Recommend prog fan some non-prog jazz.

Oh God how I hate these "recommend me something" threads on that other site.  However this could be some fun.

1. I came to appreciate jazz through jazz rock fusion.
2. I love just about anything put out by the ECM label.
3. I kinda like Stephane Grappelli's swing stuff as well as his odd excursions. 
4. I have explored Miles' catalog and have many titles from Birth Of The Cool through to his venture into fusion and beyond.
5. Tried some Bird and liked it.
6. My first serous exposure to jazz were free live shows in Piedmont Park in Atlanta and also more intimate stuff at local jazz stuff.


Edited by Slartibartfast - 06 Jan 2012 at 6:28pm

You might would like Sun Ra, I have reviews up for several of his albums. His albums can be quite different from each other.

Well, I'll come and recommend you some modern jazz albums that may have nothing to do with your taste:

Try some more hard bop and post bop type stuff. Moanin' by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers is a great one. Also, Dizzy Gillespie is fantastic, and his fusion of different styles of jazz creates whole new experiences. Check out the composition Kush in particular. Possibly his most well-known composition, A Night in Tunisia, has been done by all sorts of artists. Charlie Parker recorded the definitive version, but as Darkshade said, check out Art Blakey's band doing it. It's incredible.

Edited by MilesBeyond - 28 Jan 2012 at 12:44pm

There's so much great jazz out there. It's just like prog. You've just got to find what you like and listen to them and branch out and find more you like and....

I'm opposite you, I was a jazz fan who turned to prog years ago through fusion. I guess if i were recommending jazz I'd do the same as I would prog--listen to the giants first--the old big band stuff like Ellington and Armstrong and Basie and Coleman Hawkins, and Charlie Parker with bop. Mid fifties is when jazz gets more dynamic, with Davis and Coltrane leading the way. Then you've got the up and comers like Herbie Hancock and Freddie Hubbard setting the pace, with new advances made in free jazz by Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Sam Rivers, et al....Vocal Jazz his it's giant too, if you're into that sort of thing

If you're looking for some fusion in the meantime try George Duke, his mid seventies records are great. He played with Zappa '73-'75.

^ Love the Jimmy & Wes albums, and Jimmy's Root Down especially

Actaully, Slarti, I'd recommend Root Down if for a rock/jazz/soul album

^ just checked out the 'Grace Kelly Quintet' - expecting a 50s cinema fan - but didn't expect a 19 year old girl playing sax!

Her cover of 'Ain't no Sunshine' was fun stuff

I agree that Giant Steps and Love Supreme are essential.