Just one album for jazz, that you would ever need in your entire lifetime.

Miles Davis - The Cellar Door Sessions 1970.

But heck, no one here would really buy it

I just heard a bunch of Fourplay and I absolutely can't stand the music. It falls into the most boring genre of Jazz ever - smooth jazz. eugh.

Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock and John Coltrane has more fluid creativity than the whole band combined.

However, I should refrain from genre bashing as it is very flammable. But please, pick up a proper Miles album and it'll blow your mind away if you're musically literate.

Leave lounge/smooth jazz like Fourplay at the chillout bars, and the real Bebop jazz to the jazz enthusiasts.

Try this: http://www.soulfulclassicjazz.com/ for some internet classic jazz radio.

Tachikoma: What I meant by musically literate would be having some musical background.

chyen: Don't get me started on post-rock. Mogwai is a great band, however I do feel that MONO bests Mogwai. If you've only heard of Mogwai, well, time to put your musical tastebuds into deeper post-rock creativity. MONO is a japanese post-rock quartet and they are absolutely amazing. Don't be swayed by the lighter renditions of "Explosions in the Sky", they do post-rock fairly well, but not near as eargasmic as MONO's genius work.

Recommended first listens:
The Flame Beyond the Cold Mountain
L'Ameria
Karelia (Opus 2)

auronthas: Understandable that genre is plenty to do with taste. I will not go into genre bashing because it's not correct for me to do that. Moreover, like I said, it is a very flammable subject. You wouldn't like my recommendations one bit.

Anyway, my favourite album from Miles would be the 2nd CD from his 1970 The Cellar Door Sessions CD Box Set, it's dated 17th December 1970, oddly coinciding with my birthdate (17 Dec). It's as serious as jazz can get. If you want something lighter you may want to start with Kind of Blue, which appeals to everyones palate.

I have yet to find my favourite 'Trane album. I do like Monk better than 'Trane. Different instruments, I know.. Preference there you have it, I'm already being a hypocrite to my own comments.

-WS

auronthas: you would hardly get to 'preview' anything from the start. The tracks are more than 10 minutes long and it only gets complex about 5 minutes in.

Anyway, if you wish to purchase, the Boxset is about 80+ USD. I found it miraculously on CD Universe.

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6938847

auronthas: Be aware that spending that much money on a box of genius work may not be your cup of tea. I do hope you enjoy it though.

Despite my high regards for the cellar door sessions, I seldom have time to sit down and listen to the whole thing.

Vaiz: Downtempo you say? I'm a big Zero7 fan as well. Do you have a lot of downtempo to push my way besides the regular: Lamb, Portishead, Massive Attack, Mylo, Kascade, etc?

Also, I've been following the Ministry of Sound Chillout Sessions series because they are the only compilation I actually buy.

Did you know that trip-hop (stuff of Massive Attack and the like) originated from Bristol UK? That's where I am now!

I seem to find myself in all genre discussions here.

Well I can't find -enough- Kascade, Portishead, Massive Attack on Usenet

I do have all of Zero 7 and Lamb's work.

Downloading it has nothing close to the hardcopy, where you get a booklet explaining the Cellar Door Sessions. John McLaughlin's later participation in the group. All in all, it's somewhat something you'd buy than merely download. It's more than just a collection of jazz masterpieces, it's a whole work of visual and auditory bliss.

Despite having the same song titles, do they sound the same in any way?