Trying to expand my taste in music

[dynamowhum]

Hi I'm a 50 year old classic rocker who is trying to expand his taste in music. I do like the blues, jazz, classical. My problem is I don't know the artist names for those styles nor what it is exactly they play.
I realize jazz has very many sub species as well. I don't like rag time, nor easy listening. In blues I like the Vaughn like stuff. In classical I just like what I hear pretty much.
So in a nut shell could I get you guys to give me some recommendations and the reason for it. I am trying to build up a collection and would really appreciate it. Also if there is a good site that deals with this please let me know.
PS. Please no rap, country, bluegrass or opera that is not in english. Thanks very much.

[gimpy]

dynamo, try out this website, www.yourmusic.com. You can put in the different types of music and bring up the albums, then listen to 20-25 seconds of the different songs. At least that is what I do. Might give you an idea of the different artists, etc.

Also, search in the tunes forum to see what other people like listening to. Good way to find some good/different music.

Frank

[dynamowhum]

Thanks Gimpy
fred

[Arneson]

It's hard to do.
I just had to explain to some younguns why "Punk" is something I would Never listen to. Politely of course.

[bigburner]

Well dynamowhum, I'm a 52 year old rocker, and my problem is that there's so much good music out there that one lifetime isn't enough to fit it all in. You'll find good ideas everywhere, including this forum e.g. threads like "Under the radar recordings that some of us might have missed", which you'll find in In Tune, is worth a look. You could even do a search on particular members' postings and see if any of their ideas appeal. Even try my posts (although I must warn you that I really like "My Way" by The Sex Pistols). Then there's newspapers and music magazines, with music reviews in most of them. Just type "100 best blues songs" into Google and you'll be lucky if you get to bed before 3am.

[big_ezy]

A couple of suggestions for you. For jazz..."Kind of Blue" Miles Davis and for classical "Scherezade" by Rimsky-Korsakov. To me these are both excellent pieces that are very accessible.

Earl

[dynamowhum]

Thanks for the replies guys. I have to agree with you Arneson.LOL. Big Burn I agree with you about that great big forest of music out there. Just trying to find some choice trees out of it. Thanks for the look up suggestion, will try it.Big ezy I will look those up. You wouldn't be from New Orleans would you? Have a great days guys.

[Martyn]

Dynamo, try www.pandora.com. Whenever someone offers you a suggestion, set up a new "station" in Pandora to hear a sample. Pandora will also play similar sounding recordings by other artists. If you don't like it you just delete the station. You can set up as many stations as you like. It's a great way to discover new music.

For different jazz, try Patricia Barber - great quality recordings as well as unique music.

[ShadowZA]

For exposure you can tune in to a net radio site such as http://www.sky.fm/

That's how I stumbled across Peter White (smooth jazz)

[Bluespower]

I'm 52 as well and was in pretty much the same boat as you are now. I've always loved the blues and it's only a short walk from there to get into jazz. I can't do "expressive" jazz, but there are plenty of artists that do "smooth" to "light" jazz that have some wonderful recordings.

Since you're coming from a rock background I'd say revisit any of the Steely Dan/Donald Fagen recordings for openers. Follow that up with any recording that Diana Krall has released. You said you liked SRV. If you like guitarists (electric), you may want to give Larry Carlton's "On Solid Ground" a try. He has many great recordings with "Alone/But Never Alone" being a personal favorite. Don't be afraid to look into Jimmy Smith. He's the Grand Master of the Hammond B3 and has about 40 recordings out there. I haven't found one that I haven't enjoyed.

The list can go on and on. I've checked out a lot of material from our public library and discovered many artists that I like and an equal number that I don't. It's always exciting when you make a good find and even more enjoyable when you can share it with someone else.

Good luck in your quest! Think I'll put on a little Milt Jackson now...

[dynamowhum]

YOu guys are great thanks so much.

[dyazdani]

I second the Steely Dan motion...

[Alloroc]

Hi,

Here's a few of my recent and not so recent faves - in genre...

'Hard Rock' - Greenday - American Idiot. Intelligent mayhem.

Folk/Rock - Richard Thompson - Anything! A 'best of' for starters.

Classic Rock - Rumours - Fleetwood Mac - Absolute classic.

Indie - Illinoise - Sufjan Steven - Genius. Gonna be just huge. Remember where you heard of him first!

More indie (i love indie) - Thom Yorke - The Eraser - Different, quirky, acquired taste.

Punk(yes Punk!) - The Clash - London Calling - Punk cannot be dismissed!!!! What is order without understanding chaos!?

Pop - Crowded House - Recurring Dream - well crafted, easy on the ears pop.

Jazz - Van Morrison - Astral Weeks - mindblowing!

Classical - All Johanna Martzy recording (Coup d'Archet) - Expensive, but so worth it.

Other fantastic albums that I love - by decade....

60's - The Kinks - The Village Green Preservation Society.

70's - Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure

80's - Talking Heads - Speaking In Tongues

90's - U2 - Achtung Baby

00's - Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump

Today - Cracker - Greenland - It's a little bit country, it's a little bit Rock 'n Roll!

So that's all I can think of for now. Some are a bit obvious and you probably have one or two of them but I hope you get to check out some of the others that you have not heard of.....

V.

[Arneson]

Vincent,
I wish that my music exposure was that eclectic.
Looking at your list I would knock off seven of those because I'm stuck in the 70's.

[Alloroc]

Vincent,
I wish that my music exposure was that eclectic.
Looking at your list I would knock off seven of those because I'm stuck in the 70's.

Ahhh... The 70's. The decade that gave the world 'Heavy Metal', flares and bell bottoms, Punk, Dicso, really, really bad cars, Prog. Rock and amongnst lots else.... ME! A totally misunderstood decade!

My diverse taste in music comes from growing up in Dublin in the 80s and 90s with a massive music scene coupled with my teenage and x-generation years as a pirate radio DJ! I even managed a band(or tried to!) for a year or so - a Jacques Brel tribute band - I was that black romantic!

That said, If there was one artist that I would urge you to listen to it's Sufjan Stevens and his album Illinoise.

V.

[Arneson]

'Heavy Metal', flares and bell bottoms, Punk, Dicso, really, really bad cars,
a pirate radio DJ!

That said, If there was one artist that I would urge you to listen to it's Sufjan Stevens and his album Illinoise.V.

I guess: AArgh, you doofus, and thanks.

Would be appropriate.

[dynamowhum]

Thanks for all the replies I really didn't expect so many. Lots of food for hearing, would of said thought but.

Fred.

I think dryers are gate ways to other planets for missing socks and the occasional pair of underwear.

[bigburner]

I think dryers are gate ways to other planets for missing socks and the occasional pair of underwear.

When you come down have a look at this Web site. It includes good reviews of classic albums.

http://www.warr.org/cgi-bin/randompickpan2.cgi

Nigel.

[peterS]

what is that one web site where you look up a song and then it plays others you might like?
wish i still had the bookmark

[Martyn]

pandora.com

[David Meek]

I'm a 47 year-old rocker that finally (about 25 or so) started to explore other music. Here area few you might want to try:

The Falcon & The Snowman by Pat Metheny (with David Bowie), a dark jazz soundtrack with Bowie's signature vocals

Thief by Tangerine Dream, electronica soundtrack with a driving rythm that accentuated the movie

Skywatching by Michael Gettel, new age with a Southwestern (American Indian) flavor

Lie To Me by Jonny Lang, guitar blues in the Stevie Ray tradition

La Luna by Sarah Brightman, a classically-trained female vocalist whose music is much more interesting than Diana Krall's - I can listen for hours

You may already know these:

The Arc Angels self-titled debut, Austin Texas guitar blues/rock - a killer album IMO

Passion by Robin Trower, English guitar blues/rock

[bigburner]

David, I'll definitely try some of those, starting with the Arc Angels. I'm surprised that I haven't heard of them before.

dynamowhum, here's a site that I use quite a lot. It gives me ideas for new albums that I then go away and research - for example, by looking them up at Amazon.com and listening to 20 seconds of each track. http://www.rootsmusicreport.com/2.0/...ame=altcountry

Nigel.

[jmb]

Blues/Blues Rock;
Freddie King
Buddy Guy
T-Bone Walker
Jimmie Thackery
Dave Hole
Tab Benoit
Omar and the Howlers
Smokin' Joe Kubek Band
Gov't Mule
Robert Cray
Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters
North Mississippi Allstars

just to get you started. :T

[dynamowhum]

Gee I think this is the longest thread I've ever started. I appreciate all the resonses and will look into all the suggestions. Thanks again.

[orbifold]

Can't resist a few faves from an eclectic guy!

dynamowhum, I went the other way. I listened to Bach, and Miles, and Olatunji in high school, and picked up interest in LOTS of stuff after hearing my kids' music when they were in high school. Notabley, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Stevie Ray Vaughn, too, too many others.
I picked a few possibles, should you have the time, which you can listen to off the Amazon site. These take you right there, but you can go to most any artist, go to a particular album, and click the "More about this product" link to hera a sample. I have to paste mine now before I go back there again and this post becomes too long :B

Blues:

http://www.amazon.com/A-Bothered-Mind-R-L-Burnside/dp/B0002M1X34/sr=1-3/qid=1157733622/ref=pd_bbs_3/103-1705637-3109463?ie=UTF8&s=music#moreAboutThisProduct

http://www.amazon.com/Boogie-Woogie-King-Pinetop-Perkins/dp/B0000014OF/sr=1-3/qid=1157734007/ref=pd_bbs_3/103-1705637-3109463?ie=UTF8&s=music#moreAboutThisProduct

http://www.amazon.com/Vietnam-Blues-Complete-LR-Recording/dp/B0000014PZ/sr=1-1/qid=1157734200/ref=sr_1_1/103-1705637-3109463?ie=UTF8&s=music#moreAboutThisProduct

Jazz:

http://www.amazon.com/Time-Out-Dave-Brubeck-Quartet/dp/B000002AGN/sr=1-1/qid=1157734265/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-1705637-3109463?ie=UTF8&s=music#moreAboutThisProduct

PIckup Sticks is a fave!

http://www.amazon.com/Thelonious-Quartet-Coltrane-Carnegie-Hall/dp/B000AV2GCE/sr=1-1/qid=1157734333/ref=sr_1_1/103-1705637-3109463?ie=UTF8&s=music#moreAboutThisProduct

Classic from giants

Classical:

http://www.amazon.com/Orff-Carmina-Burana-Riccardo-Muti/dp/B00001ZSXC/sr=1-2/qid=1157735907/ref=sr_1_2/103-1705637-3109463?ie=UTF8&s=music#moreAboutThisProduct

you heard some of this on Star Wars and Aliens

http://www.amazon.com/Gould-Variations-Glenn-Goulds-Bach/dp/B00004WK47/sr=1-2/qid=1157736086/ref=pd_bbs_2/103-1705637-3109463?ie=UTF8&s=music#moreAboutThisProduct

For someone who had the original vinyl of Miles' Kind of Blue, this is still before my time, but it's value is that it's timeless.

http://www.amazon.com/Mozart-Clarinet-Concerto-Flute-Harp/dp/B000001G59/sr=1-9/qid=1157736289/ref=sr_1_9/103-1705637-3109463?ie=UTF8&s=music#moreAboutThisProduct

both quite beautiful, if they suit the taste!

even "World Music" (this is where that started)

http://www.amazon.com/Drums-Passion-Babatunde-Olatunji/dp/B00006B1RI/sr=1-1/qid=1157736889/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-1705637-3109463?ie=UTF8&s=music#moreAboutThisProduct

Find the stuff you like, and listen to it loud :T

[bigburner]

Well orbifold, dynamowhum may not try those 3 blues albums but I certainly will. Thanks!

jmb, you've listed some interesting ones too. Good stuff!

Nigel.

[David Meek]

David, I'll definitely try some of those, starting with the Arc Angels. I'm surprised that I haven't heard of them before.

Nigel.

Nigel, they were something of an "Austin-sound supergroup" that got together, made this one smokin' album and then went their separate ways. It's too bad they did. You'll understand why once you hear it.

[Andrew M Ward]

https://www.KCDX.com

just log onto this internet radio station
great selection of 70's - not always the usual 70's stuff you hear over and over

plus as you're listeneing if you hear something you like you can go do some research on it...

No advertisements... it's wondeful

[Jesse111]

Have you heard Pat Travers, Blues Magnet CD?

Also check out John Kay's, Heretics and Privateers as well as both Doyle Bramhall II's CD's, Jelly Cream and Welcome just to name a few.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters as well as Morcheeba are a couple more choice listens.

[sokoban]

Live recordings to get into new music

If you have a broadband internet connection, I highly recommend using a site such as etree.org, tradersden, or dimeadozen to download live concert recordings of new artists. Most of the sites make sure that it is okay with the artists before allowing shows to be posted, and the quality is usually quite good. These sites require a bittorrent client and some require registration. Lossless compression is the norm, and you sometimes find 24 bit recordings, soundboard recordings, and even live DVD's.

[JudyLou]

Have you ever tried:-
Holly Colly Trio or
Cowboy Junkies
Very laid back listening with excelent quality

[Bent]

I think you meant the Holly Cole trio.
(a Winnipeger)

[Chris D]

Hi, Ben, long time no see! :later:

[dynamowhum]

You guys are awesome and I will do my best to listen to all I can. It is the least I can do. Thanks.

[JudyLou]

I think you meant the Holly Cole trio.
(a Winnipeger)

He he - yes I also haven't heard of the Holly Colle Trio! Thanks Bent ops:

[JudyLou]

Don't know if any of you have heard of a South African band called "Freshlyground" with their 1st album Numvula? All songs is composed and performed by them. It is brilliant. What would one call the music style - I don't Know. Just know its fresh and very good, with a couple of songs I surpose one could call "Ethic South African" - if there is something like that. The recording and performance quality is 10/10.
Try it, you will not be sorry!
Lourens :P

[bigburner]

Don't know if any of you have heard of a South African band called "Freshlyground" with their 1st album Numvula? All songs is composed and performed by them. It is brilliant. What would one call the music style - I don't Know. Just know its fresh and very good, with a couple of songs I surpose one could call "Ethic South African" - if there is something like that. The recording and performance quality is 10/10.
Try it, you will not be sorry!
Lourens :P

I'll take your Yarpie band and raise you one with a Kiwi musician - Nathan Haines "Squire for Hire".

[JudyLou]

I'll take your Yarpie band and raise you one with a Kiwi musician - Nathan Haines "Squire for Hire".

Hi Nigel

What say you - I give you mine you give me yours - if your interested I could send you a new copy of Freshly Ground in exchange for a new copy of Nathan's Squire for Hire? As I tried everywhere in S.A I know, can't seem to find one - and would very much like to try new a new artist (new for me that is).

Lourens :

[sajoka]

I am a classical musician for a living, so my tastes may be a bit different. I listen to a ton of jazz and classical. Here are a few CDs I couldn't live without.

Jazz:
Brad Mehldau Trio - Anything Goes
(pretty much anything by Mehldau is great. His trio has a series called "the Art of the Trio." I highly reccomend it.)

Chris Potter Quartet - Lift - Live at the Village Vanguard

Ingrid Jensen - Project O - Now as Then
(fantastic young trumpet player. Influenced heavily by Woody Shaw)

Wynton Marsalis - Black Codes From the Underground
(early Wynton, before he started doing all the "throwback jazz" stuff)

Kenny Garrett - Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane
(with Pat Metheny. A great CD)



Classical:
Johannes Brahms - Ein Deutsches Requiem - Chicago Symphony - James Levine
(with Kathleen Battle)

Beethoven - Triple Concerto, Rondo in B Flat - Pierre-Laurent Aimard; Nikolas Harnoncourt

Benjamin Britten - War Requiem - New York Phil - Kurt Masur
(not only a great performance of an amazing piece, but a great audiophile recording as well)

Mahler Symphony 7 - Chicago Symphony - Claudio Abbado
(An excellent rendition of this great piece. The brass are at their best. Lots of great audiophile stuff in this one. Very soft cowbells in the second movement. Mandolin in the fourth, and lots of fireworks in the first and last.)



Now if I only could afford a system worthy of this music.

--Sam

[wkhanna]

WOW!

I've been cloned!

Well not totaly, cuz I will be adding three to my list on my next trip to music store.

Thanks Sam!

[BTB]

I'll take your Yarpie band...

Hey bigburner... what's a yarpie?