Alexander Hawkins

How is that one? I don't know yet - it's still in the shrinkwrap! Just arrived today. I'll let you know as soon as I have played it... With a cover that cool, it's pretty good still in the shrink wrap Enjoy

Hilario Jose Mourinho God

How is that one?

Fascinating lineup!

Misha swings like crazy, NO doubt. And if there's a drummer in the world today who can get a groove going like Han Bennink, show me.

On this whole South London/Brighton scene thing, I did a gig at a club in London a couple of weeks ago, and in between sets, they had some DJs. These guys almost all put on BN vinyl - the crowd (it was absolutely heaving) were going completely crazy at the Lonnie Smith, Brother Jack, Cannonball, etc. - but also, going beserk to things like (I kid you not - this was the outstanding example for me) 'Love for Sale' from Dexter's 'Go'. I was absolutely gobsmacked, because although I know this stuff was going on 20 or so years ago, I had no idea clubs like this were still going! I have to say, it was awesome being caught up in the whole thing. I have mixed feelings (along the lines given above) about the whole thing, but to be there, and wired like you are when you're playing -

I look forward to the day I can ditch a gig because they don't have a grand piano (Seriously - not being sarcastic!)

Now, let's not start on Yanow I do slightly disagree with you still - I think the musical/extra-musical distinction is problematic - but definitely know what you mean I think this ties in a bit with Allen's point:

Which is fair enough - but all you've done there (in terms of logic) is to say that music criticism is never of any consequence to you - whereas what I thought you were getting at was that marxist perspectives were useless to you. You've thrown out the baby out with the bathwater.

My point is that it might just tell you why it has violins in it.

And how precisely does that relate to music criticism? You think its informative to use the music industry to criticize a particular work or particular album??? Dan - I was answering the question about how Marxism can inform music criticism, not saying whether or not I thought it was informative. I'm not quite sure what you mean when you say "You think its informative to use the music industry to criticize a particular work or particular album???". Do you mean 'criticize' in a pejorative sense? Or do you mean 'criticize' in a 'make analytical judgements' about type sense? If the latter (which I would hope is the case), then I think the Marxist perspective can be very fruitful. For a few examples (these are plucked from the air, rather than especially carefully considered, I should say!): 1) Take 'Charlie Parker with Strings'. One perspective on the album is Parker's own aesthetic. Another (not necessarily alternative: one of the oldest fallacies about Marxist argument is to think that seeing its usefulness is to adopt Marxism wholesale) perspective is to ask whether the desire of the record company to achieve commercial success might have forced Parker's hand in some way into making the album. And of course, the *form* of the album does affect its *substance*. 2) I would have thought - though I know next to nothing about hip-hop culture - that Marxist analysis would be interesting in explaining the rise of this music from black ghetto music to massively commercially successful, mainstream cultural commodity which still plays on the 'black ghetto' image. 3) A Marxist perspective might help explain, in part, the relatively contemporaneous - but radically different - outputs of (for example) Chuck's label, and a label such as - I dunno - CTI. I don't think these examples are particularly controversial (in which sense, to your - ) - it's just that Marxism is a rather tarnished idea. Too often 'adopted' by those who like the idea of beng Marxist more than Marxism; too often misunderstood as a crude economic determinism (which it is, in a lot of early and/or less sophisticated accounts); and too often dismissed by right wing/centrist dogmatists.

I would associate marxist music criticism also (more?) with 'modes of production' ideas: who's paying who? Who's producing what? As a result of what power structures? How do the 'commissioners' affect the substance of the product? Etc. etc. etc. Marxism is obviously a limited idea in its less sophisticated forms, but I think provides some useful ways of thinking about the music 'industry'.

Wow. I wish we got solicited like that round these parts. Good luck with it!

Sure - and I don't think anyone here is defending his writing? The only thing which would make stuff like this look creditable would be a side-by-side with a Thom Jurek piece... But, I'll say it again, Watson isn't a dilletante - he know's his stuff, and does care about the music. 'Maybe he should learn to write' is an exhortation which, let's face it, applies to more music writers than not!

I've got to stick up for him here. I agree - the writing is rubbish. BUT, he DOES care about the music, and is a great champion of the British free improv scene, especially Derek. I can certainly do without his writing - nobody get me wrong here - and I agree that he can come over badly. But, he is genuine about the music, and for my money, I'll forgive any perceived pretensions in someone's writing if I know they love the music, and I believe he does.

Scriabin is another one I would certainly add!

I saw Gary Smith and Shoji Hano do their thing maybe 18 months/a year or so ago. Smith wasn't remotely in Hano's league that night. Hano played a scorcher, and seemed - although my Japanese is non-existent, and his English was rudimentary - to be a very nice guy indeed.

His writing is often idiotic. On the plus side, his championing of Derek Bailey is to be commended IMHO, he seems to be a nice guy, and can be a very entertaining performer!

I'm on a big big Ellington kick at the moment, so can't wait to have another listen to this stuff.

Got to say I don't know...mind you, at the risk of being annoying (predictable?!?), $3000 isn't that much for a musical instrument, really (look at how much a piano would cost you, or a double bass, or a nice horn, etc.)...

JK - one thing (others may back me up here?) - as far as possible, do not skimp on equipment. I'm a professional piano player, and where possible, have always stipulated for a piano...anyway, that's all well and good, but not enough gigs to pay bills etc...So being reluctant, a while ago I bought a not-very-good electric keyboard, to do 'that kind of gig'...Of course, a couple of years down the line, I regretted it, and forked out more for a better model. My playing - in terms of technical demands on a keyboard - hasn't changed in those couple of years, so the earlier purchase was just a waste - me not facing facts and thinking it could be done on the cheap...Bottom line, music's an expensive business, equipment-wise (well, at least we're not - say - cabbies or pilots). It's as well, if you know you're serious and can cobble the money together in any way, to get something GOOD FIRST TIME AROUND. Because trust me, it will piss you off in a couple of years if you don't! (Of course, there's the line between this and (usually amateur) players who get equipment which is far far beyond their needs or capabilities) . $1500 really isn't that much at all for a good instrument.

Jerome Frank Jerome K. Jerome Kai and JJ

I have the Garvin Bushell memoirs sitting in a pile ready to read...looks/sounds like an intriguing guy!

I do whole solo gigs in this mode.