We all post our lists of jazz sounds that we are listening to on the jazz threads here and every once in a while I will see someone listed who is not jazz....like The Who on post the other day. It got me to wondering just what everybody here takes the time to listen to when they don't have jazz in CD/mp3 players.

For myself I am all over the place. Jazz and most often what we call smooth jazz makes up the largest part of my own collection. But I also listen to a great deal of blues, a bit of country here and there, get the feel for rock now and again and lately have been spinning of lot of young pop singer/song writers who I have found enjoyable.

How about the rest of you? I am assuming that jazz is a major focus for most of us or why else be here, but is it your primary source of music? What else do you all listen to and why?

Curiosity has gotten the best of me.

Jazz of various sub-genres is by far my favorite. My favorite jazz sound is a mid-size band with a trumpet and tenor sax blending on the melodies, common but not limited to Latin jazz.
Next would be 1970s pop, rock, funk and soul. Blues is up there, along with classical, some '50s and '60s music, a handful of orchestral movie soundtracks, Latin, Brazilian, African beat.
And on the occasion I can hear "Thistle and Shamrock" on NPB, I find much of the Celtic music enchanting, especially with the women singers.
Post 1980, I can't say I'm a fan of any of the vocal genres except for the blues, but I do enjoy quite a few individual selections from pop, rock and R&B - mostly Rob Thomas, U2, Maroon 5, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dido, Michelle Branch, Kelly Clarkson and a few others. I still listen to mainstream radio specifically to hear this type of music, which is not represented in my collection.

Gospel (Fred Hammond, Andrew Gouche, Deitrick Haddon, J. Moss, etc.), contemporary R&B (Stargate, Underdogs, Tricky Stewart, Ryan Leslie, R. Kelly, The Dream, Akon, etc.), dance/electronica (Deadmau5, Chromeo, Moto Blanco remixes), and top 40. I'll listen to country.

First choice for me is always "pop instrumental" - what we all used to call smooth jazz. Especially drawn to the guitar-driven stuff; Peter White, Rippingtons, and of course Acoustic Alchemy.

My second choice is mostly pop. Enjoy current girl singers like Lady Gaga, Orianthi Panagaris (who is amazing on electric guitar BTW), Kelly Clarkson, Duffy, Leona Lewis, and even Beyonce occasionally. Boy singers I like include Ne-Yo, Usher, Michael Buble, but all in smaller doses than the girls.

I subscribe to a music service and regularly download rock stuff from there. Yesterday I got Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood live at Madison Garden. Also recently got Jack Bruce / Robin Trower new release - he's probably the greatest bass player of rock era IMO.

Anyway, I guess I listen to an eclectic mix. Thanks for asking the question.

Steve C.

I love jazz but my first love is Funk music. I listen to quite a lot of funk and old school R&B/Soul music. I love Latin/Caribbean (My Jamaican heritage) and World Music as well. Anything with a good melody, good groove and nice chord progressions, I'll listen to it. I even listen to 80's and 90's pop (Phil Collins, Sting, Eagles, etc.)

I mostly listen to various forms of jazz: straight-ahead, fusion, smooth/compemporary. I also listen to instrumental rock, progrock. a little vocal rock, and country (my wife's favorite). Since I play praise and worship at church, we also have lots of that and listen to it.

Peace and goodwill.

Mark, you might to take a listen to Robert Randolph. He got to rock by way of gospel and sacred metal. Fabulous steel guitar player. Opened for Eric Clapton on tour a couple years ago as Robert Randolph and the Family Band. Very interesting fusion of styles.

Best,

Steve C.

Thanks! I saw him on one of those Crossroads Guitar Fesival DVD's. So much good music, so little time and bucks. peace and goodwill.

I listen to myself since music making is my hobby. I'll listen to just about any form of music. Check out one my creations:

TR808 - Matisyahu - One Day Remix

It's sort of an electro, house, heavy metal, and reggae fusion. Listen for the original during the Olympics.

Hilarious!

For those of thus that are older....

The band "YES" is playing a couple sold out shows local next week and they had a big story on them in the paper this last Friday.

Chris Squire is the only remaining member but what cracked me up was the new singer that replaced Jon Anderson is a guy by the name of Benoit David. (not David Benoit) LOL!! The keyboard guy is Rick Wakeman's son, Oliver Wakeman. They started the year the Beatles broke up (1968). I loved their early stuff when I was in H.S.

I'm listening to my remix for "The Greatest Dancer" remix contest. I programmed and performed all the music.

"The Greatest Dancer" Remix

None of the music was performed by Bernard Edwards or Nile Rodgers. Do the robot!

Katie Melua: Pictures---she is was born in Georgia (the Russian one) and now lives in Belfast. Offers something different to the adult pop market.

Spencer Day: Vagabond--in the vain of Buble or Connick but yet very different.

Matt Dusk: Back In Town---classic pop in the Sinatra style, but with a unique voice and good style. Love to seem him perform live.

Nora Jones: The Fall---I think this may be her best yet.

Leona Lewis: Echo---the wife got me exposed to her music awhile back. Nice pop style, yet another Brit making it good here.

Katherine McPhee: Yup the AI runner up. First CD was OK this one is much better. Not sure about the new short blond hair but the music is getting better.

John Fogerty: Revial---always way a big CCR fan and then John married a local girl and still lives in the area I believe, so ya gotta love him! A rock voice I can actually understand.

Trace Adkins: X---a sort of bad boy of country with a style that appeals to me. Only recently started listening to his music and have come to like it a lot.

Raheem DeVaughn's new album The Love & War

Hold On Remix ft Maysa & Marcus Johnson

Still Standing by Monica

I Don't Care Remix

Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part Two. I would love to hear "Window Seat" reinterpeted by Jeff Lorber.

Asia Bryant Can't Help It Remix

I wanted a synth sweep fx like on Badu's record "Agitation" but I could not get my filters and oscillators working right. I need to listen to "Just as I Thought" by David Sancious because I think they sampled it.

What would Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers have done? This is some disco a la Chic.

Pepper Mashay Dancing Lights Remix

I use more contemporary sounds here:

Jato Unit Drive Me Crazy Remix

Bradley's Circus - Shotgun Bunny.

This is an awesome group from The Netherlands that played a few gigs in my area week before last. The leader is the sassy vocalist - and when I say "sassy," I mean singing style and stage attitude - Mattanja Joy Bradley. They play a mix of blues, folk, and what they call "roots" music.

Dynasty by Kaskade

See the post on movies that have been remade and comparing them to the endless covers of songs over the years made me think of a new CD that I picked up recently. A Young British singer named Findlay Brown called Love Will Find You. He has taken a new approach to the whole idea of covers. He decided not to cover the songs themselves (these are all originals) but rather covered the sound of the sixties as it were. Having grown up on the British beat of that era, I found myself enjoying this. He does not have as strong a voice as many of the jazz or standards style of singers I usually listen too, but his voice is perfect for that 60's era pop sound. A nice change of pace from what I normally listen too.

There are a lot of artist covering the sounds made famous by STAX and Motown, e.g., Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Rafael Saadiq, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and others.

Yeah I have all of Joss Stone's cd in my collection along with others that have gone back to that early 70's funk style soul. The music of that time period has been the foundation for the music of several artists in the 90's and into the 2000's. On the other hand the 60's with the exception of covering a song or two here and there has been left alone (perhaps with good reason). This CD just struck me as interesting because it involved someone young (in his 20's I think) choosing to sing in the style of pop from 40 years ago.

Of course Buble, Caldwell and others mimic Sinatra in this day and age so maybe I should not be so surprised.

Maysa Spend Some Time Remix

This is my second remix featuring Maysa.

Ciara Corr Get My Way Remix

This song remix channels the golden days of dance music.

Big Dave and the Evol Love Band - You're Evol
Bradley's Circus - Live in Holland
Eden Brent - Something Cool

Prince - Purple Rain
Great album. 9 terrific tracks.
An absolute gem. And still worth a listen, 26 years after its release.
Best,
Steve C.

Purple Rain was his best.

Saw Cheap Trick perform Sergeant Pepper this week, with a small orchestra, 6 singers, and a bunch of sitars backing them up. One of the best shows we have seen in ages. Sat right in front of Rick Nielsen, great rock guitarist, and managed to catch two of his personalized guitar picks. Cool.
Steve C.

Man are they still touring! I have seen them just once several years ago at a small local outlet and my hears rang for a week...but they were sooo good.

New stuff for me this past week or so include:

Brian Setzer--Red Hot and Live
Charlie Musselwhite---Delta Hardware
Dave Matthews Band--Live in Las Vegas
Jamie Cullum--The Pursuit
Joe Bonamassa--Black Rock
Smokin Joe Kubek & Bnois King--Blood Brothers

T-Model Ford - The Ladies Man

Jerry Fair & the Delta Blues Crew - Live in the studio

Mostly a local act, Jerry is a good guitarist. He's either a cousin or nephew of B.B. King.
Not to get too far ahead of myself, but when I saw him 2 weeks ago, we were just chatting, and he asked if I sing. We talked about the kind of songs I know and am comfortable with. His band knows most of them. It wasn't said in that conversation, but I have a feeling that when I see him at one of his club gigs, he might call me up for a song or two.

Teron Beal New Girl Remix

This is version 1.0 of my remix. Teron reminds me so much of Prince I'm tempted to program a Linn drum pattern.

Hmmm-well if you have ever seen my MagIsland profile, my email add may be a hint. I have and still love to listen to Dylan, Led Zeppelin. Ronnie Montrose(his rock AND jazz/fusion sides), the Beatles Who, Stones, Floyd, Yes, Purple,Sabbath, Young, Petty, Stewart, Taylor-ANYONE with a good song! I even watch "Jubilee" on PBS-- BLUEGRASS MUSIC! Through what sounds corn~pone-y, I hear great vocal harmony, and ragged virtuosity.

Paul, like yourself I am a musical omnivore, and listen to all but country. In the last day I have listened to Rippingtons, Lady Gaga, Neil Young (he's still rockin in the free world!), Jackiem Joyner, George Duke, and Incognito.

There is a ton of wonderful music out there.

Best,

Steve C.

I re-did the drums and arrangement. Needs a horn section.

From the vault:
Van Morrison - Moondance
Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life
Steely Dan - Everything Must Go

Eden Brent - Ain't Got No Troubles
Santana - Shaman
Robert Palmer - Heavy Nova
various - Feels So Right '70s

Here's my remix of Winston Warrior's Bad 4 U:

Winston Warrior Bad 4 U Remix at Soundcloud

Winston Warrior Bad 4 U at Acidplanet

Super Chikan - Chikadelic
Denise LaSalle - 24 Hour Woman
Barry White - All-Time Greatest Hits

Chromeo - 'Business Casual' - This is some 80's sounding, electro funk. They mix analog synths, voice box, pop lyrics, interesting drum machines, and electric guitar parts. 'Don't Turn The Lights On' is my jam.

This is my refashioning of the song 'I found Out' by Bimbo Jones ft. Beverley Knight. The original is a dance song. I redid the song as a 70's styled heartbreak ballad. Well, the stuff she's singing about didn't exist in the 70's but guys are still dumb as $%&*! The guy is texting at mid-night. His Face-book page is set to single status.

I Found Out ft Beverley Knight

Listen to original song.

Essential Earth, Wind & Fire (Vol. I, II and III)

I like music period. Besides smooth jazz, I like old school R&B, the music I grew up on. Also like gospel, some Latin, some reggae, some soca, all in small doses. Pretty much, if it's got a beat, I like it. I also like South African music. I've gotten to like reggaeton since taking up zumba. And, here's one you didn't see coming - I like showtunes. I grew up in NY and we used to go to the theatre quite a bit, so I love showtunes!

I feel blessed that I can listen to any style of the music that I like at any time. I am not one of those, "I have to be in a special mood to listen to...jazz-or classical...fill in the blank". Moreover, I can listen to jazz, hard rock, classical, country rock, singer songwriters, bluegrass.folk-ALL one after the other. My dad taught special ed elementary school kids. He took my 3 youngest siblings and I along with his class to the L A Philharmonic w/Carmen Draqon. I STILL hear "Flight of the Bumblebee" in my head 40 plus years later! Next year was a field trip to LA Opera-"The Marriage of Figaro"Loved it. SAW Disneys Beauty and the Beast Stage show in 1996- loved it-especially the music. SAW Mary Poppins in L.A. on Jan 3, 2010 loved it especially the music!

Hehehe.....I'm puertorrican, and very proud of it!! I listen to a lot of 70's and 80's Salsa which is the best. Also a lot of Rock...Rush, Saga , Kansas , ELP , Boston , Level 42 and so on and so on.

Ah! A closet musicals fan! I love theatrical music. They usually have really good songwriters writing for these shows. Brenda Russell is one of the cowriters for the musical version of The Color Purple, which was great. Elton John, Tim Rice, and Hans Zimmer were responsible for the music of The Lion King, which I absolutely loved.

Ooh, Mary, our theater group is supposed to do a musical The Color Purple next spring. I expect I'll be involved somehow.

Cool...including me three musical theater fans....maybe a MOVIE musical thread is in order??

DAMN YANKEES.. Ray Walston as the devil himself.

West Side Story. my dad made sure we saw these and others about 50 times as kids....then again the million dollar movie on local KHJ TV used ot play them 5 nights in a row!!!

I am guessing that older the age here the more likely we would have been exposed to musical theater. I also saw West Side Story several times as a kid. It even popped up a social studies class as I recall. Though I doubt any of us even back in day gave into the idea that gang members ran around singing show tunes. But having said that I still enjoy it after so many years. I have Rent on disc a sort of modern day look at big city struggles. Music is great and while some of the characters may be a put off for some, I really found the whole rather refreshing. The wife had me get Mama Mia (film version) funny for seeing Abba music being the center piece of the play or this case film. Funnier still to see Pierce Brosnon singing!

Elvin Bishop---Red Dog Speaks (blues)
Bob Dylan--Blond On Blond
Def Leppard--Songs From The Sparkle Lounge
J. Holiday--Round 2 (soul)

They are performing the revival of Hair at the Kennedy Center. The article in the Washington Post said that the orginal production was 45 years ago. The current crop of performers would not have been born, and neither would some of their parents.....

WOW Gospel 2010 - The WOW Gospel series usually comes with two CDs. One features old school gospel, e.g., Mighty Clouds of Joy. The other features contemporary gospel, e.g., Mary Mary, J. Moss, Deitrick Haddon. Some of the contemporary gospel features hotter beats than what you're hearing on urban radio. Few people know that Jamie Foxx's "Blame It On the Alchohol" totally rips off Mary Mary's "God In Me".

Gospel music has changed so much from what it used to be. There are some purists that don't like that it can sound like some of today's popular music. I've got no problem with that. I think it helps spread the message to a larger audience. Where is it written that Gospel music has to be stiff and boring? "Make a joyful noise" is clearly open to interpretation.

Personally, I don't care for gospel that sounds like hip-hop. A) Generally, I don't care for the sound of hip-hop, although there are exceptions. B) Something about the rage and blatantly sexual nature of hip-hop that gets airplay in my area makes it a tough sell to think that people who sing/rap like that actually mean what they say when the lyrics praise God.
Having said that, I am definitely in favor of spiritual music being free of traditional restraints. Those old, mourning songs where the congregation wails, "ohhhhh Loh-oh-oh-ord," are depressing.
On the flip side, I once went to a Pentecostal church that had an all-white congregation (race mentioned because when it comes to Sunday mornings, there is a considerable contrast in styles). The band had 2 blue-haired ladies. One played electric bass, and the other alto saxophone. That was the second liveliest in-house band I've ever seen in a church.

Paul McCartney - All the Best
Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)
MCA Classics: Philharmonic Symphony of London - The Nutrcracker Ballet (the conclusion) / Utah Symphony - Swan Lake (excerpts)

Check out my Mandi Seekings Remix: Mandi Seekings Good Morning

John Denver. PBS has been using `A song`s best friend` doccumentary for pledge weeks. The guy just plain wrote good songs and was a good singer. Tragedy he died at 52 in that experimental airplane crash Rocky Mountain High is my favorite among all his excellent catalouge, And I DO Love singer songwriters! This perplexes people who learn I also love Spyro Gyra, PMG, ripps, JLP, etc.

I did a remix of Kelly Price's Tired. It's a gospel song for the clubs.

Kelly Price Tired (dance remix)

I played the acoustic piano with Alicia's Keys!

I went to see Aaron Neville at Harlow's Casino & Resort last night. It's easily the best concert I've seen in my area, and I'd put it in the conversation of some performances by my favorite jazz artists and a few rock concerts.
The band was tight. They played about an hour and 40 minutes. And it was non-stop.
The music was great, and Aaron's voice - whether normal or falsetto - is always a joy to hear. By my count, they did 22 songs and. The band opened with 2 instrumental tracks and later did a nice rendition of Harlem Nocturne. Among the vocals were the crossover pop hits, "I Don't Know Much," his cover of "Everybody Plays the Fool," 2 songs from his new CD - he and the band are still learning those because they had sheet music - and "Tell It Like It Is." The concert ended with a funk-driven piece that featured a long call and response between brother Charles Neville on tenor sax and the guitarist.
The styles covered pop, reggae, soul, blues and a little country.
I don't remember what the first encore song was, but he did "Amazing Grace," and then a medley that started with "Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight" and ended with the Mickey Mouse Club theme song.

One thing that made a big difference is Aaron and the band kept the show moving.
I've attended concerts where artists hold the stage for an hour and a half but only play 8 or 9 songs. A lot of talking between songs and banter trying to pump up the audience fill a lot of minutes with no music.
At the beginning of the show, the drummer said hello, mispronounced Greenville as "Greensville," and that was it. Apart from brief introductions of the musicians, and explaining that this song was from the new CD or that song was from 1966, there was very little talking.
And even better, the band would end one song, and while the applause is still peaking, they'd go right into the next one - no delay.

various - Narada Equinox Artists sampler one
James Taylor - Greatest Hits vol. 2
Marvin Gaye - Greatest Hits
Faith Hill - Breathe
various - Time Life Super Hits 1970

R. Kelly - 'Love Letters'

Quincey Jones - Q: Soul Bossa Nostra

Not really feeling this one. A lot of hip hop grooves on this. Most likely aimed at the younger crowd in an effort to expose them to different music. Not a bad record but just not my thing.

BT - "These Hopeful Machines"

For Christmas I got CD's from these artists:

The Derek Trucks Band
Joe Bonamassa
John Mayer Trio
Rory Gallagher
Neal Morse
Glass Hammer

I like 'em all, and none of them are jazz. Peace and goodwill.

@DWBass

Strawberry Letter 23: The Best of Brothers Johnson

The Real Funk

Woody-RE: Your Aaron Neville concert experience. Yep- I hear ya. I like the bands that keep the patter to a bare minimum. Bruce Springsteen-used to play 4-5 hour gigs-with LOOONG spoken intros to near every song. Good songs-pace and momentum killer. Al Stewart and James Taylor are the same way. I SUPPOSE for the stone fanatical BS,AS,+JT fans they just eat that stuff up as "intimacy" On the other hand- at most of the 54 DYLAN concerts I have attended since 1978, he plays his hour forty-five to two hours...stopping once to say "THANGGGYOUUU!" then he introduces each member of his band. At the very end of the last encore-Dylan and band stand-hands on hips for 20-30 seconds-NO BOWING.Dylan points at the crowd with both index fingers-they call it now his double six shooter salute. Then Dylan+band leave and get on the tour bus. He gets CRITICIZED in some reviews for NOT talking between songs. Though in 1978-the press called Dylan too VEGAS-Y when he intro`d songs and said thank you several times!!! TRUE STORY!

Makes you wonder what people go to concerts for - the music or to be able to say: "so and so spoke to me" or "shouted out my home town's name after every song."
I don't mind some banter, but my experience has been that a lot of the vocal acts who aren't jazz do it way too much. Even more annoying is when they do it on recordings.
I once reviewed a Gap Band live album that was done in Atlanta. I'm sure for the people who were there, hearing "Atlantaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" meant something. But to a person playing the CD at home or in the car, it's very annoying.

Ha ha hee too true! I`ve been mulling over starting a "Old Hat Concert/Music Cliches" thread. That ATLAAAAAAAAANTAAA thing and the like IS annoying...when you KNOW two nights later-probably the same point in the concert it will be DEEEEEETROOOIIIIIITMost annoying ever: "C`MON! PUT YER HANDS TOGETHER!"--I rebel-I always clasp-CLASP my own hands and raise them like a winning prizefighter! Heheheh. I always thought it cheesy-wonder who said it first? Death by hanging! LOL!

LMBO. So true.

Avant - The Letter - My favorite track is 'Body Police' - "...I'm charging you with B.T.S.E. ... That's being too sexy". There's some great guitar riffs, Wurlitzer comps, and harp licks. The producer did a great job of mixing old and new school on this track.