Begs the question, if you're not hearing the SOUND part of the music very well, are you listening to MUSIC at all, or just noise?
Modal and free is where the audiophile vinyl really helped me to better hear and appreciate the complexities and nuances of the music. When given a little more space and air to breathe, you can get a better sense of isolation and expression from each individual artist, IMO. The two Tone Poets that most come to mind here are The Prisoner and Passing Ships...both dense recordings that are vastly more expressive with audiophile treatment. And I'd probably never be as nuts about Jackie Mclean if it hadn't been for the MMJ 45s
Yes! You always knew just how good a band was at a gig if they sounded great from the restroom...or pee spot
To each his/her own, of course. But I listen for the musical journey that the musicians take me on. It takes concentration, but these are artists painting with notes.
This is excellent news. I discovered Carmell Jones via the Mosaic box and was quite impressed. This will be another automatic buy for me, if and when it comes out..
Based on the Expansions chatter a couple of pages back, I streamed it tonight. What a great album! Not sure why it doesn't get the love it deserves. Glad I pre-ordered it at $22 a while back
I wonder how many of you having just put on something you were dying to watch would get up and walk away from the television set?
And this includes singers such as Shirley Horn and Carmen McRae, who embued lyrics with specific, personal meaning, as though having a conversation with you through the words. And to me, a work like A Love Supreme demands to be paid attention to. Yes, there are many works/songs which can be enjoyed as background listened; but further, intense scrutiny done by plopping yourself down in front of the speakers helps reveal the deeper intent of the artists, and allows you them to have virtual conversations with you.
The need to watch (most) television is obvious because there are visual clues you would miss in the communication from the show, e.g., graphics, facial cues, etc. In contrast, aside from lyrics, music is an often abstract language. And because of that, it can deliver a more complex message that can reach across cultures. But to really appreciate it, you sometimes have to really tune yourself in to hear it. By assuming you can relegate music to the background and get everything shortchanges yourself and some artists. Sure, there can be simple pop or dance music which don't have much depth and can certainly be appreciated superficially. But, say, what richness is buried deeper in the arrangement of a Steely Dan song, or in the arrangement of a James Brown song backed by the JB's (Brown got his rhythmic ideas from listening to jazz big bands, establishing the syncopated rhythms of funk!)? Allowing Phil Bailey personally sing to you in the live version of "Reasons" on the album Gratitude (a wonderfully recorded 3 sides live, 1 side studio masterpiece) is a pretty riveting and rewarding experience. It's easy to get sucked into the back and forth musical conversation near the end between Bailey and saxophonist Don Myrick. Turn it up for maximum impact.
Would one just change the channel? I do if the acting is so obviously poor; most commonly with anything by the BBC
There are very very few things on tv that I am ever "dying to watch". In fact, I cannot remember any at this time
Ok so another great record you enablers introduced me to. I really like this YouTube clip! Off to see if I already have a digital copy on one of my HDDs... Edit: No Carnell Jones OR Harold Land digital. This is going on my shopping list!
Hooray! I stole my wife's car and I get to go pick up the new Tone Poets this afternoon. I hope sometime in the next few weeks I might be able to get them cleaned and give them a good listen. Talked to Joe some more about Pacific Jazz. I realize the Kenny Dorham Inta Somethin' was mentioned up thread, and if you have not heard it, it's a great live record. Joe has it in his stack to be played so lets keep our fingers crossed for this one. Another one talked about is Terry Edwards "Sunset Eyes" from 1960. This features Billy Higgins who I admire very much. Never seen the record, and all I have is a promo CD my Capitol rep gave me over 20 years ago. Would love this to be a Tone Poet as well. So let me share what they have to go through sometimes with Pacific Jazz tapes. Richard Bock loved to make edits and the splices can come apart during playback. Which requires a fair amount of fixing and can be a bit tricky, but when you are dealing with such great records, its part of process. I really believe the further down the Tone Poet journey we go, more and more of what many would call "obscure titles" are going to be getting released. And all I can say is "music to my ears"!
Yep, big time. Oh, and since pretty much no live jazz has the same level of detail and clarity person as it does on an audiophile record played back on an audiophile system, I guess the manner in which people have been listening to live music for centuries is inadequate to appreciate these Starry Nights. Hilarity of the highest order. Nice systems can help enhance the experience of listening to music you already like. But it should have nothing whatsoever to do with liking the music in the first place.
For those wondering about Amazon and Sonny Clark's My Conception, they've just shipped my copy, now arriving on Saturday. Here's hoping they get enough in this week to cover all their orders and get them out quickly.
Chet Baker Sings shows on amazon.ca as "temporarily out of stock" and you can order for 54CAD - is repress coming?
Gabe, That's great news. Are you getting the McCoy Tyner as well? Please let us know your thoughts after you listen...
I wondered about this - there seems to be a weird splice on track A1 of Katanga. is that what we're hearing?
LOL! For some strange reason, I hesitated on the AP 45 of The Sidewinder and missed it. I usually don't do that. However, in this instance I was referring to a CD of that title that I picked up in the 90s (it was part of a RVG re-issue series). Blew me away. I have the Blue Note Classics version of it, which sounds great. Wish I had the 45 though! You should definitely go see some live jazz, mainly because aside from hearing the way that the musicians interact increases your enjoyment, you can also SEE it on stage.
Horace Tapscott - Dial 'B' For Barbara Horace Tapscott, piano; Reggie Bullen, trumpet; Gary Bias, Alto & Soprano saxophone; Sabir Matteen, tenor saxophone; Roberto Miguel Miranda, bass violin; Everett Brown Jr., drums/percussion Can't wait till tomorrow morning when I unwrap this baby and listen to it all the way through for the very first time.
