HOME     ESSENTIALS     NEW MUSIC     CLASSIC JAZZ     BIG BAND/SWING     TRADITIONAL JAZZ

Essentials

The Desert Island Collection

If only being able to take a few recordings with you, what would you choose? For jazz, would you pick a certain decade or style or mix it up? My own choices would be a little swing, fifties smaller combos, and some later styles and newer musicians. Also, some of the male and female vocalists add to the repertoire. Instruments have evolved with electronic advances and recording technology, but still the intimate small venue with the performers nearby defines the genre.

Perhaps it is a peculiarity of mine that despite the fact that I am a professional performer, it is true that I have always preferred playing without an audience. —Bill Evans

It's always interesting to me that any time anyone hears something new they immediately have to categorize it or they don't feel comfortable. It's also one way not to experience something. —Dave Friedman

How Do You Listen to Jazz?

Equipment is important. An iPod with earbuds is not the way to listen to music. A personal listening device compresses the audio file and cuts off the high and low passages. The sound, when playing a clean vinyl record on a good turntable equiped with a quality cartridge and stylus, is warmer, has mor dynamic range, and as good or better than many Compact Discs. Sure, CDs and MP3 players are handy, but many older recordings are not available and there is some advantage to be able to read the liner notes without a magnifying glass.