My Record Collecting Journey into the “Beyond” of Jazz

[@JazzBums]

Epic, loved hearing about your journey. Thanks Joe! - Mike

[@analog_archive]

Thanks Mike!

[@iblamesummers]

great segment.

[@mikewebber3693]

really enjoyed the video Joe! I've had a very similar journey but am 45+ years into it. Thankful I was able to build most of my collection when vinyl was reasonably cheap.

[@analog_archive]

Jealous of that! Jazz seems to now sell for a premium even if 5 years ago it was significantly cheaper! Thanks for watching!

[@mistery-ed7900]

My jazz collecting started with Pharoah Sanders in 1970 and then Coltrane after him. Kulu Se Mama was my first album by him. I had a Fugs album on ESP Disk and reading the descriptions of the jazz artists on the label definitely intrigued me and I soon was buying Noah Howard, Patty Waters, Albert Ayler etc... In the 70s I got into the ECM sound and while always listening to the avant garde listened to more mellow jazz and also traveling backwards to hard bop etc etc.

[@analog_archive]

That’s a great journey! It just shows that everyone’s collecting is different! Thanks for sharing yours!

[@gidgetmaurer123]

Ive been buying up several Elvin Jones and Billy Harper lps. All have been well worth having and listening to. Lookiing for a copy of Harpers Awakening.

[@thepaulh]

Transition is another Coltrane album that never seems to get a mention but contains some incredible music. It’s post Love Supreme, probably from ‘65 but wasn’t issued until 1970. As the title indicates, they’re pushing the boundaries ….. but it’s not Ascension! There are a couple of long tracks, with free elements and that driving, kinetic pulse that only the classic quartet can produce, then there’s a beautiful interlude ‘Dear Lord’ with an amazing McCoy Tyner solo. Another classic, in that ‘free but not free’ vein is The Dark Tree vol’s 1&2 by Horace Tapscott, it’s a live quartet date with John Carter on clarinet, Cecil McBee on bass and Andrew Cyrille on drums.

[@analog_archive]

I love Transition, that’s up there for me as a favorite! Not familiar with that Tapscott record but I’ll look into it. Thanks for watching!

[@juliusjabbar1011]

hey Joe, glad you made this video. l've been following your journey since you started making videos. we have some similarities... l started out with rock guitar heroes then got into the fusion guitarists like Di Meola, Coryell, McGlaughlin etc.... l was given a copy of a Love Supreme while in high school, l listened and liked it but it wasn't until five or six years later that it clicked... l started to get into hard bop and freer stuff at the same time, and as the years went on the free sound took over..... funny l went back to the early jazz after that, Armstrong, Bechet, Lester Young etc... for me listening to the old timey stuff helps me open my mind up to free jazz.... after all Monk was looked at as radical in the 40's, too radical for most.... great to hear you talk about how you got into all this, l'm waiting for the day you start showing way out records by Iannis Xenakis :) take it easy

[@analog_archive]

Thanks Sherv! Thanks for sharing your journey, that’s funny you went back to older jazz after getting into hard bop and free jazz. I’m not familiar with Xenakis so I’ll have to check it out! Hope you’re doing well!

[@juliusjabbar1011]

@@analog_archive it's actually at a point now that l feel like l listen to everything all at once. my last two purchases were a Sidney Bechet and a Noah Howard. by the way, Elvin's Lighthouse and Genesis are a couple of my most listened to albums if l were to participate in that thread... l can't recall if you have much Ornette Coleman, he's another one who took my ears in a different direction.

[@analog_archive]

@@juliusjabbar1011 haha very different jazz listening between Bichet and Howard! Would love to find some Noah Howard stuff! I do have Ornette Coleman and like some of his albums!

[@garyrobinson8665]

I started in hard bop. Specifically Horace Silver. Also Freddie Hubbard. Then quickly moved on to Andrew Hill and Bobby Hutcherson. I find hard bop a bit formulaic and samey but I don't feel anything it's just nice. The avant garde post bop stuff is much more interesting to me. I love Bobby Hutcherson Dialogue and McCoy Tyner Expansions. Sam Rivers is on Dialogue so is Freddie Hubbard it's such an engaging record. It's my favourite blue note record. I've now moved onto free jazz as well as the avant garde post bop. My first blue note record was Don Cherry Complete Communion. Love it. Listened to pharoah sanders picked up Alice Coltrane ptah the el doaud. Absolutely love it. I'm now listening to more aggressive stuff like Archie Shepp, John Coltrane later stuff and Cecil Taylor specifically. I like Pharoah Sanders Black Unity but all his other stuff doesn't interest me that much. I'm looking to branch out some more. Thanks for th video. Not many youtubers cover the free jazz stuff.

[@analog_archive]

Thank you for your comment and I’m glad you enjoyed it! I agree, I feel a lot more emotion when I listen to the avant garde and free jazz stuff! That Don Cherry album is great and what a first Blue Note to have! It sounds like your jazz journey has been awesome! I hope you continue to find what excites you!

[@gidgetmaurer123]

I know you have a og of Pharoah, which is amazing and finally getting a reissue. I've been on a Steve Lacy kick recently too. He's another artist who goes works in free jazz at times too.

[@analog_archive]

He is great! I have a few of his releases and have really enjoyed them!

[@diamond_marimba]

it's an interesting topic and as you mention at the end of the video, there are many different paths and everyone's mileage will vary. i do push back a little with the idea of 'progression' as it relates to music discovery in general since it implies a hierarchy (as in this is better, or more advanced than the other). i think it also turns people off when we imply there are 'prerequisites' (not saying that's what you're saying). is there a prerequisite for appreciating jackson pollock? i don't think so, maybe just being able to access your imagination-- i'd say the same applies to free jazz.

[@analog_archive]

I appreciate your take on the video and the topic at hand. I agree that progression can make it seem like you have to be more sophisticated to understand this vs that, but I will say that free jazz for most people is going to take time to digest and enjoy. It all depends on your musical background. If you like more hardcore music/genres then music like free jazz may come easier. I also agree that prerequisites may turn people off but I was just showing some albums that may make listening to free jazz easier. Really appreciate your comment and have enjoyed watching your videos, thanks!

[@garyrobinson8665]

The albums I'm listening to at the moment are Archie Shepp the magic of juju it's a good gateway into free jazz I feel. John Coltrane live in Seattle. It's a difficult listen but still accessible. This thing I like about free jazz is not no matter how many time I listen to a record I'm always hearing new things. I've listened to don cherry complete communion many times and I still don't know where its going and I hear new things all the time. Don Cherry Complete Communion is a good free jazz record to start it's not so aggressive and in your face. Don Cherry Eternal Rhythm is also easily accessible it's not a wall of sound.

[@analog_archive]

That Archie Shepp is great and is probably my favorite of his Impulse stuff! Yeah, Live in Seattle-Coltrane can be a lot to handle at first but you’re right, you can always pick up on new elements of free jazz albums the more you listen! At first finding free jazz albums that are more “accessible” I think is the key to having a continued interest in listening to free jazz. I still need to track down a copy of Eternal Rhythm! Thanks for sharing your free Jazz interests right now, I always enjoy hearing from other collectors

[@ConcertBuddie]

Fun video sir. Free jazz has been hit/miss for me. Depends on the artist & title. Really detailed walk and learned some things, thanks!

[@analog_archive]

Thanks Chance! I definitely get that! Very much an acquired taste and there is a lot of wild stuff that is tough to wrap your head around

[@thibs2442]

Do you think you moved into the beyond of jazz because you preferred the music, it was easier to find and therefore collect or a combination of both?

[@analog_archive]

That’s a good question! I think as my taste evolved in jazz, I felt like I always wanted more and for it to be more edgy. I do feel like many great free jazz titles have been easier to find than OG Blue Notes so that may have made that style of jazz more appealing as well!