Jazz for aficionados

If I said anything that would be contrary to what "Bird" said, I would of course be wrong.

If you think I said something contrary to what "Bird" said, you misinterpreted what I said.


Enjoy the music

Maybe so O-10.  I apologize for letting past arguments filter into the current conversation.

Kind of ironic.

Acman, no one can get to where these special people are without practicing; no more than a professional tennis player can get to where he is without "practicing"; but, after a "special" musician gets to be a professional musician, when he's performing, he's also "practicing".

Hard Bop jazz musicians are in no way similar to "concert" musicians; they do not play the same thing time after time; their minds are as active as their fingers, searching for something new and different.

Did you see the intensity of concentration on Art Peppers face when he was with the rhythm section? Got to be right on time, not a split second early or late.


Enjoy the music.

This (and the dope issue) has been touched upon ad nauseum here; unfortunately I don’t believe that there has been substantive actual discussion. On the issue of "practicing": for starters, there simply isn’t enough commonality in commentators’ understanding of what "practicing" actually is for any discussion to be significant. It would be nice if there were more openness to a point of view based on facts; instead there is staunch adherence to certain misconceptions based on the romance of the tortured artistic savant. Re drug use: while it is undeniable that some jazz musicians, like every other segment of the population, will be driven to drug use because of personal problems, it is a well documented fact that many started using simply because they wanted to emulate everything that their musical heroes (Bird) did; including, and sadly, drug use. Given all this, I think it’s probably best if the topics are dropped. Just one man’s opinion.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL08wkpFF-0UWOIRiIj0OiUdM30HlnvzVM&v=Jq7H2E4q83c

Coincidentally, I listened to this great record today. First the important stuff: the subject of drummers has been discussed recently. Jack DeJohnette is a genius and one of the most innovative and influential drummers in jazz. As an aside, while I may have been a bit tough on Ginger Baker, my comments were based on my sense that the sophistication in his playing is nowhere near that of a Jack DeJohnette. Keith Jarrett, the leader of the date, is a rather polarizing figure in jazz. I think the issue is that he has a very unique sense of what the rhythmic feeling of jazz is "supposed" to be for some. I love his playing; after I make the adjustment to that other rhythmic sensibility which is not "swingy" in the usual way. Fantastic ensemble playing with tremendous synergy. Why coincidence? The not so important stuff:

Listen at the end of this great performance of "Stella". At 7:34 we hear Jarrett say "I hope they taped that". Why is he hoping? Aren’t they there to record? Yes, but that was not supposed to be a take; they were rehearsing/practicing. It is not uncommon for recording engineers to have the tape rolling during rehearsals and sound checks so as not to miss a potentially great performance. This was a perfomance of a standard tune with no unusual arrangement. Imagine if Jarrett had brought a brand new composition that the other players were seeing (on the printed page) for the first time. They practice.  (Oops, I guess I didn't drop it 😉)

Frogman, that was kind of sneaky the way you discussed both drug use and practicing, while suggesting we not discuss the subject any more.

I'm thankful that although we don't see drug use among jazz musicians, it is a serious problem in this country from North to South, and East to West. From time to time, we have wandered off the subject of music, and I have no objections to that.

Back to the subject of music, and special musicians; I had to laugh when "Bird" emphasized the aspect of schooling, like he had been to Juilliard School of Music. Of course schooling is important, but special people like him have done quite well without it, because they loved music and had the desire, drive, and ambition to succeed, even though school was unavailable due to economic reality.

In small "hard bop" jazz groups, spontaneity is the element that makes them sound so fresh. What they played depended on what was played just before their solo. Herbie Hancock told of the time he "goofed" and played wrong notes, but Miles came right behind him and made it come out beautiful.

In music, what ever the situation calls for, is the thing to do.



Enjoy the music.