Geeks,

A couple of months ago I bought a pair of jazz cd's (Oscar Peterson with Herb Ellis and Ella Fitzgerald etc) and I force myself to listen to it. More recently I bought Kind of Blue.

I find it hard to enjoy it. What's wrong with me? Oh, whatever should I do?

I thought the same thing when I bought my copy. I've learned to like it more by now. Try listening to it passively... sometimes I just like to listen to it for the recording and for the way it sounds rather than their playing. I'm sure it's more entertaining if you know some jazz theory, too (I'm starting to).

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"Punk is whatever we make it to be." - D. Boon

honestly i only can listen to some jazz. but i really like this album, like you i didnt like it much at first. after a while though i really got into john coltrane and reading about him and understanding his solos and the theory behind it, and listening to his phrases and trying to figure them out. so i came back to this album and really listened strongly to the solos.

the true heart of any jazz tune is the solo. and just like guitar playing, different guys had different personality to their solos. miles is a certain way, and coltrane is one way, and cannonball is inbetween. i think that once you begin to understand the musician and where hes coming from and get a feel for their voice, then you might hear the tunes differently.

here is my favorite jazz tune. its got the same parameters as any grateful dead jam song. its just the sax player riffing over the bass and drums. check it out. good luck man. jazz can be a serious beast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wuaquaMmGA

listen to what hes saying at 2:27 to 3:05

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ga ga ga ga

also, i hope you dont think that you have to know theory to get jazz. like i said before, for me its all about getting to know a guy's personality through his solos and listening to what he is trying to say. coltrane had something to say. so did miles. follow their solos like you are listening to your 4th grade teacher read you a story. theyve got messages that dont require any theory, just feeling.

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ga ga ga ga

Hmm, well unlike you I liked it incredibly the first time and still continue to do so. Frankly, I find it the most accesibile jazz piece aside from Moanin' by Charles Mingus that I"ve ever heard. Now, of course that doesn't apply to everyone but my suggestion to you as the others have commented is to really listen to the mood of the pieces but also listen to the album a few more times. I find the beauty of jazz music is that you'll find something new and different with each listen to their albums, seeing as there is so much improvisation and mood swing throughout. Of and which I'm sure you'll find something that tickles your fancy. Good luck!

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MXR Blue Box > Danelectro FAB Overdrive > Electro-Harmonix Micro Q-tron > Visual Sound Jekyll and Hyde (red discontinued) > Electro Harmonix Holy Stain > Digitech Synth Wah> Proco Turbo Rat > Behringer Hellbabe Wah > Ibanez DE-7 > Electro Harmonix Small Stone Nano > Digitech Digidelay> Boss RC-2 Looping Station > Electro Harmonix Frequency Analyzer Ring Modulator > VOX 15 Watt ADVT Hybrid Tube/Solid state amp.

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Music:

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Well I must say I kinda liked listening to Giant Steps just because for the fact it is such a difficult piece to play.

i just love Kind of Blue. so smooth and the way the instruments are talking to each is just so cool. according to legend, Davis wrote the arrangements to the entire album on the bus ride to the studio

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CURRENT RIG:
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AMPS
1959(?) Airline-Montgomery Ward
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1998 Fender Ultimate Chorus
2003 Crate V3112