_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
CJ Shearn
-
Posts
4,628 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Donations
0.00 USD
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Blogs
Posts posted by CJ Shearn
-
-
3 hours ago, HutchFan said:
I don't particularly like those records either.
But CJ's larger point still stands.
IMO, it's 100% right-on for a critic (or anyone else) to say, "I don't like that music because reason X, Y, or Z." Because that statement acknowledges the personal and the subjective that's part-and-parcel of the assessment.
It's different when a critic (or anyone else) says, "That's bad music because reason X, Y, or Z." Because that's a statement about power. That is, "I get to decide what's good." Critcs -- and others who are trying to be "gatekeepers" -- act as if they have some sort of authority that they don't possess. And, as often as not, the critic is making judgments based on criteria that don't align with the artist's goals and desires.
Ellington made this same point when he said that critics often forget that it's not their job to tell the artist what to do; it's their job to describe what the artist has done.
That thing about "power": Yanow's review, much less a review than a statement (common with him) he seems to already have an agenda against James at the outset, so it's already flawed. Just like statements in various reviews for Bobby Hutcherson's Knucklebean about "it's a relief to hear Hubbard playing jazz again" (I mean, the fuck? Did he actually ever stop? Yes the Columbia's were super commercial, but videos from that area say otherwise) or things he said about Herbie and Chick "returning" to acoustic piano... I mean I have listened to Herbie's Columbia's since I have that set, many times and the acoustic piano still has prominence, even on the funky stuff. Those statements are more about "I don't like it" than actually about music. My writing, if people like it, cool, if you don't that's cool too. My writing is about the music, less about "me". Yanow is very much a gatekeeper to an inflexible narrative, and the way he jetted from this place many years proves that. I ignore his writing, it's just I curiously searched the AMG review. Someone gave me a copy of his book Bebop, I skimmed it, but it just collects dust, I'll probably donate it to my local library.
-
1 hour ago, HutchFan said:
CJ,
I completely agree with your point that the "received wisdom" about what constitutes valid jazz often has been woefully narrow.
However, I think that sort of perspective is far less tenable now than it has been in the past. Of course, there are still traditionalists and there are still avant-gardists -- and everything in between. But the either/or clashes seem to have given way to something that's more open-ended and less rigid. ... Or maybe it's just that jazz has moved so far into the margins of culture -- and it's economic power is so diminished -- that no one has the impetus or desire to argue about it any more.
Either way, those old narratives seem to be breaking down. Or at least I think they are.
There's room enough for many, many different perspectives at the table. And there's no need for any one person or group to "own" the narrative.
That's my take.
Definitely many perspectives should be considered
1 hour ago, HutchFan said:CJ,
I completely agree with your point that the "received wisdom" about what constitutes valid jazz often has been woefully narrow.
However, I think that sort of perspective is far less tenable now than it has been in the past. Of course, there are still traditionalists and there are still avant-gardists -- and everything in between. But the either/or clashes seem to have given way to something that's more open-ended and less rigid. ... Or maybe it's just that jazz has moved so far into the margins of culture -- and it's economic power is so diminished -- that no one has the impetus or desire to argue about it any more.
Either way, those old narratives seem to be breaking down. Or at least I think they are.
There's room enough for many, many different perspectives at the table. And there's no need for any one person or group to "own" the narrative.
That's my take.
Yes, all of that is true there is much more open mindedness now then before but it seems like social media always is regurgitating a critic like Gary Giddins or Ashley Kahn or Howard Mandel (who I lost all respect for when he claimed ECM wasn't jazz) they are all part of the old guard. As a writer definitely I was influenced early on by Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler but really to me it still represents an old way of thinking. Hopefully I can turn more people of my generation and younger. I'm even gonna go outside of jazz
-
Wow. Incredible article and one that offers a lot of food for thought
-
https://jazzviewswithcj.tumblr.com/post/670821728528875520/shizukas-mind-bob-james-one-ctitappan-zee
Something utterly random I wrote after listening to the SACD of BJ One earlier which I got myself as a Christmas present. I think some of the points I make are valid in terms of closed mindedness when it comes to critics and this kind of music, and that it has a resonance for folks generations after the fact. And of course, I've never considered Scott Yanow, Thom Jurek or any AMG writer to be a barometer for music relevance. Enjoy.
-
1 hour ago, Shrdlu said:
Prompted by Dan's remark, I dug out "Plays Pretty, Just For You". It has only appeared on CD in Japan (TOCJ-1553 and a few later ones). There wasn't enough room on the LP for "Somebody Loves Me", which Michael Cuscuna put on the "Cherokee" CD (again, Japan only, TOCJ-1612). I made up a CD with everything in session order.
The audio is good, of course. This album is a bit less polite than the Waller one. It has a few guitar segments. "Somebody Loves Me" cooks a bit, but the rest of the session is chilled out, and easy listening.
Definitely not the best of Jimmy Smith for the jazz enthusiast. I won't be spinning this often.
That one I need to rebuy as well
-
Got my copy the other day. Finished disc 1 a second time. Very nice stuff indeed.
-
14 hours ago, bresna said:
Great to find out that there are technical reasons why I just don't like this date.
Now if you could just do the same for Green's "Am I Blue".
Jimmy's squabbling setting is what Shrdlu refers to as the "belch" it's the first and last five drawbars pulled out with the tremolo on... it's a really cool sound, and Jimmy's technique was the old school way really stretching his hand to play octaves and other intervals. I love this album honestly, always have since I first got it as a crappy Applause pressing at a flea market when I was 6. It's just a nice, chill, mellow album for late at night. The Jimmy session I find (though I'll still get it to complete my Jimmy Smith collection rebuild eventually that should have stayed in the can) was Straight Life. That session just doesn't really work, especially coming off something as hot as Crazy! Baby
-
Saw him live in college. Was fantastic.
-
On 11/14/2021 at 11:21 PM, Guy Berger said:
This would be amazing - would pay for it
Anyway, regarding the original post, who cares. None of us will listen to this
Exactly!!!! Who cares, nothing to see here. Move on
-
My favorite Weather Report album
-
10 hours ago, Guy Berger said:
The OP is not a fan of ideas introduced into straightahead jazz after 1960
Taste is taste but it's a shame because there's so much great music after 1960 in jazz/BAM. As much as I love hard bop these days, the more electronics integrated in stuff is what I gravitate towards now especially as I started to get into MIDI study theory and start creating music
-
8 hours ago, JSngry said:
Really, I don't know that it's really new technology at all...didn't Zawinul have Wayne sampled into his rig post-Weather Report? That's really all this sounds like, a more evolved sampling, with a more refined set of parameters to play with.
Right. Pat Metheny sampled Pedro Aznar's panflute with the Synclavier and used that long after Aznar left the band. On the Secret Story tour Lyle Mays' infamous "Prophet" sound was sampled into Jim Beard's Kurzweil K2000 to play on "Are You Going With Me?" (Kinda weird honestly) and Chick Corea sampled his old synths on the RTF Returns tour in '08 but that's more of what you were implying with Joe Z. What Kenny's doing to recreate Stan, who the hell cares unless it interferes with say if this gets a new Getz fan and they can't enjoy the man himself. Move on to the next thing
-
54 minutes ago, Lyin' Wolf said:
Enjoyed the article. Thanks for posting it.
Confession time - I have both of the Blue Note Live at the Roxy CDs as well as the Blue Note meets the LA Philharmonic CD. I also have Mind Transplant, Natural Illusions, In A Special Way, and Tone Tantrum, The Man Incognito, Pressure Sensitive, and Fever - which were mentioned in the article and all on CD.
Is that too much information?
Not really. It's just important we acknowledge the era. In A Special Way I've streamed several times and don't connect with. Ditto The Man Incognito. I've tried to listen to all the records I mentioned there as honestly as possible, and welp, just didn't connect. In terms of my collection rebuild, I got a bevy of discs from a professor, Dr. Bill Banfield, which included titles from across the spectrum, as far as "smooth jazz", I love Stanley Clarke's East River Drive, the title track just creates this great vibe.
-
3 hours ago, Rabshakeh said:
Nice. Thank you. A good read.
Thank you
-
56 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:
Any change you could copy and paste this? I’m struggling to access it for some reason, not being on tumblr.
55 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:Any change you could copy and paste this? I’m struggling to access it for some reason, not being on tumblr.
The link? Sure! https://jazzviewswithcj.tumblr.com/post/667451197950722049/shizukas-vault-a-funny-little-time-capsule-of-an
1 hour ago, JSngry said:Oh, I think most people who pay attention do that. "jazz historian", that's like, a vocation or some shit.
Dan Morgenstern is a Jazz Historian. Me, I'm just a guy with records and opinions.
I do thank you for valuing my comments, though. Don't mean to give the impression that I don't.
And that is the old guard dying out, Morganstern et al. Incredible information but then how do you modernize that, with a no pun intended new perspective and make it palatable to new generations? I write about things interesting to me-- it just so happens maybe a few (or maybe not) dig it along the way For me what you said about Butler circa 2008 encapsulated what that thing was with Blue Note in the 70's in such a real way it was dead on. Having been born in '81 and growing up on a lot of the previous decades music hearing it in my childhood-- that stuff was still kind of fresh and I have friends who love Blue Note albums from this era, and music from the era that some of us here just may find men, but it does kind of reach new generations. That is my goal with some of my writing-- to reach new fans, generations but in a way they won't get from a mainstream publication
1 hour ago, JSngry said:Happy you find it of use then, thanks!
If I have a bit of difference from the "critical orthodoxy", it might be that I do not re oil in horror from "commercial" efforts, I just recognize them for what they are, right? But hell, a good time can be had by all, even if what TYPE of "good time" is being had will not - and need not - be the same for everybody. Democracy vs fascism,. But I don't know how radically "unique" that perspective is...maybe it's just that it's here on a public form that makes it seem that way.
Anyway, again, thanks for your kind words, and maybe go back and check out that LA Phil record again...IIRC, the Hutch material is actually pretty strong, and Carmen McRae...is Carmen McRae, she gonna do what she do, period. For the Hutch material alone, "Hello To The Wind"!
https://www.jazzdisco.org/blue-note-meets-the-l-a-philharmonic/discography/
Bobby Hutcherson Sextet Meets The L.A. Philharmonic
Emanuel Boyd, tenor, soprano sax; Bobby Hutcherson, vibes; George Cables, piano; James Leary, bass; Eddie Marshall, drums; Bobbye Porter, percussion; The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Calvin Simmons, conductor; Dale Oehler, arranger.
"Hollywood Bowl", Los Angeles, CA, August 13, 1977
19720 Slow Change Blue Note BN-LA870-H 19721 Now - 19722 Hello To The Wind - 19723 Now (reprise) - Carmen McRae Meets The L.A. Philharmonic
Marshall Otwell, piano; Andy Simpkins, bass; Joey Baron, drums; Carmen McRae, vocals; The Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Calvin Simmons, conductor; Bill Holman, arranger.
"Hollywood Bowl", Los Angeles, CA, August 13, 1977
19724 Star Eyes Blue Note BN-LA870-H 19725 The Man I Love - 19726 Sunday - And those parts of the album I really liked. When the reissue of that album came out I bought it because my mom remembered "With One More Look At You" from that album was played on the radio when I was a baby. She always loved that version. She was still living when I got the CD and confirmed that was indeed the version. As I've gotten older I've learned to not just slag "commercial efforts" because sometimes they are indeed fun
-
10 minutes ago, JSngry said:
Oh, I think most people who pay attention do that. "jazz historian", that's like, a vocation or some shit.
Dan Morgenstern is a Jazz Historian. Me, I'm just a guy with records and opinions.
I do thank you for valuing my comments, though. Don't mean to give the impression that I don't.
And that is the old guard dying out, Morganstern et al. Incredible information but then how do you modernize that, with a no pun intended new perspective and make it palatable to new generations? I write about things interesting to me-- it just so happens maybe a few (or maybe not) dig it along the way For me what you said about Butler circa 2008 encapsulated what that thing was with Blue Note in the 70's in such a real way it was dead on. Having been born in '81 and growing up on a lot of the previous decades music hearing it in my childhood-- that stuff was still kind of fresh and I have friends who love Blue Note albums from this era, and music from the era that some of us here just may find men, but it does kind of reach new generations. That is my goal with some of my writing-- to reach new fans, generations but in a way they won't get from a mainstream publication
-
Sure thing. I'll thank you for the quote, (I'll add an edit)in but in a way you are a historian of the music because you definitely have unique perspective on how you felt about records then AND now that is very interesting.
-
An article I wrote that discusses an album that I think no one here holds in high regard, Blue Note Live At the Roxy but it holds a special place for me. I tried to be a bit humorous, and also quoted some of Jim's posts upon the death of George Butler here. https://bit.ly/3H4yefw
-
Really sad. Helluva player
-
4 hours ago, Peter Friedman said:
George,
You left out the other group of fans. Those who did not listen to either RTF or Headhunters, but listened to acoustic jazz from the 1920's up to today.
Who craved Concord and Pablo releases who ignored ECM?
-
On 10/8/2021 at 8:27 PM, Rooster_Ties said:
Just listened to / listening to again -- the entirety of disc one of the Complete "Is" -- and Maupin is way more in Wayne's territory (imho), than I think I've ever heard him before, or since. Hard to say if I'd actually mistake Maupin for Wayne if I was hearing this material for the very first time -- but I think(?) this is about as close as ANYONE in this timeframe ever got to Wayne's sort of approach.
And now that I'm listening more closely the second time thru, I am definitely hearing a lot of moments that really sound like Wayne -- maybe even a LOT like Wayne in spots.
Do you feel these distinctions can be heard on just the IS album itself? I used to have the Complete IS Sessions but recently bought the Japanese issue of IS
-
3 hours ago, Ed Swinnich said:
CJ - I could not access the review by clicking on the link. It worked when I copied and pasted it.
Nice review, btw. I like how you tie in the development of the organ trio and discuss Francies' bass line work. I'm really excited to get the CD. I saw Metheny's Side Eye group in March of 2019 in Buffalo with Nate Smith on drums. Looking forward to hear Gilmore on this one.
I've got the US version on pre-order. I did check out a Japanese version, but it would run $36 including shipping. Perhaps "The Bat" will show up somewhere in the US eventually. I'm confused as to why they did not include it on the US version, but 0 whatever, I guess.
Thanks Ed. I think Pat's well of knowledge as a player and connection to the tradition is deeper at this phase in his career. Albums like this could be the Metheny that the next generations remember the same way we remember Bright Size Life and Offramp now. Sure there is the Orchestrion and guitar synth on the album but as unconventional as it is, it is very much an organ trio album for me. Given my love of organ groups I think the brief history was important because I'm not sure how many of people of my generation know about that who either play jazz or are listeners, and also no review I've seen discusses the organ trio aspect. Honestly, the research isn't that hard to do.
A recent interview with Pat in this media blitz stated Francies' basslines remind him of Jack McDuff who is his favorite organ "bassist". Pat's history and interest organ groups go deeper than I realize.
-
-
On 9/2/2021 at 8:02 PM, sgcim said:
If you think Pat Metheny is a nice guy, you should read Gary Burton's autobiography "Learning To Listen". He devotes a page to why he fired PM from his band.
Tal came down to hear me at a club I was playing at in NY. We went out for breakfast afterwards, and he was the most easy-going, mellow guy you'd ever meet. Not even a hint of egotistic manner about him. Considering he was, at one time, IMHO, the greatest mainstream jazz guitarist living, I could only think that he practiced Zen Buddhism.
Tough job assignments.
I can imagine!
Yes Pat is VERY specific... and I know a few stories about a few things re: what he expects. HOWEVER... two things: He's never been anything but fantastic to me, he actually donated towards my new apartment after the fire, and he and his team sent me a care package of damn near his entire catalog. As for douche guitar players, Joel Fass years ago was not a very nice guy when I dealt with him as you know.
Bob James' One and the problem of jazz critics
in Jazz In Print - Periodicals, Books, Newspapers, etc...
Posted
That is very true.