Funny article on smooth jazz

[slide_advantage_redoux]

http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/no..._to_be_a_smooth

He goes to great length trying to appear non-apologetic about his career choice, but it comes out the opposite imho.

Edited July 26, 2007 by slide_advantage_redoux

[Guy Berger]

http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/no..._to_be_a_smooth

He goes to great length trying to appear non-apologetic about his career choice, but it comes out the opposite imho.

Maybe I'm misreading you Slide, but in case you didn't know -- the Onion doesn't print real articles. Some staff member had a ffun time writing this one!

Guy

[Niko]

http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/no..._to_be_a_smooth

He goes to great length trying to appear non-apologetic about his career choice, but it comes out the opposite imho.

Maybe I'm misreading you Slide, but in case you didn't know -- the Onion doesn't print real articles. Some staff member had a ffun time writing this one!

Guy

i think i read a George Benson interview which went very much into the direction of this article (like "i know which type of record you would like to hear from me, i would like such a record much better myself, but, you know, it would only sell like 250000 copies [number was definitely far in the 100000s] and my grandchildren have these expensive hobbies..." maybe i am partly confusing it with a Jimmy Smith interview..)

[slide_advantage_redoux]

http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/no..._to_be_a_smooth

He goes to great length trying to appear non-apologetic about his career choice, but it comes out the opposite imho.

Maybe I'm misreading you Slide, but in case you didn't know -- the Onion doesn't print real articles. Some staff member had a ffun time writing this one!

Guy

Yeah, they got me on that one.

[Ken Dryden]

What's really funny is that there are press releases out now that describe both Kirk Whalum and Bob James as "legendary..." First of all, neither of them qualify (is there such thing as a legendary smooth jazz player?), I doubt that either have the potential to be honored as NEA Jazz Masters, though not all of their honorees qualify as legendary in my book.

If you liked the Onion spoof, check out the allaboutjazz.com website next April 1st and enjoy the fun! Past reviews and articles are also still part of the website.

[Guest donald petersen]

shift your paradigm to smooth and funky, ken...bob james is certainly "legendary".

[Adam]

Beat me to it - I just read that - yes, that's a pretty amusing piece.

[BruceH]

They also did a piece once about a guy buying the Ken Burns 5-disc jazz box and not being able to get through it. Got to hand it to those Onioners (Onionsters?).

[AllenLowe]

well, as I recall, Bob James did record, at one point, for ESP -

[Ken Dryden]

well, as I recall, Bob James did record, at one point, for ESP -

I also remember him sitting beside Sarah Vaughan at a piano in a 1960s era photograph, but James has long since dumbed down his chops playing smooth jazz b.s.

[clifford_thornton]

I'd like to get Bob James's first record for Mercury; it's supposed to be good, and predates the ESP.

That Onion "op-ed" is pretty good and quite believable.

[Chuck Nessa]

I'd like to get Bob James's first record for Mercury; it's supposed to be good, and predates the ESP.

That Onion "op-ed" is pretty good and quite believable.

Universal did issue a cd. You can currently get a new copy on Amazon for $4.79. I bought it when issued and was impressed but you don't want to hear about that.

Edited July 31, 2007 by Chuck Nessa

[clifford_thornton]

Ah, sure I do. It might be as good a sell as the presence of Bob Pozar.

[GA Russell]

They also did a piece once about a guy buying the Ken Burns 5-disc jazz box and not being able to get through it. Got to hand it to those Onioners (Onionsters?).

Bruce, I remember it a little differently.

My recollection is that the headline screamed to the effect "Man Hasn't Opened Ken Burns Jazz CDs Yet".

The story went on to say that he bought the 5-CD set because he thought that women would be impressed, but he has still never gotten around to listening to any of it yet!

[Rooster_Ties]

Five-Disc Jazz Anthology Still Unopened

LOUISVILLE, KY—A five-disc jazz-anthology box set, lovingly assembled to give novices an appreciation and understanding of the uniquely American art form, remains unopened nearly two years after its purchase, sources reported Monday....

[Jim Alfredson]

Funny satire!

Love this line: "I promise you, there was never a single, defining moment when I realized there was a huge market of people out there who only own four records, and convinced myself that, dammit, mine could be one of those four."

[randissimo]

Funny satire!

Love this line: "I promise you, there was never a single, defining moment when I realized there was a huge market of people out there who only own four records, and convinced myself that, dammit, mine could be one of those four."

Could?