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In Reply to: RE: Prince Dies at 57: Iconic Musical Genius Found Dead in Paisley Park posted by hifitommy on April 21, 2016 at 10:20:41
The term "genius" is quite overused and is starting to have no real
meaning. I know of no musical geniuses in my lifetime in my areas of
musical interest. I know of MANY highly talented people, though.
Follow Ups:
Prince was an artist that my children followed. I just thought of him as a well marketed pop star until this morning. I have really have been rocked back on my heels as to how much of genius he was.
He played all the instruments on his first album. He was proficient at playing 27 musical instruments. Unlike so many musical icons before him, he was a very private individual. Little is known of his private life. He was a celebrity that was still a common man.
There have been many reports of Prince performing unannounced at small venues after having played for thousands just hours before. He seemed to enjoy playing, and he performed songs of other artist at these impromptu performances. It seemed he realized he had to interface with the common man without all the trappings of stardom.
I have learned, so very much about the enigma that is Prince, this last day or so. He was prolific and apparently recorded all the time. I have been pleasantly surprised at the number of artist who performed works by Prince either knowingly or via a pseudonym. For those that only think of Prince as a pop performer they would be surprised to know how often he collaborated with classical conductors and other artist of other musical disciplines.
In keeping with the polymath of the man, he was known to seek out and engage some of the greater minds of today in philosophy, sociology, and economics. He was able to negotiate as a very young man super record deals. He wise beyond his years.
I am not as much of a pop follower, but my son played a studio session recorded by Prince when he was 19. To my surprise it was all straight ahead Jazz - no vocals. It isn't clear as to which instruments were played (or not played) by Prince during this studio session. I think we are just at the brink of hearing the what the genius has recorded. Shelia E claims she recorded at least 100 songs with Prince that have never been released.
The more the media has eulogized this man the more I am inclined to the title genius. I look forward to hearing the recordings he made that are not so pop oriented. I regret I did not take greater not of Prince while he was with us.
DaveT
The only 2 geniuses I can think of in my lifetime are Albert Einstein
and Richard Feynman, both of whom changed radically they way in which
we view the world and the way in which physics is "done". Did Prince
do this for music?
In the field of music, the only two musicians whom I would consider
anywhere close to genius level are Earl Hines and Art Tatum. Tatum
has been imitated, Hines never has been.
I think you are confusing a high level of musical talent with the invention
of new or previously unused ways of playing said music. Prince was
apparently very highly talented, but he didn't do anything new or unusual.
He just did the usual things very well.
When Doves Cry was the first R&B hit to not have a bass line on the track..... that was both new and unusal....but of course, you already knew that.
Edits: 04/25/16
Most of Prince's best music has not been heard by most. I have been following Prince since the late 70s. His output is staggering.
it is the QUALITY of his output that is staggering.
Whoever ends up in charge of his estate will have enough music available
to make the continuing Miles Davis and Bob Dylan canons look slim by comparison.
If they ever organize a Prince bootleg series it could compete with the
Grateful Dead for mass. Would be MUCH more interesting too, IMO.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
Yes...the quality is staggering.
Staggering, especially his 80's output.
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