Look no further: you've found the perfect shopping list for the jazzers in your family. If there's one thing I believe in, it's quality over quantity, so if you're on the hunt for a cheap gift, go straight to the "must-have album" category. The rest of the items are top quality and top price — but worth every cent.
These items represent some of the most intriguing and unique gifts I've come across in my lifetime. So go ahead, be a buyer, not a shopper.
1. For the "jazz drinker": Ice-ball maker
The most interesting drinking gadget comes from Japan. It's an ice-ball maker, in cast metal, that will take a large chunk of ice and turn it into a perfectly formed sphere about the size of a mandarin orange in about a minute. The ice spheres fit nicely into a highball glass and are said to be the perfect ice because the area of an ice sphere makes the ice melt slower. You'll get ice-cold drinks without diluting your pricey scotch. It's super cool to see and use, but it's not cheap. The machines start at around $190.
2. For the audiophile: Grado SR80i headphones
Try to find a bad review for these Grado SR80i headphones. They are comfy and will make any music, but mostly jazz, of course, sound like angels singing directly into your head. I own a pair of Grado SR80is myself and bring them to work with me every day for Tonic. You can pick them up in Canada starting at around $136.
3. Must-have album: Ray Sings, Basie Swings
Even though this album was released a few years ago, it's still one of the most solid go-to albums you can get any jazzophile. If you’re a Ray Charles fan or a Count Basie fan, just imagine those two geniuses together in concert. The show took place in the 1970s, then the tapes were put on a shelf to collect dust for 40 years. A record company honcho found the tapes, labeled “Ray/ Basie,” and gave them a listen. Tragically, the Basie Band was recorded horribly, but Ray's vocals were spectacular. What do you do? You get the Basie Band to re-record the songs and the result is this album, called Ray Sings, Basie Swings. (This is your cheapest option, too, at just $9.99 on iTunes.)
4. Underwear perfection for your jazzy man: MyPakage underwear
There's no better time to give underwear as a gift than at holiday time. Who knows why. MyPakage underwear are simply the most perfect underwear. These soft, stretchy underwear use something called "keyhole comfort technology" that helps a man, well, find ultimate comfort all day. It's like the Cross Your Heart bra for guys and will set you back about $25 a pair. You can't put a price on comfort.
5. For the jazz photographer: Canon s110
If you're looking for the perfect camera that takes stunning pictures, is easy to use but has a ton of other photography fiddly bits, like high definition video and manual functions, look no further than the Canon s110. It's a camera powerhouse that is every bit as good as a huge, bulky SLR camera but it fits in the front pocket of your jeans. It's super slick and it will cost around $399 if you shop around.
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