17 May 2010

Welcome

Welcome to the ACE Jazz Library

So you think you might like jazz, but don’t know where to start? Well this blog is for you. If you have heard some good jazz and liked it, you will most likely be hooked for life. Sometimes though it is hard to find those gems that are the cream of the crop of jazz history. Jazz is an art form, at times so frenetically wild as to be jarring and almost incomprehensible, at other times so peaceful and profound it deeply touches the heart. Jazz is well worth investigating and will give many years of rewarding listening experience. Here to guide you into this brave new world is the ACE Jazz Library.

Every one of the jazz musicians of history contributed to the essence of the jazz genre. There is such diverse and rich variety of taste in jazz however that it can be a minefield for the fledgling jazz admirer. Poor purchases leads to faltering steps on the way to building an excellent jazz library. Books like the Penguin Guide to Jazz are excellent encyclopaedic references, but don't really guide you where to start. Record companies have masses of jazz back catalogue, which are continually repackaged and reissued, but while many of the featured artists give sterling performances, there are just too many to choose from, especially for a new listener.

To get the best out of jazz listening you need to find the sparkling gems of the jazz canon. These are the jewels that are admired as enduring examples of excellence, of art at its peak. ACE Jazz Library is a media filter, directing you to the jazz events that are really worth paying attention to. Once you find what you like, it is up to you to take it further. I trust you will find something you like here.

There are many excellent and deeply moving moments of music preserved in jazz history. The spontaneity of jazz performance from the classic period of the 1940’s to 1960’s was typically recorded as a live performance by bands playing ensemble in a club or studio. Many albums of spontaneous bliss emerge from this history, but even outstanding musicians have their off days, and it must be said that for every excellent album or recording, there are as many shall we say less essential recordings, which unless you are a dedicated collector you don't need to have.

The selections provided here are all from 5 Star albums. These are not compilations or greatest hits, but albums which stand the test of time as enduring and excellent jazz performances. Each album takes you on a listening experience you will want to repeat. You don't have to worry whether it suits your taste. If you like what you hear in the podcast you'll love the album. I hope you enjoy these outstanding examples. Please subscribe to keep up with updates.

 
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