Bored with jazz standards ...
Am I being heretical. Should Grumpy burn me at the stake.
When I see a new album that is completely comprised of Standards or stuff from the American Pop songbook, I generally pass. I don't find there's much new to explore anymore
No one should consider themselves heretical, we're all different. We all have preferences as to style, period, individual musicians etc. You have your opinion and I (and all of us) should respect that. My philosophy in things cultural is: disagree without being disagreeable.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your above statement, I, on the other hand, being an old guy, prefer to listen to the compositions that I know and like, because I like to follow the melody and changes. If I am unacquainted with these, I find it difficult, if not impossible, to follow the improvisations. Sure, I could get to know them with repeated listening but I don't have the time - I have too many other things on the go outside of music.
I look forward to other opinions from Lair members - it's an interesting subject.
I was being humorous in saying I was a heretic ;-)
DeleteI'm actually 66 and in the US and on Medicare. I wish I was a younger guy !!!
I'm referring to contemporary artists doing the standard canon. I still love hearing the old greats doing standards and traditional ballads - whether it be Evans, Coltrane, Miles, Rollins et al.
But regarding new or contemporary artists I don't hear any real new ground covered by a program of standards.
I love the hard bop idiom but do like to see new boundaries explored in the music.
Just one guys take
Playing standards = rubbish. After all, who'd want to listen to Coltrane playing My Favourite Things, or all those dreadful recordings by Rollins or Miles.
ReplyDeleteAnd whatever you do do not listen to: https://grumpywon.blogspot.com/2024/06/gary-thomas-till-we-have-faces-1992.html
how on earth could grumpy think Thomas and Metheny reworking "You Don't Know What Love Is" is sublime?
I'm rather older than FMJ98 (and probably older than any other member at the Lair) - 85. I first became involved in the music with Brubeck and Desmond's 'Balcony Rock'. Before that, it was Bach, Beethoven and Grieg's Concerto in A Minor. Over the years, I've explored everything from Ragtime to post-Bop and John Zorn's Modernism. My sweet spot has become advanced hard bop: Pepper Adams, JR Monterose, Grant Green (Idle Moments).The only things I stay away from are Trad (Al Hirt) and Free Jazz.
ReplyDeleteWhat I've tried to do over the years as a listener is to get beyond the melodic line and follow the chord progressions, to the point where I inexpertly create my own solo over the underlying harmonic structure. Don't laugh - the end product is undeniably awful, but the exercise is invaluable in gaining an insight into the creative output. What is the artist hearing? What does that lead him or her to respond with?
So, to FMJ98's point: There is some value to listening to current artists playing the old war-horses. Unfortunately some of them will produce paint by the numbers music, and leave me to wonder why I wasted the time. But some artists will dive into the underlying harmonic structure and find something interesting to say.
Yes, I'm often disappointed but not discouraged
I'm not very far from you in age, Otis - I have another six and a half months to get to 85. Yes, Balcony Rock was the second "hook" for me after Shearing. My tastes in jazz largely coincide with yours, as did my pre-jazz musical life - e.g. the Grieg, Schumann and Rachmaninoff 3rd piano concertos, with the addition of being enthusiastic about what later would be called The Great American Song Book, also popular music in general.
ReplyDeleteI go through phases where if I see another lp with a cover of a Monk song, I immediately put it back in the rack. But, then I go through phases where its all I want to listen to, like tonight and we are going to see a band called Tumbando a Monk. Brass band from Cadiz that reworks the Monk standards.
ReplyDelete