My friends and I want to form a jazz band, and our goal is to land a gig at this Cigar and Martini bar in downtown Atlanta by the end of next summer. Before we begin writing our own material, we are all taking lessons and doing some serious practice solo and together. I want to play music similar to that of Acoustic Alchemy, with the really flowing smooth jazz, but not so much elevator music jazz.
So picture a smoky bar scene, dimly lit, just a light chatter about. The scent of cigars fills the air, and one just wants to relax for an hour and enjoy a drink or two. What jazz bands fit that bill, so that we may practice our intended style of play? These guys are master jazz musicians who can play a mellow song and make it real interesting. NOT smooth jazz.
Dexter Gordon
Illinios Jaquet
Lester Young
Bill Evans
Stan Getz
Ben Webster
To start with, acquire the Dexter Gordon album called Ballads. Really listen to it. Listen to the songs Darn that Dream and Ernie's Tune. No more explanation required.
http://wm07.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am...
If you can hear Booker Ervin's version of I Can't Get Started, you will have an idea of how to make a mellow song soar. Its on his Space Book album. Your whole band can learn a lot from Booker's band...
Jaki Byard-piano
Richard Davis-bass
Alan Dawson-drums.
Just listen to the creative playing of these musicians together. They did not have to play loud to make great music. The chemistry with these musicians is the best there is. I'm sure you have never heard anything like it. Absolutely sure. None that I'd listen to. If they can't handle standards, they're not up to creating anyway.
Smooth jazz is not jazz. It's Yuppie elevator music.
The above poster nailed it with his musician selections. They're all jazz masters who'd never be caught playing "smooth jazz". Some are dead, of course, but that's beside the point. that is a real matter of opinion.
honestly, I think that the type of jazz you are referring to isn't really what you would play in that scenario. I think that a good test is simply to play some standards, to see if you are ready. try "Autumn Leaves" and "all the things you are". those are both great tunes, and they are both pretty simple. if you can get a nice sound of of those, you've done two things : you've proven you are ready to take this thing on, and you've found the type of music that will work.
I have to say : I find it difficult to play music well that I don't really enjoy. so perhaps you will be the same.
what is your musical background? what is your instrumentation? these two things would have made your question better, and a lot easier to answer. I would love to suggest more, but without those two pieces of data, it's harder.
feel free to PM me, and tell me these things, because this is a conversation I would love to have with you (I'm a bit of a jazz buff ;) ) I must state up front that I agree with the posters who don't like "smooth jazz", but that isn't the question. The question, as I see it, is what music is commercially viable in that club (or in the Atlanta market). Whether I want to hear it or play it myself is irrelevant.
Atlanta audiences seem to prefer "smooth jazz" to straight ahead. If you can play the 70's smooth jazz stuff, you'll be in like Flynn.
Example: George Benson, Sade (esp. "Smooth operator"), etc.
Most any type of jazzy blues tune will get their attention.
Unfortunately, to make a living as a musician, you often have to play crap.
If you want to starve, go ahead and play straight ahead jazz, but just know what you are getting in to! By mentioning Acoustic Alchemy you seem to have answered your own question. But I'll go a little further and guess that you want to create a guitar-bass combo, maybe with piano and drums.
So try the early recordings of the King Cole Trio (before Nat Cole became a ballad crooner). That stuff is the ultimate smoky lounge jazz that has integrity and swings in a soft, relaxing way. The Modern Jazz Quartet fits this description (vibraphone, piano, bass and drums), at least for me.
If I had to have a cigar and a good cognac, I would enjoy this type of music.
You could add another dimension to this by adding a tenor saxophone it would be very sensuous. Go listen to all the cool era greats,...dexter gordon, miles davis, coltrane, etc.
then listen to Joe Pass, and Marcel Dadi, george benson, thelonius monk,
acoustic alchemy stole from all of them! may as well go where they went for their inspiration! well if i was there, i would think a miles davis would be perfect. He does those modal tunes which are just great. That is good stuff. But if you want some more smooth jazz, try tunes like blue bossa, which is a good one |
