How to Like Jazz in 10 Easy Steps! by 
JulianR 
Have you ever wanted to get into Jazz, but you just don't know where to start???
Worry no more! With our easy Ten Step Program, you will be enjoying Jazz in no time! Call now, and we'll even throw in one extra Jazz album, for FREE!
Infomercial jokes aside, this is a chart that condenses a bunch of different styles of jazz into an easily digestible chunk, so that you can find what you like. I will qualify that with the statement that this chart focuses on what is often considered the artistic heyday of jazz, from the late 50's to early 70's. It also happens to be the era of jazz that I know best. I have tried to cover a lot of different subgenres here, and others have been inevitably left out, but hopefully it is diverse enough to give you a full picture of what Jazz is.
I often find when approaching a totally new genre, I have to just listen to stuff until I find that one album that clicks. When I first got in to jazz, that album was Miles Davis' "Bitches Brew". With Hip-hop, it was Kendrick Lamar's "Good Kid MAAD City". It's different for everybody, though. Because of this, I tried to include many different styles, and some places you can go from there if you liked a certain album. I would recommend listening to the chart from top to bottom though, just to get a feel for a couple different styles, and then going back and checking out the other recommendations based on what you liked. The order isn't really a science, but I did try to make it so that you can kinda progress to more challenging things from the beginning. I would really urge someone to not get discouraged even if they don't find something they like in even the first 9 of 10; Jazz is well worth the effort to get into it! Who knows what that album that finally clicks will be, it could just as easily be the 10th as any of the first 9.
I've made this chart assuming that you're coming from a background in rock, as most people on this site seem to be. I'm not sure that it would be much different for someone with a background primarily in hip-hop or something else. If it's hip-hop, I guess just listen to the Low End Theory and Untitled Unmastered first.
If youre a jazz-head, suggestions are quite encouraged! Tell me what I'm missing. My jazz knowledge isn't tiny, but it is still limited.
Have Fun!
-Julian
- Chart updated: 09/26/2018 19:15
- (Created: 02/22/2018 03:12).
- Chart size: 11 albums.
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Jazz Fusion (Jazz-Rock)
So Brubeck didn't do it for ya? Never fear; lets try a change of sound. Jazz Fusion is a fusion of jazz and rock, and it can mean a wide variety of things. In this case, it is definitely jazz focused, but it features electric guitar and and keyboards. A lot of jazz is more focused on improvisation and such, and less on textures and things that rock is more concerned with. This has a good mix of both, which is good, but lacks a whole lot of structure. This more long-form style of jazz might be of more interest to those that enjoy post-rock.
Further Listening:
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew. The best jazz album of all time, imo. Its essentially a continuation of what's going on on this album, but all bigger, better, and a little more challenging.
Herbie Hancock - Mwandishi. Another cool fusion record by one of my fav jazz artists. [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
So Brubeck didn't do it for ya? Never fear; lets try a change of sound. Jazz Fusion is a fusion of jazz and rock, and it can mean a wide variety of things. In this case, it is definitely jazz focused, but it features electric guitar and and keyboards. A lot of jazz is more focused on improvisation and such, and less on textures and things that rock is more concerned with. This has a good mix of both, which is good, but lacks a whole lot of structure. This more long-form style of jazz might be of more interest to those that enjoy post-rock.
Further Listening:
Miles Davis - Bitches Brew. The best jazz album of all time, imo. Its essentially a continuation of what's going on on this album, but all bigger, better, and a little more challenging.
Herbie Hancock - Mwandishi. Another cool fusion record by one of my fav jazz artists. [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
7,917
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
48
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Third Stream / Avant-Garde Big-Band
An amazingly unique jazz record. Third Stream is a kind of music that is essentially halfway between jazz and classical, this album being probably the most famous example. Although lots of jazz focuses on improvisation, this one feels heavily orchestrated. And that's not really a bad thing; its one of the most astounding compositions put to record. It also really just means that the improvisation that does happen on this record is so good that it sounds composed.
Further Listening:
Charles Mingus - Ah Um. Widely considered to be his other masterpiece, though it is more hard/post-bop oriented. [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
An amazingly unique jazz record. Third Stream is a kind of music that is essentially halfway between jazz and classical, this album being probably the most famous example. Although lots of jazz focuses on improvisation, this one feels heavily orchestrated. And that's not really a bad thing; its one of the most astounding compositions put to record. It also really just means that the improvisation that does happen on this record is so good that it sounds composed.
Further Listening:
Charles Mingus - Ah Um. Widely considered to be his other masterpiece, though it is more hard/post-bop oriented. [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
Year of Release:
1963
Appears in:
Rank Score:
13,992
Rank in 1963:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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(Moderately) Free Jazz / Spiritual Jazz / Modal Jazz
This is often the album, other than Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, that is cited as the best jazz album ever. It is one of those album that I have seen at the top of too many charts to ignore. It took a long time for me to appreciate it, but it was worth it. [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
This is often the album, other than Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, that is cited as the best jazz album ever. It is one of those album that I have seen at the top of too many charts to ignore. It took a long time for me to appreciate it, but it was worth it. [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
17,055
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Spiritual Jazz / Vocal Jazz / (some) Free Jazz
This is a really unique and wonderful album. It has some parts that can be tough to get in to, such as Leon Thomas' half yodeling, half singing style. There is also one part on the back half that kinda devolved into chaos, but its pretty short. The sound overall is really interesting, in that it has Indian influences and a really full sound that makes it really different from a lot of other jazz. It seems to be similar to some jazz-fusion in that it has a stronger focus on texture and timbre than most other jazz. It's really fun, and probably my second favorite of all time.
Further Listening:
Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidananda. A beautiful album, with a similar instrumental feel to this one, by John Coltrane's wife, a heavily underrated jazz artist.
Pharaoh Sanders - Black Unity. Another great Pharaoh album (and my favorite jazz album of all time), sans singing [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
This is a really unique and wonderful album. It has some parts that can be tough to get in to, such as Leon Thomas' half yodeling, half singing style. There is also one part on the back half that kinda devolved into chaos, but its pretty short. The sound overall is really interesting, in that it has Indian influences and a really full sound that makes it really different from a lot of other jazz. It seems to be similar to some jazz-fusion in that it has a stronger focus on texture and timbre than most other jazz. It's really fun, and probably my second favorite of all time.
Further Listening:
Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidananda. A beautiful album, with a similar instrumental feel to this one, by John Coltrane's wife, a heavily underrated jazz artist.
Pharaoh Sanders - Black Unity. Another great Pharaoh album (and my favorite jazz album of all time), sans singing [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,685
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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Welcome to Step Eleven of the Ten Step Process. You have battled the many forms of Miles Davis. You have tested your resolve against the challenging compositions of Mingus. You have even braved the mighty Coltrane, not once, but twice. But, not for the last time. Now it is time for the final battle: Ascension.
To be honest, this is a pretty good album. It's in my top 100 at the moment. So, don't let my shenanigans scare you too much. But, don't let them lull you into a false sense of security either; this is a very challenging album. It is not the one that will "click" for you right away, I suspect. It is Free Jazz in the truest sense of the term. If there is some sort of organization keeping these musicians together, it is not apparent on the first listen. But with some perseverance, the genius of this work will become noticeable.
I find that it is best absorbed while doing something else, at least the first time through. Listening to it head on is like trying to fight a storm; it just doesn't really work. You must weather the storm, and you must weather this album. So maybe try reading a book. If you are of the proper age, math homework pairs particularly well. And above all, don't throw it away after one listen as pretentious garbage. Sure it might be pretentious, and it may even sound like garbage, but a few listens later you will be glad you stuck with it.
Further Listening:
Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz. Ornette is kinda the father of this whole free jazz thing
Sun Ra - Atlantis. More challenging than Ascension, somehow. Sun Ra is and will forever be the artist that makes music I aspire to appreciate. This one is oft considered at least one of his best.
Cecil Taylor - Unit Structures. Great piano based free jazz. Complex and varied, in ways that ascension isn't.
Sun Ra - God is More Than Love Could Ever Be. Such a brilliant free jazz album. It's almost literally unheard of, even among Sun Ra fans, but it is truly brilliant. Its just Sun Ra on piano, with a drummer and bassist alongside for accompaniment.
Anthony Braxton. Really anything by him is such an experience. But he's done some wonderful stuff. You can start out listening to his "20 Standards (Quartet) 2003" as a starting place, but I don't have enough knowledge of his discography to tell you what is his best after that. Explore! [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
To be honest, this is a pretty good album. It's in my top 100 at the moment. So, don't let my shenanigans scare you too much. But, don't let them lull you into a false sense of security either; this is a very challenging album. It is not the one that will "click" for you right away, I suspect. It is Free Jazz in the truest sense of the term. If there is some sort of organization keeping these musicians together, it is not apparent on the first listen. But with some perseverance, the genius of this work will become noticeable.
I find that it is best absorbed while doing something else, at least the first time through. Listening to it head on is like trying to fight a storm; it just doesn't really work. You must weather the storm, and you must weather this album. So maybe try reading a book. If you are of the proper age, math homework pairs particularly well. And above all, don't throw it away after one listen as pretentious garbage. Sure it might be pretentious, and it may even sound like garbage, but a few listens later you will be glad you stuck with it.
Further Listening:
Ornette Coleman - Free Jazz. Ornette is kinda the father of this whole free jazz thing
Sun Ra - Atlantis. More challenging than Ascension, somehow. Sun Ra is and will forever be the artist that makes music I aspire to appreciate. This one is oft considered at least one of his best.
Cecil Taylor - Unit Structures. Great piano based free jazz. Complex and varied, in ways that ascension isn't.
Sun Ra - God is More Than Love Could Ever Be. Such a brilliant free jazz album. It's almost literally unheard of, even among Sun Ra fans, but it is truly brilliant. Its just Sun Ra on piano, with a drummer and bassist alongside for accompaniment.
Anthony Braxton. Really anything by him is such an experience. But he's done some wonderful stuff. You can start out listening to his "20 Standards (Quartet) 2003" as a starting place, but I don't have enough knowledge of his discography to tell you what is his best after that. Explore! [First added to this chart: 02/21/2018]
Year of Release:
1966
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,675
Rank in 1966:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 5. Page 1 of 1
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How to Like Jazz in 10 Easy Steps! composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
|
|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 4 | 36% | |
| 1960s | 5 | 45% | |
| 1970s | 1 | 9% | |
| 1980s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1990s | 0 | 0% | |
| 2000s | 0 | 0% | |
| 2010s | 1 | 9% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
 |
|
|
| John Coltrane | 3 | 27% | |
| Miles Davis | 2 | 18% | |
| Herbie Hancock | 1 | 9% | |
| Charles Mingus | 1 | 9% | |
| Pharoah Sanders | 1 | 9% | |
| Kamasi Washington | 1 | 9% | |
| The Dave Brubeck Quartet | 1 | 9% | |
| Show all | |||
How to Like Jazz in 10 Easy Steps! chart changes
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From ddeeddles64 04/15/2018 06:08
ddeeddles64 04/15/2018 06:08
I loved this chart for its intention, the fact that you worked hard to keep it short, the helpful comments and the great selections. For me it was late '50s Coltrane that 'clicked' - I'd been expecting something intellectual and daunting, but what I heard was so open, fluent and powerful. Great stuff!
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