"His name is John Coltrane!"

[JazzManJim]

A true story wherein I bemoan the lack of musical education in this country...

I was in Borders the day after Christmas browsing around with a fresh new gift card in my hand I had received the day before. I was in the jazz section, which abuts the pop section and I overheard a conversation between two folks who were, by my estimation, in their early 20's.

They were talking about the music which was playing from the store speakers and how cool it sounded. They used words like "Old school" and "hot" to describe the quartet led by a soulful and rude saxophone. I kind of smiled to myself hearing them talk about it because they were giving glowing reviews to music I had heard all my life and love to the very marrow of my bones.

What brought me up short was when one of them asked who was playing the saxophone. The other one had no idea either and guessed that it might be someone "like Kenny G or that Yanni guy" eek: ). The first one kid of agreed and said that they wanted to pick up the CD so he'd head over to look up Kenny G and see what CDs were there.

Okay, this was one affront to the very heart of jazz I couldn't take. I casually walked over (and I say casual because the Kenny G thing caused a good portion of my brain to seize and I wasn't actually sure I had motor control back yet. Life support seemed hazy, too) and said "His name is John Coltrane. The song is 'My Favorite Things'". And I smiled.

So did they and they actually bought a Trane CD.

But what I really need to know is what the hell has happened to the youth of America when a groundbreaking recording by a seminal jazz genius is described as "like Kenny G or that Yanni guy"?

We simply are going to hell in a handbasket. And the soundtrack's gonna suck when we get there.

 

[Guest]

Eep. Kenny G. A pop soprano saxophonist.

He is nothing like the Bird!

 

[islandman]

Forget Coltrane and you forget your own soul.

 

[Guest]

Amen brutha hydrant!

People like the easy listening stations. Jazz takes some thought. Real Jazz, that is.

 

[theGatsby]

I cannot imagine the two sharing the same sentance! That's like sacrilege

 

[islandman]

Amen brutha hydrant!

People like the easy listening stations. Jazz takes some thought. Real Jazz, that is.

I'm gonna Myles you.

 

[brian10501]

Thank God there are still people out here who can recognize good music like Trane and Bird and Miles and Mingus etc. etc.
You've done a service educating the mis-informed.
Kenny G. My God! What crap! And don't get me started on what the rest of the world thinks good music is. It's gotten so you can't listen to the radio anymore with the god awful stuff they promote. Brittney Sprears, NSYNC.. my god what have these people who control the airwaves done!

Thanks for your efforts.

Sorry about the rant. You hit a sore spot with me.

Brian10501

 

[islandman]

I'd add Cal Tjader to that list.

 

[Guest]

We need some Bitches Brew up in here.


People are lazy. My ears refuse to be lazy. Give me something to dissect. I need some dissonance.

 

[theGatsby]

Want something to dissect, through some Billie Holiday in there and let her vocals go to work on you.

 

[perks]

never trust a guy whose chef looks exactly like he does.
<kenny G>

 

[Guest]

Mm hmmm. Billie...

*swoon*

 

[brian10501]

There's lots of names we can add. Blakey, Ellington, Evans, Basie, Brubeck, Dizzy and one of my favorites Sonny Clark.
That's the whole point. There's plenty. But no one..no one gives them any air. Well maybe a few places..but you get the point. If more people heard the good stuff then we wouldn't have to put up with the crap they dump on us.

ya got me revved up..

maybe I'll go listen to "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat"

 

[Merelan]

"His name is John Coltrane. The song is 'My Favorite Things'". And I smiled.

So did they and they actually bought a Trane CD.

You realize you could be accused of introducing them to the addictive world of jazz? Isn't that an act of perversion these days?

wink........


curious what you bought?

 

[patient1]

I recall reading another such anecdote in the early 80's ...overheard in a music store: "Hey, look! Paul McCartney was in a band before Wings!"

 

[Guest]

Omg, tell me it's not so Patient1!

 

[JazzManJim]

Re: Re: "His name is John Coltrane!"

You realize you could be accused of introducing them to the addictive world of jazz? Isn't that an act of perversion these days?

wink........


curious what you bought?

I was willing to take that risk, for the betterment of All Mankind

<cue sweeping noble orchestral music>

Such was my sacrifice.

Well, I didn't buy anything. I looked over a few CDs but wasn't decided on any one or two of them (I had enough for two, or one good hardback book). I took a couple notes and decided to come back another day.

 

[JazzManJim]

People are lazy. My ears refuse to be lazy. Give me something to dissect. I need some dissonance.

You know, it's not even the dissonance for me. To be honest, I gravitate toward the more lyrical end of jazz as opposed to the deconstructionist stuff that Trane and Bird did a lot.

What calls me back to jazz over and over are two things: undeniable skill and focused passion.

It's also a good thign whem a song made me smile because the musicians just did something very clever. But it takes work to make music like that - hard work. You just can't crank out an album and hand it to your post-production people to make it all pretty. You have to sweat and bleed on the music some and when you finally get it recorded, it has to take part of your heart and soul with it.

Now that's not exclusive to jazz, but it's where I've seen it most often.

 

[Guest]

Jimmie, you're right. It's not always about the dissosance for me, either. I asthetically appreciate fusion and the like. There's something about Jazz that says my notes bleed from me.

I love it.

 

[modest mouse]

Jim, If you feel like trying something new....
Sonny Sharrock ~ Ask The Ages

Best jazz album of the last 15 years. You can find some info on it at amazon, or a music site of your choice. If you are at all interested lemme know and I can send you something via messenger as a preview.

 

[patient1]

Omg, tell me it's not so Patient1!

Sorry. Read it in a magazine. The moral to the story was "fame is a hussie".

 

[someplace]

...What calls me back to jazz over and over are two things: undeniable skill and focused passion.

It's also a good thign whem a song made me smile because the musicians just did something very clever. But it takes work to make music like that - hard work. You just can't crank out an album and hand it to your post-production people to make it all pretty. You have to sweat and bleed on the music some and when you finally get it recorded, it has to take part of your heart and soul with it.

Now that's not exclusive to jazz, but it's where I've seen it most often.

The same can be said for a lot of Blues also, Jim. We have had this discussion in my house many many times. I believe there will always be a place for GOOD music and musicians who invest in their music, regardless of the commercial fad of the day.

 

[Dillinger]

"like Kenny G or that Yanni guy"

That actually makes me ill. I would place Kenny G and Yanni as pretty much the antithesis of everything that Trane stood for.

*sigh*

 

[La Principessa]

But what I really need to know is what the hell has happened to the youth of America when a groundbreaking recording by a seminal jazz genius is described as "like Kenny G or that Yanni guy"?

We simply are going to hell in a handbasket. And the soundtrack's gonna suck when we get there.

Amen JMJ. A little while ago I was in my local "record" store (hey! it's what I've always called it and what I always will call it) and noticed that Dave Brubeck's Time Out album was out on CD. Now I have the vinyl of this and have almost played the grooves off the record. So I reached over and was looking at it remembering all the good things associated with that music. Two younger people we also looking and I overheard:

Young man #1:
"Hey look at this! You ever hear of this group?"

Young man #2:
"Nah....who are they?"

#1:
"I don't know but they look cool. Look at their pics on the
back. They look retro. Kind of like Bens Folds 5."

#2:
"Yeah, wonder if they cover any of thier stuff?"

At this point I had to walk away with my copy of the CD before I did harm to either one of them. Thank god I found Monk's "Straight No Chaser" album too, or there would have been hell to pay!!

KIDS!

 

[Whizz Kid]

Jazz fans are such snobs.