Modesty

[erwinvd]

Most albumtitles that I come across are called Virtuoso (Joe Pass) or the Incredible jazzguitar of (Wes Montgomery). Okay, they are good, but it sounds like "Ain't I good?" or "You can play what you like, but you can never beat me!"

I found it very annoying and it keeps me from buying those albums. Any suggestions/remarks?

I can't know for sure, but I would bet money that neither Joe nor Wes had anything to do w/ the titles of those records. I am certain it was the record company execs wanting to create a buzz. I always got the impression that Joe and Wes were modest guys and I find it suspect they would choose those names on their own.

Just my take.

For what it is worth, Wes is incredible on that disc and Joe is a virtuouso!

[billkath]

Originally Posted by jeffstocksmusic

I can't know for sure, but I would bet money that neither Joe nor Wes had anything to do w/ the titles of those records. I am certain it was the record company execs wanting to create a buzz. I always got the impression that Joe and Wes were modest guys and I find it suspect they would choose those names on their own.

Just my take.

For what it is worth, Wes is incredible on that disc and Joe is a virtuouso!

That is exactly right. In days of yore, artists had next to nothing to do with anything about their recording apart from playing on it. Some of them had some musical direction input, but generally "producer knows best" was the rule of thumb. All of those production things-album cover,title, sleeve notes--that's the producer, A+R people and the executives from the record company.

[FatJeff]

Originally Posted by erwinvd

Most albumtitles that I come across are called Virtuoso (Joe Pass) or the Incredible jazzguitar of (Wes Montgomery). Okay, they are good, but it sounds like "Ain't I good?" or "You can play what you like, but you can never beat me!"

I found it very annoying and it keeps me from buying those albums. Any suggestions/remarks?

If you pass up on the Wes album, you're depriving yourself of some really fantastic playing.

[mr. beaumont]

and the truth is, you're missing out!

while virtuoso is indeed, a virtuoso performance that works as much as a humbling piece as an enjoyable listen, it's still a jazz classic.

the incredible jazz guitar of wes montgomery, on the other hand, is just a damn good jazz album. wes wasn't a showboat ever, in my opinion, he was incredible for a technique that could be considered a bit of a novelty, when really, for him, it was a necessity!

don't let titles sway you (or titles of songs--there's some HORRIBLY titled tunes that are really great)

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

It's funny, when I think of humble jazz guitarists, I'd put Joe and Wes in that group. I've read that Wes was in fact insecure about his playing, which is pretty mind-blowing.

[markerhodes]

I've heard that many singers are insecure about their voices, so I'm not surprised that some guitaritsts are too. Indeed, I think if most of us met a player who said, "I'm as good as I'll ever need to be," we'd think, "What a jerk!"

[mr. beaumont]

just to make sure folks know i'm modest, i've decided to title my CD (coming this fall) "the mediocre but occasionally entertaining guitar of jeff matz."

should be a hit!

[derek]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

just to make sure folks know i'm modest, i've decided to title my CD (coming this fall) "the mediocre but occasionally entertaining guitar of jeff matz."

should be a hit!

Love it! Sign me up for a copy. Perhaps I can follow up with "The Mildly Amusing and Somewhat Disturbing Ramblings of Derek Dodson".

I've read that Wes was in fact insecure about his playing, which is pretty mind-blowing.

I have a recording of Ted Greene telling a story about how Wes heard a very average classical player and asked himself aloud why he even bothered playing any longer!

Holdsworth is legendary for thinking he is horrible. Wrap your head around that one.

[Jake Hanlon]

Considering that the Virtuosso albums weren't even Joe Pass' idea he obviously had nothing to do with the album titles. Lables at that point controlled everything in the Music Industry.

Especially at the time of the 50's and 60's, Wes being African American was still in many ways to be treated as a 2nd rate citizen, and probably didn't even have a say in some of the toons that he was to record on many of his albums with Riverside.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Originally Posted by derek

Love it! Sign me up for a copy. Perhaps I can follow up with "The Mildly Amusing and Somewhat Disturbing Ramblings of Derek Dodson".

Arbuthnot Cruikshank: music for the morbidly obese

[erwinvd]

Yes, I guess you're right, Joe Pass, Wes, Pat Martino (whom I personally met), George Benson, John Scofield, Kenny Burrell etc. are indeed quite modest themselves. Those albumtitles were 'invented' by the companies I think.

[franco6719]

They were just being honest?

[hot ford coupe]

The guitarist that thinks he's the best out there and thinks he's learned all there is to know is the one that will never progress from where he sits. There's always something new to learn and everything can stand improvement.

[amusiathread]

Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles

Arbuthnot Cruikshank: music for the morbidly obese

Sam Myers: Ferociously Mediocre