Free For All

The Chiefs are a sham. They give away games and make mediocre opponents play better. It doesn't matter if they make it to the playoffs, they won't make it past the first round. You can't win the big one if the defense sucks and the offense sucks about half the time. I'm not so sure that Vermeil is the miracle worker people think he is. I'd put my money on the Pats this year. They seem to want it a lot more. BTW, I'm a Chiefs fan. Or at least I live in KC. I think I more enjoyed being a Browns fan when I lived in Ohio and before that a Bears (and Cubs!) fan while living in Chicago. I'm tired of being disappointed by the late season folds of the KC teams. EDIT: This sums it up: "The Emperor has no clothes!"....that's what the smart teams have figured out.

Agreed. I referred to Jackie's "intonation problems", but to be fair maybe there aren't problems at all. Maybe he's playing it where he hears it. I don't think with him that it's necessarily deficient instrumental skills! Maybe Astrud's singing it where she hears it too? Edited for spelling.

I don't think the Evans/Gilberto project stands nearly as tall as the Miles, Merrill or Burrell collaborations, but I'm not quite sure I'd call it a waste of time. There are many very tasty "Gil Evans moments" (orchestrations, harmonic left turns, textural variations) in the arrangements that keep things interesting, IMHO. I guess it's up to each person's tolerance of intonation problems vs. style or "soulfulness". I can think of players whose intonation problems turn off some listeners, like Jackie McLean, for example. Of course, the content ("soulfulness") of his improvisation (in my opinion) eclipses his intonation problems and is what elevates him to the status he holds for many. I can see where some might find Gilberto's pitch issues irritating- I find her singing often engaging although (like many) I tend to listen in measured doses. I do enjoy the Evans recording quite a bit, though. To be off-topic for a moment: I'm just curious, Shrdlu- as an Evans fan (like myself) what you (or anyone else)thought of the "Quiet Nights" release? This one seems to divide both Miles and Gil fans, especially since it was apparently not intended for release by the artists. EDIT: BTW, I agree about wishing for a Evans/Jobim project (as well as the Evans/Hendrix that never happened)

I saw this one over at CDUniverse and couldn't resist. "....sometimes he's nutty, sometimes he's corny.............."

......that just seems so callous!!

........with forethought of malice..........

So I guess you can't get a phallus in Dallas?

CDUniverse- I just checked and they seem to have copies available now.

His is coming up in a week or so........

I'm a Woody-holic and I do love this recording. I've always liked George Cables' tune "Think On Me"- the first time I heard it was when it was recorded by the Woody Herman band, arranged by the late great Bill Stapleton (one of my favorite later-Woody arrangers) for the Grammy-winning Giant Steps. Stapes must have been a Shaw fan. Very catchy melody, one that you remember. Anyway......... BSL preceded by a couple years the recordings Woody did with Blakey, most recently released as "Child's Dance" and "Mission Eternal". I love this under-appreciated period of Woody- the chops were on and the vibe was definitely Milesean. There's a raw and reckless energy to the group that really pulls you in. Nice call, sidewinder! :rsmile: This could be an interesting discussion........... Edited for lame spelling........

Hey Phil! Good to see you on this board. I'm looking forward to hearing your new recording- the last couple times I've attempted to purchase it online it's been backordered, which is a good sign sales-wise, I guess. I've enjoyed the other things of yours I've heard, and the buzz on the new one has been very positive. Anyway, hope you have a great birthday! Are we still observing them?

As Norm McDonald once said, "Happy Birthday, Jesus......hope you like crap!"

Thanks for the info, jazzshrink. I took advantage of the offer- the coupon really sweetened the deal.

Just so you don't dance like Elaine Benes!

I agree. There are a lot of musicians and teachers who seem pretty bitter and make you wonder why they're doing it if they are so unhappy. As far as "needing to listen to more jazz", I doubt that would have much of an effect. Obviously there are personal issues about life and self-esteem that need to be addressed before any change in attitude (or musical taste)can take place. Change most often occurs only when someone wants to change. I tried a couple of times to quit smoking, but it wasn't until I decided that I wanted to change (for myself, not for anyone else) that I succeeded. Now the urges are so slight and manageable that I don't even notice them (it's been two years). Anyway, back to topic. I often have music on while I am doing something else- on the computer, working around the house- and I don't feel like I'm doing a disservice to the music. I also engage in focused listening- no distractions, maybe headphones. I think both types are certainly valid. EDIT: I would add that my "background" listening takes place when I'm doing things not requiring a lot of talking. If there's a lot of conversing involved I usually go w/o the music, because if I'm trying to listen to someone the music is always distracting me. Ever put on a choice recording for friends and they immediately (or eventually)start talking? Sometimes that really offends me, although I guess I shouldn't take it personally.

H a P p Y b I r T h D a Y c O u W ! Your talents and wisdom are appreciated!

I think the reasons stated thus far are right on. Television is effectively training people to focus for very short periods- like 7 minutes or so. People can sit in front of the TV for hours because it doesn't require uninterrupted concentration. Shows no longer have long theme song/openings, commercials are essentially fast-paced music videos, advertisements for other shows run at the bottom of the screen (I hate that one). As far as the music, I think many people have a hard time understanding the purpose or even the process of improvisation. Appreciating a well-crafted improvised solo requires at least a little focus, and most people don't listen with the ear for detail that jazz (and classical) fans tend to have. Most people could care less if the player is making the changes, or even that there ARE changes. They usually can't tell the head from the solo, either. It's not that these people are idiots (most of the time), it's just the culture in which they were raised, IMHO. I know my first exposure to live music was probably the church (Presbyterian), and I remember the music as being stiff and dull. I also remember a young and naive attempt to "improvise" my making up my own parts on hymns- the seeds of jazz were planted early. My parents liked jazz, though, and it was frequently playing in our house- I'm sure that's how I became a musican and fan. I am aware that there are things that people are passionate about that I'm not interested in. When someone attempts to explain one of these things to me, I try to politely listen but often find myself in an internal battle to stay focused and not let my mind wander. As far as jazz, I actually don't mind the fact that everyone doesn't get it. "It's the hard that makes it good." Remember that movie line? I kind of enjoy the intimate group. I think it is important, though, not to alienate those don't get it by coming off as an elitist. Some just aren't going to get it, and that's fine with me, because there are things other people like that I could care less about, and I'm not losing any sleep over that!

I'm taking my Mosaics with me when I die.

Sorry to go off-topic for a minute, but I've heard and read that this guy Richard Carpenter really screwed some of his "clients" by basically stealing credit for tunes he had nothing to do with. He took advantage of various players who needed quick cash for "whatever", like Chet Baker.

H a P p Y b I r T h D a Y J i M ! May your day be filled with the treats of your choosing.

I love 'em all. The Mulligan has been the most recent source of listening pleasure, but my all time favorite is the first one I bought, the Thad/Mel. The sound w/o that bizarre reverb is outstanding- you can hear every part clearly. Of course, there's the Larry Young.......and the Blakey.............and the JJ......and Curtis.......and Woody..........and the other Woody.....nope, it's still Thad.

So many Bs! Happy Birthday Brandon Burke and Bebopbob!

Tamales? Make mine turducken!

I'm hip.

Yes, the valve trombone is a bitch to play in tune- another reason it doesn't work as well in a trombone section. It always felt to me like an instrument that didn't quite work correctly, like it needed a little more tweaking in the ol' lab. Rich Matteson was a great educator, IMHO- he and I crossed paths a couple times when I was in college and he was always very encouraging, and just a nice guy in general. Now, Jim, as someone who was around him on a regular basis you might have seen a side of him that I didn't (you know, "familiarity breeds contempt" and all that) but I enjoyed getting to know him a bit. Yes, his writing and playing were fairly conservative, but he was somewhat of a pioneer in the jazz education world.