Looking for that sound...

[crazy_diamond]

Hey, I'm 16, and started playing the piano about a year ago. I am playing mostly classics, by Beethoven and Chopin.
I understand this is more of a classical forum. But I have this album of duets with piano and contra bass of Duke Ellington recoreded by Mulgrew Miller on the piano. And I just fell in love for the jazzistic sound. But I don't like too much the concept of having the accompaniment, and playing a head, and then imrovising meaninglessly on it. Well not on the piano at least.
As I was listening to chopin's Nocturnes, I  heared an echoe of that sound I loved in Jazz, but mostly classic sound. Now to save you up the BS, what I really want to find , are well composed, interesting, solo piano pieces wrapped in a jazzistic sound.
So if anyone can tell me a name of an artist or pieces, I'll really apreciate it.

Shine on.

[donjuan]

There's nothing Jazzy about Chopin, but I understand what you're taling about..

Chopin nocturnes are probably your best bet, but you might like certain selections of Debussy - Check out Arabesque No.1 and Claire de Lune- in fact, in bars and such jazz artists often use these themes.  Also, have a look at Gershwin- now, I am almost telling you to look at jazz- or Ragtime stuff like Joplin's Maple leaf rag.  

The first piece I thought of when I was reading your post is Liszt's Sonetto 123. Check it out!

For the most part, I think you should stop trying to find jazzy sound in classical music and stick to what you really love.
donjuan

[bernhard]

As Don Juan said, Gershwin (try his Preludes) Joplin and Debussy (Le petit Negre and Golliwog’s cakewalk are very jazzy).

Here are a few more:

Barber : Excursions op. 20 and Souvenirs op. 28

Dave Brubek: Themes from Euarasia – seven pieces that Brubek (a jazz legend) wrote for his son based on his improvisations on songs form around  the world.

Reminiscences of the cattle country – his memories of the time he spent on a ranch as a youngster.

William Bolcom – Seabiscuits rag.

Almost anything by Norman dello Joio

And of course you can try (as donjuan said) jazz itself. Nowadays there are a lot of very faithful transcriptions available of all the jazz greats (Jelly Roll Morton, Keith Jarret, Chick Corea, etc.)

Best wishes,
Bernhard

[cziffra777]

You might want to check out the Russian composer Kapustin. His music is influenced by jazz. There is a Yahoo! group devoted to him, which can be found here:

https://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/kapustin/

There is an article on him here:

https://home.wanadoo.nl/ovar/sovrev/kapustin/smith.htm

[Daevren]

Meaningless improvisation?

My suggestion is just keep listen to jazz. Until you understand.

Listen to classical too.

And play them both.

Problem solved.

Kapustin is the most jazzlike composer I know.

If you just want the colourful harmony, there are tons of composers who composed pieces like that.