bloodsample Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Went to see Brubeck last night. One word: Amazing. 85 years young and still hitting those keys right. I also went to see Wayne Shorter and McCoy Tyner last week, my favourite concert by far was Brubeck's (but maybe it's because I've been a huge fan of Brubeck, and now so much of the others). A few remarks about the three concerts: I mean sure you can hit long wierd sparse notes at times or you can hit as many notes per second until it sounds like one long note (ala Coltrane) at other times, but what's the point if it doesn't sound pleasing to the soul/heart/body/mind? This is how I compare Brubeck's band with Tyner's and Shorter's. (Shorter's concert was WAY too short for my money) It seems that everyone is doing the same ole "contemporary" stuff that seem to have as goal: "How can we cram as much hardcore theory into a song and make it sound as 'out there' as possible". This is all well and nice if your goal is to impress, but that's about it. I think people are brainwashed by the fact that these are mega-celebrities in the jazz world, so anything they play will merit a huge applause. But if you heard the same playing on the street by a bum, you wouldn't get the same reaction. What I'm saying is that people like to applaud what others deem good. And for contemporary jazz, only a few can actually appreciate what the hell is being played (kind of like Picasso's art). Wow, I went off on like 5 tangents there.. sorry it's too early for me. Bottom line: Brubeck's concert was the best I'd ever seen, period. This includes ballets, operas, pop concerts, museums(?), etc.. Not in any concert have I gotten so many shivers. I got teary eyed at a point, and am not affraid to say it. I am truly greatefull to have witnessed such genius first hand. And to all of you on this forum who don't appreciate Brubeck, well I guess you can keep on listening to your heartless note-jamming excuses of art. Don't reply with hate, my post is very subjective. Different music moves different people. In my case, it's Chopin and Brubeck. And for some reason that I couldn't put my finger on, Brubeck's playing reminded me a lot of Chopin's work. Signing out, BS> PS. The reason I may have come out a bit angry is because these tickets are all 50$+ and for 2/3 of them, I didn't feel like I got my money's worth. If it were free, then it would have been a different story. YouTube: onceuponasynth.tv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzwee Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 You're talking about Wayne Shorter and McCoy Tyner here. These guys invented "out" so I think sounding like a mile-a-second ala Coltrane would be in keeping with their style, especially Tyner having being part of the Coltrane band. You would be mistaken though if you assume that these cats played on the basis of theory. We look back now and try to duplicate what they do by analyzing the theory. It doesn't mean they relied on that. These types of players hear the sound and it may be more harmonically complex than most people can handle. Brubeck would be in a different category. Maybe that's what made him more of a pop-sound. If you get a chance, watch Keith Jarret. This is a master jazz pianist that doesn't need to go 10-miles-a-second. He's playing mostly simple eight notes but he makes every note count. Everything is based on melody he hears in his ear. I doubt if he's thinking theory either. I was watching Benny Green a few weeks ago. What impressed me the most about him was the sparseness of what he played. When his solo came, he would bring the dynamics all the way down (with the drums and bass lowering to a whisper) and he would provide simple contrast. He can whip it out as fast as anybody, but sometimes he would just go for a slow chordal sound, not unlike what Mehldau would do. There's certainly a lot to learn from watching the greats. Many younger guys think that it is all about cramming notes in the shortest time possible. But the selection of notes between Wayne Shorter/McCoy Tyner and somebody else, would be different, if your ear can discern it. It takes some time to recognize what's going on at fast tempos. What actually happens is that you begin to recognize blocks of patterns so you're not listening to individual notes. When your ears get to that level, it is a little letdown at first because you start to auto-transcribe what everyone does and you start feeling you can duplicate it. Loses the mystery. Hamburg Steinway O, Crumar Mojo, Nord Electro 4 HP 73, EV ZXA1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobsk8 Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 I can't believe that you are lumping Brubeck and McCoy Tyner-Coltrane-Wayne Shorter in the same discussion. Like comparing Kenny G and Byrd........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finale Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Originally posted by bloodsample: And to all of you on this forum who don't appreciate Brubeck, well I guess you can keep on listening to your heartless note-jamming excuses of art. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 BS, I feel ya on the $100 loss. The high art side of jazz, contemporary straight ahead will do that sometimes, especially depending on what and how the musicians decide to play. Shorter & Tyner are pioneers in playing "out" there, so it is a toss up in whether or not they go there. A cat like Brubeck has always been cool in his approach, rich harmonics with tasteful fireworks. Did you find any inspiration in hearing these cats still playing at their age? PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burningbusch Posted July 9, 2006 Share Posted July 9, 2006 Cats on the level of Shorter, Tyner and Brubeck are MATURE players with their own distinctive approach and vocabulary. Tyner and Shorter aren't trying to show off their theory or technique, they are telling their story with their own voice, in their own way. If you dig Brubeck, that's fine. He is more accessible. I've always liked Brubeck's compositions more than his playing. Busch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delirium Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 guys still cannot stand that Brubeck compose hits... is it envy? ♫♫♫ motif XS6, RD700GX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobsk8 Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Originally posted by delirium: guys still cannot stand that Bruback compose hits... is it envy? Who is "Bruback"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delirium Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 alright, alright I corrected typo. ♫♫♫ motif XS6, RD700GX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
synthizen2 Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 I saw Brubeck a few weeks ago at Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (the annual Jazz Festival there). A very well received set. I like his approach, notwithstanding the talents of others mentioned here. Very tasteful and understated. Kurzweil PC3, Yamaha MOX8, Alesis Ion, Kawai K3M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKeys Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Brubeck@ Montreal Jazz Fest. Tell me it isn't so.... I have read on this very forum that Brubeck isn't a jazz player. How can it be? What do I believe? Jimmy Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others. Groucho NEW BAND CHECK THEM OUT www.steveowensandsummertime.com www.jimmyweaver.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delirium Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Originally posted by BluesKeys: Brubeck@ Montreal Jazz Fest. Tell me it isn't so.... I have read on this very forum that Brubeck isn't a jazz player. How can it be? What do I believe? You should believe your ears and definitelly cannot believe everything is being said on this forum ♫♫♫ motif XS6, RD700GX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Schmieder Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Dave Brubeck and Keith Jarrett are far and away my two biggest influences. I've been exposed to Brubeck from the crib forward, as my parents were huge jazz fans during their college years and even drove across country to hear their favourite artists. I'm moving to Brubeck's town in a few weeks, but haven't looked up his current address yet to see how close he is. He moved to New York for awhile to establish his jazz career, but has been back in his home town of Concord CA for some time now. His son Matthew Brubeck plays cello in the Berkeley Symphony and is the spitting image of his dad. Everyone in the family is friendly and approachable. And they give back to the community, in that they've put a lot of money and time into music education in this area. There's now a Brubeck Institute of Music (not sure that's the exact name). I like Shorter and Tyner a lot as well, but have been disappointed by most of the Tyner concerts I've gone to. I think he does best with a big band, as he tends to get repetitive in the trio setting. I've seen Shorter a lot but not with his own band, but love his solo (bandleader) recordings. I see no reason to have to choose between any of these artists. They're all great. The last time I saw Brubeck was probably five or six years ago at Masonic Hall in San Francisco during the annual Jazz Festival. He blew me away in how energetic he was, and how engaging of the audience. I had seen him many many times before with my family at Symphony Hall in Boston, including while Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan were still alive and playing with him. And yet the rhythmic and harmonic nuances and the dynamics and tightness of the rhythm section had never been better than when I saw him at the spry age of 80! Eugenio Upright, 60th Anniversary P-Bass, USA Geddy Lee J-Bass, Yamaha BBP35, D'angelico SS Bari, EXL1, Select Strat, 70th Anniversary Esquire, LP 57, Eastman T486, T64, Ibanez PM2, Hammond XK4, Moog Voyager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charles pirozzi Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 lets hear it for the greatest sound producer of piano the MAN BILL EVANS charles pirozzi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 ----------------------------------------------- lets hear it for the greatest sound producer of piano the MAN BILL EVANS ----------------------------------------------- (though Brubeck is a hell of a player and composer) Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Horne Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 And to all of you on this forum who don't appreciate Brubeck, well I guess you can keep on listening to your heartless note-jamming excuses of art. You know, there can be a middle ground. No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message. In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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