AllenLowe

was, at the time, responding to your direct question. but I understand blackouts.

oral history is problematic, and something of a lazy-writer's technique, I think - it definitely takes a lot more work to view statements and events critically (as in, Did they actually happen this way?). On the other hand, Gitler's book is fascinating; Jazz Masters of the 1940s is essentially the same thing, he just added some transitional paragraphs. Also, Nathan Pearson's oral history on KC is excellent.

I'm glad we're all in a happy space now.

exactly, thanks for making my point - I was posting my opinions on the subject at hand - Evan Parker, as I recall. I'm glad we're all in a happy space now.

this from the guy who posted a picture of himself playing the guitar? good stuff.

are there actually any moderators in this place? or should I just be polite and pretend coreymwamba doesn't exist? I find the last post to be quite offensive. Unless personal attacks are now considered to be acceptable. The lack of respect for a member's opinion and experience is lousy; beyond that it creates a sense of intimidation, and really says "we don't want to hear from you unless you agree with us." It is contemptuous and on a par with, say, trying to embarrass a member for spelling something incorrectly (because learning disabilities are hilarious; ask Litweiler) -

another thing that leads me to believe, very firmly, that he was on the autism spectrum (which includes many high functioning people) is physical - his movements, the awkward physicality, are classic for these type of people. I've know manic depressives and bi-polar people, and it is a much different thing. the PDD (Pervasive Development Disorder) thing is quite common in creative people who are largely socially dysfunctional - in jazz, think Lester Young, Bud Powell, Benny Goodman, among others. Only a theory, of course, but spend some time around these people, as I have, and the signs are instantly recognizeable. (one interesting tell-tale sign: Lester Young shows up to a recording session wearing a suit and bedroom slippers - PDD people are usually sensory defensive and cannot wear tight clothing and are constantly struggling with sense issues and what they wear, and tend to adjust accordingly.) Also, be aware that it often coincides with other conditions -

geez, how'd you get that umlaut?

ye olde internet source, will have to find it again - but that is a completely accurate statement. I have a 21 year old son with Pervasive Development Disorder/NOS. I know the condition and its definitions, as I've read more than a few books on it and listened to many a doctor.

thanks, guys, will check out - actually saw the Barry Guy Orch years ago at that festival up in Canada - please don't think that I think he has to play tunes to be legit - I certainly don't - internally I've gone back and forth on these questions over the years - always fascinated by the concepts developed by these guys, by the techniques used by people like Parker, but always frustrated by the results. As I start to organize a band again, of course, I am grappling with the same questions - and of course, play with musicians who have trouble playing "open" and you suddenly realize that this music is not easy to play. some of this may be related to my obsession with literary and dramatic form as well, and my personal belief in the unity of those expressive forms, literature and music, with which I continually obsess. I an wary of formalism, and sometimes I find that a lot of the music that bothers me has come up with a formal solution but not necessarily an organizational solution. of course I wake up nights worried that I am completely wrong about everything.

just to assist: "Perseveration: a. Uncontrollable repetition of a particular response, such as a word, phrase, or gesture, despite the absence or cessation of a stimulus, usually caused by brain injury or other organic disorder.b. The tendency to continue or repeat an act or activity after the cessation of the original stimulus.2. The act or an instance of persevering; perseverance." and: "Asperger's syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder, or autistic spectrum disorder, recognizable by the lack of social skills and the often highly intellectual, perseverative interests developed by those with Asperger's. "

will relate a Dick Katz story - when Hall Overton was preparing the arrangements for the Town Hall concert, Dick got the assignment to ferry music back and forth between where Overton was rehearsing the band and Monk's apartment - this all happened over an 8 hour period and Dick reported that the whole time Monk was working on the same song, every time Dick arrived - amazing perseveration, though a common symptom of various disorders, though sometimes such things work to a musician's advantage -

yuk yuk you guys are too fast for me will refrain from wondering what other shadows there are than dark ones - (I'm too polite)

that's him - he also wrote something about Dylan and the Farina sisters, and used to be - maybe still is - a critic for the New Republic -

whoops - did I read it too fast?

the old Allen would have made some gratuitous remarks - the new Allen says - sounds like a nice gig -

I accept your apology.

does this mean I won't get all those Oscar Peterson CDs I ordered?

yes, which is why that writer is blowing it up his butt -

on what is that available? would like to hear it. and please don't assume I'm jaded - I like what I like and vice versa; it's not a personality disorder.

as I predicted, we can only insult each other here under the guise of dialog - my comments, per Alexander, are "nonsensical" and "caricature" - and now I simply don't get it. Condescension as argument -

well, my argument is based on the reality, I think, of how the improviser works - randomness merely indicates a freedom of improvisational movement - the roadmap is the structure on which the improviser works - beboppers use chord changes, free players use personal themes, sonic ideas, motifs - not a HUGE amount of organizing devices, I think, and a constantly narrowing number through repetition. This music is tired and old, to my ears (and don't forget that formally it has existed as an idea for about 50 years). It also borders on the narcisstic at times. Far easier for the improviser to just show up at the gig and just blow. Sorry, but that's the way I hear it after all these years, and have spent some time with Parker's work - technically impressive, intellectually less so, emotionally in-between. To me he is mostly self-referential in his playing, and this is, for me, a big problem. My argument is caricature only if you lump me with the usual critics like Gitler, et al, in my criticisms. But my comments (and musical ideas) come from the inside out, from having (like yourself) played this music from all sides, in open settings, with arrangements, with players like Hemphill and Rudd who can work virtually every angle (and from a long and interesting conversation about 2 years ago with Braxton, who praised Parker to the skies but clearly, in the bigger picture, thought that much of the idea of free playing had run is course). I will end with what I posted over on another thread about Ran Blake: "to me, Blake has solved the whole freedom argument in jazz - showed how one can create a sense of open form while at the same time having brilliant musical focus - of course, it helps to be playing solo in order to do this. But I think Ran has an amazing sense of stationery development - shows how one can be both vertical and horizontal at the same time, musically speaking. Running in place, maybe, but always getting somewhere" I still find certain free players compelling - been watching Matt Shipp on youtube this morning - there is such a pervasive internal organizing force in his music which is beyond freedom or glib ideas of sonics - it is compelling and organized and, most importantly, to the point. Obviously we will not reconcile our disagreements here, as all of his is increasingly subjective - another of the problems with free playing, IMHO. But many people I respect disagree with me strongly on these matters. I am well aware of that -

to me, Blake has solved the whole freedom argument in jazz - showed how one can create a sense of open form while at the same time having brilliant musical focus - of course, it helps to be playing solo in order to do this. But I think Ran has an amazing sense of stationery development - shows how one can be both vertical and horizontal at the same time, musically speaking. Running in place, maybe, but always getting somewhere.

continues to impress - the reading I went to on Tuesday night was pretty awful - mostly because Randy Weston went into several long and annoying speeches about the old days and about how the beboppers, unlike these kids today, dressed nice and were all clean family men (sic) - I was sitting next to a well-known critic/writer, and we just both shook our heads (as he pointed out, Weston has had numerous wives and children; not to mention the usual bebop mental disturbances, drug use, and just plain debauchery) - Weston also informed us that the first slaves were playing the blues. oy veh. I will continue to read the book, in spite of this.........