Re: "Jazzadelica" Playlist for 9/19/99


Steve Catanzaro (stevencatanzaro@sprintmail.com)
Tue, 21 Sep 1999 10:07:02 -0700



I dunno about this; it's kinda like saying Sandy Koufax is better than Greg
Maddux because he throws harder. Velocity is only one factor to be
considered when judging a pitcher's worth, just like one particular musical
technique doesn't decisively tell who's the "better" musician.

When I checked out MMW at the Ash Grove in Santa Monica, he played B3 about
50-60% of the time. He also played Clavinet, Wurlitzer EP, and acoustic
piano. Now, it's pretty hard to replace a bass player with the pedals on a
Steinway!

The point is, technique is just a small part of what makes a complete
musician. Art Tatum could probably play everything Duke Ellington or Count
Basie did with 1 hand under his butt.... but so what? (And for the record,
MMW hasn't done anything great, imho, since Shack-Man. But I doubt getting
rid of the bass player would help that!)

steve
----- Original Message -----
From: <Shakehip@aol.com>
To: <acid-jazz@ucsd.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, September 21, 1999 8:53 AM
Subject: RE: "Jazzadelica" Playlist for 9/19/99

> Musicianship wise, I don't think Medeski goes anywhere near hunter...
Hunter
> is doing something original. He adapting the B-3 idiom to his instrument
and
> creating his own type of groove. Medeski basically is repackaging old
bag
> stuff. Reuben Wilson is doing the exact same thing Medeski is now, but
he's
> barely getting any air play. (Actually, Reuben is using a bass player on
> some of his albums, but we'll forget about that temporarily.) You are
right
> though, it is turning the new generation on to the classics, but still...
a
> bass player ???? I'm sorry, I play the B-3, and there isn't anything
the
> two of them do that I can't do with my right and left hand. And people
are
> so blown away because they haven't really seen the masters at work.
>



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