Your number one jazz song recommendation...?

knuckleberryfinn

I'm just beginning to teach myself some jazz guitar after 25+ years playing and only flirting with it.  The thing is, where do you start?  So how about a list of great jazz songs from a guitarist's perspective...If you could name only one jazz track that you love to play/listen to, what would it be?  (Doesn't have to have guitar on it!)

I suppose I'd better start: Charlie Parker, Billie's Bounce

Jalapeno

Anything by Duke Ellington - however Satin Doll is used by very many as a 251 learning tune so it can grate, and lot's of people don't like it because of that.

JAYJO

The only one ive heard of is So What (I think Miles Davis)and its Dm all the way through so you could jam over that!

bigdawg

so what by miles davis

Alfie by sonny rollins

Blue Train by John Coltrane

Sidewinder by Lee Morgan

All quite easy to learn or work out by ear

Megii

Can't really pick one out as a favourite, but I always like minor key tunes, so I'll say Yesterdays - it has enough harmonic movement to be interesting, but it tends to lead the ear in a natural way, and not too tricky.

Megii

Actually "I Should Care" is a nice one too...

Megii

Also "What Is This Thing Called Love" is another that I like a lot, good at faster tempos.

hobbio

Autumn Leaves.....

Also, I'm fond of Tune Up and Summertime.

bigjon

All Of Me - full of II V Is and they go a lot slower than Satin Doll

rpr

Not sure if this could adapted for guitar, but it's a cracking tune

ArchtopDave

Just about anything by Emily Remler. If you want an actual song, then Cry Me A River sung by Julie London (the original recording had Barney Kessel on guitar).

viz

So so so many. And this one isn't even jazz lollll. But it's one of the best, and certainly a characteristic, song from the awesome jazz metaller, Greg Howe. If you like it, there's a whole world waiting for you out there!

Roland

What style of playing are you thinking about?  For finger style then Summertime (Martin Taylor did a nice version in Em) or Moondance are easy starting points. For more traditional jazz then All Of Me is an easy strum which is easy to solo around.  After that the list becomes endless

Jalapeno

ArchtopDave said:

Just about anything by Emily Remler. If you want an actual song, then Cry Me A River sung by Julie London (the original recording had Barney Kessel on guitar).

Oh hell yeah - How to Comp in one tune.

knuckleberryfinn

Roland said:

What style of playing are you thinking about?  For finger style then Summertime (Martin Taylor did a nice version in Em) or Moondance are easy starting points. For more traditional jazz then All Of Me is an easy strum which is easy to solo around.  After that the list becomes endless

I'm just curious as to what other people like and thought a 'pick your favourite' thread might be interesting.  I love Wes Montgomery - that version of Yesterdays @megii is so much better than the trio studio version I have - and am pretty much obsessed with Charlie Christian.  Some great tracks so far - but alas, I'm sorry to say I really don't like Greg Howe @viz.  More to do with the production than the playing to be honest, but I can't really get round it.

knuckleberryfinn

Jalapeno said:

ArchtopDave said:

Just about anything by Emily Remler. If you want an actual song, then Cry Me A River sung by Julie London (the original recording had Barney Kessel on guitar).

Oh hell yeah - How to Comp in one tune.

Yep, this is amazing - just listening to it for the first time...

viz

knuckleberryfinn said:

Roland said:

What style of playing are you thinking about?  For finger style then Summertime (Martin Taylor did a nice version in Em) or Moondance are easy starting points. For more traditional jazz then All Of Me is an easy strum which is easy to solo around.  After that the list becomes endless

I'm just curious as to what other people like and thought a 'pick your favourite' thread might be interesting.  I love Wes Montgomery - that version of Yesterdays @megii is so much better than the trio studio version I have - and am pretty much obsessed with Charlie Christian.  Some great tracks so far - but alas, I'm sorry to say I really don't like Greg Howe @viz.  More to do with the production than the playing to be honest, but I can't really get round it.

no worries. I love his playing! Each to his own though!

meltedbuzzbox

this is mine

Chalky

The Nearness of You by Hoagy Carmichael. Like Autumn Leaves, it works very well on solo jazz guitar because the chord progression and rhythmic structure are not 'busy' and the melody is strong so it doesn't need a great deal of support.

Chalky

Cry Me A River is the definitive torch song but solo jazz guitar versions struggle because the lyrics and delivery are key to its impact, and without them the melody is not that strong and the lengthy sustained notes from Julie over Barney's arpeggiated walking notes are difficult to (satisfyingly) recreate on the guitar. I tried it while arranging it for a sax quartet - I've searched youtube but the best version I've found (on an old Martin acoustic if I remember) does Barney's part pretty good but the melody sounds weak compared to Julie's part.

Fretwired

A fun place to start is Miles Davis 'So what' which is pretty easy to play [I can tab it out for you if you like] and is great fun. I also think you need to listen to a wide range of jazz guitarists to work out what you like. For example, Joe Pass liked to play finger style chord-based melodies where as Grant Green never played chords and only played lead. Grant Green is one of my favourite jazz guitarists and is another good place to start.

The late, great Ronny Jordan ..