Yanow Is Here

[Rooster_Ties]

I have Yanow's Trumpet book, and have found it both useful and an enjoyable read.

Have given it as a present too (to my uncle, who plays trumpet -- and frankly knew and knows a whole lot more of the earlier players than I probably ever will).

[Brad]

to respond to Connoisseur - the negative evaluations of Scott's writing have nothing to do with his target audience, they were simply evaluations of the writing on its own terms, as representing serious review of important jazz recordings. It doesn't, to me, matter who the target audience is, the reviewer still has to be held up to the same standard of accuracy and/or understanding of the music, both historically and technically. Agree or not, those who have questioned his work have questioned it on those grounds.

Yanow isn't in the category of a Larry Kart or any number of high-minded, "serious" critics/reviewers.

He does yeoman's work, as he himself described it earlier:

I just hope that my writing helps guide readers towards getting recordings that they will ultimately enjoy.

and on those terms he does a pretty decent job.

Amen to that. When I got started AMG was crucial for me and I still consult it. I don't always agree but it's a good reference guide (not perfect, but what is?).

[RDK]

As a 36-year-old who is eagerly awaiting the day that I gratuate from "geezerhood" to being called an "old coot," I can assure you I meant no disrespect to the aged on this board.

Same here. Furthermore, in the jazz arena, I've always considered "old coot" a form of affection.

[Brad]

I would take your argument about private discussions more seriously, Brad, if I saw you also objecting to threads on this forum about personal domestic problems and divorce. Interesting double standard here -

Allen,

I don't always read every thread that's on this board. If someone voluntarily comes on here asks for advice that's different than making public something that could be (I didn't say should) handled privately.

[AllenLowe]

yes - but when they ask for marital and/or relationship advice they are dragging another party into the topic who has no idea that they are the topic of a public discussion -

[Hot Ptah]

i should add, as a pre-coot titan who's nonetheless been in the game 20+ years, that Yanow has had...

ZERO

effect on my as a LISTENING ARTIST.

back in the day (mid-'80s onwards), I had the library, rekkid store clerks (including one hyper-enthused nerd at Schoolkids in Ann Arbor-- bald guy, beard, i bet SOME person hear knows who I mean, think the dude also worked p/t at PJ's) c

I do know who you mean, having acquired a good sized chunk of my collection at Schoolkids. It was a great store. Before that, it was the advice of clerks at Discount Records and Record World in Madison. A clerk at Discount Records picked out 25 or so jazz classics for me in one memorable visit which started my entire jazz loving adventure. Chuck Nessa had managed the Discount Records a few years before and must have trained this guy. I would love to know who he is so that I could thank him--in the mid-1970s he had longish black hair and beard.

[Scott Yanow]

Thanks to those of you who welcome me here. I appreciate it. I'll stick around and occasionally make posts about topics that interest me.

And always feel free to ask me anything you like, or question my reviews. I certainly don't expect people to agree with all of my writing. I just do my best as honestly and as accurately as I can.

No jazz writer (except Whitney Balliett who is God) is infallible. Critics are not above being criticized. We just do what we can to help the music and give readers information.

I've never been particularly interested in writing overly lengthy analysis of solos; only the late Martin Williams had the talent to make that interesting. If my writing strikes some as overly concise, usually that is what various editors or the All Music Guide want. If someone asks for 200 words and I hand in 1,000, they'll get rid of me quickly. I also learned long ago that there is no virtue in wasting words, turning performance reviews into novels or making each article into my memoirs. There is simply no excuse for pieces about jazz being boring, not when the music is so exciting.

Clementine, your last post is a crack-up. It made me chuckle in a few spots. It's nice to know that I've had zero impact on you and yet you seem to read my stuff anyway. I guess that's an odd compliment of sorts. And I bet, despite your denials, that you learned something from Trumpet Kings, if only the name of some obscure trumpeters who you might not have heard of.

As far as being a "music processor," sorry but that definition makes little real sense. Perhaps one could call a discographer that, they serve such a valuable purpose, but I am a jazz critic, for better or worse.

It's really not my goal to have an "impact" on every single jazz fan. I just hope that my writing helps a few. What is important are the musicians and the singers, they are the creators, and the ones that really matter.

[Larry Kart]

Whitney Balliett sure is fallible. For example, in the liner notes he wrote in 1956 for the Pacific Jazz album "Grand Encounter -- 2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West," with John Lewis, Bill Perkins, Jim Hall, Percy Heath, and Chico Hamilton, after praising the certainly praiseworthy Perkins for his gentle lyricism, Balliett went on to say this: "There is [in Perkins' playing] none of the hair-pulling, the bad tone, or the ugliness that is now a growing mode, largely in New York, among the work of the hard-bopsters like Sonny Rollins, Hank Mobley, and JR Monterose."

[Robert J]

back in the day (mid-'80s onwards), I had the library, rekkid store clerks (including one hyper-enthused nerd at Schoolkids in Ann Arbor-- bald guy, beard, i bet SOME person hear knows who I mean, think the dude also worked p/t at PJ's)

Clem - I do recall that dude Helped me with some Keith Jarrett and Charles Lloyd selections when I was first getting into that. And the Detroit pianists. Though I was only in Schoolkids about 6 times total. However, a current AMG reviewer also worked there at that same time (and became manager) - Thom Jurek (a critic often accused of the opposite of Yanow - too many words )

[medjuck]

I'm confused: Which one used to be Aric, Clem or Chewy? And which one am I insulting?

[Aggie87]

I'm confused: Which one used to be Aric, Clem or Chewy? And which one am I insulting?

Chewy Chu Chu Bean Benitez = Contemporary Lady in SF = some professor in England = Aric.

[Matthew]

I, for one, am very glad to have Mr. Yanow contributing to the board. Damn, I'm just trying to learn all I can about this music that I love, and I welcome anyone's well thought out opinion. IMHO, some people here are taking themsleves way to seriously, and treating someone like shit whom they've never met -- after awhile, it just is embarrassing, all this trying to score points and using Mr. Yanow to do it with.

[AllenLowe]

*bing*

two points -

[Ron S]

All I know is that I'm reading posts by Allen Lowe and Larry Kart, and I look at the bottom of the page and see next to my own name that Scott Yanow and Chris Albertson are also reading this thread, and I think to myself, "how the hell did I get into this club???"

[ValerieB]

I, for one, am very glad to have Mr. Yanow contributing to the board. Damn, I'm just trying to learn all I can about this music that I love, and I welcome anyone's well thought out opinion. IMHO, some people here are taking themsleves way to seriously, and treating someone like shit whom they've never met -- after awhile, it just is embarrassing, all this trying to score points and using Mr. Yanow to do it with.

bravo, matthew, for your comments. i agree with you wholeheartedly. these "punks" who are so rude would probably never, ever have the guts to talk like that to someone's face! they're very brave though sitting behind their computers. pathetic is what they are.

[Aggie87]

All I know is that I'm reading posts by Allen Lowe and Larry Kart, and I look at the bottom of the page and see next to my own name that Scott Yanow and Chris Albertson are also reading this thread, and I think to myself, "how the hell did I get into this club???"

<--- speaking into collar-microphone...

"Can we get a bouncer over here, there's a guy named Ron S who clearly isn't on the guest list..."

[ejp626]

Well, I agree with those who say the more the merrier. Having Scott Yanow here is cool. Having other new members who like jazz but have never reviewed CDs is also cool. I guess Mr. Yanow has given me a bum steer now and then (a solo Steve Lacy CD I really didn't like), but I've found his reviews useful most of the time. Still, I certainly don't rely on AMG or any other reviews to shape my listening habits.

[Hot Ptah]

All I know is that I'm reading posts by Allen Lowe and Larry Kart, and I look at the bottom of the page and see next to my own name that Scott Yanow and Chris Albertson are also reading this thread, and I think to myself, "how the hell did I get into this club???"

They put their pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.

You forgot Chuck Nessa, not to add to your anxiety or anything.

[Ron S]

All I know is that I'm reading posts by Allen Lowe and Larry Kart, and I look at the bottom of the page and see next to my own name that Scott Yanow and Chris Albertson are also reading this thread, and I think to myself, "how the hell did I get into this club???"

They put their pants on one leg at a time, just like the rest of us.

You forgot Chuck Nessa, not to add to your anxiety or anything.

Actually, I didn't forget Chuck--his name just didn't happen to be visible on the screen when I had my little epiphany.

[Ron S]

All I know is that I'm reading posts by Allen Lowe and Larry Kart, and I look at the bottom of the page and see next to my own name that Scott Yanow and Chris Albertson are also reading this thread, and I think to myself, "how the hell did I get into this club???"

<--- speaking into collar-microphone...

"Can we get a bouncer over here, there's a guy named Ron S who clearly isn't on the guest list..."

(Hey, I snuck in with you.)

[7/4]

Scott has had very little effect on my life, I'm not really familiar with his writing. My Jazz tastes were formed by WKCR, their birthday broadcasts and the Princeton Record Exchange. Downtown Music Gallery helped too. But I ain't gonna hold that against SY.

Whatever...

[connoisseur series500]

I think I remember the guy Clem mentions at Schoolkids as well.

It may interest a few of us to know that Schoolkids still exists on State Street in Ann Arbor. He's got a downstairs location, accessible from another store. Sells mostly new stuff, off labels and such.

[Aggie87]

All I know is that I'm reading posts by Allen Lowe and Larry Kart, and I look at the bottom of the page and see next to my own name that Scott Yanow and Chris Albertson are also reading this thread, and I think to myself, "how the hell did I get into this club???"

<--- speaking into collar-microphone...

"Can we get a bouncer over here, there's a guy named Ron S who clearly isn't on the guest list..."

(Hey, I snuck in with you.)

Me?? Couldn'ta been me. I wouldn't wanna belong to any jazz BBS that would want me as a member!

[JSngry]

The reason most rock critics love Elvis Costello is that most rock critics look like Elvis Costello.

[Ron S]

Do their wives look like Diana Krall?