Jazz that puts you in a better mood

crawjo · June-27th-2004, 11:32 AM

What jazz music do you tend to go to when you are feeling down or depressed? For the last few months for me, it's been Sun Ra. There's something about the quirky, often humorous arrangements and spacey melodies and oddly textured rhythms that always seems to put me in a better frame of mind.

What works for you?

EDIT: Another artist that can do this for me is Thelonious Monk. Particularly his solo work.

chuckyd4 · June-27th-2004, 11:40 AM

Yesterday I was feeling pretty shitty for no apparent reason, and had my ITunes on random. A couple of tracks from the classic Bill Evans Trio at the Village Vanguard came on, and I don't know if it made me feel "happy", but it definitely took away my bad mood. It just hit that odd spot beyond where you can really understand why the music sounds so good. That's rare, but the most powerful thing in music, IMHO.

Steve Reynolds · June-27th-2004, 11:47 AM

I wish i knew

crawjo · June-27th-2004, 11:55 AM

I think there are two schools of thought on this. One is that when you are feeling sad, sad music is best. I tried this for awhile, listening to Billie Holliday tunes, but I didn't like the results so much. Another school of thought is that you listen to "happy" music. For me, this often means some of the classic hard bop Blue Note stuff from the early to mid 60s. Sometimes that works, but lately a lot of the Blue Note material has started to sound the same to my ears, and I'm now having second thoughts about my earlier attitude that the RVG re-releases were well done. I'm not sure that I like the sound on them now. Somehow to my ears the music sounds too "pinched", if that makes any sense at all, which it probably doesn't.

I've had some success with Ra for the reasons I've outlined above; his idiosyncratic approach just kind of snaps me out of whatever funk I might be stuck in.

stonemonkts · June-27th-2004, 12:12 PM

Monk (especially solo).

Miles Davis' mid 60's quintet, live or studio.

Bix Beiderbecke

Louis Armstrong circa 1927-1931 (any of the "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man cds, or any Hot Five/Seven side)

George Lewis - Homage to Charlie Parker (there's something timeless and transcendent about this cd that doesn't necessarily cheer me up per se, but that takes me away from myself for sure).

Okeh Ellington

Ray Anderson - BassDrumBone (Hence the Reason)

Albert Ayler - Live in Greenwich Village

Coltrane (especially middle period...atlantic and early classic quartet)

Abdullah Ibrahim - Echoes From Africa

Mingus - Ah Um

shrugs · June-27th-2004, 01:54 PM

What is this?

Maybe you need some Jazz for a Quiet Day cd's? Or Jazz for Lovers?

All jazz puts me in a better mood. It just seems kind of pointless talking about it.

crawjo · June-27th-2004, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrugs

What is this?

Maybe you need some Jazz for a Quiet Day cd's? Or Jazz for Lovers?

All jazz puts me in a better mood. It just seems kind of pointless talking about it.

No, I'm talking about what type of jazz you listen to when you've got "the blues." If all jazz does that for you, then your tastes aren't very discriminating.

Alastair · June-27th-2004, 05:54 PM

Horace Silver - Song For My Father

Chases the clouds away...

Dr Dave · June-27th-2004, 08:52 PM

Any of Cannonball Adderly's live recordings can cheer me right up if I'm in a funk. Cannon had a really positive attitude to life and music, and it comes across in these recordings.

Kenny Garrett "African Exchange Student." The opening tune, "Ja-Hed" I find very energizing. And I always get a chuckle out of the way they get lost in--and eventually find a way out of--"Mack The Knife." Also, "Your Countryness," featuring the late Elvin Jones, has a soulful quality that I always find uplifting.

"Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong" If you still feel that the world is against you after hearing these two romp through "Dancing Cheek To Cheek," you need serious medication.

Sergio Zamora · June-27th-2004, 09:23 PM

Any Rahsaan. If I'm having the foulest, most depressing day, Rahsaan may or may not cure it, but it'll definitely take the edge off.

Underhound · June-27th-2004, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sergio Zamora

Any Rahsaan. If I'm having the foulest, most depressing day, Rahsaan may or may not cure it, but it'll definitely take the edge off.

"Bright Moments" is a good time album if ever there was one. Doesn't matter that you weren't at the show that night, the spirit comes through on record anyway. Rahsaan's stuff had great character - fun stuff that makes me happy.

Clickety clack, clickety clack

Dennis Gonzalez · June-27th-2004, 10:31 PM

Look For the Black Star by Dewey Redman, or Southern Smiles by Jarrett (which coincidentally features Dewey on tenor).

Frisco · June-27th-2004, 10:37 PM

When I was younger it was always Coltrane's Newport '63 version of My Favorite Things from the Selflessness LP. In the last few years it's been Eric Dolphy's Music Matador. Those are the only two specific tunes that I can think of that always lift my mood.

GoodSpeak · June-27th-2004, 10:57 PM

Straight Ahead Jazz.

Gary Sisco · June-28th-2004, 08:16 AM

A better mood than what?

claude · June-28th-2004, 08:25 AM

Pharoah Sanders

gnhrtg · June-28th-2004, 08:30 AM

Anything that swings in its own way or is powerful, again, in its own way. Essentially, any recording that I like will do.

Mingus · June-28th-2004, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crawjo

What works for you?

Mingus Baby! Especially "New Tijuana Moods"

raucous, mezcal-fueled rhythms are out of sight!

Check out "Ysabel's Table Dance"

john williams · June-28th-2004, 08:59 AM

Andrew Hill : Point Of Departure
Coltrane : Spiritual (for Dolphy's solo particularly)/First Meditations/Crescent/Sun Ship and most everything else.
Miles : Miles Smiles
Sonny Clark : Cool Struttin'
Masada : Live at Tonic
Monk : Blue Note Box
Django
Mingus : Live at Antibes
Ornette Coleman : Anything from the "Beauty is a Rare Thing" box.
Ganelin Trio : Catalogue (particularly that wonderfully cathartic bit about 20 minutes in)
Bley/Parker/Philips : Sankt Gerold (speaking of catharsis)
Dolphy

June-28th-2004, 12:05 PM

ANY Monk.

ANY Dolphy, but especially the Conversations album(Jitterbug Waltz and Music Matador most notably).

And though I know you don't like him, Duke. Some of his big band stuff just elates the shit out of me.

clinthopson · June-28th-2004, 12:13 PM

Monk is always a "feel good" sound.

Zoot Sims will brighten any day.

blawless · June-28th-2004, 12:18 PM

Paul B · June-28th-2004, 01:06 PM

Quote:

It just seems kind of pointless talking about it.

I'm with you, shrugs. The question is inane.

Bye-ya.

jaka · June-28th-2004, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBW

Masada : Live at Tonic

I would have answered Anything Masada, but this one is probably the one I'd pick anyway.

Along with crawjo & stonemonkts' Monk solo recordings

Mingus · June-28th-2004, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

... just elates the shit out of me.

I need my shit elated!

Sergio Zamora · June-28th-2004, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mingus

I need my shit elated!

Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go
I want my shit elated
Nothing to do
Nowhere to go
I want my shit elated

Mingus · June-28th-2004, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sergio Zamora

Twenty-twenty-twenty four hours to go
I want my shit elated
Nothing to do
Nowhere to go
I want my shit elated

Hurry Hurry Hurry
Get me to the show...

LMAO!

stonemonkts · June-28th-2004, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul B

I'm with you, shrugs. The question is inane.

Bye-ya.

Would it also appear "inane" if one of us posted something such as...."I'm feeling horrible today, and am hoping to help my mood along with music, would anyone care to recommend something"?

Some people suffer from depression. The question isnt so inane if you look at it from a different perspective.

At least that was the spirit in which I answered it. Not that I imagined the author in this state of mind, but from someone who long ago was as depressed as any motherfucker on the planet, I figured it was possible that certain music could help people improve their mood.

If you can't relate to a single word I'm saying, then consider yourself fortunate.

shrugs · June-28th-2004, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crawjo

No, I'm talking about what type of jazz you listen to when you've got "the blues." If all jazz does that for you, then your tastes aren't very discriminating.

Yeah.

shrugs · June-28th-2004, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonemonkts

Would it also appear "inane" if one of us posted something such as...."I'm feeling horrible today, and am hoping to help my mood along with music, would anyone care to recommend something"?

Some people suffer from depression. The question isnt so inane if you look at it from a different perspective.

At least that was the spirit in which I answered it. Not that I imagined the author in this state of mind, but from someone who long ago was as depressed as any motherfucker on the planet, I figured it was possible that certain music could help people improve their mood.

If you can't relate to a single word I'm saying, then consider yourself fortunate.

IMO getting outside and seeing the world would be a better recommendation.