Jazz for aficionados

Extensive improvisation, sometimes hours long, is at the heart of classical Indian music.

learsfool, you are a classical musician. You think and speak like a classical musician. By now you should realize that "all" musicians don't even live in the same world, even when they only live blocks apart.

I'm sure the jazz musicians I knew had to learn their skills somewhere, but they did not practice. As often as they performed, they didn't need to. Yes the kind of musician I knew was rare, but I have no reason to fabricate.

Your world as a musician, is so different from the the jazz world, that you're having a hard time accepting it. You stated that all the musicians you knew were into the high end. Now I know why, "Classical music sounds like noise when it's played on less than high end equipment", but that's another subject. According to Branford Marsalis, he was the only jazz musician he knew who was into the high end. John Lee Hooker had several homes before his death, and he had Kenwood rack systems in all of them, he said he liked a "funky" sound. Musicians I knew were either working on a gig, or digging a set, and rarely sat down to listen to recorded music; of course we were both young then.

Wynton Marsalis could be one of the most perfect "Classical" trumpets ever as a result of all the things you have stated about musicians, and he could be the best "side man" ever. If you call that "Wynton bashing", so be it; but I'm using him as an example of what you think the most accomplished musicians have to be.

Erroll Garner was self taught and remained what's called an ear player. Learsfool, you are imposing your reality on a world that's foreign to you. We all do that at times.

Enjoy the music.

Rok, I wish Wynton all the success and happiness in the world, but in regard to "the music", I agree with his critics, and this is what I thought a long time ago before I even knew he had critics. As far as I'm concerned, his critics are agreeing with me, as opposed to me agreeing with his critics.

Enjoy the music.

I've got a DVD "Garth Fagan, Griot New York" , that has music composed and arranged by Wynton Marsalis. Since I had seen Garth Fagan's dancers, there was no doubt in my mind, this was going to be spectacular. The music killed it. For confirmation I stuck it in the player, and it still sucks.

Youse guys found You tubes of Wynton playing someone else's music, and it was fantastic; but nobody said Wynton couldn't play the trumpet, all of Wynton's critics said he could play the trumpet very well. I even stated that he might be the worlds best trumpet player, especially since he plays classical and jazz; but classical is not his own music. It's just when he composes and arranges that the music totally sucks. That is something that can not be debated because beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that music is one ugly duckling to this beholder.

Enjoy the music.

Learsfool,
I understand the point Opheus10 is making. My passion is definitely jazz but I respect all skilled and talented musicians. Do classical musicians also improvise Learsfool? I`d like your perspective.It fascinates me when jazz musicians play an entire set(or the full evening) with no sheet music to be found anywhere. In no way do I want this to become a jazz vs classical battle(pointless arguement).I`m asking strictly for a musician`s unique vantage point.I`m convinced it takes much work and ability to master either.
Regards,