Joe M

Hey, if he wants to make a buck, good for him, this is America. But years from now, I think we'll have wished he recorded with that quartet instead of John Mayer. And yeah, the Wes albums have some good cuts, a few, just like some of Bird's best solos were on the strings material (Just Friends). But I challenge anyone who really knows Bird's music to say that as a whole the strings sessions are better than his stuff for Savoy or Dial, or the best of the Verve small group sessions.

Isn't it ironic that at the same time that Wayne is at the top of his game and touring and recording with brilliant improvisors like Danilo Perez, Brian Blade and John Patitucci, thay Herbie is spending his time in the studio with Christina Aguilera and John Mayer? 30 years from now we'll look back at their respective records from this era, much like we look back at Wes Montgomery's A&M records - what a waste. And ironically, Herbie was on those records!

From his website Michael Brecker.com "Very sadly, Michael is seriously ill with the blood disorder myelodysplasia for which he is currently undergoing treatment. All concerts have either been cancelled or postponed for approximately one year. Thanks for your positive vibes, and should you be so inclined, get well wishes can be sent to info@michaelbrecker.com"

Yeah, it's just that's it cool to be anti-Starbucks more so than anti-Sony. Can't lose your indie-cred.

Tom Harrell

Jazz goes to hell in a handbasket. ← What does this have to do with jazz? This isn't a threat to "jazz" stations. Unless you're worried about Dave Koz and Richard Elliot losing out on radio royalties! And about jack - from Business week: -link- Invasion of the Robo-DJs "Jack format" radio stations are betting iPod-style shuffled playlists will keep listeners tuned in. Cool idea, but probably not cool enough The latest recipe for success in broadcast radio? Dump a thousand or so random songs into a playlist. Hit shuffle. Then, more often than not, kill the live DJ and replace him with a computer. The stations' monikers are common male names, like "Bob," "Ben," "Hank," and most commonly, "Jack." This is the so-called Jack format that's riding radio waves all across the U.S. In the last three weeks alone, the format, or a close variant, has debuted on stations in five major metropolitan areas -- Los Angeles, San Diego, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Indianapolis, adding to the half-dozen or so that had switched since Denver inaugurated the format in the U.S. a little over a year ago. Will the new format be enough to rescue broadcast radio from its creative doldrums? I have my doubts. The rules guiding a Jack-formatted station are simple: Unlike a typical radio station, which regularly plays 300 or 400 hits of a particular genre, programmers on Jack stations select 700 to 1,000 songs of completely different genres. Then, they sequence them to create what radio programmers call "train wrecks" -- Billy Idol will follow Bob Marley, Elvis after Guns N' Roses, and so on. And Jack stations often (but not always) use a smart-alecky recorded voice, rather than a live DJ, to make short quips between songs. REBEL RADIO? Broadcast radio lately has come under increasing fire from critics and competitors for being bland, repetitive, and overly commercial. While traditional broadcasters still dominate market share, new technologies are growing fast. Last week, XM Satellite Radio (XMSR) announced it had added 540,000 subscribers in the first quarter of this year alone, bringing its total base to almost 3.8 million. Meanwhile, consumers are increasingly turning off normal radio and clicking into MP3s and streaming audio feeds over the Internet, according to a recent survey by radio consulting and research firm Jacobs Media. Programmers hope the looser Jack format will show just how edgy and fresh they can be. "We're not going to be constricted by radio rules," says Peter Smyth, CEO of Greater Media, which owns 19 radio stations and debuted its first Jack station, Ben-FM, on Mar. 22 in Philadelphia. "[We're doing] all the things satellite companies say we'll never do." Listening to Jack is a bit like listening to an iPod set on shuffle. Sandy Sanderson of Canadian media company Rogers Communications (RG ), who first developed the format for a Rogers station in Vancouver in late 2002, says he didn't initially have an iPod in mind, but admits there are similarities. And many think this is one of the keys to the Jack format's appeal, especially as broadcast stations compete with MP3s, Internet feeds, and satellite radio for consumers' ears. read on

I don't buy the common line about JC that he's simply a great talent waiting to find his voice or maturity. He's been on the scene for well over a decade now, and face it, he is what he is, like it or not. Those who proclaimed him to be the next great one, well, it wasn't the first time and it won't be the last that they were wrong.

"Chill" is a format commerical radio stations are rolling out to replace the smooth jazz format, as the smooth jazz demographic is getting too old. "Chill" is not a genre, just like "Jack" another iPod inspired radio format is not a genre. The music comes from the acid jazz, downtempo, and trip-hop genres, etc.

He's talking a bunch of marketing spin, but I'd rather hear Thievery Corporation or St. Germain on the radio than Kenny G and Dave Koz, so this really isn't a BAD thing.

Well, you seem to have a certain M.O. when talking about certain people in the jazz business on these boards. Not so much musicians, but producers, etc. You must admit that you don't hold back in letting us know about those who you feel did something or said something to you years ago? Since you didn't back up your negative comment in the earlier post, people will infer what they will.

Yes, it would be much better if this didn't air. I mean we wouldn't want real jazz to be on tv now would we? Chris just probably had some argument with George years ago and can't get over it. I'm sure he'll tell us all about it. I've seen the show. It's interesting, they tell some good stories, and they actually play some good music.

But what's modern about ripping off Miles 70's work versus Miles 60's work? The biggest cliche in jazz right now is formely neo-bop trumpet players going electric.

Yes, sarcasam indeed. I think Terence's tone is weaker that it has been in recent albums. I think he's also playing in a sort of one dimensional way on this album. Technically great, maybe even exciting, but I don't hear the contrast that I'd like to hear. It's a lot of the same thing. Maybe it's due to the material, and it's harmonic structure. Also, when will everyone try to stop playing like and DRESSING LIKE Miles? A friend of mine who is a huge Terence fan, said this album is kind of like Terence's version of Simply Said. I'm not sure I'd go that far, but I don't think it's all that great.

If you like Dis is da Drum, you'll LOVE this record, especially the programming. Terence's tone is also weaker and more thin than normal.

A little overproduced for my ears. More of a project for "the suits" than anything else.

Thanks for the kind words.

The interview is up and archived on our station's website. I recorded it Monday, it's about 30 minutes in length. Hank had a lot to say, and I could have talked to him for hours. I worked in a few of the questions suggested here as well. Here's the link: http://jazzportraits.blogspot.com/2005/06/...hank-jones.html or http://www.kfsr.org

You mean there's only ONE answer? I didn't know that. I though diversity, even in music, was a good thing. There's plenty of people doing everything else, very few doing what Hank does. So I think he has the right to rely on his good taste, just as much as so many other artists have a right to rely on their bad taste. ← If I understand you correctly, my response is "HUH?". ← Whenever someone on these boards mentions the name of someone like Clark Terry or Hank Jones or Frank Wess, some wiseguy always has to step in and comment on how they don't take enough chances musically. And my response is always so what? People always want to take a shot at the musicians who don't fit their own artistic paradigm, and I can't figure it out. If Hank's playing is too pretty or isn't daring enough for your ears, you're listening to the wrong person. It would be like saying, Ornette, you write such great tunes, but why can't you work on your intonation or play some more standards, or bebop changes? Some musicians are all about taking chances, some are all about "good taste" and I can't figure out why people here seem to think that only one of those is acceptable.

You mean there's only ONE answer? I didn't know that. I though diversity, even in music, was a good thing. There's plenty of people doing everything else, very few doing what Hank does. So I think he has the right to rely on his good taste, just as much as so many other artists have a right to rely on their bad taste.

I'll be interviewing Hank Jones on Monday. (the interview won't air live, but I'll let everyone know when it airs, and it will be archived on the net). Does anyone have any questions that they've been dying to have answered? I have plenty in mind, but thought I'd open it up to everyone here who's a fan of Hank's playing.

Lou needs a good publicist.

I had some of the same uneasiness about the last record due to Motian's approach in the ballads context, but I LOVE this new record, and the band really sounds more like a band than an all star sesison. It's my vote for album of the year right now. By the way, Hank has his own new trio record out with George Mraz and Dennis Mackrel on Justin Time, also very nice and tasty.

I know Crouch hating is very fashionable these days, but this is not an obituary, it's a commentary piece.

I will say Concord has a much better marketing/promotions dept than Fantasy ever did. I'd expect Sonny's new record will get a lot more attention on Concord, than it would have on Milestone.

Unless you've played the clarinet, (and I mean really PLAYED the instrumnet) and tried to make it fit in a bop context, you probably won't understand. It's a monster of an instrument. Playing bop on the clarinet is like driving an old 31 Chevy truck. No power steering, no power brakes, and when you start going fast, things get a little scary. A nice alto or tenor sax feels like a nice big Cadillac with 400 horsepower and air suspension after that. The only guy who REALLY impresses me playing bop on the clarinet is Paquito D'Rivera. Much respect to Buddy, he's a fine, even great, player, but Paquito does stuff I haven't heard anyone else do, and he does it so effortlessly. It takes a LOT of work.