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What song do they use now? They could try Breezin'. Maybe that's not laconic enough.
Originally Posted by Jazzism
IDK, it's not my problem.
Keep us posted.
Can you do that? I don't want to get you in trouble.
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05-03-2016 11:15 AM
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You're right. The Breck Shampoo people are sending over a hit squad to assassinate me. Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
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It isn't jazz if it actually has a hummable tune.
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Why they love Kenny G in China
1.3 billion people is a lot of asses for those seats. $$$.
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If it gets people on a dance floor it's not jazz.
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hey boys, I play jazz. Have all my life.
I play tunes people like, which is why I don't sound like a modern guitar player
the tunes people actually like are all the old standards, believe it or not. You can hum them. Chances are good people have heard them somewhere before, too.
if you play tunes people have a shot at recognizing, and don't take 10 choruses every freaking tune, and try not to play every flipping tune for 20 minutes and can get past the "higher, louder, faster" crapola...you would be surprised at how much people actually like jazz
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[QUOTE=Stevebol;646978]If it gets people on a dance floor it's not jazz.[/QUOTE]
Don't tell that to the Basie Band.
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This may help explain Kenny G's popularity in China. "The Chinese spelling of Kenny G’s name is “only one character off of Ken De Ji, the Chinese name for Kentucky Fried Chicken.”
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Originally Posted by zephyrregent
makes sense. I'd have to be extra crispy to put on a Kenny G record
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Pat makes some fairly specific criticisms in his article. I haven't seen anyone defend KG from those. (e.g. that he plays sharp, and throws a lot of clams.)
Personally, while I don't disagree with Pat (especially about the Louis Armstrong thing), I do think people are a little harder on Kenny than is strictly warranted. I'd prefer to see him classified as "instrumental pop" or something rather than jazz, but if people want to hear something pleasant and tuneful, I can think of a lot worse things. And personally, I'll take the worst jazz over anything on Top 40 radio any day.
(Also, the comedian Patton Oswalt said something that I think applies. He was talking about how young people get all worked up over music saying stuff like, "Those guys are sellouts! They're only in it for the money and the p***y!" He observes: "Do you have any idea what people have DONE for money and p***y? Is playing bad music really so horrible compared to things like that?")
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I was listening to jazz radio yesterday while finishing up at work when Red Garlands version of Bye Bye Blackbird came on. Now THAT tune swings like a pair of big brass danglies! And THAT is jazz! Metheny? Tremendous talent on guitar, but his music rarely moves me. I'm not a Kenny G fan either, but I will admit that artists like Dianna Krall, John Pizzarelli and Jamie Cullum were largely responsible for getting me interested in jazz. From there I discovered Kessel, Bruno, Green, Montgomery, Red and Hank Garland, Stitt, O. Peterson, Vignola, Jimmy Smith, and many others. If Kenny G or anyone else chooses to make a certain kind of music more power to him. There will always be those who dislike his music just as there are those who dislike Metheny. Interestingly, the more popularity one achieves, the more people seem to dismiss their accomplishments, and the more vocal dissenters are. Everyone says they hate Kenny G, yet aside from this forum I rarely hear Pat Metheny mentioned. Things that make you go hmmmmmmm.
Last edited by snoskier63; 05-03-2016 at 02:23 PM.
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A lot of my non-jazz-fan friends are Metheney fans. Originally Posted by snoskier63
Everyone says they hate Kenny G, yet aside from this forum I rarely hear Pat Metheny mentioned. Things that make you go hmmmmmmm.
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I can't stand listening to Gorelick, but PM's public rant is in poor taste IMO. He is a brilliant musician, but when he ridicules a sucessful but "lesser" player he comes off sounding resentful, regardless of his original intent. Just my opinion as a long time Metheny fan.
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I think my brain circuitry cant connect K.G and Coltrain.Blues and Jazz in the context of Coltrane.Jazz and Blues in the context of K.G.If thats who they could get and he draws a crowd.Lets hope he does, at least fits in, a solo in there even just a few lines that nails Coltrane signature and honors the man.
Last edited by EarlBrother; 05-03-2016 at 04:07 PM. Reason: Cannot not can
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We don't want him. He understands R&B and has connections but I saw the end coming in 86'. He doesn't have the skill set for R&B. Plus, he plays a horn.
He seems to be an LA guy and most things LA are a double-edged sword. My pimp lived in Hollywood;
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Worlds collide!
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OK, I've figured it out.
High Point, NC is in the center of the U.S.'s furniture manufacturing industry. In fact, I remember people from the New York area who would furnish houses, and make a special trip to that area. (There were even chartered bus trips for the NYC car-challenged.)
Kenny G. is playing on Sunday, which is the day of rest. Crowds of more than 3,000 are expected. The U.S. is just finally getting out of financial meltdown and has experienced decline in home ownership due to foreclosures, bankruptcies, etc. Two hours of listening to Kenny G will induce massive purchases of pull out recliners, as the festival listeners will try to recreate that "feel good" vibe of his music, as they begin to get themselves restored to homeownership normality.
In fact, I have heard rumors, so far unconfirmed, that several recliner manufacturers will be offering special "Kenny G" models that, when you pull out the foot rest, spring forth into glorious soothing song! (A built-in heated, vibration device can also be ordered with your recliner...easily activated by a convenient switch on the lounger arm rest---no need to lift a finger.)Last edited by goldenwave77; 05-03-2016 at 05:36 PM.
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For whatever reason he's huge in China. He's sold 75 million records. I never liked the song 'Giant Steps' till I heard Jimmy Bruno do it a couple days ago.
Will he be headlining the festival?
jazz musicians are always reminding everyone how unfair the music business is.
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There's a hope. His son was playing in a metal band and recently got into Gypsy Jazz. He's a guitarist, of course! At least, the world won't see Kenny G junior doing pseudo jazz!
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In response to Dortmund jazz guitar, I don't think he did give him a pass. In that long dissertation he also calls out coryell and says he lost a lot of respect for him for doing the same thing with Wes. Granted it wasn't anywhere near as vitriolic as his response to gorelicks effort.
Last edited by Jazzism; 05-04-2016 at 07:36 AM.
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The other thing that resonated with me about his rant, was how he suggested that gorelick seemed to be making himself of equal artistic value as Louis Armstrong, and that a lot of the early jazz pioneers had to develop the music under very stressful conditions. I couldn't imagine what it would be like putting my life at risk just to play music by being black and touring the Deep South during times of segregation, which was what metheny was alluding to. I imagine growing up in Seattle would be a lot different to the hardship faced by the early jazz pioneers.
Interesting as the years have rolled on this phenomenon keeps coming back. more noteworthy examples of musical necrophilia: rod Stewart - Ella Fitzgerald. Scarlett johansen - dean Martin. To name a few.
i think a lot of people have been more focused on metheny's public eviceration of gorelicks technique rather than his motivation for doing so. For the detractors of metheny's public outrage, would you cast Kurt rosenwinkel in the same light as metheny, when Kurt came out publicly attacking the artistic integrity of vijay iyer when vijay won a MacArthur fellowship a few years ago?
Interesting topic for debate?
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haha, you know, I'll have to try accessing the forum next time I'm in the mainland. Facebook and YouTube are banned, I wonder if the wonderful politburo of the PRC recognize the inherent evil of the JGF Originally Posted by Stevebol
LOL.
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Lots of strands to this debate. As far as Rosenwinkel/Vijany Iyer, I think Rosenwinkel was just saying he found Iyer's playing not all that exciting, and that the critical darling reputation he's been given is maybe overblown...not an integrity issue per se. Basically sour grapes here, I think. Originally Posted by Jazzism
As far as Kenny G.'s jazz playing, I don't know anyone who thinks what he does is serious jazz. He's sold a lot a lot of records, and the stuff I've heard, sounds like easy listening--- just pure melody playing...hardly any improvisation to speak of. Maybe I'm mistaken on that. At least on his records, I don't hear clams....it's pretty hard to do that playing simple melody lines. (It might even be autocorrected.) Maybe he has a wide concert following, where he does attempt to play real jazz, and if so, Metheny may well be right. As I say, I'm not a big authority on Kenny G. and not a big fan, either...but I'm not a fan of milk of magnesia either....its kind of bland but some people take it, and it makes them feel better, and I guess some people listen to Kenny G for the same reason. But for me, it sits on the shelf at the drugstore, and it doesn't bother me, and if some people want to use that product, that is their business.
The whole overdubbing thing is a whole 'nother issue for another debate. Maybe when it is done for a quick accent it is OK. Otherwise not a big fan. I suppose I can cut Natalie Cole a break, because of her family relationship. But even then, that would not always be right. For example if the Jackson brothers did this with Michael Jackson's stuff, I would find it in poor taste. But she sings well in the pop style that her father did, so the juxtaposition is maybe instructive to listen to. I still think her father swings a lot more...he always had that sense even in his most pop moments.
As far as the status/role of black performers in times past, I think neither Metheny nor Kenny G. have any real basis to speak on the humiliation of segregated facilities in the old South, (and sometimes in the North as well). They just have never had to walk that walk.
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Guys like Metheny and Rosenwinkel are saying that if you aren't creative in a way that they support you are a danger to the art form. That sounds earily similar to the mainland situation. Also, as I recall Louis Armstrong got slammed by many for not being black enough in his choice of who he played with and for. Funny, but I thought music was supposed to be all about freedom of expression. Originally Posted by Jazzism
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