ya know, I knew there's too much crappy fusion out there claiming to be "smooth jazz" playing on "smooth jazz" channels and stuff... I was on a flight to tokyo lately, and took the time to listen to XM radio's version of a "smooth jazz" channel.
And so it was the usual fusion with robotic solos and sparkling clear digital recording. Now, my impression was that these guys could play intelligent solos apart from the less than interesting main themes... problem is, song after song, the solos were always the same, never deterring from just a standard blues scale, not even spanning accross different keys. (although the changes/progression suggested different keys)
Now, dumbing things down and making them bite-size for the mass is one thing, but taking fusion, which was at a near prefected state back in its days, and wrapping all that into a single blues scale seemed a little rough. No wonder fusion is called crap. It was more crap than I'd thought it would be. And the fact that something like this was playing on a "smooth jazz" channel is unforgivable. If the channel was called "fusion without brains" then I'd atleast would have given them credit for being honest.
And apart from bad play style (with no style at all), there's always a problem of bad arrangement. I mean, let's be real. A new jack swing triplet song does not fly in the year 2007. Why even bother making these songs? So that maybe it'll be chosen to play on the weather channel?
Why is Jazz hated so much here?
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paulrmartin
- Posts: 2445
- Joined: Sun May 20, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: Montreal, Canada
Brotha' Man StefanS,
That's too bad. I had the privelidge to watch these guys as a kid in St.Louis.
I was active in NYC w/ JD Parran in the late 70's for a few months @ Storyville. I played w/ JDP in St. Louis when he was the Jazz instructor @ SIU Edwardsville. Our little group had John Mixon on bass, Floyd LaFluer on Trumpet, Gross Marcus Jr. on Drums, and JDP on Reeds. They were reluctant w/ the synths till we started doing more fusion. But those were the best times 4 me. I made little money, but was amongst the Gods. I know what real jazz is from playing bee bop, cool school, to fusion w/ them. I maintain that any pianist who has never worked w/ horns, cannot claim to be a jazz pianist.
JD had some awesome original songs also. I am going to bust his balls on the phone, as this has brought back some of my favorite memories.
Actually, if you ever go to see JD, tell him you correspond w/ " Vogts ", that's me. I went w/ him to NYC in '76 4 his audition @ SNL when Paul Butterfield was still in the NBC Orchestra. JD was in his Citreon trying to back up to our apartment on 74th, and Riverside by the Hudson, and an unhitched tractor-trailer was parked out front. JD backed up under it, tearing off his hard top roof. I was in tears, as he called me a stupid white mother fucker for the rest of the day, as if it were my fault. The was the last time I saw Julius, they were big into Avant-Garde then.
Please Feel Free To Contact Me Anytime For Any Reason,
That's too bad. I had the privelidge to watch these guys as a kid in St.Louis.
I was active in NYC w/ JD Parran in the late 70's for a few months @ Storyville. I played w/ JDP in St. Louis when he was the Jazz instructor @ SIU Edwardsville. Our little group had John Mixon on bass, Floyd LaFluer on Trumpet, Gross Marcus Jr. on Drums, and JDP on Reeds. They were reluctant w/ the synths till we started doing more fusion. But those were the best times 4 me. I made little money, but was amongst the Gods. I know what real jazz is from playing bee bop, cool school, to fusion w/ them. I maintain that any pianist who has never worked w/ horns, cannot claim to be a jazz pianist.
JD had some awesome original songs also. I am going to bust his balls on the phone, as this has brought back some of my favorite memories.
Actually, if you ever go to see JD, tell him you correspond w/ " Vogts ", that's me. I went w/ him to NYC in '76 4 his audition @ SNL when Paul Butterfield was still in the NBC Orchestra. JD was in his Citreon trying to back up to our apartment on 74th, and Riverside by the Hudson, and an unhitched tractor-trailer was parked out front. JD backed up under it, tearing off his hard top roof. I was in tears, as he called me a stupid white mother fucker for the rest of the day, as if it were my fault. The was the last time I saw Julius, they were big into Avant-Garde then.
Please Feel Free To Contact Me Anytime For Any Reason,
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Nestor
- Posts: 6683
- Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2001 4:00 pm
- Location: Fourth Dimension Paradise, Cloud Nine!
[quote="JD Parran in the late 70's for a few months @ Storyville. I played w/ JDP in St. Louis when he was the Jazz instructor @ SIU Edwardsville. Our little group had John Mixon on bass, Floyd LaFluer on Trumpet, Gross Marcus Jr. on Drums, and JDP on Reeds. They were reluctant w/ the synths till we started doing more fusion. But those were the best times 4 me. [/quote]
Wow!!! I'm impressed, you must be a very good musician and piano player to have played with these guys...
I cannot wait any longer, PLEASE, post some of you music...
Good luck
Nestor
Note:
I am writing from a new installation of XP, je je... Life is crazy!
Wow!!! I'm impressed, you must be a very good musician and piano player to have played with these guys...
I cannot wait any longer, PLEASE, post some of you music...
Good luck
Nestor
Note:
I am writing from a new installation of XP, je je... Life is crazy!
*MUSIC* The most Powerful Language in the world! *INDEED*
Jimmy, this is a funny story about JD 
. This must have been a great time in NYC with all these incredible musicians.
Here in Cologne/Germany we have a nice little venue (called "Loft") which offers great concerts at low prices. I've seen a lot of my favorite musicians there from the USA like Marilyn Crispell, Elliot Sharp, Mark Dresser, Ellery Eskelin, Herb Robertson, Gerry Hemmingway... They have a great Steinway D there (another part of my unrealizable Scope devices wishlist ).
. This must have been a great time in NYC with all these incredible musicians. Here in Cologne/Germany we have a nice little venue (called "Loft") which offers great concerts at low prices. I've seen a lot of my favorite musicians there from the USA like Marilyn Crispell, Elliot Sharp, Mark Dresser, Ellery Eskelin, Herb Robertson, Gerry Hemmingway... They have a great Steinway D there (another part of my unrealizable Scope devices wishlist
).My Far Away Brotha's,
It was the time of my life. I was like a sponge soaking up everything I came into contact with. The players tolerated me because I had chops, and knew that JD was my sponsor. Otherwise a white cat back then, up there? Not very safe to say the least.
I was so green then, I bought a map of the subways T-shirt and wore it so I wouldn't get lost. NOT !! It was a magnet for gang members, as they could tell I wasn't from their hood if I was wearing that. I was stalked by a jealous homo, I was ripped off while buying some hash. Yes it was a serious learning experience 4 sure. But @ night on stage is where you learn. You can practice all the licks you want @ home b4 the gig. But Once your onstage, all bets are off. You bounce off of each player, and better do it well or you won't be asked back. As a matter of fact these kind of players just prefer to never speak to you again, eventually one would get the message and split. Thank God I was young and crazy, they use to yell @ me when I solod. At first it scared the shit out of me, but I learned that was their seal of approval.
I Owe Those Guys Forever, I spoke w/ JD and he still called me a stupid white mother fucker after all these years have passed.He can kiss my white ass !!
Nestor I am struggling w/ Cubase 4, but will be posting soon I hope,I plan on doing jazz originals, ambient , and re-done DeBussey classical selections ala Isao Tomita.
BTW Guys, keep your ears open for a female sax player named Mindy Bayer. She can bee-bop like the Bird, but prefers the Weather Report / Yellow Jackets style. And that dog can hunt.
It was the time of my life. I was like a sponge soaking up everything I came into contact with. The players tolerated me because I had chops, and knew that JD was my sponsor. Otherwise a white cat back then, up there? Not very safe to say the least.
I was so green then, I bought a map of the subways T-shirt and wore it so I wouldn't get lost. NOT !! It was a magnet for gang members, as they could tell I wasn't from their hood if I was wearing that. I was stalked by a jealous homo, I was ripped off while buying some hash. Yes it was a serious learning experience 4 sure. But @ night on stage is where you learn. You can practice all the licks you want @ home b4 the gig. But Once your onstage, all bets are off. You bounce off of each player, and better do it well or you won't be asked back. As a matter of fact these kind of players just prefer to never speak to you again, eventually one would get the message and split. Thank God I was young and crazy, they use to yell @ me when I solod. At first it scared the shit out of me, but I learned that was their seal of approval.
I Owe Those Guys Forever, I spoke w/ JD and he still called me a stupid white mother fucker after all these years have passed.He can kiss my white ass !!
Nestor I am struggling w/ Cubase 4, but will be posting soon I hope,I plan on doing jazz originals, ambient , and re-done DeBussey classical selections ala Isao Tomita.
BTW Guys, keep your ears open for a female sax player named Mindy Bayer. She can bee-bop like the Bird, but prefers the Weather Report / Yellow Jackets style. And that dog can hunt.
