I'm looking for some recommendations of music in the instrumental jazz sort of vein, and I figure this is an area in which the Internet knows more than I do. I have some fairly idiosyncratic constraints, though, so please read the whole post before recommending stuff in comments.
Background: For reasons that don't bear going into, I prefer to listen to music at bedtime. I can get to sleep without it, but I get to sleep faster and sleep better with music than without. Other noise sources don't work-- ticking clocks drive me up the wall, and actually keep me awake, and the glurping noises the humidifier in the bedroom makes are even worse.
Unfortunately, Kate has a hard time going to sleep to music with lyrics-- she locks in on the words, and it keeps her awake. The compromise we've reached is that I put the Jazz playlist from my iPod on shuffle before bed. I don't own all that much, relative to other things, but it's good for nine hours or so, which is three or four days of shuffling at night and when the music alarm goes on in the morning.
What I have is an odd assortment: one Miles Davis record, a couple of John Coltrane, and a bunch of big-band stuff-- Artie Shaw, Glen Miller, Benny Goodman. The problem is, the free-form stuff is really starting to get on my nerves.
This probably shouldn't come as a surprise, given that I can't stand the long jammy bits of Grateful Dead live albums. They lifted the basic concept from jazz, so it's not really a shock that my annoyance with the form transfers back in the other direction. Music taste is Abelian, I guess.
My gripe is that there isn't really a tune there. It's most pronounced with faster songs-- slower tempos often have a bit of a melody-- and it's more pronounced with saxophonists (though that may just be that I have more jazz tracks by saxophonists than anything else). Most of the improvisational tracks just sound like somebody fluttering the keys as fast as they can, while shifting the basic pitch up and down more or less at random. Over the last month or so, it's gone from "Huh. Well, that's interesting," to "You know, this gets old fast..." to "AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Make it stop!!!!" Which, as you might imagine, is not conducive to getting to sleep.
I'm fine with the big-band stuff, in the same basic way that I'm fine with the Grateful Dead doing long noodly versions of traditional songs. There's lots of improvisation, but it's structured, and they're improvising around a basic tune. I'm good with that, though the songs I have tend to be on the up-tempo side, and Kate might be happier with some slower and quieter stuff. The free-form stuff is driving me up the wall, though.
I understand that Davis and Coltrane are generally regarded as geniuses, and the albums I have are ones that are supposed to be particularly good-- Kind of Blue, Blue Train, Live at the Village Vanguard. It may very well be that the whole form is just a dead loss at this point. But it's also possible that there's something out there that won't actively piss me off, and I just don't know what it is.
So, anyway, that's my request: Instrumental jazz-type music that won't actively annoy me when I'm trying to get to sleep. If there aren't any free-form jazz records that are likely to be significantly better than what I've got, I'd also be happy with recommendations of a broader range of older stuff-- I have a smattering of Fats Waller tracks that I got off Napster after reading a Howard Waldrop story, and those are pretty good (other than the occasional singing). It just needs to be more melodic, and less "Let me imitate the sound of an annoying insect with my saxophone."
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Have you tried Joe Cool's Blues by Wynton and Ellis Marsalis? It's an album of songs from The Peanuts and all of it is quite tuneful. There are still some improv parts (with trumpet more than sax), but it might work for you.
Check out anything by Gerry Mulligan. Should be right on target for your demands.
If you are sick of sax, and not averse to musicians who are still alive...
http://www.chasesanborn.com/cds.html
Two CDs available there--I know there are more somewhere. The link has 10-minute samples from each disk, so you don't have to buy without knowing.
Actually, I might add, buying the music of working musicians, as opposed to dead greats, is what is required to keep the music alive. Besides, it's damned good...
I would suggest Jaco Pastorius' album entitled "Word of Mouth". It's a great big-band style CD with some mild lyrics and some pretty recognizable tunes (Blackbird, for one). I would also recommend the Brad Mehldau Trio or the Dave Holland Quintet if you're looking for some smaller combo stuff.
Well, this might require some enjoyable research.
As much as I enjoy jazz in general, and even as a former musician/wannabe, some free form improvisation wanders into annoying territory for me, too.
Are you trying to avoid more Miles Davis and John Coltrane? As I recall they have more stuff from the period that you like.
Anon's point about supporting current artists is a good one, too, of course.
Some of Pat Metheny's stuff might suit you. John Scofield probably would not. You might consider Stanley Jordan. My introduction to jazz was Jeff Beck's instrumental disc, Blow by Blow. Beck's songs "Diamond Dust" and "Cause We've Ended as Lovers" come to mind as quiet melodies. (Can you tell I'm partial to the guitar?)
Since you're using an iPod, does that mean you plan to buy your music from iTunes or a download service that allows individual songs? There might be an occasional bedtime tune by artists who otherwise don't suit you.
There's a jazz critic radio show called Listen Here!. Their web site might be helpful: http://www.listenhereradio.com/
How's that for a start?
My favorite is Stan Getz, he did "Girl from Ipanema", among other famous songs. You'd have to take that one (as well as a few others) out, since they have lyrics, but he's definitely more melodic jazz. Dave Brubeck (Take Five is his famous one) is good too.
Beatlejazz is a funny band I found, they do jazz remixes of Beatles songs. No lyrics, but you might be tempted to put them back in.
There are some other non-jazz things that can be good too. George Winston is a pianist who you could fall asleep too, and Peter Pupping is a guitarist (iTunes has both of them listed under jazz, but most of their stuff I think of as being distinctly non-jazz). And when I was little my dad played a band called Cusco while we fell asleep. They're mostly reinterpretations of tribal-type music, I like it a lot.
Hopefully something in there will do it for you.
http://www.jazz.fm/
Based on what you've said, I would recommend Dave Brubeck. This recording of Take Five isn't the best, but it should give you a feel for whether it's to your taste.
I'll second Mr. Coleman's recommendation of Dave Brubeck. My personal favorite cut is called "Unsquare Dance" from Dave Brubeck's Greatest Hits. It's in 7/4 time, and at the very end of the track you can hear the drummer chuckling because he actually got it.
I also highly recommend the Modern Jazz Quartet. Very tuneful. I have their "Complete Last Concert", and it is a favorite. There are spoken introductions to some of the songs, but they're brief. I think they got back together sometime after their "last" concert, but I haven't listened to any of those. I'm just so content with the one I've got.
Dr. John, aka Mack Rebenack. This dude plays the richest, most riveting New Orleans paino I have ever heard in my life. The style is more boogie-woogie and R&B than "jazz" per se, but it is amazing to listen to. I prefer his earlier work to his later, and especially recommend "Dr. John Plays Mack Rebenack" and "The Brightest Smile in Town". A few of the tracks have lyrics, so you will want to adjust your playlist accordingly, but man, this guy makes some serious music.
Sweet dreams.
I have a similar issue with my husband in that, he likes quiet before sleep and I like noise (for me the best thing is movies, although music will do.)
My solution: I wear a headset to bed and listen to my ipod. (The ipod goes under my pillow.) I have a few movies on it, as well as my entire music collection. This way I get to listen to whatever I want to...
Keith Jarrett's "Standards" Trio (Keith Jarrett on piano, Gary Peacock on double bass, Jack DeJohnette on drums) is arguably the best band in the world. There is a monster box set from their Blue Note sessions in 1994 but I can readily recommend any of their half-dozen or so live albums. If you don't like horns that may be the way to go.
I think you'll like Mulligan and Getz -- pretty much the whole 50s "Cool School" should appeal. Warne Marsh and Lee Konitz are similar. I would start with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, either the version with Bob Brookmeyer (my favorite) or the version with Chet Baker (everyone else's favorite). Chet Baker is nice and mellow, but he does have a habit of singing from time to time.
I think you'd like Art Farmer/Benny Golson and the Jazztet. 60s hardbop sextet, with tight arrangements and a warm sound.
As for big bands, see if you can't find any Claude Thornhill. Thornhill's not as well known as the big dance bands like Dorsey or the jazz big bands like Basie. His band was a nightclub band, and featured intricate arrangements with a kind of dreamy, impressionist sound. "Snowfall" was his theme song; you may have heard it before (it's on a lot of compilations).
Another suggestion would be to check out the "mainstream" style recordings put out by labels like Pablo and Concord. Ruby Braff, Scott Hamilton, Howard Alden, Warren Vache, etc.
I'll add another vote for the Brubeck "Take Five" album. Teddy Wilson is another great jazz pianist who never loses track of the melody.
In the big band vein, pick up some Duke Ellington. Going back even further, you might want to consider some Scott Joplin ragtime, either piano or band versions -- some of it is very nice and leisurely.
Bill Evans - 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans'
Dammit...[i]I[/i] was going to recommend Brubeck, but everyone else beat me to it. Not only is Brubeck melodic, you can tell he also has a sense of humor from his playing, and his sax player, Paul Desmond, is fantastic.
There's also some Thelonious Monk that might work.
Hi Chad,
I discovered jazz during graduate school, and found it to be terrific 'doing work' music. On the instrumental side with a few vocals, here are some well worn favorites of mine:
Ornette Coleman
Dave Brubeck "Time Out"
Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong: The Great Summit
Wynston Marsalis, Standard Time, Vol. 5
Charlie Mingus: Ah Um and At Antibes
Also, a great way to learn about jazz, is to check out on NetFlix the 10 disc Ken Burns PBS series "Jazz." It's a brilliant documentary and introduction to the music and the history.
To toss out a name that hasn't already been mentioned, Django Reinhardt does some great guitar based stuff.
And if you want jazz as filtered through a Russian composer writing under a Stalinist regime - it no longer classifies as jazz, but it's still good - there's Shostakovich's jazz album.
Another vote for Dave Brubeck.
And how about Vince Guaraldi? He's probably best-known for the music in the Peanuts TV specials, but he did plenty of stuff that didn't have anything at all to do with Charlie Brown.
John Coltrane - Ballads
Most of Modern Jazz Quartet
Lots of Stan Getz - Especially Cool Velvet and Voices and his Bossa Nova stuff.
Al Jarreau - He sings but it makes a nice background that I can work to, so your wife might be able to fall asleep to.
Lester Young - Jazz Giants
There is an album called "'Round Midnight" that has just that song by various artists.
Oscar Peterson
Branford Marsalis - Romances for Saxophone - One of my favorites
Ellis Marsalis - Heart of Gold
Chris Botti has lots of stuff without lyrics
Gary Burton if you like vibraphone
Most of George Benson and Earl Klugh
Lost of George Shearing - "The Best Of" is a good place to start.
Dave Grusin has lots of light jazz - in fact most things on his GRP label are easy jazz.
I'll second the above recommendation of Django Reinhardt. He was a melodic genius. I'll add Thelonious Monk, a quirky and very intentive jazz composer and improvisor. Then there was Lester Young, who never fails to delight me with his silky and sexy elaborations of thirties and forties pop tunes. And then there are Charlie Parker and Wardell Gray to consider...
I second? third? fourth? fifth? the Dave Brubeck.
And a very nice slower, quieter yet structured album is "Jazz, My Romance," by the bassist Ron Carter.
If you like Benny Goodman and have only been listening to his orchestra, make sure you check out his small ensemble stuff. With Lionel Hampton and/or Charlie Christian.
More big band: try Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, or Woody Herman.
Cannonball Adderly, Sonny Rollins, Grant Green, Kenny Burrell and other hard boppers might be more appealing to you than Coltrane. If you don't have Sketches of Spain by Davis, you might want to try that.
On the quieter side, Joe Pass's solo stuff is probably great for sleepy-time music. Also Chet Baker, if you can find (or make) a collection of his without vocals.
On the latin jazz side: try Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, Joao Gilberto.
And I feel compelled to sound off: You're really not going to get away from improvisation though. That's what jazz is. If you want something structured but as harmonically complex, you might be better off listening to 19th century symphonic and chamber music.
Here's something I wrote several years ago for people who normally listen to rock/pop but are wanting to explore jazz. It might cover some of the same ground as others have, above, but there is a wide variety of styles covered in this "So You'd Like To..." guide including some artists that have not been mentioned yet.
Oh, and if you're a fan of guitar jazz, pick up just about anything by Tal Farlow. Straight-ahead jazz, nothing too weird or 'out there', but extremely well-done.
My jazz collection is pretty thin, but since nobody upthread has made this suggestion, I'll suggest Maynard Ferguson.
A couple of jazz/classical borderline pieces that could also fit the bill are Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and Milhaud's La création du monde. Neither piece is freeform (although the Gershwin has a significant piano cadenza, it's based on themes that are heard elsewhere in the piece). I have both pieces on a CD called The Jazz Album (Simon Rattle conducting the London Sinfonietta) which also includes some 1920s era jazz standards (most of which have lyrics, but some are instrumental).
I'll suggest Maynard Ferguson.
I think no one suggested Maynard because Chad is trying to relax before going to sleep. Maynard might be a better choice for his alarm in the morning. :-)
Other than reconfirming Brubeck, I would also recommend Bela Fleck and Chick Corea's Enchantment. I really like the bluegrass-jazz overlap.
Also I like Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie - I think they play good bedtime music. I find Coltrane hard to listen to, but these two are easier.
Also Gershwin's piano pieces are great as I come from a classical music background.
Let us know what you pick and what you enjoyed.
Anything by Grant Green would work well for you. A brilliant jazz guitarist. He creates these beautiful, long, lyrical, solos.
Pat Metheny is a good recommendation, but there are few Metheny fans who like all his varied styles. For the type of listening you want to do (relaxing and getting ready for sleep) I would recommend:
Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny: Beyond the Missouri Sky (Short Stories). A beautiful, peaceful acoustic bass and guitar album.
Pat Metheny: One Quiet Night. Metheny playing solo on a baritone acoustic guitar.
Other recommendations:
Joe Henderson: Double Rainbow: The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim or Lush Life: The Music of Billy Strayhorn
Miles Davis: Sketches of Spain. The classic and best example of arranger Gil Evans merging of Miles Davis' trumpet with an orchestra.
Stan Getz & João Gilberto: Getz/Gilberto. The quintessential American bossa nova record matching Getz's tenor saxophone with the guitar of one of the founders of the bossa nova movement.
Pretty much anything by Brazilian guitar master Baden Powell.
Wayne Shorter: Native Dancer. A very lyrical album with gorgeous renditions of Milton Nascimento songs along with some Shorter originals.
Joshua Redman: Wish. Tenor sax in a relaxed, but engaging set.
Lots of others, but these were the ones that immediately come to mind. If you need samples of any of these or more suggestions let me know. I have 100s and 100s of jazz discs and most of them are already ripped to hard drive.
Maybe it is the instruments, I find piano more relaxing in the evenings and mornings, wind instruments more enjoyable as daytime music. Try Bill Evans, for example "Explorations" is terrific, one of my favorite all time albums. Art Tatum is another good choice. If this is acceptable it opens the door to a whole world of music. Another choice -lots of beautiful classical piano music is also good bedtime music, Debussy's "images" for example.
Like "Relaxin"? My first suggestion is to go back earlier to the Birth of the Cool and other material from the Davis Quintet from that predates Kind of Blue (which is an excellent album). One example is shown in a post from back in January
http://doctorpion.blogspot.com/2008/01/calming-music.html
that (coincidentally) also includes Time Out. I have two different takes of Time Out linked that feature radically different drum solos (one is the one linked above) that appear to reflect the drummer's mood that day. The recorded version is different from both.
If you like the young Davis, check out Chris Botti.
Definitely try MJQ. I was a huge MJQ fan ages ago but don't have any on CD. Like Davis, their stuff goes back about 50 years. One of my favorite tracks (Bag's Groove) shows up on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyo6VQTFeDU
but that is about 20 years of improvisation different from the original recording. The album "Bags and Trane" is great, but (like Live at the Village Vanguard) not sleepy time music.
Someone mentioned Keith Jarrett, who I love, but I should warn you that he makes a lot of noise at times while playing (might be limited to his live concerts, which is all I have on vinyl). My wife basically banned his albums for that single reason. She has a point, since there is one where it sounds like he is mating with the piano while playing it. Other times, when he plays it like a harp, are amazing.
I should have mentioned Marcus Roberts on piano
http://www.marcusroberts.com/
for a young artist with an evolving lyrical style not unlike that of the "cool" era. You would have to select the ones that fit with going to sleep, however.
Three cheers for Oscar Peterson--love me some Oscar Peterson. The Sound of the Trio and Night Train are my faves. Also try Yoav Polachek Standards First and Art Pepper Winter Moon. Ooooh.. and Erroll Garner Body and Soul!
I'd recommend Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, the Modern Jazz Quartet and Oscar Peterson.
The advantage of the earlier stuff is that it's out of copyright so you should be able to get big chunks of it fairly cheaply.
I prefer mellow jazz instrumentals. Here are some good albums.
Steal Away by Hank Jones and Charlie Hayden
A Flower is a Lovesome Thing by The Vince Guaraldi Trio
Sentimental Journey by Houston Person
Gentle Jug (1, 2 and 3) by Gene Ammons
Once When I was Very Young by Dave Brubeck
Duke Ellington produced a lot of great albums
The "Quiet Now" series has some great albums
Jazz for a Lazy Day
Jazz for When You're Alone
Jazz for the Quiet times
I would like to suggest that repetition of even the best jazz will irritate if you repeat it too much. You need a BIG selection so the music remains fresh. Of course, then you need a BIG budget or a lot of time. I've been collecting CDs for years and now have enough so that I can return to my favorites periodically and still enjoy them.
Hope that some of these help you answer the call of Morpheus.
Here are a few suggestions form my collection
Brubeck - Jazz Goes To College
The Jazz Messengers At Cafe Bohemia - vols. 1 + 2
Swiss Movement - Les McCann + Eddie Harris
Jimmy McGriff - The Worm
Sonny Stitt - Givin' Away The Store
Stephane Grappelli - At The Winery
The Best of Joe Pass
Sonny Side Up - Stitt, Rollins + Gillespie
The Genius of Charlie Parker
Keith Jarrett Trio - Bye Bye Blackbird
Jimmy Smith - Dot Com Blues
MJQ - Django
MJQ - 2 degrees east, 3 degrees west
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
The Jackie McLean Quintet - Lights Out
Booker Ervin - The Freedom Book
The Quintet - Jazz At Massey Hall
Stan Getz - Best Of The West Coast Sessions
Super Bass - Ray Brown, John Clayton Jr., Christian McBride
MJQ and Friends
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus
Medeski, Martin & Wood - Tonic
Johnny Griffin - A Blowin' Session
Jessica Williams - Some Ballads, Some Blues
MJQ At Music Inn
The Amazing Bud Powell
Shelly Manne and His Friends - My Fair Lady
Terrance Blanchard - Wandering Moon
Jimmy McGriff & Hank Crawford - Blues Groove
Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Cannonball Adderley
The Very Tall Band - Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson
Oscar Peterson Trio - We Get Requests
Kai Winding & J.J. Johnson - The Great Kai and J.J.
And many, many, more
I'm really inclined to mock you for comparing Miles or Trane to the Dead, but I'll just let it go...
I'll add the umpteenth recommendation for Brubeck's Time Out. Despite the odd time signatures, they're very melodic tunes.
The Stan Getz too should work pretty well for you, I have Finest Hour which is a pretty good collection.
For Coltrane, I'd recommend checking out My Favorite Things. It's all covers of standards, so it flows pretty smoothly. Check it out online and see if it's any more palatable than what you've been listening to.
A smaller, local (to me) band that might fit your needs is Mystikos Quintet. I don't want to suggest that they're in the same category as the greats above, but they do a light, groovy kind of instrumental that might work well.
If you go down the big band route, you'll have lots of good choices. Any of the big names above should do you well. (Not Maynard though!)
It's a great big-band style CD with some mild lyrics and some pretty recognizable tunes
Some of your commenters didn't read your post carefully enough. Avoid anything recorded after 1965 unless you're already familiar with it. Commenters #13 (but avoid any "hardbop"), #20, #35, and #36 have good suggestions. My recommendation is the series (on Pablo) of Art Tatum, Ben Webster, and Buddy Rich; they play beautiful (and tastefully conservative) arrangements of standard tunes.