What Are You Listening To?

[jamesjazzguitar]

1 hour ago, LawrenceA said:

I also generally have no problem with reviving old threads. I do it myself on occasion, although often not from that far back. However, I get irritated when a thread is bumped merely to post "Never heard of him", or it references some commercial from 15 years ago that no one remembers, or as you said, an old obit thread. In a few of those instances, after someone posted about the seemingly pointless behavior of bumping a decade old thread only for a poster to say that they didn't know who someone was or making a lame joke, the bumpee would then try to comment on some other aspect of the original thread, be it racial movie habits or the knowledge of younger generations for classic cinema. If that later justification was truly the impetus for bumping the old thread, maybe the poster could try stating that in their first post instead of a "who is that?" banality, or better yet, start a new thread on the subject they wish to discuss.

I'm not sure what was said after I logged out last night, as most of the comments or threads seem to have been deleted. But perhaps some of the complaints aren't just about thread bumping, and may be symptomatic of a profound dislike of some posters' style or way of expressing themselves. I know I've been the target of that kind of animus, as have you.

I agree that the 'never heard of them' type post is very annoying.   If an 'old' thread was bumped up for that reason, that would be silly,  at best.     As others have indicated a post like that implies one has too much time on their hand.   Hey,  I do that from time to time,  but once I realized it,  I stop and go hiking! 

 

[jamesjazzguitar]

One of the great movie songs of the studio-era,   played by one of my favorite European jazz guitar players:

Philip Catherine doing LAURA:

 

[Sgt_Markoff]

Jazz Man, the best find I had last year (in this vein) was Stefan Grapelli's lost accompaniment to "Wish You Were Here". He was in a neighboring studio at Abbey Road, when the Floyd were recording, and they asked if he would like to sit in. And he did. But the reel was lost for a long time; it re-emerged when Floyd was assembling the 'immersion set' for that album. Few years ago.

[Gershwin fan]

 

[jamesjazzguitar]

On 12/22/2018 at 6:21 PM, Sgt_Markoff said:

Jazz Man, the best find I had last year (in this vein) was Stefan Grapelli's lost accompaniment to "Wish You Were Here". He was in a neighboring studio at Abbey Road, when the Floyd were recording, and they asked if he would like to sit in. And he did. But the reel was lost for a long time; it re-emerged when Floyd was assembling the 'immersion set' for that album. Few years ago.

I saw Grappelli live when he was in his late 80s.   Still the best musician on the stage,  but he was so cool to the younger musicians,  making the event about them and not himself.    Didn't know about this Pink Floyd story but that would be Grappelli.    The music he made with Django (not Dargo!),  is timeless.

 

[Sgt_Markoff]

Nick Mason said that this was a very telling trait about Grappelli because (Mason says) most classical musicians have trouble improvising. Tremendous precision in their playing of scored music --for some strange reason--makes them loathe to freewheeling. But Grappelli ran counter to that norm. He spun out some effortless accompaniment for them on his violin.

As it so happens, I am an enthusiastic fan of the violin and fiddle in the sphere of blues. Violin-centric blues are some of the best I've ever enjoyed. Lonnie Johnson and the Johnson Boys, for example. You can find whole albums of this type of stuff. Its a change from constant guitar-based blues.

[jamesjazzguitar]

57 minutes ago, Sgt_Markoff said:

Nick Mason said that this was a very telling trait about Grappelli because (Mason says) most classical musicians have trouble improvising. Tremendous precision in their playing of scored music --for some strange reason--makes them loathe to freewheeling. But Grappelli ran counter to that norm. He spun out some effortless accompaniment for them on his violin.

As it so happens, I am an enthusiastic fan of the violin and fiddle in the sphere of blues. Violin-centric blues are some of the best I've ever enjoyed. Lonnie Johnson and the Johnson Boys, for example. You can find whole albums of this type of stuff. Its a change from constant guitar-based blues.

I grew up playing violin in my middle school orchestra (I had an Asian tiger-mom that required I do so) but gave it up because it was 'uncool'.    I took up guitar a few years later and the formal training has paid off.   Yea,  I really looked up to Grappelli as someone with all the necessary formal training and background but could really swing (and we all know what doesn't mean a thing).

Yea,  violin-centric blues is a nice change of pace from standard blues which is mostly guitar based.

Check out Joe Venuti for some straight ahead jazz fiddle playing.   (or Jean Luc Ponty for a more modern sound).

   

[Sgt_Markoff]

Same here, they wanted me to pick the violin for music lessons but I told 'em they were crazy. You don't pick a violin, you pick a guitar!

 

[Sgt_Markoff]

I was musically gifted from a young age. Yep--I was born with a cleft chin, a chord in my neck, a bowed back, and drumming in my ears. And from the age of two, I could play on the Linoleum!

 

I'll be here all week folks. Remember, tip your waitresses and try the veal...

 

[jamesjazzguitar]

10 minutes ago, Sgt_Markoff said:

Same here, they wanted me to pick the violin for music lessons but I told 'em they were crazy. You don't pick a violin, you pick a guitar!

 

My mom made me take violin lessons;  Once a week I would go to L.A. and my teacher was a member of the NBC orchestra (e.g. he recorded the Bonanza theme song).   The teacher was nice but my mom wasn't and it caused a lot of stress on me.

Since the violin is a fret less instrument,  one has to have really good pitch.    For playing blues and rock guitar reading music wasn't very useful  (there is the old joke of; how to get a guitar player to turn-down,   put music in front of him!),  but it was for playing jazz standards.   

[Sgt_Markoff]

I love gloomy country, folk, and bluegrass ballads like "Knoxville Girl", "Duncan & Brady" and "Peat Bog Soldiers".

Just discovered a new one, "Long Chain On". Eloquent and economic little ditty about an escaped convict stopping off at a farm to ask for food and water. "He had a long chain on...he had a long chain on..."

Not sure who originally wrote it.

[Sgt_Markoff]

"I'm at Home Getting Hammered, While She's out Getting Nailed"

"Sleeping Like a Baby ...with a Bottle in My Mouth"

"She Got the Goldmine...I Got the Shaft"

love these comedic country western songs

[Princess of Tap]

On 12/28/2018 at 7:51 PM, jamesjazzguitar said:

My mom made me take violin lessons;  Once a week I would go to L.A. and my teacher was a member of the NBC orchestra (e.g. he recorded the Bonanza theme song).   The teacher was nice but my mom wasn't and it caused a lot of stress on me.

Since the violin is a fret less instrument,  one has to have really good pitch.    For playing blues and rock guitar reading music wasn't very useful  (there is the old joke of; how to get a guitar player to turn-down,   put music in front of him!),  but it was for playing jazz standards.   

I was a little luckier than you. My mother had me take classical piano lessons with the neighbor lady who was a fine pianist.

At home I was always playing the popular movie hits of the day, like "Moon River" and "The Days of Wine and Roses".

My father was complaining that I didn't play them the way that Andy Williams sang them. So since he was paying money for music lessons, I should take that sheet music over to the music teacher and learn to play it right.

 So much to the Chagrin of this lady who is trying to teach me the pianissimo and the legato of Beethoven, Schubert and Mozart, she had to spend 10 minutes of a 30-minute lesson showing me how to play music that was plebeian to her. To make matters worse for her, my mother actually came along too with the sheet music to make the demand in person. LOL

[Sgt_Markoff]

"Don't Let Me Die in Florida"

gritty song, female vocalist, fun lyrics

Please don't let me die in Florida,
I don't care about my name.
If you catch me dying in Daytona
Throw my body on a train

[Sgt_Markoff]

Just saw this item above!

Quote

But perhaps some of the complaints aren't just about thread bumping, and may be symptomatic of a profound dislike of some posters' style or way of expressing themselves.

Now that is something I can not consciously go too far out of my way to attempt to dispel; since everyone must be permitted their own voice and their own style.

However, I admit I exhibit "moods" (blue, antsy, cheerful, obstreperous, or angry-drunk) and I can assure everyone that no 'one mood' of mine lasts long.

I never knew anyone found my, "I don't know this guy...I don't know that guy" quips annoying. All someone had to do was send me a friggin' message in my inbox. It's strictly a joke; I am not bound or committed to it.

Nor am I bound and committed to unearthing 'giant rafts' of older threads. But I should think once in a while, anyone can tolerate it.

I would probably never have a reason to go all the way back to a thread from years ago just to clown it up with a "I don't know this person" bon-mot. Y'all should rest easy on that score. If I did it even once, I'd be really surprised. It won't be a trend.

 

[GordonCole]

On 12/22/2018 at 6:21 PM, Sgt_Markoff said:

Jazz Man, the best find I had last year (in this vein) was Stefan Grapelli's lost accompaniment to "Wish You Were Here". He was in a neighboring studio at Abbey Road, when the Floyd were recording, and they asked if he would like to sit in. And he did. But the reel was lost for a long time; it re-emerged when Floyd was assembling the 'immersion set' for that album. Few years ago.

I always found the song, Good Morning, Mr. Zip-Zip-Zip, to be a personal favorite which could have only been improved if Leon Beiderbecke had been on the recording.

[Sgt_Markoff]

You don't feel warmly enough about Beiderbecke to call him by his affectionate nickname? Bix?

[Sgt_Markoff]

"I wanna kiss her but --she wont let me; I wanna whisper sweet nothings ..in her ear...she's got to take me as her guy ...in the end..."

[Sgt_Markoff]

listening to Native American Indian chants on Pow Wow Radio

[Gershwin fan]

 

[jamesjazzguitar]

A fantastic artist,  that died too young.   

Here she is playing Jobin.

 

 

 

[Gershwin fan]

 

[Sgt_Markoff]

I'm in the DogHouse for Being in the CatHouse

[jamesjazzguitar]

Here is a photo of French jazz guitarist Sacha Distel playing a Gibson L-5 with a famous French actress.

This is from the jazz guitar forum, and the caption was 'some guys have all the luck'.   

There was an added comment that the L-5 aged better.       I have to admit at the time this photo was taken I would rather have my arms around Brigitte but today,   give me that L-5.    (I have a 50s L-7 which was Gibson's cheaper model).

 

 

[jamesjazzguitar]

Went to see The Tubes last night at The Coach House in So Cal.   We were invited by lead singer Fee Waybill's wife since she is a close friend of my wife.    Last May we went with the couple to Italy and while Fee had been there before on tours he loved visiting with someone that grew up there and really loved the time spent at my in-laws.

Here is a photo of Fee from last night: