Jazz for aficionados

O-10, you argue against a point that I never made. I clearly said that there are important differences between East Coast jazz and classic West Coast jazz. As with all music the two different styles reflect their “birthplace” in many ways. My disagreement is with your suggestion that West Coast jazz is “less real” and “less emotional”. I don’t agree with that characterization. The style of playing is different and it resonates more with some listeners than with others for the reasons that I tried to explain. Moreover, not all jazz played on the West Coast falls into the stereotypical West Coast “cool” style; especially currently today. LA has and has always had a bebop scene, a swing (traditional) scene, as well as a “cool” scene.

I’m also surprised that you don’t think that players influence other players; especially when they work together. Much has been discussed here on the topic of players’ influence on other players and the idea of evolution in jazz. There is much in print or video interviews in which players who have played with Miles speak about how much they learned from Miles and how much Miles influenced their playing. Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers were referred to by some as “The Hard Bop Academy”.

Rok, seems to me it is not I making the straw man arguments re the Nica’s Dream comparison. I never said that tempo was the “ONLY” difference. Please reread what I wrote. I clearly wrote “main difference” or that there was “little difference” between the two.... especially as concerns a West/East comparison. Remember we are talking about differences in the general style of playing on the two versions since we were talking about East/West. Obviously, since there are different players involved the playing will be different and one could argue that any one player’s playing is better than on the other version; but that is not what’s being discussed, the style is. The general style of playing is very similar on both. They even play the same arrangement of the tune and even have the same order of solos. You yourself said that you would not be able to tell that one was West and the other East. THAT’S THE POINT! That’s why that particular comparison is not a good one. You wanted to know about the “nuts and bolts” differences . In this example, aside from the faster tempo, there is very little. (Personally and subjectively, I like Blue Mitchell’s solo better, but much prefer Harold Land’s to Junior Cook’s). Don’t underestimate the impact that simply the difference in tempo can have on the emotional impact of music; it is huge.

Avid audiophile that I know you are (not! 😊) you’ll appreciate the fact that many feel that the reason that the well known Rega 3 turntable is so popular and thought to be so rhythmically exciting is the fact that the motor runs less than 1% fast. What are the big differences in STYLE that you hear besides the faster tempo.

West Coast style:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JbYUFD3spTM

East Coast style:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=duMc7RCZoME


mary_jo, I’m flattered. Apology to your printer 😌. Nice clips.

"As you define "real", meaning emotionally from the heart, West Coast is less real, but that doesn't mean it's less jazzy."

You read too fast Frogman; the "you" in that sentence was referring to Rok, not me; he identifies some things different from me; I did not make that distinction.

Frogman, because you're a professional musician, you sometime don't see the forest for the trees; you get too hung up in the "nuts and bolts".

The "feel" of those two versions of "Nica's Dream" was different; one "felt" West Coast, and the other "felt" East Coast.

Frogman, I go by what I hear, not what musicians say; Bill Evans played a lot with Miles, I can't hear where Bill Evans began to sound like Miles.

mary_jo, I sincerely adored everything about your post, except; that scratchy recording of Dark Eyes by Yoska Gabor and his Gypsy Orchestra.

While I liked the music, the audiophile in me detests scratchy records.