I fancy having a taste of jazz, but don't know where to start!

[paultheoneyoulove]

Hey all. Basically the title! I'm thinking of getting a nice Ibanez, epi, godin, co.. Etc hollowbody and sticking some flatwounds on it for Christmas (one has to treat himself, aye?). I know a very basic 2 5 1 progression which would make a nice rhythm part for a pop song, but I'd like to know more and try some classijazz. Can you also recommend some good listening?

Thanks!

[octatonic]

Go for standards first.

Autumn Leaves
All The Things You Are
All of Me
Satin Doll
So What?
Spain
Chameleon
Girl From Ipanema
Donna Lee.

Hold off on purchasing a guitar specifically for it- a lot of hollowbodies with thick strings are harder to play and you can play jazz just fine on any guitar with a neck pickup with medium output.
A Tele with the neck pickup tone roll off is great.

Jazz is a lifelong commitment though- it can be frustrating in the early stages- start on a guitar you are already comfortable playing and you will have an easier time, IMHO.

[paultheoneyoulove]

Okay, that sounds like reasonable advice! I'll see how I get on in the next few months, and if I enjoy it, I'll look into a jazz box. For now, my esp Ltd h1001 will have to do (it has a jazz pickup, so it's not all that bad for softer tones really!)

[jalapeno]

Get the following CDs

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone colussus
Wes Montgomery - The Incredible Jazz Guitar
Charlie Parker - With Strings
Horace Silver - Song For My Father
Julie London - Her Name is Julie (Sublime comping on Cry Me a River by Barney Kessell)
Charlie Christian - The Genius Electric Guitar - really a Benny Goodman greatest hits.

And some Greatest Hits collections
Duke Ellington
Count Basie
Django Reinhardt
Sinatra
Tony Bennett


And I agree ^^^^ hold off getting an archtop with flatwound stringsany guitar neck pickup, roll off the volume and roll back the tone. A Tele is very good at that sound.

[bigdawg]

And Sonny Rollin's Alfie - the soundtrack to the orig film - some great guitar work in there too...

[musophilr]

+1 to all the above. Also hear Barney Kessel

[octatonic]

Okay, that sounds like reasonable advice! I'll see how I get on in the next few months, and if I enjoy it, I'll look into a jazz box. For now, my esp Ltd h1001 will have to do (it has a jazz pickup, so it's not all that bad for softer tones really!)

Perfect.

Yeah try to think about "phrasing above all".
Do you know your CAGED arpeggio's?

Get them down in the keys of C, G, A, E, F, Bb and Eb and you will have a much easier time.

[Fusionista]

[QUOTE=octatonic;1368828]Perfect. Do you know your CAGED arpeggio's?QUOTE]

Want to recommend any sites ?

[Fusionista]

Matt Otten on YouTube and www.mattotten.com

[octatonic]

Want to recommend any sites ?

Justin Sandercoe's site is probably the best place to start.