It's interesting that I've always enjoyed Don Cherry in O. Coleman's groups, yet never have on his own albums (in fact one of his was one of the rare records that I threw away after the used record store wouldn't take it). Whatever he is or isn't into a lot of Coleman is some of the most compelling music that I've ever heard (even though a lot of my fellow radio programmers at KOPN who were into jazz didn't even consider it music. Life goes on in all cases.
Aaron J. Rabushka [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://users.waymark.net/arabushk ----- Original Message ----- From: "Darcy James Argue" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 4:53 PM Subject: Re: [Finale] Conducting in 12/8 > 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 > ----- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Brooklyn, NY > > > _______________________________________________ > Finale mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale > _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
