JSngry

What happened to all the bitching about no SACD? What happened to all the mixed and negative reviews? No surprises, really, but if there are still illusions being harbored about the music business being a business before it's anything else, I offer this as exhibit #578,932,489,354-AAC.

Yeah, that's the stuff right there! Dig those dynamics. I wish more jazz players paid attention to stuff like that.

Yeah, like the Raylettes, only underage, white, and blind.

What to do when the wife hates jazz? Get an annullment. We all make mistakes.

You're assuming that most people made it that far into the post. Give us more credit than that, will you?

Ñice!

Semantics - can't live with 'em, can't be misunderstood without 'em.

The one w/Hartman.

Dude, you seen that clip from the woodstock concert where Braxton's singing one of Lee Konitz' old solos to him? Chick Corea's looking on with a look of impish delight, and Lee's all like, "MY GOD! WHAT KIND OF A MONSTER HAVE I CREATED???" Priceless! But the cat's singing the solo PERFECTLY. He "knows", this Anthony Braxton does. Even when he is unable/unwilling to express it conventionally, and even when/if his tangents go off far beyond any value to us mortals, he KNOWS. Of this I am convinced.

The "classics" are "Lush Life" & "My One And Only Love", but for me, they're "Dedicated To You" and "You Are Too Beautiful", in that order. But that's strictly personal. I'll also take a seat on the Chair Of Pomposity and say that people who "don't pay much attention to lyrics" and such like that are probably TOTALLY missing the point of this album.

Well, that's the thing you get in this book - he actually speaks in "plain" English most of the time! And that helps put his more "formal", or "homemade", or, if you like, "tortured" pronouncements into perspective as to the "hows" and "whys" of his want/need to go that route when he does. There may be a bit of madness to his method, but there is defintiely a method to his madness, if you know what I mean (or even if you don't know what I mean. But I think you do. ) Far from being an "fool", holy or otherwise, a portrait of a man who probably knows more than most of us but who is either unwilling, unable, or at times both, to articulate it in an "easy" language emerges. Myself, I've come to the point where the "what" of what he says is more important than the "how". It's not been easy, but I do feel that it has been rewarding, to say the least. Chuck's right - read the fucking book!

Well, there you have it. Nothing pisses me off quicker than to hear some cat running changes with all the math right but no variety in phrasing, inflection, accents, etc. There's no MUSIC there, dammit! Taking a tune slow lets you get inside it better, to discover the nooks and crannies, and to free yourself up to FEEL the music, and not be so blinded by the mathematical challenges, which will take care of themselves over time, if you're properly informed from jump street. That's just the way this shit works, if you can be patient enough to let it. Now, "full disclosure" time - I don't play "Giant Stpes". I don't WANT to play it. I've spent time with it, and know what the deal is, but there's nothing there for me personally. so I leave it alone. For those whom it DOES offer something personally, go for it. But it's a firmly held opinion of mine that you don't HAVE to be able to play that tune to be a valid jazz musician. What you do have to do is to be aware of it, know what's going on with it, know the implications of it, know what it was to Trane, and evaluate what it can be for you. Then you can make an informed decision as to whether or not to pursue it past the level of familiarity. Being a valid jazz musician is not always a matter of being able to handle every tune and every challenge. Although, that is probably necessary these days if you want to be a full-time professional jazz musician, to have it be your life's sustenance. That's the nature of the market today, by and large. But as far as PERSONAL validity goes, which is what matters most to me, I think that if you play whatever you choose to play from a basis of solid, really solid, awareness and information, that you're entitled, no, compelled, to make decisions about what you do and do not do. And if "Giant Steps" ultimately presents you with nothing more than a mathematical challenge, then it is your obligation to let it go in favor of something more relevant to your personal being. That's not to say that it's ok to blow the tune off, to let it sit unexamined. Quite the contrary. Laziness, be it mental, physical, or intellectual, is not a valid grounds for anything, even in these post-modern, irony-saturated times. Uh-uh. You need to confront the tune because it is incredibly important and significant in the evoluton of the music. You can't just pretend it never happened, because it did. But I know cats who obsess over shit like this, who worry themselves silly over making those changes, when in fact they might be better served by playing some blues, some REAL blues or something else that doesn't make them WORRY so damn much with no end in sight. When a door doesn't open after so long, it might be wise to look for another one that does, dig? Now, my partner Pete Gallio is a "Giant Steps" playing motherfucker. Cat can play that shit inside out, sideways, ANYways, and be musical as shit doing it. But that's Pete - that tune and what it's all about fits who he is as a person and as an artist. But it doesn't fit me. Still, we coexist together quite well because we respect each other's differences as well as our commonalities, and THAT'S where it's at, if you ask me. The true "litmus test" of your personal, not professional, but personal, validity as a jazz musician is not how well you can play a particular song, but how well you can play yourself. That's no small undertaking, and again, it does not allow for laziness or willful incompetence in any manner. Cats talking about how chops and harmony and all that shit are "obsolete" and such have either gotten past all that and are talking about themselves personally (and yes, it can be done, has been done, and hopefully will continue to be done), or else are bullshitting you (and maybe themselves). You've GOT to know. "I'm a unique individual" is NOT adequate validation for you as a jazz musician. As a human being, yeah. But THAT line is backed up out the door, onto the street, and around several corners, ya'know? It just means that when you come to a crossroads of any sort, that you remain true to yourself and that you know exactly why you choose to take whatever path it is that you choose to take, and that you pursue that path as dilligently, as seriously, and as informed as you possibly can. Warne Marsh called it "taking responsibility for your own melody", and I think that says it all. Be true to yourself, but don't fuck around with it. Because it ain't there for that. Just my two cents, and no doubt overpriced by three.

I think Pres heard Bix & Tram equally, sure.

Welcome to the Andrew P. Hill high school where technology is the key to success. http://www.andrewhill.org/

The story about John Bunch being a POW in WWII was priceless as far as I'm concerned. I thought the story about the dude marrying a chick just because she had a certain side was hilarious, just because I know guys that are that stupid/obsessive whatever. Tragio-comedico-whatevero. The story about "The Ragtime Drummer" being the first recorded drum solo was good info for me - I didn't know that, and it evolved into a little side-discussion about James Reese Europe, nothing "major" but nice, nevertheless. There were other little tidbits along the way, along with a lot of "insult humor" that not everybody "got", as well as some really tired-ass jive macho bullshit that may or may not be the "real" Deep. I picked and chose what I found of value and ignored the rest, just like I try and do with everybody and everything. But the bottom line is this - the ONLY rule on this board is that you don't piss off the management, and if you do, you square up with them. It's really, REALLY simple, and they don't get pissed off easily (well, Jim doesn't, anyway). And when they do, they let you know about it. Then the ball's in your court. About as complicated as spelling "cat" and being spotted the "c" & the "t".

woa! cool word! B) Only in print.

Sorry, dude, but you guess wrong. FORCES IN MOTION is a series of interviews/observations/etc. w/a Braxton Quartet (inc. Marilyn Crispell, Mark Dresser, & Gerry Hemmingway) over the course of a two-week or so tour of England. All sorts of ground is covered, musical, political, economic, humor (turns out that Braxton is a pretty funny guy, full of whimsy and good-natured irony), you name it. It's a fascinating read, and as real a portrait of a group of musicians as I've ever read. It's appeal should not be limited only to those who like Braxton's music. Of course, if your curiosity isn't burning enough to allow for the possibility that you might enjoy such a book, or if you've decided in advance that everything Braxton has to say is going to be wrong to one degree or another because you think he's invalid as an artist (and notice I said "if" - no accusation being leveled) then don't bother. Otherwise, I'd suggest looking in remainder bins, where a copy can be had for cheap. At least in these parts it can.

Funny thing is, the cat was funnier (and more informative) during wet season. I think he should lose (or at least shorten) the dry season. His life might be shortened, but what would be left of it would be higher quality if his style here was any indication. Drink deep, DEEP! I hate to see his "good part" gone, the stories and the info (of which there was more than some might like to admit) but dammit, if the management sets boundaries and you cross them repeatedly, deliberately, and obstreperously, you got no room for complaint when they toss you. That's just the way shit works. If you're gonna walk a tightrope, you damn well better have a good sense of balance. Back to bizness as usual. One monkey don't stop no show.

These alternates (and one previously unissued tune, a version of "A Time For Love" - w/Levy on Rhodes(!) - that is to die for) will make your LP obsolete, and it's not very often I say that. But no, I'll not be selling mine. Memories in the artifact, doncha' know.

Got it from Slide Hampton at an Aebersold clinic about 25 years ago. Made sense then, makes sense now. And not just for this one tune either.

Tell that to Sinatra and Gordon Jenkins!

Start playing it as a ballad and take it from there. Seriously.

From NEWPORT?

Does he still play?