This is a jumping off point for listening to Jazz 

Big bands - the basis of the jazz band in school

The Count Basie Band 1960. One of the greatest bands ever. When we talk about how to swing phrases we are almost always referring to the phrasing of this band. What a feeling!! 

The amazing duke Ellington. Not only was this one of the longest running working bands EVER, it featured the countless original tunes and arrangements from the giant of Jazz Composition, the incomparable Duke Ellington. The band. Wow

The Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band features some of the most prominent players in the field today. Super hip arrangements and incredibly tight playing and some great special guests

The Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra. One of the finest composers and arrangers in the music today. When I lived briefly in New York I never missed a show. This features the amazing trumpeter Ingrid Jensen who hails from Nanaimo, BC

ARTEMIS is a new all women ensemble made up some of the heaviest players ANYWHERE! That the Leader (Renee Rosness) and fellow bandmate Ingrid Jensen both come from British Columbia is so inspiring to see.
Here is a great video describing how they worked on coming together for this project.

This is a great piece from the debut recording from ARTEMIS

In the 1980's a new sound was emerging lead by people like Michael Brecker (Sax) and Eliane Elias (piano). Here they are in the band Pools

This is a classic version of a tune (Moanin) in the classic jazz style known as hard bop. Drummer Art Blakey lead numerous ensembles of young musicians that would become jazz stars in their own right. 

another definitive sound from the 1980's is the Pat Metheny Group. Distinct compositions and lyrical, technically brilliant playing by all. 

Maynard Ferguson is important in 2 ways. Firstly, he was the leader of so many outstanding ensembles based on the same instrument grouping that we play with in our Jazz Bands Secondly, he redefined the range of the trumpet with his flamboyant high note soling and lead trumpet playing

John Coltrane brought both virtuosity and spirituality to his music. This piece is his response to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing on September 15, 1963, an attack by the Ku Klux Klan in Birmingham, Alabama that killed four African-American girls. Jazz History is also the History of the struggle of African Americans to achieve justice and equality

Miles Davis - one of the constant innovators in Jazz from the early 1950's until the 1990's.. Here are a handful of videos that represent the vast growth and change that he went through as a trumpet player, band leader and artist starting with this video featuring the great John Coltrane on Tenor Sax before he broke out on his own. The song has become a jazz classic, So What

Miles collaborated with the great arranger Gil Evans (born in Victoria, BC) on a handful of landmark records. Here is a link to the incredible album Sketches of Spain

The Miles Davis Quintet of the 1960's changed the face of jazz. The compositions were built to support soaring, explorative improvisations by the virtuoso players on every instrument. Every member of this band become leaders of the next generation of jazz musicians and leaders in their own right. 

ELECTRIC MILES!! in the late 60's through the mid 70's Miles went on a musical and creative journey experimenting with the rock and funk rhythms he was hearing in African American Funk music and Rhythm and Blues. He mixed this with the electronic sounds coming available in the late 60's and the focus of improvisation in Jazz, and once again came up with a brand new sound. 

Chris Potter has become one of the most outstanding sax soloists of this generation. Here he is with the amazing Dave Holland on bass (Dave is also playing bass on the previous "Electric Miles" video

Ensemble lead by Master drummer Terry Lynn Carrington - featuring Tia Fuller (Sax On Pixar's "SOUL"

Local Jazz great Brad Turner. Both an amazing trumpet player and pianist, Brad is one of the leaders of the West Coast Canadian jazz scene and teaches at Capilano University