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T.D.

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  1. So, What Are You Listening To NOW?

    in Miscellaneous Music

    Posted · Edited by T.D.

    15 minutes ago, rostasi said:

    Something like a dozen years ago, I bought and watched this film on Butch Morris called "Black February" and between his self-important attitude coupled with his boorish interactions with his musicians (some other things too), I was so turned off by him, that I just completely stopped listening to him.  

     

    Thanks. I'll look for video of that.  I started listening to those conductions only a few years ago, and the background info on Morris I dug up (at the time) was positive. OTOH, I've heard many unsavory anecdotes about d**kish conductors and composers in the classical realm, so nothing would surprise me.

  5. So, What Are You Listening To NOW?

    in Miscellaneous Music

    Posted

    I looked on discogs and don't fully trust my search, but the most recently recorded release with Ray Drummond seems to have been dated 2014. Lot of reissues since then, but AFAICT nothing new.

     

    Listening to the 3 Andrew Hill East Wind albums (Nefertiti, Hommage and Blue Black). I've posted them in recent memory (few months ago), but they're damn good and deserve more listening.

  10. Hank Shteamer on Andre 3000 and the spiritual-jazz-aissance

    in Jazz In Print - Periodicals, Books, Newspapers, etc...

    Posted

    6 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said:

    Hate to say it, but Andre 3000 may be approaching "old fart/curmudgeon" status himself. His heyday was whilst I was at school. 

    Could be. I actually remember hearing the big hit "Hey Ya!" on the car radio 20-25 years ago. Didn't know he was involved until reading about the Shipp brouhaha.

    But Andre 3000's an incipient "old fart/curmudgeon" making loads of dosh from the pop culture machine.

  11. Hank Shteamer on Andre 3000 and the spiritual-jazz-aissance

    in Jazz In Print - Periodicals, Books, Newspapers, etc...

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Dub Modal said:

    If it wasn't for Shipp's critique I'd have never known about this album. Any pub is good pub indeed. Initial take without listening is that it's a straight up grift by Andre. Not the first to do so and not the last, although just where this grift will go is anyone's guess. Whoever does his publicity is earning their checks for sure. 

    [Italics added]

    I (also?) was unaware of the album until the Shipp-related post here.

    Agreed on "only bad PR is no PR", a concept that dates back to Oscar Wilde if not earlier.

    Not clear that it's "grift" IMO. Dictionary definition is "way of getting money dishonestly that involve tricking someone". I don't see that here: the recording was promoted as pianism by a non-pianist, and ample clips are available for potential buyers. The interesting question relates to Andre 3000's intent (which is unknown): Does he regard this as a con, or does he think it's music worth attention? I lean slightly to the former, but the latter is by no means out of the question. 

    Agreed that his PR rep is doing a great job. The idea of the "Met Gala" (whatever the f**k that is...I've never paid attention but it's apparently a big thing) appearance was definitely hatched by a flack.

    Obligatory old fart/curmudgeon comment: Over the years I've intentionally become completely out of touch with popular culture (don't use social media, quit watching TV long ago, etc.), and this episode seems to vindicate my stance. 😁

  12. So, Jay Rosen?

    in Artists

    Posted

    I haven't noticed him on recordings (that I own), but have seen him live several times at a (roughly) monthly concert series that Michael Bisio organizes in Kingston, NY. Liked his playing a lot on those occasions, and would consider his presence on a recording a +.

     

  13. Hank Shteamer on Andre 3000 and the spiritual-jazz-aissance

    in Jazz In Print - Periodicals, Books, Newspapers, etc...

    Posted

    23 hours ago, rostasi said:

    An interesting analysis here.

    and a faster version here that makes it somewhat easier to perceive the progression:

     

    Thanks. The analysis is indeed interesting. [Most of the Sciarrino liner notes, etc. I read were impossibly gaseous.] Though the author makes a point that the sonatas are "among the most rebarbative piano scores of the last hundred years" (granted the typography is a big factor).

    This performance is a lot more enjoyable and I can better hear the progression. But it's just not something I want to hear multiple times. I do listen to Ustvolskaya now and then, and greatly prefer her in the "relentless clangor" category.😉 There are plenty of "minimalist" pieces with progressions that I find more pleasing.

    I haven't followed Sciarrino since the early oughts, but I very much like Un Immagine d'Arpocrate (which is kind of a piano concerto), Sei capricci (solo violin) and Lohengrin (opera).

  15. Hank Shteamer on Andre 3000 and the spiritual-jazz-aissance

    in Jazz In Print - Periodicals, Books, Newspapers, etc...

    Posted · Edited by T.D.

    I listened to the "Hotel Lobby Pianos" on Youtube. I won't be purchasing any recordings. The piece is awful in places, but fairly listenable most of the time (it's largely a takeoff of Take Five). Not being a trained pianist, he doesn't have enough of a grasp of harmony to be consistently enjoyable, and it's outright dissonant in a few places.

    He's already gotten a shedload of reviews, e.g. NPR, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, ..., so I suppose he'll do well with it.

    [Digression] Far from the worst thing I've heard...A couple of decades ago, Salvatore Sciarrino was a super-trendy contemporary classical composer. I enjoyed many of his works and bought several recordings. Then he released some solo piano recordings that totally repelled me (and I dig stuff like Ustvolskaya, Cage, etc). I listened to this piece 👎and decided that the Emperor was bare-ass. You can find a funny review on classicstoday, for example.

  20. BFT 254 is up!

    in Blindfold Test

    Posted

    Rainout today so working through the rest of the BFT.

    #5. Interesting but a little arch IMO. Enjoyed, and I have other recordings by/with the leaders, but wouldn't line up to hear a full album of this. Couldn't ID in real time, but Jim basically posted the performers, upon which "...oh yeah!". I sleuthed the tune but won't post since it was teed up.

    #6. Well known tune ID'd above. I don't listen to loads of B-3, can't ID the recording but like it.

    #7. More B-3, no clue at ID. I prefer the guitarist to the other soloists. Prefer #6 to this but it's not bad.

    #8. Familiar tune which I might not have ID'd if I didn't peek at the thread. The pianist didn't become clear until the latter part. Far from my usual listening fare, not the most inspired rendition but plenty enjoyable. Was able to sleuth (like #5).

    #9. Dissed above.

    #10. LP sourced, solo vibes. Tune a standard that I can't place. Nice performance but solo vibes isn't in my wheelhouse. Having peeked, the performer ID should have been obvious, but it didn't jump out in real time.

    #11. Has "jazzy arr. of pop hit" written all over it, but can't ID. Good arrangement but not something I'd seek after. The first section had a certain background/elevator feel. Latter part picked up a lot and salvaged the tune. I hated the opening bit of the guitar solo but enjoyed the rest of it, no idea of ID.

    #12. Live, sounds like a medley. Like the trumpet soloist a lot, plus the pianist in the second and (especially) third sections. The big band arrangement is far from my usual listening, but really well done. Really grew on me after a second listen. No guesses.

     

    Thanks for the BFT. Worked well as a program. Regardless of guessing, there were plenty of hooks (familiar sounding tunes and performers) to give a sense of participation. Only big miss was #9, but that one probably has plenty of backers. 

     

  21. Harman (Samsung) Acquires B&W, Denon, Polk And Marantz for $350 Million

    in Audio Talk

    Posted · Edited by T.D.

    There appears to be one plus: the portfolio of brands is now owned by an electronics conglomerate rather than a health care company whose "financial engineering" apparently went awry. 😆

    Beyond that, too early to say.

    Since the brands (presumably) had to be acquired as a portfolio, I wouldn't be surprised if some straggler or underperforming names get de-emphasized or shut down. Just my opinion and I know nothing of the financials of the acquired marques.

     

  22. So, What Are You Listening To NOW?

    in Miscellaneous Music

    Posted

    MzQtNTU5NC5qcGVn.jpegNDMtNzYwOS5qcGVn.jpeg

    25 minutes ago, rostasi said:

    An electronic music musician sent me a CD-R.
    It sounded too much like Dumitrescu and not the person(s)
    he said was supposed to be on it. A bit of research turned up
    the recording above, so I ended up getting that disc inadvertently.

    Slightly related: I've often wondered how Ana-Maria Avram had died - 
    a talented composer who died way too young.
     

    It's a pretty good album. I really enjoy the first 3 (of 4) pieces, not wild about the fourth. Dumitrescu only wrote the first piece but conducts the others. I haven't heard that much by Dumitrescu, my bad. Discovered his music after seeing some comparisons to Radulescu, but didn't follow up sufficiently (it was ancient pre-bandcamp era when CDs were scarce on the ground). Going to look for more online. Very sad about A-M Avram, haven't heard any details.

  25. So, What Are You Listening To NOW?

    in Miscellaneous Music

    Posted · Edited by T.D.

    a0486776234_16.jpg

    Have known about Dumitrescu for a long time but haven't listened recently.

    Surprised to (randomly) find this on bandcamp today. Google indicates hits on the Corbett vs Dempsey website but the C vs D site itself shows no trace of Dumitrescu. Forced Exposure seems to have the CD as a C vs D release, though.

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