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To put it mildly, I disagree (long).

Though we rarely saw each other in his last 10 years, Mike Brecker was a friend. I met him soon after I moved to Manhattan in '71. I played in sax sections with him a number of times, especially in the '70's/'80's. I heard him play in his own groups and others' groups many times. I had lottsa hangs with Mike, of course including plenty of raps about music and saxophone technique as well as personal matters. As the article says, Mike was a great guy and EXTREMELY humble and unassuming.

Mike doesn't need a "defense" from me, but I admit that article kinda bugged me. To each his own and obviously this ain't gonna change your taste or make anybody who doesn't care for Mike's music suddenly dig it, but just ponder something.....

Think about the looong list of killer players/musicians Mike played with, both in his own groups and even more telling the guys who asked Mike to play in their groups and on their recordings. Seriously, that list is loaded with some of the very best jazzers alive during that time. There's no point in arguing personal taste and its of no concern to me if some of you guys don't particularly care for Mike's playing/music.

But whuddya think, Gioia is a better judge than musicians like Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Horace Silver, Don Grolnick, Metheny, Hal Galper and the MANY other musicians who wanted Mike in their groups and on their recordings? Do you really think they were in the habit of asking players who were just imitators with no voice of their own and/or merely chopmeisters to play with them? Ya think the many excellent players who were fortunate to be asked to play in Mike's own groups just did it to make money? Ever heard/read one of 'em say things like what Gioia said in his article? Did the guys who participated in Mike's memorial at Town Hall know something Gioia doesn't? Liebman, Shorter, Metheny, Hancock, Buster Williams, Joey Calderazzo, James Genus, Jeff Watts, John Patitucci and Jack DeJohnette were there.

Just wanna comment about a couple things belyin said. I know a lotta saxophone players who like me attended music schools, including some who are much younger than me. I certainly know some who don't care for Albert Ayler's playing and some (though fewer) who don't dig Ornette either. But I've never heard any of the guys I know say Ayler or Coleman sucked as saxophone players (though that geezoidal mkVI guy whose ears have been destroyed by high pitched clarinet squeals might be one). It ain't like all young players who come outta jazz programs are only into chops or can't recognize the kind of chops players like Ayler/Ornette had. Ornette happens to be one of my fave players.

I'd also take issue with something else belyin said, to wit:

"The jazz colleges teach jazz as a fixed body of music and musical practice, and this is at odds with the creation of art."

That's probably true for some jazz programs at some schools. But as a musician I can tell you I personally know a lot of superb players who teach in college level jazz programs. In fact, a helluva lot of jazzers whose music you guys dig HAVE to teach to make a living. The list of great musicians who teach in college level jazz programs nowadays would take a long time to type. Their teaching is NOT at odds with the creation of art. Jeez, I'd think by now you've heard enough music by younger players who attended music schools in the recent past to know that blanket statement is not accurate.




Edits: 01/19/22 01/19/22

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  • To put it mildly, I disagree (long). - Rick W 09:39:46 01/19/22 (0)

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