, because they are considered the "pioneers" of jazz; meaning that each of them made significant contributions to the advancement of jazz. Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis.

I will try to keep from mentioning musicians that have already been mentioned, but here are some more: Dexter Gordon, Dizzy Gillespe, Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorious, Lester Young, Benny Goodman, Bill Evans, Hank Mobley, Cannonball Adderly, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Ornette Coleman, and Herbie Hancock.

For the more modern jazz, my all-time favorites are Michael Brecker and Kenny Garrett (NOT Kenny G). Also, Joshua Redman, Chris Potter, Eric Alexander, Pat Metheny, Roy Hargrove (Check out the RH Factor), Terence Blanchard, Arturo Sandoval, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, and many many others.

For a unique listen, definitely check out Hiromi and Hiromi's SonicBloom. She is an amazing musician, and I have all of her albums. To see what I'm talking about, check out the album Another Mind.

There are also big bands to check out, like Duke Ellington, Gordon Goodwin, Maria Schneider, Maynard Ferguson, Steps Ahead, Thad Jones, Clayton-Hamilton, and various others.

No single person could possibly give you a list of everything that you should listen to, so just start buying everything you see. That is the best advice I can give you.

im only about a year ahead of you. in the past year ive heard a lot of great jazz

wes montgomery

charlie christian

charlie parker

kenny burrell

barney kessel

pat martino

joe pass

george benson

miles davis

john coltrane

erroll garner

thelonious monk

i'm a jazz guitarist, so you'll notice that most of these guys are guitarists. my main suggestions:

Erroll Garner: A true genius of the piano, I personally think the best of piano, if not the best all around

George Benson: Hes jazz, but he takes it in different directions than most guitarists

Wes Montgomery: The king of jazz guitar

theres tons more, hope these help!

I can t say that your brother has serious problems, however it is impacting you and the people around you. Your brother might think that he s "cool", feeling "famous", or simply trying to impress his friends. Although the people he hangs out with is nothing really something that you can change (because people can let go of music easily, not human beings they ve grown attached to), it is possible to change his view of things. His attitude is not a phase, but the music is, and the music is causing him to act in such a way. Since it is just a phase, it will end. My brother is currently going through this phase as well, but it has been two years already. He went from a war phase to now this... If he happens to be going through it for more than a year, he s definitely been impacted by his friend. It once was a phase, but then the people he hangs around have changed him forever. Best of luck, my friend! Just let it pass by, and try your best to introduce him to things less corruptive of the mind, but things he ll be interested in.

If your looking for some classic jazz music. Listen to Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. Artie Shaw is great too.

Check out Joey Difrancesco. Genius on the Hammond organ

I am a bassist, so I wonder if Charles Mingus (my idol) or Christian McBride have been mentioned yet? I also like to listen to Bela Fleck and Medeski, martin, and Wood...

oscar peterson, joe pass, stan getz, dave mckenna, zoot sims, red norvo, art tatum, dizzy gillespie, john coltrane, count basie, chick corea, charlie parker, ben webster, jimmy raney, tal farlow, ella fitzgerald, billie holiday, sarah vaughn

this is a short list, off the top of my head, but i think it should whet your appetite for the music

the bad plus are a great piano/bass/drums jazz trio who have recently put out a really great album called "for all i care"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar30KyQFnIc&feature...

kenny g

chris botti

harry connick jr.

will downing

rachelle ferrell

jamie cullum

louis armstrong

norah jones

micheal buble

nina simone

miles davis