Double Bass Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

[MLysh]

"c) Playing for us often mixes joy and frustration. We love to make that noise we love but we know that we are not reaching the musical level of the record we were listening to in the car on the way to the gig."

Sam,

I once heard Kenny Werner say that perhaps it wasn't a good idea to be listening to a Keith Jarrett Trio recording on the way to the gig.

In terms of the article, I think the longer I'm on the planet, the less interest I have for this sort of sarcastic perspective. It's odd for me to write that because, as a younger man, I used to be 100% into this kind of humor. Now, it seems a total waste of time, both mine and the writer's.

 

[Michael Glynn]

At least the cat is a player and not a failed musician who found his calling in being a jazz critic, which ironically he doesn't profile, though they are an obvious target....wait? wait? maybe he's one of .... nevermind.

Actually, he did profile the critic as a subset of "The Industry"
And if you want to go more in depth he has a piece on how to be a jazz critic

Back on the topic of Careers in Jazz, I think it's a great piece, simultaneously depressing and hilarious. Of course, it wouldn't be so funny if it weren't so uncomfortably true.

I think all aspiring young jazz musicians should read this piece. If you can read through this and still want to spend your life playing jazz, then you know you are doing what you need to do. Also, I can confirm that in real life Bill is a great player and nice guy.

 

[Jack Clark]

Funny and scary, both. Right on, Ed.

It struck me that it was like reading a Myers-Briggs book where you can't resist trying to identify yourself in one personality category or another--and then you're mostly uncomfortable when you think you've found it. Anybody else have that feeling? :-]

 

[Ed Fuqua]

In terms of the article, I think the longer I'm on the planet, the less interest I have for this sort of sarcastic perspective. It's odd for me to write that because, as a younger man, I used to be 100% into this kind of humor. Now, it seems a total waste of time, both mine and the writer's.

I dunno, I look at it in much the same way I do Phil Wood's assessment of music education or Hal Galper's recommendation for how this music should be communicated top those trying to learn it.

But to each his own.

 

[Chris Hodges]

It's true, though. Call me a gig whore but I will take it however I can get it. I play a lot of private parties and, in fact, enjoy them. The pay is great and, for the most part, we are straight up background music so it's a great setting to try new licks and ideas. I'll say this, I play mostly jazz but I freelance in rock, gospel, country, theatre, and anything else and I couldn't be happier. As long as I'm behind a bass, I am happy.

the article reminds of the joke -what's the difference between a jazz musician and a large pizza? A large pizza can feed a family of four!

 

[longfinger]

Actually, he did profile the critic as a subset of "The Industry"
And if you want to go more in depth he has a piece on how to be a jazz critic

In that 'how to be a jazz critic' article he forgot to use the quote "(this player) has an encyclopedic knowledge of the jazz tradition." That phrase was used a lot in 90's when batches of people with Masters Degrees in Jazz performance started flooding the streets.