mood.

What is jazz? Those not familiar with its intricacies, but wanting to learn, might find themselves wondering where to start.

Jazz is a mood; it's a feeling. To see if a more scientific consensus might be reached on where the first-timer should dip in to the wide, wide world of jazz, RG Magazine sought out the views of Bermudian musicians and buffs across the spectrum of age and musical taste. The target of the investigation was a beginner's guide limited to just six available recordings.

More than 100,000 jazz albums and CDs have been issued since the form coagulated 80 years ago. One hundred more are added to that pile weekly, making the choice of a mere half dozen a hazardous and foolhardy enterprise at best.

Talk to everyone, and it immediately becomes clear that no jazz brief, beginner's or advanced, would be complete without mention of MILES DAVIS, the trumpeter whose death last year brought to a close four decades of direct influence on everyone involved in Bermudian jazz today. His body of work, in all its phases, is unparalleled.

Bass player John Lee made the most convincing argument for including a Davis Sextet album, Miles Ahead, at the top of the list. "That way,'' says Lee, "you'd meet (saxophonists) John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley at the same time.'' Miles (never Davis) ran a veritable jazz academy at the time.

LESTER YOUNG - known in the jazz world as "Pres'' - was another all-star list-maker for the links he forged between swing and bebop. Former Max Roach student Colin Cooke's personal Pres choice was any recording with "Lady Day'', BILLY HOLIDAY. "They had a profound relationship,'' says Cooke, from his home in Portugal. "Her voice is without peer, and no understanding of jazz would be complete without Pres. Pick one? The Decca Masters.'' Another saxophonist made most peoples' lists, which tells you something about the instrument's significance. What Adolphe Sax invented, the Yardbird showed everyone how to play. The "Bird'' is CHARLIE PARKER.

Lionel Edwards, Legacy saxman, explains that "Parker's was the first saxophone I heard. He hooked me right in. The Bird would have to be there.'' Bassist Stan Gilbert of JACS succinctly agrees: "Without a doubt, Parker.'' The easy-listening Savoy Sessions might be the best point of entry to the Parker canon.

Winston DeGraff admitted leaning toward others who blow their own trumpet. His selection, standing in for these purposes for all the modern stars of the jazz pantheon, was WYNTON MARSALIS, another local favourite, who will be playing on the Island later this year.

"I'd choose his Standard Time,'' says DeGraff. "Apart from being my favourite, it's among his most rounded work.'' DUKE ELLINGTON was another automatic choice, as much in his capacity as bandleader and eminence (both are crucial jazz roles), as for his delicate piano work. His Live at Newport won at Oscar's for Best Introductory Album for a newcomer. It's the Duke's big band: influential, talented and together to the very brink of the possible, and possessed of tremendous spirit.

In this company, the pianist of record, as it were, would be BUD POWELL. Gavin Shorto, director of Government Information Services and a long-time jazz buff, reflects the local view that Powell's work was "easy to listen to, if you don't know what you're hearing, and a little more complex if you do.'' The Amazing Bud Powell, Vols 1 & 2 covers the period 1949-53, and is as good a place as any to start.

Running Powell a close second was Art Tatum, whom local pianist Danny Garcia describes as possessed of "an awesome gift.'' Cousin Juicy, host of VSB's Downbeat show recommends the following ten for jazz starters: Sketches of Spain (Miles Davis and Gil Evans), StolenMoment (Oliver Nelson), On Green Dolphin Street and So What (Miles Davis), Round Midnight (Thelonius Monk), Take 5 (Dave Brubeck aul Desmond), Dizzy's Night In Tunisia (Dizzy Gillespie), I Love You Porgy (Nina Simone), A Song For My Father (featuring Horace Silver, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy and Richard Davis), Moaning (Art Blakey and The Messengers).

Most of the hip cats wanted room made for the free-form jazz element represented by the likes of regular Bermuda visitor Henry Threadgill, Sonny Rollins, the World Saxophone Quartet or the Sun Ra Arkestra, but there was wide agreement that landing learners in the "strange territory'' of free jazz was not a winning idea.

Accordingly, guitarist Derek Simmons' insistence on the stand-alone inclusion of John Coltrane - everyone mentioned the 'Trane - was ruled offside.

So: Miles Davis, Lester Young, Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Wynton Marsalis, Duke Ellington and Bud Powell.

That's six, with no room at the inn for the immortal and central flugelhorn player Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman's clarinet, Nat King Cole's vocals or piano work, or even the founding father of jazz, Louis Armstrong. Not a guitarist in sight, no Charlie Christian, nor Gary Phillips' pick, Johnny McLaughlin. "Jazz beginners who have a rock and roll background would expect and need to hear a guitarist,'' says Phillips. "McLaughlin has played across the range.'' Nor is there room for a rhythm section. Were there, Chick Corea (bass) and Phillie Jo Jones (drums) would be the local dream combination.

Perhaps a simpler way to approach jazz history from the outside might be to listen to a Columbia compilation, I Like Jazz, which samples the ages up to the mid-1950s. Like all the nominated choices, it is available on CD.

Cooke has the last word. "Any best six that excludes Ornette Coleman, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, Albert Ayler, Lee Konitz or George Shearing would fail - and that's to name just eight.'' RG MAGAZINE JUNE 1993