Most influential records on you as a musician.

[Pharaohrock]

i'll let others begin.

[Archangel]

I'm like a jazz virgin compared to all of you guys, but here goes...

Paganini - 24 Caprices
Steve Vai - Passion and Warfare
Racer X - Second Heat
Miles Davis - Bitches' Brew
Charlie Parker - A Night In Tunisia and other standards

[sal]

Being a drummer, the two most influential albums for me have been "ESP" by Miles Davis and "A Love Supreme" by John Coltrane. Tony Williams and Elvin Jones are my two all-time favorite drummers, and although the sounds they produce are very difficult to emulate, they inspire like no other.

[Muskrat Ramble]

I play electric guitar, and my inspiration for picking it up was primarily Metallica, particularly the classic 80's albums. Few rock bands have ever reached that level of musical sophistication melded with sheer power. So far, what I want to play and try to play is largely music in that vein, though later down the line I'd like to learn some jazz and classical guitar since those genres are two of my other musical passions.

As for specific albums, I'd have to say Metallica's Master of Puppets (sort of the Kind of Blue or A Love Supreme of the heavy metal world) and ...And Justice for All. Wonderfully rich music.

[David]

I have four that stand out clearly from the rest.

Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard

My first and still my most listened to (along with Waltz for Debby) jazz recording. I have transcribed parts of every song on both albums, and for me it's the holy grail of jazz piano. Nothing else comes close. Gloria's Step and Alice in Wonderland remain two of my all time favorite tunes to play and listen to.

Jimmy Guiffre 3 - 1961

Opened my eyes to the linear playing of Paul Bley and made me conscious of a completely different conception of playing and thinking about music. I still wrestle with this album and am consistently amazed by what I hear each time I listen to it.

Bill Evans - Turn Out the Stars

The master at his peak, the ideas flowing even faster than his playing (which is quite up tempo). Recorded less than a year before his death, Evans knew he was dying. His playing sounds like a catharsis of everything he wants to convey to the listener. I cannot listen to these recordings and not be moved tremendously. If only I could instill a fraction of the emotion and passion found here in my own playing... I transcribed his performance of Autumn Leaves almost completely and a few minutes of one of his sublime renderings of Nardis.

Sonny Rollins - Complete Live at the Village Vanguard

The record that removed my prejudice against recordings without a piano player. Rollins is nothing less than a tour de force here. After listening to this record, I realized I had much to learn from non-pianists as well as pianists!

[RogerFarbey]

As a ('prog'?) rocker turned jazzer undoubtedly Cream's 'I'm so glad' was first real musical influence that started me playing guitar (not quite like Eric). Then, jazzwise must be 'A Love Supreme' followed closely by Mahavishnu's 'Inner Mounting Flame', 'Hot Rats, by Zappa, 'Songs for a Tailor' by Jack Bruce, Nucleus' 'Elastic Rock', then, I think, 'In a Silent Way'.
But that improvising by Cream on 'Goodbye Cream' was amazing stuff. Baker and Bruce are jazzers anyway (listen to Bruce's 'Things We Like' just re-issued and Baker's 'Going Back Home' with Bill Frisell and Charlie Haden).

[El Gaucho]

I have to say one of the most influencial albums for was Cannonball's "Somethin' Else" That album is absolutely amazing... Listen to the title track, and really listen to the logic that Cannonball But especially Miles uses in their phrasing and its pretty amazing. Changed the way i listen to music.

and Miles Smiles... Of course :p

ohhhhh Herbie Hancock's Empyrian Isles too is a huge one. Simply spectacular album. Maybe the most perfect album i have ever heard.

[Muskrat Ramble]

ohhhhh Herbie Hancock's Empyrian Isles too is a huge one

This is going a bit off topic, but I have to agree and recommend this to anyone who hasn't heard it and loves sophisticated post-bop in the Miles-second-Quintet vein. I just heard this one yesterday for the first time after really digging Hancock's Maiden Voyage (also on Blue Note). Both are superb albums featuring Tony Williams and Ron Carter. (I.e., the same rhythm section from Miles' classic Miles Smiles, E.S.P., etc.)

[Pharaohrock]

The Prisoner is my personal favorite Herbie album. What an epic sound...

[El Gaucho]

Originally posted by Pharaohrock
The Prisoner is my personal favorite Herbie album. What an epic sound...

Never Heard it :confused: Need to tho...

Inventions & Dimensions is astounding. One of the most colorful albums out there.

Herbie Albums are like candy ;)

[Pharaohrock]

Okay, I'll come forth with my own list now, for as much as I can settle on a solid list that I believe accurately reflects the records that have had the most influence on me. Here it goes:

Art Blakey- Indestructible, Free for All, Straight Ahead
John Coltrane- Coltrane Jazz, Love Supreme, Expression
Alice Coltrane- Journey to Satchinanda, Transfiguration
Erroll Garner- Body and Soul
Gene Harris- about any of the Concord discs
Ahmad Jamal- Live at the Pershing, Chicago Revisited, The Essence Vol. 1
Charles Mingus- Blues and Roots, @the Jazz Workshop, Live at Antibes
Oscar Peterson- Tristeza
Bud Powell- The Amazing Vol 1
McCoy Tyner- Inception, Reachin' Fourth, all of the 60s Blue Notes,
Love and Peace, Digital Trios.
Pharoah Sanders- Black Unity, Thembi
Big Black/Andrew Wheaton
Wayne Shorter- Speak No Evil, High Life
Bobby Hutcherson- Stick Up!
Miles Davis- Miles Ahead, E.S.P., Nefertiti, Water Babies, Plugged Nickel
Herbie Hancock- The Prisoner
Joe Henderson- Inner Urge, Power to the People
Jackie McLean- Dynasty, Rhythm of the Earth
Music Revelation Ensemble- Elec. Jazz
Marc Cary- Cary On, The Antidote
Kevin Eubanks- Spiritalk 2
Kevin Hayes- El Matador
Julian Joseph- Language of Truth
Mulgrew Miller- Countdown, Hand in Hand
Orphy Robinson- The Vibes Describes...
Wallace Roney- Quintet
James Hurt- Dark Rhythms, Mystical Grooves


= and that's a good start...some are more influential than others but I feel I'd be remiss if I didn't include everything that's had an impact on the way I hear and make music.

[solarjazzband]

Hard question...

My root is Pat Metheny, but after listening almost only to him for 8 years or something (I couldn't help it, my father did :) I'm sick of him. I wanted to hear new musicians.

But my roots are classical albums and the albums my parents listened, old, new jazz. Actually I've had the excellent musical 'growing' experience.
You must know, I'm 16

[Pharaohrock]

I should add the wonderful solo piano record Meditations, by Bheki Mseleku. I have done some very deep listening to that and have learned the first melody for its own sake.

[sal]

Pharaohrock,

Do you know whatever happened to James Hurt? I have "Dark Grooves, Mystical Rhythms" as well, and I think its great! I don't know what happened....it seems he just disappeared off the face of the earth.

[Pharaohrock]

Sal, word- I'm a big fan too.

James is still active on the NY scene, albeit as a sideman. He plays in Abraham Burton's band, but also is active on the jam band scene, playing with vocalist Ekene and with Soulive as an extra keyboardist.

He also leads bands at the Jazz Gallery from time to time. A year ago he led a band playing music called "Project Melodique" which was supposed to be kind of like the antithesis to Dark Grooves....very impressionistic music.

I last caught James Hurt playing duo piano with Marc Cary at the Gallery. I kick myself for not recording that because it was hip as he**. They played Nord leads mixed in with the acoustic piano....and talk about percussive playing, that was intense!

-Blue Note cut him loose after the one record, which to me is scandalous considering that it was one of the more ambitious compositional records that's come out on that label in recent years.

No word on whether any album is forthcoming although for as much as James has to say I will be surprised if we don't see one soon.

[jacman]

i play drums (not professionaly), so my favs are drum influenced, sorta.

Miles Davis-'Round About Midnight, Kind Of Blue, Miles Smiles.

Thelonious Monk-Mink, Monks Dream, Thelonoius Monk & John Coltrane

John Coltrane-My Favorite Things, Meditations, A Love Supreme

Charles Mingus-Mingus Ah Um

Dave Brubeck-Time Further Out, Jazz Impressions of Japan

Max Roach-Max Roach + 4

Art Blakey-Moanin', The Big Beat

that's the short list.

:)

[Pharaohrock]

Jazz Impressions of Japan is a hip record. Corny but hip.

[Harold_Z]

Lots of things...but probably jazzwise it was the Miles lp "My Funny Valentine". taught me to pay attention, how to double up - CONCENTRATE - all sorts of things.

[bluesman]

;) I play double bass in a band and I have been playing for sometime. The record that influence me was Chalie Mingus - Ah Hum. Then I couldnt get enough of his music to listen to.

Currently A lot of Dave Douglas music influences me although I cannot pick a particular one. Andrew Hill - Point of Departure had a real impact on my composing at the time.

I tend to dip into so many different musicians music , I can pick up so much from this, picking out particular cd's for me is difficult in terms of influence.

[jacman]

Good Bye Pork Pie Hat is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Mingus' recording is my fav. i understand it was composed and recorded very shortly after Lester Young's death.

a more beautiful tribute has never been composed, IMHO.

[jacman]

Originally posted by Pharaohrock
Jazz Impressions of Japan is a hip record. Corny but hip.

yeah, there is something square and hip at the same time.:confused:

everytime i hear the tune 'Toki's Theme', i wanna get up and do The Fruge.

:eek:

[Pete B]

"Ben Webster and Associates". Ray Brown's marvelous solo on "In a Mellowtone" made me want to play bass in a jazz band - it hit me that hard. And so, eventually, I did. I still can't solo like Ray though

[jazzypaul]

A few that are definite influences on my playing because I wanted them to be...

Ornette -- Change of the Century (w/Billy Higgins)
Miles -- Miles Smiles (Tony Williams)
Pete LaRoca -- Basra (Pete LaRoca)
Joshua Redman -- Wish (Billy Higgins)
Lee Morgan -- Search for the New Land (Billy Higgins...noticing a trend here yet?)
Eric Dolphy -- Outward Bound (Roy Haynes)
Bill Stewart -- Telepathy (duh...)

And some that have come to be influential, even though I didn't think I was listening to the drummer as much as I really did...

Wayne Shorter -- Speak No Evil (Elvin Jones)
Sonny Rollins -- A Night At The Village Vanguard (Elvin Jones)
Trane -- A Love Supreme (Elvin Jones)
Trane -- Ballads (Elvin Jones)
John McLaughlin -- My Favorite Things (Elvin Jones)
Larry Young -- Unity (Elvin Jones)

I think this explains why, although I never really considered Elvin one of my favorites (Billy Higgins, Bill Stewart and Tony Williams get that vote) I ended up stealing an awful lot from him anyway. Life should be so rough...

[Pharaohrock]

I should have said, it's so corny it's actually pretty hip.

[jazzypaul]

That's most of the Brubeck catalog. I defy you to find something as quirky and cool as unsquare dance. I really don't like the man's playing much, but every once in a while he pulls a doozy out of his ass.

[Seba]

Being a pianist, I have all CD's from the 2nd Miles Davis Quitet (Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams), must be the greatest ensemble ever created, these men are just so gifted, Wayne's and Miles' solos are tremendous on e.g. ESP, Eighty-One,Circle,Orbits,...
Also an all-time favourite will be Hancock's Maiden Voyage and Empyrean Isles albums, with Ron Carter, Tony Williams and Freddie Hubbard. Just listen to Herbie's solo on the first track of Empyr. Isles, one finger snap,it's just incomprehensible how one can play that well, ot's bursted with ideas.
Then Bill Evan's Village Vanguard and Keystone Korner sessions of course, Kind of Blue, Trane's Favourite Things, Wayne Shorter's Speak no Evil,...

[Jad]

When I was first learning guitar, playing along with White Room by Cream gave me the desire to keep on playing. Went from there to Muddy Waters (blues scales are so easy. Still have fun with them).

But the Album That Changed Everything was 'Daydream Nation' by Sonic Youth. Listening to that had a profound effect on how I listened to music. I started listening more to tonalities and textures instead of notes...

[Jakeweiser]

So many albums, I guess i'll list off the ones I hear ont he top of my head.

(u)Horns(/u)

Miles - Kind of Blue
Kenny Wheeler - Music for Large and Small Ens
Kenny Wheeler - Widow in the Window
Joe Henderson - So near so far
Joe Henderson - Page 1
Sonny Rollins - Sax Collosus
Sonny Rollins - The Bridge
John Coltrane: Train plys the Blues
John Coltrane: Love Supreme

(u)My Instrument. Guitar(/u)

Jim Hall - These Rooms
Jim Hall - Concertino
Jim Hall - Alone Together
John Scofield - Shinola
John Socfield = Quite
Pat Methany - Bright Size Life
Pat Methany - Question and Answer
Wes Montgomery - Far Wes
Wes Montgomery - Full House
Wes Montgomery - Incredible Jazz Guitar
Wes Montgomery - Smokin' at the Half Note
Pat Martino - El Hombre
John Abercrombie - anything he has ever recorded that I've heard
Tom Daniels - The R Months

(u)Other Rhythm(/u)
Bill Evans - Live at village Van
Oscar Peterson - some live album, never could remember it's name
Dave Holland - Love his shit, all of it

Favorite Instrumentalists?
Sax - Henderson
Trump - Kenny Wheeler
Bone - JJ or maybe C. Herwig, I like his technique, got to play with him at a masterclass and he freaked me out

Guitar: abercrombie, hall
Bass: holland, Chambers, Carter
Drums: Roy Haynes, Owen Howard, lots more
Keys: Keith Jarret

[BitchesBrew]

Well I'm a guitarist so:

Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue, Bitches Brew, A Tribute To Jack Johnson
Al Di Meola - Elegant Gypsy
Pink Floyd - Darkside Of The Moon
Anything by Led Zeppelin

[PiousBionicus]

I have to say Oscar Peterson, he is the one who opened to proverbial jazz doors for me. Night Train, or the live in chicago album from the same trio, has probably been OP's most influential recordings.

Other artists include...
Miles Davis Round About Midnight
Harmen Fraanje Sonatala (only heard him for the first time recently but his music has made such an impact to the way see and play music.)
Dave Brubeck Time Further Out

Other none-jazz artists...
Mogwai Ten Rapid
Blues Brothers Briefcase Full Of Blues

[bombastic]

John Coltrane-Crescent, Love Supreme, Live At The Village Vanguard, Coltrane Jazz, Coltranes Sound, My Favorite Things. Jackie Mc Lean-Various Tracks. Dexter Gordon-Various Tracks.

[Bag's Groove]

I'm a trumpet player, but all of these recordings in one way or another influenced who I am as a musician/performer:

Kind Of Blue, Round About Midnight, Miles Smiles, Bitches Brew - Miles Davis

The Sidewinder - Lee Morgan

Giant Steps, Blue Train, Ole - John Coltrane

Dexter Blows Hot And Cool - Dexter Gordon
(one of the first jazz albums I ever heard besides K.O.B)

Jazz At Massey Hall - The Quintet (Parker, Gillespie & Co.)

20 All Time Greatest Hits & In The Jungle Groove - James Brown

Live At The Fillmore East - The Allman Brothers

Couldn't Stand The Weather - Stevie Ray Vaughan

Are You Experienced - Jimi Hendrix

Exile On Main Street - The Rolling Stones

Fun House - The Stooges

Marquee Moon - Television

Loaded & White Light/White Heat - The Velvet Underground

...and lots of various recordings by Ella, Billie Holiday, Prince, The Talking Heads, The Ramones, The Beatles & Led Zeppelin.



:smokin:

[ebrew]

I started to write "Kind of Blue" but after going over the events in my head I must say that is was...

Ronny Jordan - The Antidote

Prior to listening to jazz I was a straight hip hop head. Public Enemy, Run DMC, LL Cool J, Tribe Called Quest... I couldn't get enough of it (graduated high school in 86). Eventually my love for that genre of music began to fade (as did the amount of talented MCs) and I started looking for something new. A friend turned me on to Ronny Jordan's The Antidote which was a hip hop/jazz/fusion album. He had a remake of "So What" that intrigued me enough to check out the original tune on "Kind of Blue." The rest is history. I enjoyed the music enough to actually think I should give it a go myself. It has (and continues to be) one fantastic journey filled with smiles, frustration and spiritual growth. One of the best decisions I've ever made... sometimes I wish I had stuck with the sax but that's another story for another post...

[Grub]

I was given a nylon strung guitar at 11 and a copy of 'Tune a day' by Ulf Goran with a 7 inch (record that is).

Julian Bream's recording of the old Rodrigo classic - I originally started out on the old classical guitar.

Some comp by Django and the Hot Club Quintet of Paris with Grapelli - got me into jazz.

'Cherry Cherry' off 'Hot August Night' (belonged to my mum) by Neil Diamond - the acoustic riff converted me to steel strings.

'Whole lotta Rosie by AC/DC - made me want to play loud & dirty

'Public Image' - made me want to play weird and different

'Country boy' by Albert Lee - got me into chickin pickin..real fast

'Big bad moon' by Joe Satriani - got me into shredding big time

'Foggy mountain breakdown' .Earl Scruggs - got me playing bluegrass banjo and hoedowning in the kitchen

'Paris Texas' . Ry Cooder - got me into playing slide + chillin out

'Maggie May'. Rod Stewart - got me taking up the mandolin. Captain Corelli has no influence.

' Big Dog' off 'Then there were four' - Berline, Crary & Hickman - serious conversion to bluegrass

Greek bazouki guy in Corfu - yep..got me playing Greek bazouki.

'Orange blossum special' off 'Return of the Hellecasters' - trying to get this right is what keeps me going.:smokin:

[subcitizen]

Almost anything by Pat Metheny
Wes Montgomery - The Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
John Coltrane - Afro Blue Impressions
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Mark Whitfield - The Marksman

-andrew

[Wombat Seedcake]

My main instruments are bass and drums/percussion.

Bass stuff
'Peaches' - The Stranglers. Got me into bass. Such a dirty sound

'Good times' - Chic. Me and 1 million others

'Hit me with your rhythm stick' - Ian Dury & the Blockheads. the first complex bass line I mastered.

'Love games' - Level 42. Got me into thumb slapping and into 70s funk in general, checking out the likes of Larry Graham, Stanley Clarke etc.

'Visions of China' - Japan. First time I heard fretless bass, leading me to Jaco.

Drums

'Obvious child' - Paul Simon. Inspired me to take up samba drumming, mainly the caixa.

'Rejoice rejoice' - Transglobal Underground. Brilliant album that inspired me to take up the darabuka/dumbek, dhol and taiko drums.

'Let there be drums' -Sandy Nelson. The starting point for me.

'Greatest hits' - Chic. Up to this point I played shit rock style. This showed how to be subtle yet effective. Top hi-hat work.

' Riverdance' - there's the bit where Michael Flatley does his flute thing with a guy in the background playing bodhran. Went and bought one the next day. You just cant beat celtic music with a good bodhran beat.

'Moonflower' - Santana. This was the first record that got me into latin music and the congas in particular.



:wink2:

[Dr Jay]

'Hit me with your rhythm stick' - Ian Dury & the Blockheads. the first complex bass line I mastered.

:wink2:
Rumour has it that Charlie Haden started by practicing the bass line to the Ian Dury Anthem "Sex and Drugs and Rock'n Roll". Just listen to his solo on Ornette Coleman's 'Ramblin' ' .....recorded in 1959!

[lorenzini]

Hard to say exactly. There have been more than 1 influencial periods for me, and with different artists.

Then I first heard Chick Corea's New Trio stuff, I was blown away. It still is amazing, in fact.

Then I heard Keith Jarrett, his standards concerts are unbelievable. A few weeks later I discovered the solo repetoire. La Scala influenced me to no end -- it still does.

Currently I am the best I've ever been as a player, yet more of a student than ever. I'll never quit being influenced, it's the best part about jazz.

[darvil]

John Coltrane, A love supreme.
My very first jazz listening. Ages before deciding to (try to) play jazz, but definitely my first step towards it.

[Phil Kelly]

as a writer/ composer:

George Russels" New York New York " w/ Jon Hendrix and a NYC all star band with Trane/ Bill Evans/ Max Roach , etc ( circa 1956 )

and Russels "All About Rosie" ..both the original nonet version and the later Mulligan CJB expansion.

and Bill Holman ..starting with the Kenton "Contemporary Concepts" album in 1955

[cleanyoungbob]

perhaps not the only four, but each significant to a particular period of my musical development


Radiohead - Ok Computer

probably wouldn't be playing guitar if it wasn't for this record


Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antenna to Heaven

convinced me i desperately needed my own band


John Coltrane - A Love Supreme

pretty much got me into jazz, and eventually to a want to play it


John Coltrane - Interstellar Space

inspired me to want to make free improvisatory music


good to see another mogwai fan here by the way *thumbs up*

[btbowen]

thought I'd add my - er...

Thad Jones: Consummation
Miles Davis: In A Silent Way
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew
Bruce Cockburn: Sunwheel Dance
The Police: Synchronicity
and yes, later on, Radiohead's Kid A (which to mind is an absolute masterpiece).

[Jimmy James]

Some guitar-related albums that deeply influenced/inspired the way i play

Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life
Pat Metheny - Trio 99->00
Pat Metheny - The Way Up (i got it last week and its changed the way i listen to music)
John Scofield - EnRoute
John Scofield - Time On My Hands
Wes Montgomery - Full House
Wes Montgomery - Incredible Jazz Guitar
Jim Hall - Concierto
Joe Pass - The Virtuoso series
Tribal Tech (scott henderson) - Reality Check

Other non-guitar Albums that did the same
Miles Davis - Smiles Smiles, 'Round Midnight, Kind Of Blue
John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil, Adams Apple
Chick Corea - Return To Forever

These are the ones that come to mind.

[yawuh]

An interesting thread. Revealing musical influences is like showing people your underwear...and I guess I can be an exhibitionist in a safe setting:

Chick Corea - Now He Sings Now He Sobs
Andy Summers - Golden Wire
Joe Henderson - In 'n Out
Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus
Monk - almost anything
Miles' 60s Quintet - anything
Bill Evans - '61 Vanguard stuff
Bela Bartok - Music for Strings, Percussion, & Celesta, and Mikrokosmos
Mahavishnu Orch. - Birds of Fire
King Crimson - Discipline

I am a guitarist, and my musical education is ongoing. The above titles are all ones that have had a major impact on my playing/thinking, one way or another, either thru osmosis or intentional study. All kinds of other records, from Yes to Keith Jarrett to Derek Bailey, have been under my wing as well.

[Bill Carrothers]

Here's the ones that have meant the most to me over the years, off the top of my head and in no particular order.

Charles Ives - Three Places in New England
Miles Davis - Four and More
Miles Davis - Friday Night at the Blackhawk
Miles Davis - Plugged Nickel
Steve Swallow - Home
Sergei Prokofiev - Romeo and Juliet
Henri Dutilleux - Cello concerto (I learned a whole lot from this one)
Oscar Peterson - The Great Connection
Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage
Keith Jarrett - Standards, Volume 1
Keith Jarrett - Changes
Bill Frisell - Have A Little Faith
Shirley Horn - Here's To Life
Frank Sinatra - Only the Lonely
Billie Holiday - Lady In Satin
The Singers Unlimited (Gene Puerling is a harmonic genius IMO)
Bill Evans - Sunday at the Village Vanguard