comparing yourself

[christianm77]

Hahaha. That's great. I admit my love for Kurt's standards playing + compositions, even though Rosenwinkel seems to be kind of a dirty word around here.

Not here! I love Kurt. Misunderstood musician imo - he’s all about the feels. His playing connects emotionally live in a way which I definitely don’t find with many jazz guitarists.

I bet he gets grumpy about his playing.

[christianm77]

When I realize it's about finding a niche, I stopped worrying about comparing. There's tons of guitarists, world class in NYC, jazz or anything, I'd go crazy worrying about my level compare to them. I managed to get by doing just music for a few years, and that's all that matter.

What's more important, I hear from my people who I played with and who continue to gig with other guitarists that I'm missed. The guys subbing for me are very good, schooled jazz musician, but they can't bring that feel that my friends liked. I'd like to think that I found some niche, however small it is.

Unfortunately looks like I won't be able to come back to the scene for quite a while, so I can't even enjoy it haha.

Sorry to hear that.... how come?

[DB's Jazz Guitar Blog]

Hahaha. That's great. I admit my love for Kurt's standards playing + compositions, even though Rosenwinkel seems to be kind of a dirty word around here.

Huh? Are you kidding?

DB

[Hep To The Jive]

What happened Hep? Were you banished from NY for dissing Kurt or something?

I wish, that would make people talk!

I'm living in China now, and might stay here for a while. My contract is just for a year, but I found myself in the situation I might stick around longer haha.

[princeplanet]

Compare myself to others? Of course I do! Having my ass kicked drives me harder...

[cosmic gumbo]

Great thing about jazz, is that it's all about who you are, and...who you're not.

[Jonah]

Great thing about jazz, is that it's all about who you are, and...who you're not.

It is so true... I like playing classical music and improvizing baroque or reanaissance styles.

But still openess of jazz gives me a real thrill... I feel like I have so many options and ways every momen that I really have to choose one right now and that it is all me and mine, and it if it good it is me, bad it is also me.

In classical it is possible too but this tradidtion today is much less demanding to individuality of choice(and much more to technique). Only few players have it.

Jazz has some predetermined freedom as an essential part of it
I mean freedom is aesthetics of jazz... though there are today styles in jazz too with their limitations ... still .. jazz has some presumption of freedom.
This is very important existential thing to me...
I believe that jazz came to life as some kind of artistic expression of aspiration for freedom - sociallly too - when direct social reference was almost gone then the existentional one stayed.

I believe that human beings have paradoxal situation:
everything is predetermined for them but still they are given free will.

Not easy to make choices in such situation.
This kind of freedom is huge personal resposibility.

Jazz expresses this parodoxality in real practice for me.

Of course there is also possibility to not treat so seriously as I do and just enjoy confortable enviroment too.. nothing wrong about it.
But ti me true jazz players are always on the edge artistically.

And to be totally honest in general... unfortunately today jazz is being academicized to such an extent that it also became possible to be practically nobody and make a name, gain some recognition and stable position in jazz too...

[MarketTomato]

Huh? Are you kidding?

DB

Maybe a little bit of an exaggeration, but I get the impression from some that he's "just an academic effects guy", "too into theory", "cold, sterile" etc. which seems a bit unfair and misrepresenting of his body of work. But that's a whole other can of worms

[robbro@coastwifi.com]

this little one liner , for me says it all.. To Compare is to Despair..

[JaxJaxon]

Sense I have gotten older I dont compaire my playing ability to others. And because people that listen when I play dont run away and dont tell me to stop I think I do OK at Playing. If someone says to me I am not as good as some well know famious player I tell them If I was that good would I be playing here if I was.

[BBGuitar]

The ONLY musician I have to be better than is the musician I was yesterday.

[Gabor]

Maybe a little bit of an exaggeration, but I get the impression from some that he's "just an academic effects guy", "too into theory", "cold, sterile" etc. which seems a bit unfair and misrepresenting of his body of work. But that's a whole other can of worms

Sorry picking up this off topic, but I would like say I agree, his (Rosenwinkel) standards are almost mandatory listening and well worth paying attention. He considered (here) as the new generation, which is not always a positive attribute (here).

I think the main misleading thing related to him his emotionless face, and complete lack of smiling, but hey the listener must focus on the pure music, not the face. I feel the standards has a lot expressed emotions, and with many innovations, not academic at all.

[christianm77]

Sorry picking up this off topic, but I would like say I agree, his (Rosenwinkel) standards are almost mandatory listening and well worth paying attention. He considered (here) as the new generation, which is not always a positive attribute (here).

New generation? This forum haha

Man’s pushing 50 lol... he’s been at the top of the jazz guitar firmament for 20 years....

Actually sometimes there’s a backlash from younger players. A lot of the actual new generation seem to be avoiding the heavily effected sound and harmonic complexity that seemed so influential for something simpler and more direct. Many are reconnecting with bop and more traditional styles.

Pasquale Grasso is the trendy player now, at least if my younger students and colleagues are representative.

Even players like Reiner Baas who are obviously influenced by him seem to be aiming for a drier, more immediate sound.

So I think we had peak Kurt influence about 5-10 years ago, but you can’t ignore his influence.

I think the main misleading thing related to him his emotionless face, and complete lack of smiling, but hey the listener must focus on the pure music, not the face. I feel the standards has a lot expressed emotions, and with many innovations, not academic at all.

Well music is a performance art to be sure.... I have to say I find excessive emoting one stage annoying... When I hear him play he seems to radiate a quiet intensity. His playing connects on a visceral level that I’ve not experienced with many players. Julian Lage has a similar thing for one. Derek Trucks.... it’s more common with blues players actually....

I woke up again to that aspect of his music hearing one of his - ‘Under it all’ in a cafe a couple of years back. Never heard it, hadn’t listened to him for years, but knew it was him right away and something about it made me almost well up. Super musician.

[joelf]

If you don't enjoy what you do within yourself, feel confident----all those things---why do anything in life? Every inner thought projects out, so insecurity, jealousy, competitiveness (the cut 'em kind) ALL negatives will project out and gum up everything for everyone involved.

The good news, of course: the opposite holds true, thank goodness.

The 'goodest' news: every day you get another chance.

Notice I avoided comparison altogether---it's a given when one's insides are a wreck.

I'm 65 and just play. I hope the other cats (on the stand, not in the abstract) inspire me, and that---again---I feel connected to that whatever is bigger than all of us. That's pretty much it. I always had bad nerves and even in a productive period that can louse me up, but only for a tune give or take.

So Dear Abby Fass says to those truly suffering: like the song says, things aren't always bad as they seem...

[neatomic]

I wish, that would make people talk!

I'm living in China now, and might stay here for a while. My contract is just for a year, but I found myself in the situation I might stick around longer haha.

wow hep from jh to china? whats a matter flushing wasn't good enough?!! haha

best of luck

cheers

[Hep To The Jive]

wow hep from jh to china? whats a matter flushing wasn't good enough?!! haha

best of luck

cheers

Yea, I know! But outta the blue I get this job offer, and off I go. I always choose what's more interesting and exciting, than safe in life. Not much for me in NY anyway, even my old gf said yea go go, haha. But I have no regrets, I'm living in a fantasy world here!

[greveost]

I used to be worse. Practice works. It's OK to cut yourself some occasional slack, just don't abuse the privilege.

This!

[pauln]

If you seek a remedy for being down on yourself, compare your playing
with the playing of people who definitely do not play as well as you do.
(Great insight surely comes examining why this is a really terrible idea.)

[Easy2grasp]

Your opportunity to master something in life largely depends on how long you're willing to suck at it.