For those who are unaware, April 2006 is Jazz Appreciation Month. So, dust off your copy of Miles' Kind of Blue, throw it on repeat and zone out. Take a listen to "Blue in Green" and try to figure out why it's my favorite track on that album (and no, it's not for anything Miles does on the song).Go grab some vintage Monk, and listen in awe of his masterful keystrokes and unexpected changes. You might think you know a standard Jazz track, but Monk will re(de)construct it right in front of you.
Check out some more modern Jazz guys, like Boney James, who can marry smooth Jazz and upfront R&B with no problem @ all. Working with everyone from Jaheim to Dwele, he knows how to play nice with others, all the while keeping his identity, and even adding something new to an old genre.
Take a gander over at J.Swinscoe's Cinematic Orchestra, and try to fully understand J's free jazz ideas in a forward-thinking, sample happy world. All of their output is essential, but their debut album Motion is still my favorite piece of their catalogue. Tunes like "BlueBirds" showcase a true back-to-the-future aesthetic that I really think is needed sometimes.
Or even take a gander at my boy, Kyle Rowland. He's cooking up some deep experiements of a true fusion of Jazz and Techno that you don't normally hear on your radio. Grab the free tracks, then hold tight for his upcoming album. More on that in the near future...
Basically, appreciate some Jazz. Whether it's Dizzy and Bird or Joe Sample and Branford Marsalis. Grab up some Jazz, set it down, and (if you're liquor-legal), grab a nice glass of wine and get comfy. There's so much to learn with one of our truly American forms of music.
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