Hi there, this is Nora Bite, guitarist, composer, jazz player, guitar teacher.

This questions appears often-What do you listen? What can you suggest to listen?

So, I just wanted to share some of my favorite music records. I will probably only mention 1 percent of my favorites… As most of jazz musicians out there knows-when someone asks about their favorite records, it is always difficult to answer as there are too many…

However , I will try to talk about few of my heroes…

1 – I will mention Pat Metheny first.

Just because I am guitarist and he is probably the one I have listened the most of all. Not as much these days, but so much in the past. And I m loving this particular composition of his!

2 – Sonny Rollins

He was my very first idol. I was feeling like in heaven when I first saw him live. I literally thought to myself that I can die in that very moment. I had a thought – “this is it!”. I have seen him live. What else can be there ion world to see and experience? This is how much he meant to me when I started studying jazz. And album “Saxophone Colossus” was my first journey into his music and it’s something I always love to go back to.

3 – Thelonius Monk

He is one of those I have been obsessed with for few years of my life. Obsessions comes and goes, but some of these idols just stays in my heart. And he is one of them. This particular tune is written for lady – Pannonica. There is a movie about this lady called “Jazz Baroness”. Search this name on the web if you are interested! She was a part of jazz history and not only Monk wrote tunes about her.

4 – Gerald Clayton

First time I saw this trio was in Umbria jazz  in year 2008. They where playing before Herbie Hancock and me and my fellow musician friend both loved it more than Herbie! I saw the trio live after that occasion quite a few times. They where few of the musicians I have met when I first hanged out in London jazz hang, and maybe one of many reasons why I decided to move to live in London, even though they don’t live in London themselves but they where just a part of my first London experience. It was just the vibe of me listening to this album a lot of times in those months, when I was preparing myself mentally for London. I still love this trios sound. Love how they listen to each other and play so so together! They know each other from the early age and you can hear that in their playing.

5 – Avishai Cohen 

He is special. I have been inspired to write one of my tunes after listening to his music. That doesn’t happen that often-I must say. Usually I write music not knowing who inspired me, but 1 of my tunes was definitely inspired by Avishai. That tune is not recorded yet, neither there is video out there… But will be soon…

Here is one of my favorite tunes of Avishai.

6 – Wes Montgomery

I often like to play the tune “Four on six”, similar like many guitarist out there… Someone even commented – Oh! That is guitarists tune! However, Wes is a legend and he is considered one of the biggest influences between jazz guitarists.

7 – Wayne Shorter

I love so many tunes  written by Wayne! And recently I have been really into particular line up – with Blade, Pattituci and Perez. He is definitely one of my favorite musicians of all time! However, tune “Yes or No” is one of my 10 favorite tunes list of his!

8 – Brian Blade ( with Danilo Perez)

I love his drumming so much! Particularly in the trio and quartet with Danilo Perez and John Patittuci ! Also that gig together with Wayne Shorter as quartet (search in the web if you are interested)

9 – Hubert Laws – Rite of Spring

One of my friends suggested to check this out in the past in one of those musical chats, where we where sharing music with each other. I don’t know why, but I fall in love with this particular recording when I heard it. I kept listening to it again and again… I just feel some magic in it. I love Ron Carter as well.

10 – Trilok Gurtu

I used to be really into him! Haven’t checked him out for a long time! But I used to put him in my favorite 5 ! I love his experimental vibe and many of his collaborations!

11 – Richard Bona – Even though he is not “Really” jazz… But I just love African vibes in music and really liked his singing when discovered him. Maybe the reason is simple. When I was living in Latvia his voice sounded very exotic to me. Now I live in London and play some African music as well. Now I see and hear things very different from the way I saw them back then. As it’s not as exotic anymore. But still, he was part of my favorite music list for few years in the past and even though I don’t listen his stuff these days, he is probably the reason why I started liking African music in the first place. This tune is collaboration with another one of the greats-Bobby Mcferrin! ( I must mention that the fact that Richard does so much show vibe in his gigs is not really my cup of tea anymore, however, I can’t deny the fact that he is one of the genius out there and he was a big part of my musical journey.)

12 – Miles Davis –  Kind of blue

Yes, this is so Cliche! But I can’t escape past and I won’t deny the fact that this album was a big part of my musical growth! My favorite autobiography book is Miles one! And I could mention at least 3 other albums of his.. but I wanted to mention this particular as it have one of first solos I have learned to play – So What. I am sure this solo have been the first for so many musicians out there as well! This is video recording though and solo is a bit different from the recording one! It is still very similar! (I was actually very surprised when heard this video for the first time and discovered his solo to be so similar…)

13 – Kurt Rosenwinkel

Another guitarist I am mentioning? Yes, I cannot not mention him, as he was also big part of my journey.

14 – Dave Holland

I have added him later to this list. But it’s just because I didn’t realize that I have forgotten HIM!!! 🙂 🙂

There are probably 100 more musicians I have forgotten to mention… I will write more about this in the future to tell more about my heroes.

But in the meantime  – don’t forget to follow this web page/blog via email to receive newest blog post notifications, including info about my gigs and recordings.

Thank you for stopping by and checking this wonderful music! Till next time!

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That was written while ago…

Most of those musicians I don’t even listen anymore…

However, recently I check Lage Lund a lot.

Just a little add.

I also would add Chriss Potter to the list, Gilad Hekselman, Ari Hoenig, Danilo Perez trio with Blade and Pattituci and ….. ( this might be updated at some point again.. ( 2018… )