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Recommend me some modern jazz bands
ege02
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Ever since I have taken History of Jazz last winter, I've always had an appreciation for jazz music. Unfortunately, the class focused on the jazz bands/trends/eras in the past, rather than the present.
I'm already knowledgable about gems like Dizzie Gillespie, Louis Amstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sonny Stitt, John Coltrane, etcetera etcetera.
What I'm looking for is good, modern-jazz bands of the 90s and 2000s.
Also, I don't like smooth jazz, i.e. what is commonly referred as "elevator music" or "doctor's waiting room music" or "grocery store music."
I'm already knowledgable about gems like Dizzie Gillespie, Louis Amstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sonny Stitt, John Coltrane, etcetera etcetera.
What I'm looking for is good, modern-jazz bands of the 90s and 2000s.
Also, I don't like smooth jazz, i.e. what is commonly referred as "elevator music" or "doctor's waiting room music" or "grocery store music."
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Herbie Hancock is still alive, so I guess you could call him modern, but I'm sure you're familiar.
And are you a purist, or does older stuff with a latin influence hold any interest? Similarly, more modern stuff with an electronic tinge?
Somewhat older but not TOO old, I enjoy a handful of Antonio Carlos Jobim tracks, and Baden Powell is doing modern Brazilian jazz. Cal Tjader has some really great older latin jazz.
The Ben Hans Trio is doing some modern stuff that's part standards, part new stuff, without going completely off the rails
Medeski Martin and Wood
Al DiMeola
The Seatbelts, who did the music for Cowboy Bebop, have some really good jazz tunes (http://youtube.com/watch?v=E7UV6s-IFkA).
Medeski, Martin, & Wood--
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Altho I wouldn't necessarily call them a Jazz band, they do have some jazzy tunes, while other songs might have more of a cuban feel, or sometimes a pinch of reggae. They came to Montreal a few weeks ago and gave a really awesome performance. The crowd was cheering, people were having fun, it was great!
http://thecatempire.com/
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Christian Mcbride
Cannonball Adderly (after he split from Miles Davis) and Art Pepper are two great sax players who are right on the edge of that era, although Art has an almost throwback style sound, so he might not be what you're looking for
Freddie Hubbard
Clark Terry
Weather Report (one of the first fusion bands, with whom Jaco Pastorius got really big)
Jaco Pastorius Big Band
Herbie Hancock
Stan Kenton
Buddy Rich
Art Blakey
Sonny Rollins
That'll take you through the mid to late 70s or so (a little farther for some of those guys). For more modern big bands:
Chase (headlined by Bill Chase, early contemporaries of Maynard Ferguson)
Maynard Ferguson (who I just now found out died a few months ago, which makes me sad)
McCoy Tyner Big Band
Gordon Goodwin is great
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Soul Rebels (these last two are more New Orleans style brass bands, and they're both ridiculously good)
Other people off the top of my head:
Bob Brookmeyer
Bill Watrous
Arturo Sandoval if you can handle his shitty (in my opinion) tone
Woody Herman and his big band
Wynton Marsalis, of course
Any of the other Marsalises (Branford, Jason, Ellis)
Diana Krall
Norah Jones
If you're looking for free jazz, the only people you really need to check out are Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and to a lesser extent, Coltrane's later stuff.
Cherry Poppin' Daddies and Johnny Favorite are two of my favorite 'modern' swing bands.
Oh yeah, didn't even think about that. Add Squirrel Nut Zippers and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy to the list.
Bela Fleck
http://www.misinterprotato.com/listen.php
Also, there's another local group Every Man and His Llama, but they haven't been together for a long time and there's almost zero chance you'll be able to find their newest CD Reality Mayhem from overseas. I haven't heard their other CD, but I uploaded a track for you all to listen to since it's so damn good. The bass player currently plays in Misinterprotato.
Have a listen
You sir, have excellent taste.
I'd recommend first looking into as much Blue Note era albums as you possibly can, since most everything is either a direct offshoot of that era, or of Davis' fusion experiments and late-era albums.
What sort of jazz are you most interested in? Vocal or instrumental? What sort of style do you dig the most? Big band vs. small combo, bebop vs. cool, fusion vs. free jazz?
At the moment, I'm listening to the album Avenues by Brian Buchanan. It's good, but pretty standard hard bop stuff. It would be right at home if it was released in the 60's on Blue Note.
John Scofield for a very approachable take on modern jazz.
Jamie Oehlers for stuff a little more 'out-there', but still certainly jazz.
http://newnations.bandcamp.com
I agree with Pat Metheny, but Medesk, Martin & Wood had some good albums as well. I really enjoyed Tonic and Uninvisible, but wasn't a huge fan of Bubblehouse. I actually preferred a compilation album, Last Chance to Dance Trance (Perhaps) Best of (1991-1996), as it gave a little bit of Bubble and a little Combustication without too much of either.
I also recommend you check our some Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (Outbound and Left of Cool are your most jazzy albums) for some fantastic bluegrass/jazz hybrid stuff.
Be sure to pick up some Jaco Pastorius. The self titled album is great, but also try his big band album Invitation. Don't let the first track throw you-it's the most out-there track on the album and, once you get into it, a great tune.
On a similar note, get some Joni Mitchell. If you don't like folk that's fine, then just stick with Mingus and Hejira. Both fantastic albums that show off Joni's fantastic voice accompanied by none other than the aforementioned Pastorius.
Chalk another one up for Keith Jarrett, but try to stick with his small group stuff rather than his solo albums. If you do enjoy solo improvised piano, The Koeln Concert is the strongest concert he gives, followed closely by the whole Sun Bear Concert series which I believe is only available in a 6 CD pack.
Depending on what you consider modern, get Mingus. Lots of Mingus. He has by far my favourite big band. Some albums: Let My Children Hear Music, Blues & Politics, Mingus Ah Um, The Clown, and if you prefer smaller group stuff The Bass Player.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Chick Corea yet. He has some great albums, though I'm partial to his more acoustic albums with some exceptions. Recommendations in order of preference: My Spanish Heart, Akoustic Band, Rendezvour in New York (if you like My Spanish Heart), Light As A Feather, Children's Songs (solo piano, an acquired taste).
Though some of his stuff is considered more fusion than straight jazz, Donald Fagen has some great albums. Though he was amazing in Steely Dan, he has some fantastic solo records. The Nightfly is a great record, along with the recently recorded Morph The Cat. Stay away from Kamakiriad though, as it's really weak in comparison to these two gems.
Dr. John is one of my favourite piano players and has a fantastic gritty, New Orleans style that's hard to describe. I can't recommend any particular records, but you should definitely give him a try.
Lastly, because no one else has done it yet, listen to some Weather Report. They were probably one of the finest single collection of musicians ever to grace this earth, so give them a listen. Night Passage, Heavy Weather, Mysterious Traveller, and 8:30 to start and go from there. I prefer their later stuff, but some people are big fans of the early works as well. Their first album was a self-titled, so you might want to try it.
I realize I've given far too many recommendations, but I really think you should at least sample each one here.