Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Double Bass Peacock Blows off Costello...
- Thread starter damonsmith
- Start date
I consider myself a jazz bassist artist. I have played with many great jazz musicians, but also many musicians and singers of other genres. While some musicians think anyone who plays a style other than their own to be crap, I have found that there are artists in every genre, as well as those who can be desribed only as pretenders. For ten years I played a gig as the leader of a house band who played six nights-a-week backing up an extremely wide variety of performers. An example: two weeks of Sarah Vaughn, followed by two weeks of Frankie Avalon, followed by two weeks of a singer never heard from again. The elitists who refuse to consider the reality of making a living in music need to get a diffrent perspective. Whether I was backing a great singer or a lesser one, I always gave my best artistic effort. We all can't work with Keith Jarrett for 20 years. The weeks I had with the great ones(many) had to be balanced with the others. It's wonderful to be so succesful that you can reject performances based on an elitist attitude. Personally, I just love to play, giving my artistic all to every gig.
George
George
The term is often used to mean the constants of an otherwise open concept.
I personally like playing root fives but Peacock rarely does it. It was not meant as a dig to anyone, just an observation of his playing.
Also, my "elitism" or whatever you want to call it is mostly about my own playing, and what I have defined as my "work", more than likely I'd enjoy hearing any of you play.
I hate playing. I'm a working bassist for almost four decades now, but I'm studying to be a waiter.
I'm really happy that things seem to be winding down amicably here. It would be really unfortunate for someone to fan these flames back up again.....aw ****....I can't help it. We'll see 20 pages for sure.
Did anyone see the page 17 article in the September 2007 Downbeat? It's not online yet for me to post a link, but subscribers check it out and non-subscribers will have to live with the reader's digest version for a little while longer.
Why is it the most enlightened of us seem to have to worst people skills?
The article is titled "Jarrett's Angry Onstage Outbursts Lead to Umbria Ban, Apology" Too relevant for me not to mention, plus I think on page 11 I prayed for self control that obviously never came.
Excerpts include:
"...rumors floated that he was in a foul mood. But, no one was prepared for Jarrett, before he played a single note, to pelt the crowd - 4,500 who paid the equivalent of $130 per ticket - with profanity and insults. He also pointed to people in the crowd with cameras and called them '********' (a word the Downbeat allows, but talkbass.com does not, so use your imagination) then proclaimed that he'd be happy to leave the goddamed city of Perugia."
"What is clear is that Jarrett will never again play the Umbria Jazz Festival." ....the artistic director said "Jarrett, the artist, is sublime, but Jarrett the person is questionable. It is regrettable to witness this type of schizophrenia involving these two aspects, because we expect an artist we love to behave in an appropriate way. Many people came from hundreds of kilometers away and paid good money to see him and you can't treat them this way."
...
"As for Jarrett's digs of the city...we won't have anything more to do with him. He will always continue to be part of the history of the festival, but we will do without his music."
There's more, but I got a C- in stenography, so I'm sure that's enough to start defending his actions and artistic integrity and explain how it actually was a fine example of professional behavior for people on his level of advancement and enlightenment.
I'm glad I suck. To quote one of the less enlightened musical geniuses of the century "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. The sinners are much more fun."
Hey Marcus, can you get me a job at the diner when you're waiting tables?
Did anyone see the page 17 article in the September 2007 Downbeat? It's not online yet for me to post a link, but subscribers check it out and non-subscribers will have to live with the reader's digest version for a little while longer.
Why is it the most enlightened of us seem to have to worst people skills?
The article is titled "Jarrett's Angry Onstage Outbursts Lead to Umbria Ban, Apology" Too relevant for me not to mention, plus I think on page 11 I prayed for self control that obviously never came.
Excerpts include:
"...rumors floated that he was in a foul mood. But, no one was prepared for Jarrett, before he played a single note, to pelt the crowd - 4,500 who paid the equivalent of $130 per ticket - with profanity and insults. He also pointed to people in the crowd with cameras and called them '********' (a word the Downbeat allows, but talkbass.com does not, so use your imagination) then proclaimed that he'd be happy to leave the goddamed city of Perugia."
"What is clear is that Jarrett will never again play the Umbria Jazz Festival." ....the artistic director said "Jarrett, the artist, is sublime, but Jarrett the person is questionable. It is regrettable to witness this type of schizophrenia involving these two aspects, because we expect an artist we love to behave in an appropriate way. Many people came from hundreds of kilometers away and paid good money to see him and you can't treat them this way."
...
"As for Jarrett's digs of the city...we won't have anything more to do with him. He will always continue to be part of the history of the festival, but we will do without his music."
There's more, but I got a C- in stenography, so I'm sure that's enough to start defending his actions and artistic integrity and explain how it actually was a fine example of professional behavior for people on his level of advancement and enlightenment.
I'm glad I suck. To quote one of the less enlightened musical geniuses of the century "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. The sinners are much more fun."
Hey Marcus, can you get me a job at the diner when you're waiting tables?
Flame on!
I once thought I was special. Then I stepped out into the world.
Man I just can't help but think, it's only music. No one musician is so special that they should be a complete terd of a human being. I know two great bassists who play amazingly AND are some of the most down to earth generous people on earth. The kind of guys who would be working even if they played half as well as they do.
I once thought I was special. Then I stepped out into the world.
Man I just can't help but think, it's only music. No one musician is so special that they should be a complete terd of a human being. I know two great bassists who play amazingly AND are some of the most down to earth generous people on earth. The kind of guys who would be working even if they played half as well as they do.
Flame on!
I once thought I was special. Then I stepped out into the world.
Man I just can't help but think, it's only music. No one musician is so special that they should be a complete terd of a human being. I know two great bassists who play amazingly AND are some of the most down to earth generous people on earth. The kind of guys who would be working even if they played half as well as they do.
I don't think anyone is advocating being a turd of a human being, but I also have never thought "It's only music". I think all musicians, EC and the rest of you, should be respected and not have to do anything they don't want to do or did not agree to.
We all have to decide what we are willing to do, and as long we communicate it, it should be respected.
So I am not saying bass players should not play with EC or play his music, I am saying if for whatever reason GP did not want to do it, that should be respected.
My teacher Lisle Ellis once said, just remember you are special, but you are not special.
The thread about this at AAJ linked to the Peacock fiasco, and that is where I found it.
Keithy-poo ( as Cecil Taylor calls him) is his own deal. He makes it clear he does not want photos taken, but goes overboard.
At this point it is just part of the act like his moaning...
The term is most often used wrongly. It grates on me the way "fretting" grates on Paul Warburton. I blame T.V. political pundits and live-at-five experts for the promulgation of this empty, meaningless, regrettably common misuse.
But that's a nit and a bit of a cheap shot, really. I must say, Damon, you're a very good sport. It would be nice to have this conversation over a pint. My carping over the "elitist" thing is meant in a ribbing sort of way, but it's hard to convey that in e-mail writing.
- May 6, 2003
- 5,272
- 160
- 64
- Disclosures
- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
My wife gave me that look just before I left for the gig tonight.
Hmmn. I suspect I'll be on midnight diaper duty shortly.
My wife gave me that look just before I left for the gig tonight.
Hmmn. I suspect I'll be on midnight diaper duty shortly.
- May 6, 2003
- 5,272
- 160
- 64
- Disclosures
- Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
Well that should take us to 20.
If you are so fortunate to have an audience that will pay you well for what you do a bit of gratitude is in order. If things at a venue are not to your liking take it up with the promoters. Dissing an entire audience prior to playing one note is quintessential arrogance, and ultimately self destructive.
I'd never give him one more dime.
Do that to many times and you'll sit at home staring at Mac and Cheese wondering where everybody went.
