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Turning Sh*t Into Gold - Tim Akers and the Smoking Section


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Just came across this smoking hot session, what an amazing arrangement and tightly-knit band. I still have to hold my nose from the stench of the original brain-dead melody. But wow, Tim and his team did a fine job covering that load of crap.

 

They remind me of the very talented Dirty Loops, although DL often takes it a bit too far for my taste.

 

[video:youtube]

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Wasn't another arrangement of this same tune by the Smoking Section posted up here a couple of years ago? I remember thinking at the time that these guys really know how to polish a turd.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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I think I came across that track some time ago - thanks for reposting. (Trumpet concert Ab one octave above the clef at 2:24!)

 

And best wishes to Tim on a full recovery and making more great music.

 

Cheers, Mike.

 

Glad you enjoyed it too, stoken6. The horns are indeed fabulous, I could have easily mistaken them for a Jerry Hey session in blind listening.

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Wasn't another arrangement of this same tune by the Smoking Section posted up here a couple of years ago? I remember thinking at the time that these guys really know how to polish a turd.

 

This video is from a while back, it's most likely the same as the one you mentioned.

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When you're a relatively unknown session singer, who totally SMOKES the chick that had the hit with the song......

 

TW's retarded melody is an insult to Kim's voice. But today's Po(o)p music can reach much deeper levels of brain-death than TW.

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The horns are indeed fabulous, I could have easily mistaken them for a Jerry Hey session in blind listening.
You know what else is a Jerry Hey session?
(You've been duckrolled)

 

Cheers, Mike

 

I'll choose this over 99.9% of the Po(o)p music out there today, even if only just for Jerry's horns.

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I'll choose this over 99.9% of the Po(o)p music out there today, even if only just for Jerry's horns.
+1. Believe it or not, I only heard this recently, and it immediately hit me: that horn arrangement is insanely cool, and completely makes the track.

 

Cheers, Mike.

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Band is great. But this is awful. I prefer Swift's version by a mile.

 

Holy cow did I hate this, particularly the vox. For me it all comes from planet Trying Too Hard.

 

Swift is a bad-ass IMO, and her new album is worth a spin if you crotchety old f*ckers haven't checked it out yet.

 

Sorry to hear about Tim Akers.

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

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Band is great. But this is awful. I prefer Swift's version by a mile.

 

Holy cow did I hate this, particularly the vox. For me it all comes from planet Trying Too Hard.

 

Swift is a bad-ass IMO, and her new album is worth a spin if you crotchety old f*ckers haven't checked it out yet.

 

Sorry to hear about Tim Akers.

 

I understand where you're coming from regarding the vocal part. It doesn't do Kim's voice justice even remotely. Personally I would have preferred an instrumental version if only to avoid the brain-dead melody and lyrics.

 

Yes, Swift's new album is not bad. But the irony is that kind of production would have never launched her career. Similarly, Lady Gaga had to depend on loads of brain-dead crap to break out, then surprise us with her Jazzy side once she no longer needs media attention or pandering to her brain-dead fans.

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Theses types of cover treatments create a bit of a conundrum. A popular song is chosen and then rewritten presumably so it appeals to a more "serious" audience that presumably doesn't like the original version. It's rewritten so drastically that one wonders why all the effort didn't go into writing something original. But of course, the new version can only exist because of the popularity of the original version that the new audience doesn't like; and something as sophisticated, but completely original would be even less popular because it's not built on the popularity of something that already exists.

 

First comes the egg, and it's real popular. Then comes the sophisticated chicken, and it's got some fans, but nowhere near as many as the egg (and the people that love the chicken hate the egg). But then along comes a new chicken, just as sophisticated as that other one, but it didn't come from an egg â it just sort of appeared. And no one ever hears about it.

 

Also, there should be HEFTY fines for rapping in middle age (unless, of course, you make your living as a rapper).

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Theses types of cover treatments create a bit of a conundrum. A popular song is chosen and then rewritten presumably so it appeals to a more "serious" audience that presumably doesn't like the original version. It's rewritten so drastically that one wonders why all the effort didn't go into writing something original. But of course, the new version can only exist because of the popularity of the original version that the new audience doesn't like; and something as sophisticated, but completely original would be even less popular because it's not built on the popularity of something that already exists.

 

First comes the egg, and it's real popular. Then comes the sophisticated chicken, and it's got some fans, but nowhere near as many as the egg (and the people that love the chicken hate the egg). But then along comes a new chicken, just as sophisticated as that other one, but it didn't come from an egg â it just sort of appeared. And no one ever hears about it.

I look at it simply as folks with chops following a Jazz tradition of rearranging/re-harmonizing popular songs. After all, that's how a large part of the "Jazz Standards" repertoire came to be.

 

With that said, the 1920's to 1950's Pop songs covered by later Jazz musicians often had gorgeous melodies written by excellent composers like Jerome Kern and Erroll Garner. Melodies like "Misty" and "Over the Rainbow" can very well stand on their own even without lush, jazzy harmony.

 

So I agree with your point on the "futility" of modern Jazz(y) musicians covering brain-dead melodies. 2 of the 3 melodies Tim covered on his YT channel are indeed such garbage and I really wish he had released versions without melodies.

 

 

Also, there should be HEFTY fines for rapping in middle age (unless, of course, you make your living as a rapper).

Amen Brother.

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This is exactly the playbook that Dirty Loops followed. Jazz-funk guys that fused sophisticated harmonies with monster chops & super-tight arrangement elements â and applying them to songs we already know. This is entirely different from playing original material in that we have a point of reference to compare and contrast the ways they make their versions different. None of these bands (including DL imo) would have gotten the kind of recognition they did by doing strictly original material. They'll might be talked about in the .00001% of the general audience that are musicians, but can you blame them for wanting to expand beyond that demographic? I sure wouldn't.

 

And since my opinion counts as much as anyone elses â I think the singer here does a fantastic job and this is a killer band of musicians. They're Nashville session pros right? So they spend their working lives backing up other people and now they're doing this side project where they get to stretch out and display their talents without regard to any consideration other than that. Thank you AROIOS for turning me on to them!

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A popular song is chosen and then rewritten presumably so it appeals to a more "serious" audience that presumably doesn't like the original version. It's rewritten so drastically that one wonders why all the effort didn't go into writing something original.

 

this...can"t stand 'esoteric' artists trying so hard to be hip it hurts...hipness is a disease. Brad Meldhau"s version of 'smell"s like teen spirit' sounds not even in the same galaxy as the original on any level...not sure what he was thinking calling it that...just call it your own tune, but of course, nobody would ever buy the record, or check it out other than the 0.001% of the record buying population who like to show people how clever they are via their musical tastes.

(FYI I am a huge, huge Brad fan, he may be my favourite jazz pianist of all time, but I never understood why he just did not call his pop takes original tunes, on some of them he does not even try to play the melody.)

 

Viewing hip reharms and outside playing as somehow being of a 'higher' level of musical ability is a questionable assertion. Playing an instrumental that sticks exactly to the melody is no joke, try it and post your efforts if you think it"s so easy. Once you get reharmonization and outside playing, it is actually considerably easier to do an outside version of a pop tune than it is to do a convincing take that stays true to the original.

 

Here is a master doing a masterful take that stays true to the original:

 

[video:youtube]

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This is exactly the playbook that Dirty Loops followed. Jazz-funk guys that fused sophisticated harmonies with monster chops & super-tight arrangement elements â and applying them to songs we already know. This is entirely different from playing original material in that we have a point of reference to compare and contrast the ways they make their versions different. None of these bands (including DL imo) would have gotten the kind of recognition they did by doing strictly original material. They'll might be talked about in the .00001% of the general audience that are musicians, but can you blame them for wanting to expand beyond that demographic? I sure wouldn't.

 

And since my opinion counts as much as anyone elses â I think the singer here does a fantastic job and this is a killer band of musicians. They're Nashville session pros right? So they spend their working lives backing up other people and now they're doing this side project where they get to stretch out and display their talents without regard to any consideration other than that. Thank you AROIOS for turning me on to them!

 

Yes, Dirty Loop is the first thing that came to my mind too when I saw this video. They share a lot in common regarding that Jazz Funk vibe you pointed out. Jonah Nilsson is one heck of a singer and Tim has a killer horn section. I would love to see a collaboration between these two groups,

 

I'm glad you enjoyed Tim and the Band's performance Reezekeys. :cheers: And yes, they are all Nashville session cats. I've always thought we can only assembly a team like this in LA or NY. They blew away my ignorant assumption that Nashville is all Country.

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A popular song is chosen and then rewritten presumably so it appeals to a more "serious" audience that presumably doesn't like the original version. It's rewritten so drastically that one wonders why all the effort didn't go into writing something original.

 

this...can"t stand 'esoteric' artists trying so hard to be hip it hurts...hipness is a disease. Brad Meldhau"s version of 'smell"s like teen spirit' sounds not even in the same galaxy as the original on any level...not sure what he was thinking calling it that...just call it your own tune, but of course, nobody would ever buy the record, or check it out other than the 0.001% of the record buying population who like to show people how clever they are via their musical tastes.

(FYI I am a huge, huge Brad fan, he may be my favourite jazz pianist of all time, but I never understood why he just did not call his pop takes original tunes, on some of them he does not even try to play the melody.)

 

Viewing hip reharms and outside playing as somehow being of a 'higher' level of musical ability is a questionable assertion. Playing an instrumental that sticks exactly to the melody is no joke, try it and post your efforts if you think it"s so easy. Once you get reharmonization and outside playing, it is actually considerably easier to do an outside version of a pop tune than it is to do a convincing take that stays true to the original.

 

Here is a master doing a masterful take that stays true to the original:

 

I totally understand where you are coming from Mike. Here's such a re-harmonization atrocity I can't stand myself:

 

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRAOBtnnCi4

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Totally...I get it though. Reharms are fun, but it"s better to just write your own tune. Here"s the thing, not everyone can write a melody, and that is where I have an axe to grind. No worries if you can"t write a good melody, but please leave Mr. Mancini alone! ð If I have to hear another 'hip' reharm of moon river, I think I"m going to scream!
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Totally...I get it though. Reharms are fun, but it"s better to just write your own tune. Here"s the thing, not everyone can write a melody, and that is where I have an axe to grind. No worries if you can"t write a good melody, but please leave Mr. Mancini alone! ð If I have to hear another 'hip' reharm of moon river, I think I"m going to scream!

 

Amen Brother.

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I tend to think that people cover songs in this way because they like the original or something about it, or feel that they have a create and interesting way to present it. I'm not saying anything negative about Tim Akers and the Smoking Section because I have no idea about this, but perhaps they aren't songwriters at all. They are killer session musicians, and they used what they are good at to do this.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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Again - a band like this posting originals would probably get little attention, like most people going that route. Not saying it's bad or wrong to post original material - it's about the realities of how music is discovered and consumed by Joe & Jane sixpack. imo.

 

Doing a different and unique take on a familiar song is a way to get noticed. You get to display your talents and sound original, using a familiar frame of reference. It can be a win in a lot of ways. These guys (and gal) kill it, imo. And Joe is exactly right â those that are exceptional songwriters are not generally also monster intrumentalists & arrangers. This band is showing what they do best. There's nothing to criticize here except your own preconceptions.

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Again - a band like this posting originals would probably get little attention, like most people going that route. Not saying it's bad or wrong to post original material - it's about the realities of how music is discovered and consumed by Joe & Jane sixpack. imo.

 

Doing a different and unique take on a familiar song is a way to get noticed. You get to display your talents and sound original, using a familiar frame of reference. It can be a win in a lot of ways. These guys (and gal) kill it, imo. And Joe is exactly right â those that are exceptional songwriters are not generally also monster intrumentalists & arrangers. This band is showing what they do best. There's nothing to criticize here except your own preconceptions.

 

I might be the only "criticizer" in the thread, I'm not sure.

 

I am in no way against these kinds of covers. I completely agree, covers are where the clicks are. For me, what makes covers like this work is when they draw something new of out a tune we all thought we knew. This sample did a lot of ornamenting, but for me it didn't bring anything new to the tune. IMO, that's what made the vox less compelling; I just heard a sort of over-singing version of the original melody. If she'd brought something new to it, I'd have been more compelled.

 

Nothing against any of the players, or the OP for sharing, or anyone who likes this. It's purely personal. For me, killer as the band is, it just lacked the "Wow!" I get when I hear the best of these funk-covers-of-pop-tunes, of which there are now quite a few.

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

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...I feel like it starts at an intensity level of 11 and that leaves it nowhere to go.

 

You nailed it.

 

(Over)Density/Intensity can hurt musicality unintentionally, and that's why I never digged Bebop in general or shredders like Jordan Rudess (oops, I might have just opened a new can of worms. :laugh:)

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