Avant Garde jazz suggestions? "Outside" jazz suggestions? - Music Forums - Music Forum

Teaim · #1 04-07-2008

Please suggest any albums that YOU HAVE HEARD and enjoy listening to. I know how to search for music on the computer, but I would much rather have PERSONAL suggestions from people who listen to the music they are suggesting.

Anything you want to suggest is good for me to know. However, if you want to fine tune your suggestion for me, you can read what I have entered below, but like I said, anything is good.

I prefer the kind of exploratory music, rather than the kind that builds and builds (cresendo). Maybe something like Anthony Braxton's album called 3 Compositions of New Jazz.

Also, any great music with melodies would be great. Albums where the music has melody but the playing gets "outside". For example, Sam River's album Contours.

THANKS, THANKS, THANKS.

Snowflake · #2 04-07-2008

Thinking Plague
Hamster Theater

'Nough said.

*3/25 Why is it that not a single answer has gotten a thumbs-up? Has avant-guarde sunk so low that just answering a question about it gets that negative of a response? There's either too much vibe or not enough jive where avant-guarde is concerned.

Steve S · #3 04-07-2008

Here are some of the most avant-garde selections from my personal collection:

Anthony Braxton - Piano Quartet, Yoshi's 1994: Braxton on piano? Maybe he should stick to his woodwinds. For the most part, this sounds more like someone playing the piano wearing boxing gloves. However, there are a few moments of relative lucidity where you can catch a pretty decent vibe.

Sun Ra and his Arkestra - Out There a Minute: The title explains it all!

Medeski, Martin and Wood - The Dropper: Think of Jimmy McGriff on LSD. Highly avant-garde, innovative and creative. This is NOT your father's organ trio!

Karlheinz Stockhausen - Aus den seiber Tagen: 47 minutes of pure genre-defying beauty - but then again, avant-garde defies genre and labeling anyway. Granted, this is not for everyone, but you asked for 'outside', right?

Michal Urbaniak - Urb Symphony: This is somewhat avant-garde, but mostly a fusion of jazz, rock, hip-hop and eastern European world music. This is a live recording with Urbaniak leading an orchestra, fusion combo, chorus and soloist (who I believe is his wife, Urzsula Dudziak). This is amazing!

Steve Turre - Sanctified Shells: Conch shells played by four trombonists with Afro-Cuban rhythms? That's definitely out there, but it is also a thing of beauty. Turre has Robin Eubanks as a guest on this collection.