The Jazz Police press gang that works out of the local music conservatory caught my friend and bandmate many years ago. Lured him with promises of better 'technique.' Once he could play anything he picked up in a week, jammed with anybody anywhere, and sang for laughs. He had real star power when we were kids.
He's pretty miserable now, and I struggle to imagine him ever finding a real childlike joy in music again. Gatekeeping eventually kills the gatekeeper, and starves the garrison. Jazz Police protect but do not serve.
Sounds a bit like an actual Thread from a Guitar / Guitar Gear forum I read regularly. You gotta step very carefully there if you dare comment (having been kicked off before)
I liked Whiplash, but I also didn't have any preconceptions that it had to reflect exactly my personal experiences. So many people were like, "That's not what music school is like! This movie sucks."
Yeah, and Star Wars isn't what it's like to be an astronaut. We're talking fiction, not documentaries.
Yet here come the Jazz Police to tell me that it sucked because it was nothing like their specific experience at their specific school. Whatever. That's not the point.
The movie isn't even about "being in music school" or "being a drummer". To me, it's a tale of an abusive person in power, and asks the question to what extent is it acceptable to push people into areas where they are uncomfortable? Also, what drives the person who is being abused to keep accepting such abuse? The film asks a bunch of other mentor/student questions as well, the drumming and the music school is just the setting.
As someone who absolutely endured several years of *very* abusive teachers (as a young child where there was no opting out) I can say with 100% certainty that while Whiplash didn't look like what *you* went through in your music school experience, there are many folks for whom the central premise--abuse of power, specifically bullying by a teacher--resonated strongly.
Pat Metheny has collaborated with, or payed tribute to: Nora Jones, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Anna Jopek… as has Herbie Hancock... It seems that they have completely ignored the Jazz police and pursued music that people like! Not coincidentally, they’ve had pretty successful careers.
Please - No one here has any business putting down Larry Carlton, for Any reason. Regardless of the Label you might heap upon him. he is a fine player regardless & certainly had a right to make a Living
Chucklesome, Ted. Nora Jones gets a pass from me, but the Jazz Police are absolutely right about Whiplash and La La Land - they couldn’t crack down hard enough on those pieces of dreck as far as I’m concerned.
Anyone is entitled to listen to Nora Jones, especially if they don't have a pulse. She has the emotional delivery of a sponge. No matter what the song is about, her emotional involvement is the same; zero.
Yes, she can sing in tune and play passable accompanying piano.
at the Hollywood Bowl mostly to see the warmup band Fourplay with Larry Carlton okay I know that's already a demerit but I had a box with 4 seats as part of the weekly jazz series subscription and we used to say a bad evening at the Bowl is still an evening at the Bowl
Boney James is the headliner, worst show I've ever seen. never seen such an egotistical musician in my life, his bandmates were all the way in the back, when they'd solo they'd step forward fifteen feet and then quickly retreat back to their assigned stations meanwhile BJ would literally pat himself on the shoulders after a solo and egg on the crowd to give him more applause
enough to make one puke up the wonderful food they serve at the Bowl in the box seats
plus I was flying high on a ganja cookie which I always eat before the warmup band starts
after, this rather attractive woman bums a cigarette off me and is obviously flirting with me hard, says I look like Kenny G I groan and say don't say that she's like why I'm like because I can't stand him (but I'd been hearing that for 25 years)
the 3 friends I'm with point to the exit we'll meet you there do your thing I was known to be really good at closing those kind of deals hehe
she says oh how did you like Boney James so I tell her oh that was like the worst show I've ever seen
she says oh I love him but I guess that's because I love the sax now I'm dying high as a kite and the inside between the ears stuff ain't matching the outside which is drop dead gorgeous
I didn't bother telling her I have a few hundred jazz albums headlined by sax greats and probably four times that many when they're "just" sidemen for other jazz greats
I just smile and wish her a lovely night
my friends are stunned when I walk away from her to rejoin them, this is type of woman who walks away from guys trying to impress her not the other way around, leaving her standing there but I just couldn't
I might have to listen to Kenny G or Boney James in the morning or something
when I tell that to my friends they're laughing so hard everyone's staring at us
I say never again, evening at the Bowl blah blah next time it's smooth jazz I'm just giving the tickets away to a clueless neighbor or something (but seriously there are like no really bad days at the Bowl, if nothing else you admire the setting while people watching the food is great and you can bring your own booze and food if you like)
so I got that going for me one get out of jail card man she was so fine it's really three cards
Lol... K. Jarret ( look what's the french equivalent of that word) being a deluded diva and debatably enjoying the enjoyment of others was a fact I had to obfuscate in discussion. I, shamefully, had to pretend I was moved by the overrated Köln Concertos and mumbling more than by Brecker Bros, Electric Chick Corea or even Chuck Mangione. With Klaus Doldinger from Passport to keep the germanic decorum also more appealing.
Thank you for allowing a dude to feel ok to not like what's expected by others.
I got a good chuckle out of that one, thanks! BUT... Albert Ayler? Willem Breuker? Braxton? No Jazz Police I know would tolerate such deviation from Real Swing(R)! Sounds like you're talking about the Avant-gardism Bureau of Investigation!
I heard about a guy who got thrown off the Blues Police because he said he liked that Blues Hammer song in "Ghost World." He pleaded that he only liked it "ironically," but by then it was too late.
The Jazz Police press gang that works out of the local music conservatory caught my friend and bandmate many years ago. Lured him with promises of better 'technique.' Once he could play anything he picked up in a week, jammed with anybody anywhere, and sang for laughs. He had real star power when we were kids.
He's pretty miserable now, and I struggle to imagine him ever finding a real childlike joy in music again. Gatekeeping eventually kills the gatekeeper, and starves the garrison. Jazz Police protect but do not serve.
Sounds a bit like an actual Thread from a Guitar / Guitar Gear forum I read regularly. You gotta step very carefully there if you dare comment (having been kicked off before)
I liked Whiplash, but I also didn't have any preconceptions that it had to reflect exactly my personal experiences. So many people were like, "That's not what music school is like! This movie sucks."
Yeah, and Star Wars isn't what it's like to be an astronaut. We're talking fiction, not documentaries.
Yet here come the Jazz Police to tell me that it sucked because it was nothing like their specific experience at their specific school. Whatever. That's not the point.
The movie isn't even about "being in music school" or "being a drummer". To me, it's a tale of an abusive person in power, and asks the question to what extent is it acceptable to push people into areas where they are uncomfortable? Also, what drives the person who is being abused to keep accepting such abuse? The film asks a bunch of other mentor/student questions as well, the drumming and the music school is just the setting.
As someone who absolutely endured several years of *very* abusive teachers (as a young child where there was no opting out) I can say with 100% certainty that while Whiplash didn't look like what *you* went through in your music school experience, there are many folks for whom the central premise--abuse of power, specifically bullying by a teacher--resonated strongly.
Pat Metheny has collaborated with, or payed tribute to: Nora Jones, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Anna Jopek… as has Herbie Hancock... It seems that they have completely ignored the Jazz police and pursued music that people like! Not coincidentally, they’ve had pretty successful careers.
Please - No one here has any business putting down Larry Carlton, for Any reason. Regardless of the Label you might heap upon him. he is a fine player regardless & certainly had a right to make a Living
Brilliant!
Thanks for a good laugh which I needed right now.
Chucklesome, Ted. Nora Jones gets a pass from me, but the Jazz Police are absolutely right about Whiplash and La La Land - they couldn’t crack down hard enough on those pieces of dreck as far as I’m concerned.
Can you tell me why the bells are ringing?
Nothing's happened in a million years
I've been sitting here since Wednesday morning
Wednesday morning can't believe my ears
Jazz police are looking through my folders
Jazz police are talking to my niece
Jazz police have got their final orders
Jazzer, drop your axe, it's jazz police
Jesus taken serious by the many
Jesus taken joyous by a few
Jazz police are paid by J.Paul Getty
Jazzers paid by J.Paul Getty II
Jazz police I hear you calling
Jazz police I feel so blue
Jazz police I think I'm falling
I'm falling for you
Wild as any freedom loving racist
I applaud the actions of the chief
Tell me now oh beautiful and spacious
Am I in trouble with the jazz police?
Jazz police are looking through my folders
Jazz police are talking to my niece
Jazz police have got their final orders
Jazzer, drop your axe, it's jazz police
They will never understand our culture
They'll never understand the jazz police
Jazz police are working for my mother
Blood is thicker margarine than grease
Let me be somebody I admire
Let me be that muscle down the street
Stick another turtle on the fire
Guys like me are mad for turtle meat
Jazz police I hear you calling
Jazz police I feel so blue
Jazz police I think I'm falling
I'm falling for you
Jazz police are looking through my folders
Jazz police have got their fire orders
Jazz police are looking through my folders
Jazz police have got their fire orders
Sincerely
L Cohen
Anyone is entitled to listen to Nora Jones, especially if they don't have a pulse. She has the emotional delivery of a sponge. No matter what the song is about, her emotional involvement is the same; zero.
Yes, she can sing in tune and play passable accompanying piano.
at the Hollywood Bowl mostly to see the warmup band Fourplay with Larry Carlton okay I know that's already a demerit but I had a box with 4 seats as part of the weekly jazz series subscription and we used to say a bad evening at the Bowl is still an evening at the Bowl
Boney James is the headliner, worst show I've ever seen. never seen such an egotistical musician in my life, his bandmates were all the way in the back, when they'd solo they'd step forward fifteen feet and then quickly retreat back to their assigned stations meanwhile BJ would literally pat himself on the shoulders after a solo and egg on the crowd to give him more applause
enough to make one puke up the wonderful food they serve at the Bowl in the box seats
plus I was flying high on a ganja cookie which I always eat before the warmup band starts
after, this rather attractive woman bums a cigarette off me and is obviously flirting with me hard, says I look like Kenny G I groan and say don't say that she's like why I'm like because I can't stand him (but I'd been hearing that for 25 years)
the 3 friends I'm with point to the exit we'll meet you there do your thing I was known to be really good at closing those kind of deals hehe
she says oh how did you like Boney James so I tell her oh that was like the worst show I've ever seen
she says oh I love him but I guess that's because I love the sax now I'm dying high as a kite and the inside between the ears stuff ain't matching the outside which is drop dead gorgeous
I didn't bother telling her I have a few hundred jazz albums headlined by sax greats and probably four times that many when they're "just" sidemen for other jazz greats
I just smile and wish her a lovely night
my friends are stunned when I walk away from her to rejoin them, this is type of woman who walks away from guys trying to impress her not the other way around, leaving her standing there but I just couldn't
I might have to listen to Kenny G or Boney James in the morning or something
when I tell that to my friends they're laughing so hard everyone's staring at us
I say never again, evening at the Bowl blah blah next time it's smooth jazz I'm just giving the tickets away to a clueless neighbor or something (but seriously there are like no really bad days at the Bowl, if nothing else you admire the setting while people watching the food is great and you can bring your own booze and food if you like)
so I got that going for me one get out of jail card man she was so fine it's really three cards
Lol... K. Jarret ( look what's the french equivalent of that word) being a deluded diva and debatably enjoying the enjoyment of others was a fact I had to obfuscate in discussion. I, shamefully, had to pretend I was moved by the overrated Köln Concertos and mumbling more than by Brecker Bros, Electric Chick Corea or even Chuck Mangione. With Klaus Doldinger from Passport to keep the germanic decorum also more appealing.
Thank you for allowing a dude to feel ok to not like what's expected by others.
A cutting bit of a fine story not too far away from the sad reality of those know-all guys that ruin the fun of almost everything...
Thanks,
Bernd from Oranienburg
I wish we could all stop bickering and have a friendly discussion about which jazz musician is the GOAT.
I got a good chuckle out of that one, thanks! BUT... Albert Ayler? Willem Breuker? Braxton? No Jazz Police I know would tolerate such deviation from Real Swing(R)! Sounds like you're talking about the Avant-gardism Bureau of Investigation!
I heard about a guy who got thrown off the Blues Police because he said he liked that Blues Hammer song in "Ghost World." He pleaded that he only liked it "ironically," but by then it was too late.
"Make a Jazz Noise Here."