Chuck Nessa Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 (edited) This thread is inspired by AfricaBrass's posting in the Verve Elite thread about the therapeutic qualities of the Konitz set. Our kids Eric (now 33) and Carla (29) grew up with musicians all around. Malachi Favors, Bud Freeman, Charles Tyler, Hal Russell, Roscoe, etc. were around the house while they were young. They also attended recording sessions. When Carla was in college she took a "Jazz History" class and was assigned a paper on a "musician of choice" (pending the instructor's approval). She chose Roscoe Mitchell and the prof agreed. She called me and asked if I'd mind if she contacted Roscoe for an interview. I said fine and her teacher was amazed by the "primary source" of her paper. I am still touched by an experience with Eric early in his life. While still a toddler, late at night he wandered out of his room to ask what I was playing. It was a Gato Barbieri lp called Under Fire. He asked to see the cover. Then he went back to bed without comment. A few months later the scene was repeated and he asked what I was playing - it was a Charlie Parker Spotlight lp. He asked to see the cover, asked if I knew him and I told him he died before I could meet him. Eric said "then I can never meet him", jumped off the sofa and cried for about an hour before he was exhausted and fell asleep. About 6 months passed, I was listening to a Johnny Hodges Verve lp, Eric was at my feet asking the usual questions. I said I'd met Hodges, but he'd died. He snuggled closer to me with tears welling in his eyes and said "Easy come, easy go". For members old enough, there must be a bunch of funny or "heart warming" stories. Edited September 25, 2003 by Chuck Nessa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny weir Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 I'm afraid I've hit the wall - temporarily, I hope - with two-going-on-three Bennie. Well before he was born and almost daily afterwards he has been exposed to fabulous music, although I've been careful not to overdo it in terms of quantity and volume. I think music could become a negative if overdone. Anyway, Bennie has reacted positively on occasion, especially if it's something like Mongo Santamaria's El Pussycat that we can boogie to. In the past week, though, in face of Monk, the Dead and other hip goodies, he's realised that he can (try to) have some say in what gets played. So the instant some jazz goes on, he's clamouring for "Buzz" (as in Buzz Lightyear) or "Thomas" (as in Thomas the Tank Engine). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted September 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 Hey, soon enough Eric was grooving on the Butthole Surfers or some such group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfricaBrass Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 (edited) This is a great thread. Thanks Chuck! These kinds of things really are the best parts of life to me. I really dig the stories. My son and I have a lot of fun with music. I usually have my guitar around and he loves to strum it and sing with it. He's also a huge of Lou Donaldson's The Natural Soul. He had to hear it everyday for a couple months. He had this little dance he'd do when he wanted me to play it. When I'd pull out the cd after he'd done his little dance, he'd smile and get really excited. If I pulled out another cd after he'd done his dance, he'd make angry noises that meant no. He'd keep doing that until I got the LD cd out. Edited September 25, 2003 by AfricaBrass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jad Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 My wife and I used to dance our boy to sleep to Curtis Mayfield's Superfly. By the end of "Pusherman", he was usually asleep. James Brown also did the trick, "There It Is" or "Popcorn" being the preferred tracks. Right now he's obsessed with "Daddy's new cd", the one I recorded with my band, but along the way there were similar obsessions with Neil Diamond and the soundtrack to Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and the Wiggles. Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AfricaBrass Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 I hate to admit this, but speaking of the Wiggles. My son LOVES the Wiggles. I think I've seen every episode at least 3 times by now. What I'm embarrassed to admit is that I'm actually LOOKING FORWARD to the new episodes that they will start playing next month. I know I have no life but this takes the cake. :rsmile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jad Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 Beats the hell out of Barney. And there songs are damn catchy (I had that "Fruit Salad" song in my head for weeks after I heard it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Skid Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 I love good stories about kids and music. Thanks! My 10-year old daughter is becoming a big jazz fan, and this is somewhat surprising when considering what most 10-year olds girls consider good music these days. A few months ago, she couldn't sleep and came downstairs asking for some "quiet" music to listen to. Since then, Ron Carter/Jim Hall "Alone Together" has been on every night. She loves it, and it does help her get to sleep. I brought her along tonight to my weekly musical get together. I (try to) play guitar, and my good friend is a bassist. Tonight's session also included a vocalist. After completely butchering great standards like "The Girl from Ipanema", "Summertime", and "Autumn Leaves", I asked her if "that was the worst music you've ever heard"? She replied, "No, that would be Britney Spears and Jewel. You guys are *much* better than them". I guess I can take that as a compliment -- we aren't as bad as Britney!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny weir Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 I'm off to the gig of the year on Sunday - Sesame Street Live! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montg Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 My two little girls love to dance and march around the house when I play some traditional/New Orleans jazz. Recently, on the morning of my older daughter's first day of kindergarten, there was the expected apprehension as she was getting ready for school. I put on some Kid Ory and the mood lightened considerably. Her first day of school went great--the credit goes to her, not Kid Ory, but...the Kid came through when we needed a little jump start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted September 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 hey b3-er, this shit is coming your way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 I'll never forget the time when my son (who's now seven) was two years old, and we were listening to Cannonball Adderley Live in San Fransisco; when one tune ended and everybody applauded, so did my son. For awhile there, anytime I opened up my OJC Catalog, he wanted to look at two specific record covers: Blakey's CARAVAN and Max Roach's DEEDS NOT WORDS (which he eventually gave to me as a Christmas present). Now, as the father of a normal seven-year-old, I can identify with Kenny about having to change what we're listening to when I put on some jazz. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 hey b3-er, this shit is coming your way! I KNOW! I showed your original post to my wife and she said, "That's so sweet!!!" I hope my children love music and art like she and I do. Kids and music go hand in hand from what I've experienced. We had my wife's cousin and her husband and child over for dinner recently. Jonah is about 18 months old and is the cutest little guy I think I've ever seen. While dinner was cooking Alison, my wife, put on one of her favorite CDs, the Buena Vista Social Club. Little Jonah stood right in the middle of my speakers and danced and danced and danced, completely oblivious to anything else going on. His little head was bobbin' and swayin', his eyes were closed tight, and he was just diggin' it!!! It made me so joyful just watching his utter delight! I can't wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man with the Golden Arm Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 Great thought for a thread. Thanks as well. Both of our daughters are now taking piano and the sounds of morning practice is such a beautiful thing right before you start screaming at them to get ready for school. A few years ago when my oldest was about 5 I had to educate her about the care and treatment of compact discs after she frisbeed the 'Jungle Book' soundtrack across the floor, rendering only "I Wanna Be Like You" completely unplayable. I showed her how to properly handle these things and played the skipping track a few times just for good measure. Well a couple weeks later we're sitting in the music room and I had some Grant Green playing. Sure enough he gets into one of his tension builders and my daughter happily admonishes me for scratching my CDs too. The education from both sides never ends ..thank God! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parkertown Posted September 25, 2003 Report Share Posted September 25, 2003 Great thought for a thread. Thanks as well. Both of our daughters are now taking piano and the sounds of morning practice is such a beautiful thing right before you start screaming at them to get ready for school. A few years ago when my oldest was about 5 I had to educate her about the care and treatment of compact discs after she frisbeed the 'Jungle Book' soundtrack across the floor, rendering only "I Wanna Be Like You" completely unplayable. I showed her how to properly handle these things and played the skipping track a few times just for good measure. Well a couple weeks later we're sitting in the music room and I had some Grant Green playing. Sure enough he gets into one of his tension builders and my daughter happily admonishes me for scratching my CDs too. The education from both sides never ends ..thank God! That's great! He does sound like the record is skipping sometimes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.