Kenny G

[Boston Joe]

Funny, but I thought music was supposed to be all about freedom of expression.

Well sure, but that doesn't mean one can't call out bad expression. I don't think anyone is calling for Kenny to be barred from making music.

[smokinguit]

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.

Not the people that I talk to. Whenever I bring up the word jazz most people think of the kind of music that Kenny G plays. Smooth "jazz" type stuff.

[mr. beaumont]

THEM: What kind of music are you into?

ME: Jazz

THEM: Oh, I LOVE smooth jazz. I like to just put it on, quietly in the background, y'know? Maybe while I'm cleaning or working...or just like reading a book and chilling.

ME: I gotta go now.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

THEM: What kind of music are you into?

ME: Jazz

THEM: Oh, I LOVE smooth jazz. I like to just put it on, quietly in the background, y'know? Maybe while I'm cleaning or working...or just like reading a book and chilling.

ME: I gotta go now.

That's what Borak plays for "sexy time".

[Boston Joe]

THEM: What kind of music are you into?

ME: Jazz

THEM: Oh, I LOVE smooth jazz. I like to just put it on, quietly in the background, y'know? Maybe while I'm cleaning or working...or just like reading a book and chilling.

ME: I gotta go now.

Alternately:

THEM: Ugh, I HATE jazz!

ME: Why?

THEM: It's all just random 'bee-boop-de-shooby-dooby" stuff.

ME: It's actually very well organized. See...

THEM: Whatever <puts on Top40 radio>

ME: I don't want to live on this planet any more.

[dortmundjazzguitar]

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.

sounds like a pass to me:

"but whatever, i know larry is just trying to do good things with music, maybe a producer thought it was a good idea or something"

Pat Metheny : Question & Answer

[Stevebol]

THEM: What kind of music are you into?

ME: Jazz

THEM: Oh, I LOVE smooth jazz. I like to just put it on, quietly in the background, y'know? Maybe while I'm cleaning or working...or just like reading a book and chilling.

ME: I gotta go now.

What kind of music are you into?

Me:

Funky music. I like being in a cult.

Them:

Ah, OK.

Me:

OK see ya around.

[Hep To The Jive]

What kind of music are you into?

Me:

Funky music. I like being in a cult.

Them:

Ah, OK.

Me:

OK see ya around.

THEM:

What kind of music do you guys play?

ME:

Swing, Gypsy, NOLA

THEM:

Ah ok, let me put on my dancing shoes

ME:

Sure. And here's the tip jar.

[Stevebol]

Hep, you're a player. You have game.

[Boston Joe]

Hep, you're a player. You have game.

Yup, and I'm just a big nerd.

[grahambop]

THEM: So what do you do in your spare time?

ME: Oh, I play the guitar a bit, you know...

THEM: Really, what kind of music do you play?

ME: Oh, you know, some blues, a bit of rock, er... (cough)... er, a little bit of er.... jazz....

THEM: Oh, ok (thinks...Weirdo!) ... changes subject.

[Boston Joe]

Sayeth our intrepid bandleader: "Any time you do a jazz gig and there's more people in the audience than onstage, you're doing OK."

[boatheelmusic]

Actually, he, and his defenders, are EXACTLY what's wrong with this world (that is, this world of jazz). Metheny is on the money with every word, and he's certainly not a hater (if you knew him, you'd know that). He's a defender of the art form.

Courageous creativity has been bleached from American art by accountants; mediocrity has been accorded status. I saw Gorelick's lame, cheap act when he was still an opener (for Anita Baker). He was a pandering suck-ass then, now he's a rich pandering suck-ass.

Easy, Ron, accountants report on the facts not decide them.

[Hep To The Jive]

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.

Of course he can choose to do whaever he wants. The problem is he's featured on Coltrane festival, and that is wrong. It's insult to real jazz fans. Metheny doesn't have to be super popular (but i think he is) to be right. If Justin Beiber put on a leather jacket and include a rock guitar solo in his song it won't make him a rocker, and if someone decided to make him a headliner on a rock fest to make money... Well, a lot of people would get upset, and might even do something. But jazz fans are more intelligent bunch, of course... Anyone got rotten vegetables?

[Jazzism]

sounds like a pass to me:

"but whatever, i know larry is just trying to do good things with music, maybe a producer thought it was a good idea or something"

Pat Metheny : Question & Answer

I was talking about the original rant. The quote from his website is after he had time to reflect on what he said originally

[dortmundjazzguitar]

I was talking about the original rant. The quote from his website is after he had time to reflect on what he said originally

so can we say that on reflection he gave coryell a pass?

[Jazzism]

LOL. OK, sure!

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Of course he can choose to do whaever he wants. The problem is he's featured on Coltrane festival, and that is wrong. It's insult to real jazz fans. Metheny doesn't have to be super popular (but i think he is) to be right. If Justin Beiber put on a leather jacket and include a rock guitar solo in his song it won't make him a rocker, and if someone decided to make him a headliner on a rock fest to make money... Well, a lot of people would get upset, and might even do something. But jazz fans are more intelligent bunch, of course... Anyone got rotten vegetables?

How much of this is because "Coltrane" is used in the name of the festival? I expect "jazz" festivals to have other types of acts, even headlining, because that pays the bills. The Montreal Jazz Festival, one of the big jazz festivals, will have Brian Wilson, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Noel Gallagher, Sugar Hill Gang, The Tallest Man on Earth, etc...

[Jazzism]

Wow, I never would have thought it possible, but there is something to rival the controversy that is the Kenny G. NOEL GALLAGHER booked for a jazz festival. Little bit of chord melody, some tasty octaves, bensonesque double stops. What do you think Noel will have in store for the avid jazz listener? LOL

[AlainJazz]

How much of this is because "Coltrane" is used in the name of the festival? I expect "jazz" festivals to have other types of acts, even headlining, because that pays the bills. The Montreal Jazz Festival, one of the big jazz festivals, will have Brian Wilson, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Noel Gallagher, Sugar Hill Gang, The Tallest Man on Earth, etc...

The Montreal festival hasn't been a jazz festival since years. I grew up and lived most of my life in Montreal. Those early days of the fest were incredible. Once I had left Montreal, I used to try and plan my visits to coincide with the festival. Now, I don't bother. Most of the small festivals in Europe are better in terms of quality of acts, albeit much smaller.