WD45 Posted April 30, 2005 Report Share Posted April 30, 2005 Chris Botti, huh? Any port in a storm....... Would that be a quiet storm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted April 30, 2005 Report Share Posted April 30, 2005 that new chris botti cd and a bottle of pinot noir will definately close the deal! Just don't accidentally put on Bill Bruford and Tony Levin's Upper Extremities for the Botti effect... David Torn's guitar skronk might not go over so well. (Botti plays pretty well and un-smooth on this, by the way.) Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTMX Posted April 30, 2005 Report Share Posted April 30, 2005 (edited) Chris Botti, huh?  When I flew from Atlanta to Minneapolis to see Ornette last week (yeah, I wanted to see him that bad), the shuttle bus from the airport was driving around downtown dropping people off at their hotels. Coming up one street I saw a marquee, "Jazz, Sunday Night" and I'm thinking that this might be something to hang around and check out. Then I see the rest of the marquee: "Chris Botti". Swing and a miss. A couple of streets later, I see a medium-sized billboard with the text "Appearing Mother's Day at the Mystic River Casino - Kenny G" with a big photo of the G-Man in all of his pedestrian glory. All I could do was look away and say a quick prayer "Oh Ornette, please come to this city to save your people from these false profit$!" Seven hours later, prayer granted. Speaking of smooth jazz, when's that 20th anniversary expanded edition of Song X coming out? Edited April 30, 2005 by DTMX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 Pat Metheny smooth? uh, The Way Up!!!!!!!!!!!! hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keiko Matsui, yes she does have songs that are smooth jazz with the hooks and all, but she does a lot of other stuff like worldbeat and technoey type things, and she'll have full blown orchestrations too so shes not entirely smooth.... Yes, I have a few of her albums, and Michael Franks too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alon Marcus Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 I don't actually care about definitions. The different styles are just infinitesimally small relation points on a huge map which is the world of music. Each artist chooses where to be and some of them are able of "discovering new ground". AFAIC Beckenstein crafted few very good songs, SG did some nice music, there are many things to listen in their playing and arrangments. I don't think they are great and don't like at all their latest albums (my father has these albums, he is a dentist and is saing that this music is good to use on some of his patients ). I do think they were an important stage at one time for me. I enjoyed their live album "Access all areas" which has nice and pretty inteligent compositions and I learnt and understood few things from that disc that helped me in general. I also think they are much better than the average rock/prog rock/pop Steely Dan being the exception. I really hate when instrumental pop tunes are being presented together with the world "Jazz" - That's a Crime Pat Metheny is a great artist. Even his pop albums contain lovely and sophisticated tunes and nice improvisations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ Shearn Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 Alon, what "pop" albums of Metheny's do you speak of? For the record the only pop album hes made in years was an album of his tunes with Polish vocalist Anna Maria Jopek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alon Marcus Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 Alon, what "pop" albums of Metheny's do you speak of? For the record the only pop album hes made in years was an album of his tunes with Polish vocalist Anna Maria Jopek. CJ I know you are a devoted fan of Metheny's works and me too I mean the PMG albums, when I talk on boards like O I call this pop music relatively to his other work. It's a very bad name I know and reflects nothing about the music, I like the PMG albums I have or heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster_Ties Posted May 1, 2005 Report Share Posted May 1, 2005 They do what they do really well. I just don't care for what they do. As is often the case, I think Sangry summed it up best for me too. On a side note, I have a cousin I only talk with a couple times a year (I only see him in person about twice a decade - as he lives on the West Coast) - and two or three times we've tried to have some jazz-related discussions. Trouble is that we come at the subject from radically different angles. He always mentions Spyro Gyra, and often The Yellowjackets too, etc... Both are bands I have little interest in at all. They're nowhere near as evil as, say, Kenny G. - but neither band is anything I personally find very interesting. But they both float my cousin's boat quite nicely. As you can imagine, it's pretty hard to have a very lengthy jazz conversation with him. Of course, I'm part of the problem too (so it's not all his fault) - as he also likes modern, very "straight-ahead" big-band jazz too -- another area I don't have a ton of interest in. Another area where there are plenty of people that do what they do very well, but like Spyro Gyra, I just don't care for what they do all that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 (edited) The Braxton Brothers Is that Anthony and Toni? I always wondered if Anthony wasn't a bit too smooth. Certainly too few edges there. I don't know if this is fair to Toni, though... Also i wonder, why would parents call their kids almost identically? Edited May 2, 2005 by king ubu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Geez, Jazz Kat... chill out, man! Is there such a thing as good smooth jazz? Hell yes. For instance, on Friday my r&b band played the Bowen Senior Center in Pontiac, MI (don't laugh... them seniors GET DOWN!) and during the breaks they had a member spinning tunes. She kept playing this really soulful, fun, gospel-esque funky number with a saxophone lead and at the end of the night I asked her who it was. She said, "Kurt Whalen". It was GOOD! I'm going to find the record it's on. I don't care what the label is and I'm not ashamed to admit that the label is smooth. Who cares? Jazz Kat... and anyone else for that matter... if you ever get to the point where labels are more important than the music, you've lost sight of what matters. Who cares if it's "jazz" or "smooth jazz" or "heavy metal" or whatever? Does the music move you in some way? If the answer is yes, then enjoy it! If no, move on. Simple as that. Now, onto the subject of Spyro Gyra... the first organ trio I was in was with my dad on guitar and my best friend's girlfriend's father on drums (got that?) He was really into Spyro Gyra and gave me some of their stuff to listen to. Some of it was pretty good. My dad also has (had) some Bob James on vinyl and I enjoyed that when I was younger (I still enjoy some of it... anything with Idris drumming has at least something going for it!) A lot of what Grover did should fall under the category of "smooth", but that stuff has soul and is great! I don't care what it's called. Again, this makes me wonder what people are going to think about the next Organissimo record. This is going to be fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Organissimo goes smooth jazz! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neveronfriday Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 (edited) Geez, Jazz Kat... chill out, man! Is there such a thing as good smooth jazz? Hell yes. For instance, on Friday my r&b band played the Bowen Senior Center in Pontiac, MI (don't laugh... them seniors GET DOWN!) and during the breaks they had a member spinning tunes. She kept playing this really soulful, fun, gospel-esque funky number with a saxophone lead and at the end of the night I asked her who it was. She said, "Kurt Whalen".  It was GOOD! I'm going to find the record it's on. I don't care what the label is and I'm not ashamed to admit that the label is smooth. Who cares? Jazz Kat... and anyone else for that matter... if you ever get to the point where labels are more important than the music, you've lost sight of what matters. Who cares if it's "jazz" or "smooth jazz" or "heavy metal" or whatever? Does the music move you in some way? If the answer is yes, then enjoy it! If no, move on. Simple as that. Now, onto the subject of Spyro Gyra... the first organ trio I was in was with my dad on guitar and my best friend's girlfriend's father on drums (got that?) He was really into Spyro Gyra and gave me some of their stuff to listen to. Some of it was pretty good. My dad also has (had) some Bob James on vinyl and I enjoyed that when I was younger (I still enjoy some of it... anything with Idris drumming has at least something going for it!) A lot of what Grover did should fall under the category of "smooth", but that stuff has soul and is great! I don't care what it's called. Again, this makes me wonder what people are going to think about the next Organissimo record.    This is going to be fun. Thank you! In these rather heated discussions re "smooth" vs. "normal" jazz the points you made tend to get lost. I have lots of smooth jazz albums. I don't listen to them much anymore (hardly ever, actually), but they were once an important step to re-entering the jazz world for me. I took the wildest detours to get back to where I started, but smooth jazz and fusion were instrumental in rekindling the flame, so to speak. What I don't like is the arrogance that usually comes along with trashing this kind of music. Often we forget that it is music, even if one would consider it muzak (for torso murderers) (1). I've always followed my instincts, and just as you, Jim, have said that there are things I like and lots of things I dislike. The latter I might make fun of at times (which basically also means making fun of myself), but I wouldn't write the stuff off as worthless. What's worthless, in my eyes (and I'm very opinionated when it comes to that), is criticism voiced by people who couldn't play two notes of the music they are trashing. I get very suspicious when that happens ... My 2 cents. (1) "Muzak for Torso Murderers" is the title of a short story. Because of the title, I read the story ... a long time ago Edited May 2, 2005 by neveronfriday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Organissimo goes smooth jazz! Not really, but it sure as hell isn't your father's organ trio, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Organissimo goes smooth jazz! Not really, but it sure as hell isn't your father's organ trio, either. Uh, you know, my father (not really, but maybe his father's father's father...) rather had an alphorn trio than an organ trio But still: can I get my money back? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 I always wondered if Anthony wasn't a bit too smooth. Certainly too few edges there. I don't know if this is fair to Toni, though... Contrast and compare: Anthony: Toni: http://www.vaisseaux.net/photos/Toni_Braxton_01.jpg You tell me if there's ANY doubt about who's smoother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregN Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Organissimo goes smooth jazz! Not really, but it sure as hell isn't your father's organ trio, either. Uh, you know, my father (not really, but maybe his father's father's father...) rather had an alphorn trio than an organ trio But still: can I get my money back? I am a fairly accomplished blues player and I have heard these same myopic genre-posturings for 20+ years. They get silly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 I always wondered if Anthony wasn't a bit too smooth. Certainly too few edges there. I don't know if this is fair to Toni, though... Contrast and compare: Anthony: Toni: http://www.vaisseaux.net/photos/Toni_Braxton_01.jpg You tell me if there's ANY doubt about who's smoother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.:.impossible Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 That's not fair Sangrey. You are comparing apples to oranges. The image of Toni is DEFINITELY airbrushed, thus the extra-smoothness. The deep, rich, sensual, gorgeous, round, bangin' smoothness. Still, even if Anthony was airbrushed, you would know EXACTLY which Braxton I was referring to. Lightyears apart in every aspect of life, I'd imagine. Now, which one do you think is most likely to listen to Kurt Whalen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man with the Golden Arm Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 back to topic w/ extra yogurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 You tell me if there's ANY doubt about who's smoother. all wrinkled out in photoshop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keberobeats88 Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Who cares if it's "heavy metal" or whatever? Yea!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 (edited) Edited May 2, 2005 by couw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Yikes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
couw Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 Yikes! the real yikes is when you meet Toni unbrushed on the corner of the street Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man with the Golden Arm Posted May 2, 2005 Report Share Posted May 2, 2005 in a pipe with a sweater? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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