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Ken Burns' Jazz
- Thread starter stratovani
- Start date
To me, this series was a documentary made by a guy who knows how to make documentaries, but zero clue about what makes Jazz tick. Clueless and completely missed the target for me. IMO, YMMV.
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,736
- 8,941
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
I guess it boils down to:
People who love Ken Burns' films generally love the "Jazz" documentary.
People who love jazz music generally do not.
People who love Ken Burns' films generally love the "Jazz" documentary.
People who love jazz music generally do not.
I bot the set 1/2 price & have watched it 3 times in total with great appreciation. I'm not a jazz bassist but I do know what I like & I think Ken did an admirable job & I'm sure he did his best. You have to keep in mind that the contributors to the input of it's content are just as responsible as Ken. He had to trust their insight. For those of you who feel there is some bias here, maybe you should ask Wynton Marsalis about it.
B.
EDIT: I really think there's an overview that is being missed to a large degree also. This is a record of the DEVELOPMENT of jazz as an art form, not a catalogue of musicians.
B.
EDIT: I really think there's an overview that is being missed to a large degree also. This is a record of the DEVELOPMENT of jazz as an art form, not a catalogue of musicians.
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,736
- 8,941
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
Well, no. As a film maker, you get to choose what's included and what isn't, who's included and who isn't AND you get to edit the film so that the direction of the film is shaped by you. It ain't "just turn on the camera and I hope we get something".
The fact that you perceive the film as being about the "development" shows just how correct the assessment of most actual jazz musicians that the program offers the mistaken assumption that jazz is something that has ALREADY happened, that all the music has to offer is the most faithful recreation or "re-imagining" of set approaches of specific musicians. This is misguided and ill-informed.
The fact that you perceive the film as being about the "development" shows just how correct the assessment of most actual jazz musicians that the program offers the mistaken assumption that jazz is something that has ALREADY happened, that all the music has to offer is the most faithful recreation or "re-imagining" of set approaches of specific musicians. This is misguided and ill-informed.
You can even hear the Stan Getz signature "riff" in La Villa Strangiato by Rush!
