Jazz?

[lowtone9]

Is there enough interest here for a thread? Probably not, but here goes...

Wynton stays on the pulpit too much for me usually, but there`s something happening in this live set from House Of Tribes.

Solo starts about a minute in.

[markthetiger]

can't hang.

tried, but just can't.

I like my poetry to have recognizable rhyme and meter, and the chitty-chat abstract nature of much of jazz leaves me disconnected and feeling incomplete, but not in the good way.

can't play it either. I tried.

maybe someday I'll get it. maybe not.

[lowtone9]

Oh well.

[Desmo]

Eh, I dunno.

I do like Miles Davis though.

[kride123]

Oh, Desmo.

I am a Miles fan, as well.

Lowtone - I'd love to give this a listen, but can't at home. If you can keep the thread alive and i cna get a chance at work, I'll give ya my input.

But generally, I like Branford much more than Wynton. I don't usually feel Wynton so much - too full of himself or something. But I'd like to give this a listen.

[Keytickler]

Give it a shot, lowtone. I'm interested.

Keytickler

[lowtone9]

Originally Posted by kride123

Oh, Desmo.

But generally, I like Branford much more than Wynton. I don't usually feel Wynton so much - too full of himself or something. But I'd like to give this a listen.

Me too, but I downloaded this whole set, thought I heard something.

[rkt jky]

yeah, classic jazz; 5 guys playing solos not listening to each other
anybody remember harmony? melody?
i'll take chris botti,rick braun,praful or mark isham on horn anyday
funny a bass guy posting a horn guy
vic wooten,chuck rainey,kyle (clint's son) eastwood,tisdale etc.
got good gear,spector 5, carvin red eye. no talent or time.
maybe when i get done modding, restify trans am,build house.
someday.....................

[Desmo]

Whenever someone mentions jazz, I can't help but think of the scene in Spinal Tap.

Kathy, would it be illegal if you married another guy while you stayed with your wife?
I mean, that's ok isn't it?

[lowtone9]

Ok, so you guys don`t get it. That`s cool.

[markthetiger]

so describe for us what we're missing, biscuithead.

[kride123]

Originally Posted by Desmo 2.0

Whenever someone mentions jazz, I can't help but think of the scene in Spinal Tap.

Today: Puppet Show and Spinal Tap

"this is our Jazz Odyssey..."

Originally Posted by Desmo 2.0

Kathy, would it be illegal if you married another guy while you stayed with your wife?
I mean, that's ok isn't it?

Hmmmmmm I guess it's ok everywhere except Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, and Massachusetts!


Lowtone - don't give up on us yet......I haven't had a chance to listen.....

Perhaps also fish for some other tunes...maybe we just aren't hearing Wynton this time around!

[firstfz]

so describe for us what we're missing, biscuithead.

Yeah. Give us a window. I feel like I should appreciate jazz, but for the most part it isn't accessible for me. I know enough to appreciate intellectually what good jazz musicians are up to, but listening feels like hard work, and does nothing for me aesthetically or emotionally. I know there's something there, I just can't seem to tap into it. I feel like if I were a lot smarter I'd appreciate jazz...

-Tom

[kride123]

Originally Posted by firstfz

I just can't seem to tap into it. I feel like if I were a lot smarter I'd appreciate jazz...

-Tom

And see, I think it's that type of thinking that turns so many people off to jazz. (not knocking you, Tom, but there is this "aura" around many jazz-heads that can freak a "lay person" out).

I'll quote Duke Ellington here: "If it sounds good, it is good." It's that simple. If you like it, it's good!

Personally, I really dig on grooves moreso than melody or harmony necessarily. Then it's shades of harmony, then melody. I'm a rocker at heart ( ), but I can get into some pretty complex harmonic structures.

What I like and think is genius one day may not sound so special to me the next. That's what I love about it.

For me, I found jazz stuff that sounded more "rockin' " to me. That's where I found a lot of that late-60s, early 70s Miles Davis. From there, I got more and more of an appreciation. I like what I like, and I don't like what I don't like. And, as stated, that can change from day to day, year to year, whatever.

I do like discussing it, too. But I can't do that until I hear this peice!

[ctfz1]

multitasking.

[Alley Oop]

Amazing talent.

I thought the first solo was uninspiring and repetitive.

The second one about half-way, through, was excellent.

Surprisingly, I don't think his tone sounded very good. Not the full, pleasing sound I'd expect. Kind of ragged. And the dynamics weren't really there. Not very musical.

Compare to Miles



I'm more a contemporary jazz person for every day listening.

I like

Joe Sample
Joshua Redman
Diana Krall
Quintana and Speer
Tuck and Patti
Boney James

Stuff like that.

[lowtone9]

You tube is blocked fpr me here at work, but I have examples in mind to post later. Show and tell is much better than just tell.

But if you`re really interested... I`ve found this method helpful for people that feel like there`s something there, and don`t mind expending a little effort.

Pick a tune to listen to, something based on a standard that you are familiar with. Get in position to listen carefully, for me that means headphones. And listen, concentrating strictly on the rythym section, drums and bass primarily. Don`t pay any attention to the soloist at all, just try to get into the groove aspect of it. If you begin to tap foot, mentally or whatever, you`re mostly there. Then, direct your attention 100% to the bass line, which should outline the harmonic structure of the tune hopefully in a melodically pleasing way(easier if you are familiar with the tune), and place the solo in context.

Hear the solo in context. Hear the solo in context.

Even though you aren`t really listening to it, you will then hear the solo in context. It`s important that you hear the solo in context.

I`m not preaching here. If you don`t care to listen, or if you just don`t like it, that doesn`t bother me very much, but then I`ll always be just a little bit better than you. No, no, kidding.

[Keytickler]

The great thing about jazz is that there is such a broad range of kinds of jazz, and it keeps evolving. A few years ago Ken Burns had a multi part series on PBS on the history of jazz. It was excellent, very informative, interesting, and had lots of great music compiled. I bought the CD set after the series was finished.

The underpinnings of jazz are the same, regardless of which flavor of jazz is being played--a main theme is laid down, it is improvised on, and then the main theme is returned to. Bluegrass is much the same, with different chord phrasings, melodies and rhythms.

Glad you started this, Lowtone.

Keytickler

[markthetiger]

I'm more of a 50s-60s standard kind of guy.

*hums "One Note Samba"*

[okaugust]

Thanks for sharing that. What a nice thing to hear before work.

A pic of my daughter, Anna, alto sax, in the jazz band at her HS. She took jazz band because the regular band teacher is fond of marches, dirges and flute solos, all of which never seem to sound very good

Also because she would be practicing aforementioned marches and dirges and suddenly break into a "whatever she felt like playing" moment and it would be beautiful. I love that about jazz.

There are only eight kids in the jazz band. Three sax, two guitar and three drums. Unlike the nearby HS everyone tries to get into, where there are four jazz bands, competition to get in and get "first chair" our HS is way more laid back and jazz like in nature.

She loves to play it, but she is the only girl, so the boys driver her batty, but she maintains. They play Monk, Hancock, Marsalis, swing and big band of course, etc.