To me this never has been or never will be a talent like Wes Montgomery. Took up the guitar when he was in his 20s. Worked a full time job making radios, played an evening gig, then a late night gig until 4am, sleeping between sets, somewhere in there he fathered 7 children. Honest, warm and wonderful person who changed jazz and the guitar, developed his own style playing with his thumb and using octaves. He doesnt play as may notes as many of the jazz greats but his playing is amazingly lyrical full of complex ideas.
Look at this clip. Most guys are buried in their instrument. Wes smiles throughout his playing, he really loves this stuff and the music just flows.....
listen to how the band responds to his playing. Thats why I love jazz, tbe other musicians are listening and resonding to the soloist. Its constant creation.
Spoken like a "jazz" musician. I think that most casual music listeners do not like improvisational jazz because it usually lacks a "hook" and they don't comprehend the interplay between musicians. My wife calls it crazy music!
Improvisation is what floats my boat. Get bored with predictable music after a while, but I still like it. just need my jazz fix to straighten me out. My wife hates most of that too. I tell her she just doesn't understand and go listen to your Beatles.
"A beach is a place where a man can feel he's the only soul in the world that's real"
Remember it is just my opinion which ain't worth much. Not saying he is a better talent. I just like his music better, but then again I like bus fumes.
"A beach is a place where a man can feel he's the only soul in the world that's real"
Spoken like a "jazz" musician. I think that most casual music listeners do not like improvisational jazz because it usually lacks a "hook" and they don't comprehend the interplay between musicians. My wife calls it crazy music!
I think I can convince someone to like jazz in 15 minutes or at least help them understand it. Thats why I like modern/traditional jazz and not avant garde, fusion etc. Nothing Wes is playing is outside "normal" listening. Same goes for Pass, Parker, and countless others. I think people try and may have heard of Miles or Coletrane and then hear some of their later "outside" music and get turned off. You need to understand the structure of a song, if you can listen to Sinatra, Ella etc, I think you can appreciate jazz. It is a "thinking mans" music and I dont mean its better than other music, its just that to play it requires constant listening and concentration. I could never fathom how guys like Parker and many, many others can play through lightening chord changes while doped up in heroin. Its not like Hendrix playing over simple changes. Dont get me started on jazz, Im way more opinionated then politics !
Jazz 'standards' Davis, Coltrane and such are often my background when I need to read/study technical stuff... keeps nicely in the background
Bryan
Originally Posted by #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&
"For once I agree with Spence. UGH. I just hope I don't get the urge to go start buying armani suits to wear in my shop"
"Dont get me started on jazz, Im way more opinionated then politics !"
I "got your back" on this forum Jim....on the other....it might be me holding the knife! ;-)
To me,traditional jazz, although not just a 12 bar I,IV,V thing, seems to have a lot of it's roots in the blues. Think songs like "Ain't Nobody's Business".(did this one at last nights jam) IMO fusion as the name implies is more of a blend between the free form playing of Coltrane or Miles and rock; however many of the fusion players such as DiMeola and a host of "Berklee" type guys have the ability to crossover from one style to the other. I also prefer a "melodic" player to someone who rips through a bunch of scales at the speed of light but appreciate the technique involved in playing all styles.
Al Dimeola - damn, used to listen to him a lot many moons ago - here we go, another archaelogical dig thru my vinyl...
"There is no royal road to this heavy surf-fishing. With all the appliances for comfort experience can suggest, there is a certain amount of hard work to be done and exposure to be bourne as a part of the price of success." From "Striped Bass," Scribner's Magazine, 1881.
I try to embrace all kinds of music and I too think speed is way over rated in most things in life. I can get as much satisfaction from sitting down and listening to someone like Tony Rice or Doc Watson compared to Larry Carlton or Joe Satriani or a piano player or a triangle player. I am a big believer that you can take something from the past and make it better too. Improve on something or someones style. Not everything is better but there are times. Pretty hard to single out anyone person over another. But it is fun listening to everyones opinions. I'm not an expert on any type of music but I do know what I like. I could never like just one type of music or just one type of musician. I like em all, well 99% of em. I gave up on my wife a longtime ago. She likes her crappy stuff and I like my far superior stuff and now I am dealing with an 8 year old daughter that loves music and has a nice voice and takes piano lessons for 3 years. The god awful stuff she listens to makes me cringe but I am working on her constantly.The first song I made her learn at 4 years old was summertime so there may be hope. Wish Hanna Montana would fade away though.
Last edited by ProfessorM; 12-04-2008 at 01:31 PM..
"A beach is a place where a man can feel he's the only soul in the world that's real"
Not saying he is a better talent. I just like his music better, but then again I like bus fumes.
and now I am dealing with an 8 year old daughter that loves music and has a nice voice and takes piano lessons for 3 years. The god awful stuff she listens to makes me cringe but I am working on her constantly.The first song I made her learn at 4 years old was summertime so there may be hope. Wish Hanna Montana would fade away though.
Linear Mode
