Rant! Rant! Rant! |
Here is the link so you can see all the mishagos for yourself:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/
Now, I'm going to refrain from taking sides at the moment, except that I do want to thank Jarenwattananon for mentioning me again! However, I am planning a future post in which I aim to end some of these bottomless controversies, such as "Who invented Jazz?" or "Is Jazz Black Music?"or "Does it have to swing to be jazz?" or maybe even "Does your chewing gum lose it's flavor on the bedpost overnight?" Well, maybe not the last one. (I don't even know where that comes from, it's just part of a joke my father used to tell.)
"Louis Armstrong invented jazz!" "No, I invented it, jerkface!" |
Everyone seems to be mad about something these days. And jazz musicians and fans are no different. The industry sucks more than ever. It's too easy to fall into the trap of hating on people like Esperanza Spalding. (I played the Newport Jazz Festival last year in a trio of Christian McBride's featuring Billy Hart on drums. Now, think about not only all the recordings McBride is on, but then consider all of the stuff BILLY HART has done in his career. And we were on the small stage. Guess who was on the BIG stage.... her name rhymes with "Thesperanza Balding"....) Regardless of what you think of her music or her occasionally sort-of- annoying-lyrics (if you watch the included video on A Blog Supreme, you'll hear them), Spalding being airlifted into stardom as a hot female bassist-singer is a total no-brainer. And I'll admit, I enjoyed her performance at Newport.
The Legendary Billy Hart |
If you've seen some of my facebook posts in the past, you know I've fallen for the temptation to hate on fellow musicians. I'm not promising that I'll never be negative ever again in life, but I would like to resist the urge to be antagonistic. And I understand why I and others get this way: it's a natural tendency, it's a survival instinct. There would be much less envy if the scene was bubbling over with work and opportunities. But since everyone is fighting over crumbs, the talons emerge and infighting occurs. You've heard the joke:"How many tenor saxophonists does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one-and 45 more to stand around and snipe 'How did He get that gig?' "!
Charlie Parker, who never recorded for a major label, and Miles Davis |
George,
ReplyDeleteYou're writing is quickly becoming some of my favorite on jazz. I love your approach and attitude, and couldn't agree more with this statement:
"I insist that the way to shift the current tide to favor jazz and live music is to work together and create positive energy against the powers-that-be. Squabbling within the ranks will accomplish nothing except making musicians and fans mad for no reason, and alienating potential fans."
I admit that I get sucked into this pointless debates sometimes, but I'm trying hard to stay out of it and just do my thing, bring people together and spread the word.
I hope we get the chance to talk about this stuff over a beer/coffee one day.
Keep doin' what you're doin'!
Jason
http://oneworkingmusician.com
You mean Nick LaRocca didn't invent jazz?
ReplyDeleteSo Kenny G is jazz then? ;-)
ReplyDeletehey George....Mishagos is jewish, why is a nice goy like you quoting yiddish....?
ReplyDeleteThere is a "Pink Floyd" blog where they argue a lot about "which one's Pink" because Roger Waters, the lyric writer and bassist, split from the band and then the band continued with Dave Gilmour writing the new stuff. So Floyd fans argue about the merits of the band before and after Waters left, and the "which one's Pink" argument also goes on forever. I'm both a pre-breakup Floyd fan and a jazz fan. Fancy that.
ReplyDelete"Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour on the Bedpost Overnight?" was sung by Lonnie Donegan, a British guitarist who had a number of hits with novelty songs in the late 50's and early 60's.
ReplyDeleteHere's the whole lyric...
"Oh-me, oh-my, oh-you
Whatever shall I do
Hallelujah, the question is peculiar
I'd give a lot of dough
If only I could know
The answer to my question
Is it yes or is it no
Does your chewing gum lose its flavor
On the bedpost overnight
If your mother says don't chew it
Do you swallow it in spite
Can you catch it on your tonsils
Can you heave it left and right
Does your chewing gum lose its flavor
On the bedpost overnight
Here comes a blushing bride
The groom is by her side
Up to the altar
As steady as Gibraltar
Why, the groom has got the ring
And it's such a pretty thing
But as he slips it on her finger
The choir begins to sing
Does your chewing gum lose its flavor
On the bedpost overnight
If your mother says don't chew it
Do you swallow it in spite
Can you catch it on your tonsils
Can you heave it left and right
Does your chewing gum lose its flavor
On the bedpost overnight
Now the nation rise as one
To send their only son
Up to the White House
Yes, the nation's only White House
To voice their discontent
Unto the Pres-I-dent
They pawn the burning question
What has swept this continent
(Lonnie speaks)
If tin whistles are made of tin
What do they make fog horns out of
Boom, boom
Does your chewing gum lose its flavor
On the bedpost overnight
If your mother says don't chew it
Do you swallow it in spite
Can you catch it on your tonsils
Can you heave it left and right
Does your chewing gum lose its flavor
On the bedpost overnight
On the bedpost overnight
Congrats on your NPR press George, and keep the great content coming!
ReplyDeleteI love jazz music it give me harmony and peace.
ReplyDelete