The only way to become famous is by playing Rock not Jazz

[thecount1]

Why I think you cannot become famous by playing Jazz. Don't take me wrong I love jazz (not smooth of course).

- They find a new unpublished work of John Coltrane
- You try to compete with still-alive grandfathers and fathers of jazz (Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis-nonsmooth, Jon Faddis, etc)
- The first names that I get from (non-jazz people), at least in the US are Harry Connick Jr and Diana Krall
- You play standards only, which means you still play at weddings (One way to survive)
- You were not born a virtuoso, nature vs nurture. How do you compete with someone like Eldar
- When you say jazz, people think, oh that music from the elevator...Kenny G.
- You don't diversify your style
- You only want to play like Miles in Bitches Brew

To success in jazz I guess you:
- You are white and very good looking, that way you can play standards, and people think those are your songs. (I am not white but still good looking, Not trying to offend anybody but is a fact)
- You are a relative to a famous Jazz musician (You know who if you are reading this, you had the worst grades in music school, lazy, drunk, poor-playing)
- You have very good contacts
- You were born a genius, but still you might need good contacts and business skills.
- When they ask you to play a tune in C, you don't think what is C?, but instead you think C#m7b5? or Csus4? (Although I have seen exceptions of people who play amazing and don't have clue of theory)

Why is easy to become famous playing rock:
- You get a mohawk or get a Slipknot,MManson-kind of fashion
- You only learn a couple of chords, maybe 3
- You get a bunch of effects to hide your poor playing (If you know how to use them)
- You curse and people cheer you.
- You can play naked, people cheer you.
- You annihilate the stage, people cheer you.
- You do crazy things (like that punk girl), you appear on the gossip news, sales boost %500, grammy nomination, movie appearance, they call you Mr or Ms, etc...

[BuffaloBass]

Yeah well, Birtany Spears has alot of money. For what, I;ll never know. No one ever said the world is fair.

[flipper_gv]

lol this made me laugh a lot

and cry too

[Bruce Lindfield]

Actually most people say : Jazz - isn't that the name of a car!?

[jgroh]

Listen, Im sorry but, what country are you from? I couldnt follow that post for the life of me.

[RED5]

You've written a take on "How To Suceed at..."! Just interpose the nouns. On the other hand you've set limits and bought the book by it's cover. There's heart and passion, joy and tragedy in all music. Chet Baker could have given Keith Moon a run for his money! He didn't die from studying jazz.

[Phalex]

I'm an unattractive white guy and I play rock. I guess I'm not unattractive enough to be famous though!

[stingray56funk]

Miles Davis was pretty famous. He also went a little "out there" for a while and it might have helped but I'd say he is recognizable by the general population.

Now...of course Jazz players aren't going to be nearly as famous as Rock players simply because of society, business, and $$$ making ability (meaning people making $$$ off of the popular rock genre and the marketability of "rock" or "pop").

I like to think of Jazz players (those that are famous in my book) make a living and have musical longevity that continues to pay the bills and more for their lifetime instead of the 3 year Rock stardum and out to waste away the rest of their musical lives trying to "make it" again.

Long live Jazz!

[von buck]

Originally Posted by thecount1

Why I think you cannot become famous by playing Jazz. Don't take me wrong I love jazz (not smooth of course).
..

I think the main reason you can't get famous playing jazz is, people don't like it and people like rock.

Andy

[Medford Bassman]

somebody told me this joke once,

Do you know the difference between a rock guitarist and jazz guitarist?

A jazz guitarist can play 5000 chords and have 3 people come to see him play.

A rock guitarist can play 3 chords and have 5000 people come to see him play.

[Barkless Dog]

Jazz = Poverty- Frank Zappa

Remember the less notes the more money you make.

[nysbob]

I thought you could only get famous playing hip hop anymore...

Look, if what you're concerned with is getting famous obvously stupid stuff attracts more attention - although the list of things you cited for rock are extremely dated and frankly insulting to the legitimately good rock players and music being made.

Jazz is no different from any other idiom in that are those who are willing to push the boundaries and work in obscurity and those who play it safe and mainstream.

People make and listen to the music they enjoy, so rather knock one style or another, just do what you love and everything else will take care of itself.

[stflbn]

Famous and successful are two entirely different things.


William Hung of american idol infamy was 'famous' for a while. There are tons of people that pop-culture would consider famous... few of which are truly successful.

[BuffaloBass]

I guess Kenny G then is "mainstream" jazz?

And I wonder why FUNK is it for me, sheesh.......

[bobba66]

Which Punk girl?

[stflbn]

Originally Posted by thecount1

Why is easy to become famous playing rock:
- You get a mohawk or get a Slipknot,MManson-kind of fashion
- You only learn a couple of chords, maybe 3
- You get a bunch of effects to hide your poor playing (If you know how to use them)
- You curse and people cheer you.
- You can play naked, people cheer you.
- You annihilate the stage, people cheer you.
- You do crazy things (like that punk girl), you appear on the gossip news, sales boost %500, grammy nomination, movie appearance, they call you Mr or Ms, etc...

Seems like the Original poster is insanely jealous of rock musicians, and greatly underestimates what goes into a gimmic, image or most rock stage shows.

[Baryonyx]

Originally Posted by jgroh

Listen, Im sorry but, what country are you from? I couldnt follow that post for the life of me.

+1

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make but it sure didn't convey to me.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by jgroh

Listen, Im sorry but, what country are you from? I couldnt follow that post for the life of me.

Shouldn't "The Count" - be from Transylvania!!??


Boom boom!

[NJL]

i never play to be famous, it pays my bills.

[UPTHE1RON5]

Originally Posted by stflbn

Seems like the Original poster is insanely jealous of rock musicians, and greatly underestimates what goes into a gimmic, image or most rock stage shows.

+1