Elson wrote
Depends on how you define "culture." And perhaps what color your skin
is...Most of the (mostly east-of-the Mississippi-derived) gringos here who
whine about the 'lack of culture' don't quite get it. I see lots of
culture. But Hollywood (the industry, not the community) is blind to that
for obvious reasons.
Hey Elson;
The LA area is so massive that they ought to have something here to reflect
*everyone's* culture, including whitey. And btw, classical music, as I'm sure
you're well aware, is not just a white man's game anymore. (Or even primarily,
maybe... check the enrollment at USC music school...)
What exposure has Truffaz gotten here? His material is neither typical
KCRW
material nor KLON material, yet ironically it's also both. I only heard of
Truffaz through the net (this list and virtual word of mouth). I do own a
copy of "The Mask."
Yes, I was surprised not to hear the Truffaz date mentioned on KCRW,
especially since it seems they have close ties with the Knitting Factory. Well,
Nikka Costa's performance last night wasn't advertised either, I don't think. I
only found out about it on the 'net, and it was hella rough getting in there
(lines around the block!)
But what I don't understand is that Truffaz is perfect music student
material. I played it for some muso cats in Phoenix and for the next 4
weeks, every time I saw them they were listening to Truffaz. (They would've
crawled on glass to see him, too, but they were already in Amsterdam before I
found out about the date.)
As much as I dis Phoenix what with its mandatory gun racks and Skoal
stains on the sidewalk, I'll bet the music students in Tempe would've given
Truffaz more love than LA did.
Have we reached a point when only slick entertainers playing booty-rocking
material can get crowds out here? Where have we come to when top flite jazz
musicians can't get but 40? There's probably more than 40 LA peeps viewing this
list alone!
(As for KLON, don't get me started... except for the late night jocks, who
will pop on some "Thrust" or electric Miles, KLON will get anybody under 50
bored with jazz real fast...)
Anyway, the more I think about it, the more depressed I get... If Truffaz,
with his nice, accessible blend of the conservative and the modern, can't get a
crowd in a big city like this, what hope is there for other modern jazz
ensembles?
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