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Personally I haven't listened to other players 'in depth' for years because I don't want to be influenced by others when writing.
As I'm sure you'll agree, it's difficult to be original. I remember something that happened in a London session many years ago that's always stayed with me:
I was talking to a superb classical pianist & asked her if she writes her own music. The look of shock I got from her was baffling to me!! She said: 'NO!! All the good music has already been written'
as if I've asked a stupid question. I was quite young & couldn't understand that attitude!?
In my early teens I was obsessed with John McLaughlin- & I mean REALLY obsessed!!! Everything I was writing was highly influence by him! It took me quite a while to get out of it, but I did & have not fallen into that trap since. Do any of you feel you may be in a trap like this to some degree? Just out of interest...
Peace.
DC...Last edited by DC Cornelius; 05-20-2025 at 09:01 PM.
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05-20-2025 08:39 PM
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If it is so easy to play like other people, why do so many people play like shit?
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The influence of musicians on musicians is not surprising.
If someone is a great individuality and has their own musical language often affects other musicians.
I treat it as a kind of developmental stage of a jazz musician.
Often outstanding jazz musicians have numerous recordings and concerts behind them, and this causes interest from other musicians - usually beginners.
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That would be a matter of opinion. Who <in your opinion> plays like shit?
Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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The best helper in this assessment would probably be the ears. Originally Posted by DC Cornelius
It could be expanded more in terms of content, but I would start with the ears.
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I used to worry about being original. I stopped. I think the quest for originality makes a fundamental mistake about human beings and human life.
It assumes a solid, formed, singular personality previous to one's encounter with the world (-or that aspect of it in which one seeks to be original.)
Something like this: "I am me and anything from without can only detract from the pot of gold that is myself." (I think we come into our own precisely through bumping up against the buzzing world around us; we were not always as we are now; we were not as we are now when we were six or sixteen; that's not how human life unfolds.)
A minor point yet one worth making: isolated from the work of others, you cannot know whether your work is original. Originality is discerned through comparison.
A second minor point (one heavily impressed upon me during my years as a record reviewer who was assigned many debut albums by alternative bands): one's music may be original---unlike anything else going on at the time---yet stink on ice.
I often think on this line from C.S. Lewis. "No man who values originality will ever be original. But try to tell the truth as you see it, try to do any bit of work as well as it can be done for the work’s sake, and what men call originality will come unsought."
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I’m not going to attack people who are trying their best. Originally Posted by DC Cornelius
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I'd agree with AA that trying to learn masters' playing is hard, and by implication - important. To me originality actually comes easiest, and it's just the quality of playing that's the issue. But people have different experiences on that.
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DC Cornelius -You can share your best recording on the guitar and see the reactions of the musicians from the Forum.
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When you say they play like shit, are you talking about professional jazz musicians? I ask because I find you to be a gentle soul and that comment is rather harsh. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
Of course I have heard professional jazz musician (live or on recordings), that I don't enjoy what they are doing or find entertaining, but none that don't know how to play.
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These are general statements of how I think about amateur musicians who love their jazz idols. Originally Posted by jameslovestal
A very broad topic....
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I think you may be turning into Branford Marsalis haha Originally Posted by AllanAllen
who is usually right TBF
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The operative thing being - it's hard to play music. There's actually no dishonour in not being great at it. (That's what I tell myself anyway haha.) Originally Posted by AllanAllen
These things are all relative. I'm proud of what I've achieved, but I'm finding myself falling short, as I should, relative to people who I admire, it can often be easy to forget how far I've come.
To do this you need to work on the musician, and that's something that is challenging for adults on a number of levels. You have to be open to feeling like a complete schmo 90% of the time haha. Many people are not up for that in their supposedly fun pastime, and that's understandable. OTOH if you can enjoy the feeling of being a beginner, you will both make more progress and have more fun, I think.
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What "general statements" are you referring too? My reply was to Allan, thus I'm confused. Originally Posted by kris
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Sorry. Originally Posted by jameslovestal
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What ME playing do you mean? I've shared my recordings in this place already............ Originally Posted by kris
Last edited by DC Cornelius; 05-24-2025 at 08:11 PM.
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With the deepest respect; I'm still trying to decipher what you mean by this? I'm a little confused= which to be honest is nothing new for me in the short time I've been a member of this great place Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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Playing illustrates the problem better than talking about it.That was all I wanted. Originally Posted by DC Cornelius
Thanks
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