I don't know how you did it but thank you everyone!!!

amirm

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Yes, I made the title obscure on purpose :).

A couple of months ago I set out to bolster my set of "reference quality" tracks and albums. I started to read every one of my threads in the forum on best of high-res, what's spinning, etc. By far the most recommended genres were Jazz followed by Classical. Some of you know that I am into modern music/rock, not Jazz and Classical. But the goal being what it was, I started to buy the albums anyway. The mission quickly got out of control and I wound up with tons of CDs and downloads.

Then a remarkable thing happened: I started to like Jazz! Before that, it just seemed like random music to me compared to rhythms in popular music. But something happened in my brain where I started to latch onto the harmony that exists in Jazz. What is most stunning is that I went from "starting to like it" to "outright loving it!" So much so that when ran into type of modern music I used to buy and I passed on it as "boy, this is pretty superficial!" The change in preference was huge and rapid.

This was totally unexpected. The closest analogy is when I used to hate and never eat Sushi to very much enjoying it. That took a few years. But this one, in just a month or so! Sushi also broadened my palate where I started to like every other kind of food and nothing was "too scary" to eat. Same thing is happening now with Classical music as I have just started my journey there just the same as Jazz.

This has advanced so much that when I was at RMAF and manufacturers would ask me what to listen to, I would say "Jazz." And no matter what they played, I would find it very enjoyable.

Of course, I am a total luddite when it comes to these two categories of music. I have no vocabulary to discuss Jazz. No recollection of who is who more than a few legends. This lead to some funny encounters where after saying I want to listen to Jazz I would be asked, "do you want club (?) Jazz or this other kind?" I would nod with most confidence and say, "I love either." Not knowing what the hell I was just asked. :D Like the Matthew McConaughey says in Lincoln car commercials:


I am not doing to be look cool. "I just like it"

I don't know how one thanks the collective membership for such a gift. Transformation of one's old mind doesn't come easy and when it does, it is a profound thing. My enjoyment of music has gone to a completely new level. My appreciation in relating to the other's interest is beyond measure.

Five years ago we started this forum thinking we are just going to talk audio. Never thought in a million years that it would have this profound effect on me personally.

So thank you for being my teachers and guiding light in discovering these great new vistas of music. I look forward to learning to talk intelligently one day about Jazz and learning to love classical. Those of who posts frequently about what you listen to and what brings great enjoyment to you, know that I and I am sure others fully appreciate them and follow with interest, even though we don't contribute in kind.
 

Ronm1

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IMHO it's quite simple. You like music. Once you are exposed to other music genres, that are well done, you just get it!
 

DaveC

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Nov 16, 2014
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Very cool, I love both sushi and jazz. :)

Classical might take a bit longer, I own and enjoy a lot of it but I may need to get older to really connect with it.
 

Johnny Vinyl

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May 16, 2010
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I don't like Sushi and Jazz is ok (as is Classical), but that's besides the point. I'm glad you found the input of our membership helpful in expanding your musical horizons. Good for you! :)
 

bonzo75

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Hi Amir, most Indians come over to UK and US and don't like sushi - reason being it seems too bland for a palate used to spicy stuff. I remember first coming to the UK and trying sushi in supermarkets, which was, rightfully yuck. Later when I got exposed to better restaurants in the US (where sushi was then more accessible than in the UK and cheaper) I began to appreciate it. Now my colleagues in the various banks I have worked in, come check with me about sushi restaurants before heading there. But yes, to your point, the palate change requires time, exposure, and willingness to try. Many of my Indian mates still haven't tried proper sushi after living for 20 years in the UK or the US, more so because they are closed to idea - kind of like some people are closed to the idea of DSP

Best way to like classical is to book yourself in for a few live concerts - some full symphony, some baroque, some arias/operas, and some piano - each of the 4 categories is different. You may not like it initially but the like will follow - commitment to a few shows is important. The Like lags

After sushi, jazz, and classical, try listening again to the Martin Logans with the DSP switched off :p
 

Johnny Vinyl

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Many of my Indian mates still haven't tried proper sushi after living for 20 years in the UK or the US, more so because they are closed to idea - kind of like some people are closed to the idea of DSP
Perhaps it's because they truly don't like it. Sushi vs DSP......now that's stretch.
 

NorthStar

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Feb 8, 2011
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That was a nice read Amir. And I didn't know what music genre turn/tune you on the most.

But what you just said is eye/ear opening to me; in the sense that it applies not only to music, like you mentioned, but way beyond all real life's imagination.
What I mean by that is this: All of us we follow an evolving music cheminement, unintended and from our own vibrations...with time, circumstances, people around us, our thinking/philosophy, exchanges, work, family, life.

What you just said is in all of us. Thank you for sharing what is a beautiful thing in life; the music we love in all the forms to expand our involvement with everything. ...One of the greatest sources of comfort and joy and peace and free expression in the times of our lives...ups and downs.

It's you that I thank for reading what I just read.

___________

? Some people are into Classic Rock, others Acid Rock, some into Blues (me), others into Jazz big time (me), some are into Classical music with a deep passion (me), others they express their emotions through Heavy Metal, Rap, Reggae, ... Some people love New Age & very Smooth Jazz (Andre - RIP, and me), others are into Alternative, many are into Country music, some folks they like Rock&Roll (a large bunch), Electronica, Meditative, Soft Pop, Easy Listening, Psychedelic, Punk Rock, International/World (me), Progressive Rock, Acid Jazz, Subterranean Blues, Funk, Motown, Hip-Hop, Bee-Pop, Disco Dance, ...others like Chorales, Operas, Orchestral, Chamber Classical (all me), some people they like the Bee Gees, the Beatles, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, others Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, ..some like Obscure/New music, some like Improv, others Latin music, Tango, Brazilian, Mexican, Peruvian, ...all World, Cuban, Blue Grass, Traditional, ...some people like all other genre of music from everywhere...Africa, India, China, Japan, America, Canada, Italia, Spain, Finland, Netherlands, Russia, Iceland, Argentina, Europe, UK, France, ...everywhere.

It don't matter what we like...it only matters that it liberates us.

Yes Amir, your post above makes me think, makes me aware, realize.
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
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Thanks for the sentiments guys. Bob, you do make a good point. That we old dogs need to learn new things for our own good, not just in music and food.
 

Joe Whip

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Feb 8, 2014
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Hit the Jazz clubs in your neck of the woods. I think that Jeff Hamilton lives up there. I see he will be in Bellingham and Vancouver in NOvember.
 

microstrip

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May 30, 2010
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Jazz is so diverse, that IMHO we can simultaneously say we like jazz and we hate jazz ...

Appreciating jazz has a secondary effect in my audio choices. If I listened exclusively to classic and vocal music I could happily live on digital and forget about the LPs. Unfortunately, perhaps due to poor transcription, most jazz I enjoy in LP format sounds miserable, even non musical, in digital format. This happens particularly in avant garde jazz - I hated it for long. But in a great system, the structure of the music becomes visible and you find involved in it. I have however not found any audio format that can make me appreciate some extreme free jazz - perhaps DSD256 will manage to do it? ;) Small labels have great modern jazz music - just remembering Black Saint, Soul Note and hat ART from Europe.

Amir, now you must be prepared - many people do not like jazz at all and will sometimes ask you "how can you enjoy these buglers?" :)
 

amirm

Banned
Apr 2, 2010
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Seattle, WA
Amir, now you must be prepared - many people do not like jazz at all and will sometimes ask you "how can you enjoy these buglers?" :)
Oh I am prepared. Bought me a hazmat suit for protection only to have this jazz hater do this to me:

 

asiufy

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Jul 8, 2011
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That's a cool thread :) Congrats, Amir!

I've been through pretty much the same phase in my life before, but about 15 or so years ago :) I was very much into rock, already had a sizable collection, but through friends (and the damned Internet!) I started digging into jazz (first, mostly modal/spiritual/70s) and then classical. Of course, now many collection has increased to many times its previous size, so be prepared :)

The same thing happened with food! I always thought sushi was yucky, but when I first moved to the US, it was such a common thing that I ended up tasting it, and now I love it!

Really happy for you, and I guess you can count on all of us for your dose of musical recommendations!

cheers,
alex
 

Phelonious Ponk

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Jun 30, 2010
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I didn't get to jazz until rather late in life myself, Amir, though I always wanted to like it and thought I should. I kept trying every few years, and then suddenly it just clicked. Once it did, I found the best exploration tool was starting with the greats, and their greatest works, then following the sidemen to their best work as band leaders, then following the supporting players on those albums....etc. Miles Davis is a good launching pad, because he had incredible taste in musicians and so many of the players he chose went on to make great music of their own as leaders.

Tim
 

anders

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Sep 9, 2015
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Amir, discovering new music is one of the best feelings, especially if it's a great moving performance. Check out some books of the musicians you enjoy, in most cases it increases my appreciation for their music even more.

This is one of my favorite jazz channels: https://www.youtube.com/user/1blue1/videos

The uploader is an audiophile so the majority of it is available in 1080p (whatever that translates to for Youtube audio, guessing about 200 kbps lossy?)
 

BlueFox

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Nov 8, 2013
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Are singers/band like Patrcia Barber considered jazz. If so then welcome aboard. I started with rock, and when younger I could not imagine anything else. Now I listen to classical (string quartets), jazz, and sometimes rock. Since it is a Saturday night, Marilyn Manson is playing, but tomorrow and until next Friday it will be Shostakovich and gang.
 

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