Critical listening. Whether a new student, or a seasoned pro, listening to music is one of the most important parts of being a musician. Here, we will talk about some of the most important recordings in history. We’ll also take a look at some new stuff that is really great and might become one of those staples of the lexicon. This is of course, by no means a complete list, but we will continue to updated it as frequently as possible.
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Miles Davis, Kind of Blue
Miles Davis once said that he “changed music five or six times”. While, not the most modest of statements, it is hard to argue with. “Kind of Blue” is if not the most, one of the most important recordings in all of jazz history. Another statement that is hard to argue with. While not newcomers to the jazz scene, the record features some of the true giants of jazz history and before they stepped away to create their own dynamic legacy of changing music and influencing every generation after. We’re looking at you Bill Evans and John Coltrane. Canonball, Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb and Wynton Kelly were no slouches either.
Get this record, you need it. – Dean Hirschfield
Glenn Gould Plays Bach Well Tempered Clavier
Truth be told, as a music student I never really “got Bach”. To me, Bach always just seemed so academic and sterile. That all changed the first time I heard Glenn Gould play Bach. Gould had an approach to articulation and musicality that is unlike anything I’d ever heard. Perhaps it’s his sensitivity to note lengths and articulations. Glenn Gould did not use the pedals (kinda like riding a bike down a steep hill, haha). He controlled the length of notes entirely by the amount of time he kept the keys depressed. While this seems like a logical approach, it certainly isn’t a common one. For me, Glenn Gould and this recording in particular, made me finally appreciate Bach’s compositions for all of their beauty and depth of genius. – Dean Hirschfield
