On 04 May 2007, at 11:09 AM, Gerald Berg wrote:
Ever missing the point. You told me not to be asinine for
expressing an informed opinion -- informed I stress. Yes, I did
take it personally -- you meant for me to take it personally.
Otherwise, why word it that way? Me calling you an ass I meant
personally. Ergo even.
Twitter twitter.
No, Jerry. You did not "express an informed opinion." It's not like
you posted a scholarly essay in which you analyze Don Cherry's
playing and describe, in depth, your specific objections to it. What
you expressed was snark -- a cheap shot, nothing more. You may *have*
an informed opinion, but you certainly did not *express* an informed
opinion in your message to the list.
Again, here's what you wrote in response to Stu Macintire, who
thought the answer to Dean's question ("Who was that jazz tpt.
player, prominent back in the late sixties, who used to do charts
with meters like 87/4") might be Don Cherry:
No he played with Ornette Coleman. They weren't into meter at
all. He was barely into trumpet playing.
I already pointed out the absurdity of claiming that the members of
the classic Ornette Coleman groups (of which Don Cherry was an
integral part) "weren't into meter at all," especially given that in
the early 1970's, Don was known for bringing odd-meter folkloric
rhythms (from Turkey, Bulgaria, etc.) into jazz, and developed a
method for teaching those rhythms that has become highly influential.
Don Cherry was, by any objective standard, as "into meter" as Don
Ellis. You already admitted that you didn't know this, so your
opinion can't have been *that* well-informed.
As for claiming Don was "barely into trumpet playing," that's a
ridiculous statement. Regardless of whether or not you personally
think he was any good or not, Don devoted his entire life to trumpet
playing. That is not the act of someone who is "barely into trumpet
playing." You don't like him, you find him "ridiculous" -- fine. You
are absolutely entitled to your assessment. But saying he was "barely
into trumpet playing" crosses the line -- I'm at a loss as to how you
divine that someone who spent their lifetime playing the trumpet was
"barely into it." What did you do, hold a seance?
Listen -- I literally do not know a single trumpet player in New York
under the age of 40 that has not been influenced by Don Cherry. He is
a hero to people like Dave Douglas, Ingrid Jensen, Taylor Ho Bynum,
Cuong Vu, Jonathan Finlayson, Ralph Alessi, Avishai Cohen, Steven
Bernstein, Shane Endsley, and many others. Maybe you think all those
people are "barely into trumpet playing" as well, but I happen to
know otherwise. Don Cherry's music means a great deal to me and to
all of my musical associates. You want to take cheap shots at him?
Fine, but then don't go reaching for the smelling salts when someone
objects in strong terms to what you said.
You were joking, yes, but your joke *was* asinine, and based on
incorrect assumptions about Don's supposed lack of interest in meter.
Finally, do you really not understand the difference between "don't
be asinine" -- in other words, "that think you just said was asinine"
-- and personal insults? I though what you said in this specific
instance was stupid. *You* actually I generally like, this current
episode notwithstanding.
Cheers,
- Darcy
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[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Brooklyn, NY
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