Jazz for aficionados

Not meaning to bore anyone with personal details, but simply to make a point and (hopefully) food for thought:

I have a mole on the left side of my neck that has been there for as long as I can remember. I have always thought that it was probably the result of a couple of bad sunburns suffered during my careless younger days; or, the result of...who knows? My teenage son has a similar mole in the exact same spot on his neck; he doesn’t like the sun. Coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidences. Isn’t it fascinating and mysterious what traits are inherited from and passed on by our parents?

Nice clips of Ravi Coltrane, Acman3. Coincidentally, about three weeks ago, at an outdoor Classical music concert of all places, I met Ravi Coltrane. Nicest guy you will ever meet. Perhaps it was the simple knowledge of who he is the son of and the well documented gentleness and spiritual quality that his father possessed, but it was striking how similar Ravi’s personality is to what I know of his father’s. Physically, the similarities in facial features were also amazing; but that, I suppose, is to be expected. To say I was somewhat "star struck" (if one can call it that) as I shook his hand would be an understatement. The mentioned qualities can reasonably be expected, but the fact that his tenor saxophone playing is so remarkably reminiscent of his father’s is what amazes me; although, for me, somewhat less so his soprano playing. As has been commented on here many times there are and have been many Coltrane disciples who play great and some who carried on the Coltrane torch and extended the Trane musical language. None have had that deep sense of "calm in the eye of the storm" quality that Trane’s playing had. Just wanted to share and thanks for the clips.

Inna, everything for "audiophiles" is badly overpriced. You are an "audiophile" if, and only if you have a specified large amount to spend on such purchases, and won't hesitate to spend it.

You are not an audiophile if you hesitate to spend a large amount of your disposable income on audiophile purchases. (that goes with the new definition)

When the commodity markets were manipulated (when gasoline cost $4.00 or even $5.00 per gallon) the people on the right side of that equation ( the politically connected) made an astronomical amount of money, and they can still afford to spend a ridiculous amount of money on any thing they choose.

That equation shifted the average income down. (the price of food was manipulated too) If you had to pay more for food and gasoline, two of the basic necessities of life; that amounted to a decrease in your disposable income; ( your bank account took a big hit, now you're lucky if you have one) the amount of money left for frivolities is a lot less now.

Although many of us object to reality, that's the life we have to live; unless we were on the right side of the equation, and can afford a 100K amp.

Frogman, it's not fascinating or mysterious, just a fact of life; the same thing goes for athletes.

So much of who you are, was determined before you were born; it's a lot about "who was yo daddy". If your daddy was rich, I would venture to say you don't have too many financial problems, and even those will be reduced when he joins honorable ancestors.

Inna, thanks for the Tony Scott clip. I like the clip. Frankly, about the most enjoyable thing that I have ever heard by Tony Scott; he is generally not my cup of tea. Interesting player whose style always shows his fascination with folk music. There is a quality in his playing reminiscent of the way that the clarinet is used in Eastern European folk music. He is often touted as a bebop clarinet player and in my opinion that is quite a stretch.

My comments are not meant to provoke or offend but to hopefully inspire interesting and friendly discussion. I think that one of the challenges in evaluating and discussing music on a thread like this is in keeping our own personal musical style and genre preferences separate and independent from evaluations about the artistic and technical merit, or as you recently stated, the "level" of the playing. You commented about the Connors clips that Ghosthouse posted and seemed to object to their "level". You then posted music by Jesse Cook and Tony Scott. What is it about the level of that music that you find superior (presumably) to that of the Connors other than the fact that you may like those styles/genres better? I don’t find anything inherently superior in either the Jesse Cook or Tony Scott clips on a technical or compositional level. Style/genre? Obviously very different and they each evoke different feelings mostly dictated by our personal likes and preferences. I would also argue that the Scott is on a lower level technically and compositionally. Jesse Cook, as you say, is a very good guitarist, and even though I am not quite sure he is, along with Paco, one of the two best I do like some of his stuff. However, that clip (as you point out) barely rises above the saccharine Flamenco flavored "New Age/World Music" thing; and, I would also argue that with the exception of Cook himself the playing is not on the same "level" of virtuosity as that on the Connors clips. Just what do you mean when you refer to "level"? I welcome your thoughts.

Not comparing; just two acoustic guitarists that I enjoy:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ahL2vE-AGSY

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pi83LbDpUd0

Class, Frogman, class.
I listened to what you posted. I would still prefer John Williams to the former and I would not listen to the latter, just not my kind of music.
I think, I said it once here long ago, the best sax playing I've ever heard was at the corner of 5th Avenue and 60 something. The man, black man, was playing alone what I would call a never ending blues, combining styles of Coltrane and Miles from seventies but with more passion. No idea who he was.  Point is that there are great players, even if few, out there, but they are not 'on TV'.
I only like this composition by Tony Scott and his performance with Japanese musicians - Music for Zen Meditation. Very unusual collaboration, especially for that time.