Hi Dan, that Beatles comparison is perfect. Jimmy Smith, Dave Brubeck, Ella etc are amazing. Over the years you have helped broaden knowledge and interest in jazz. Without your channel I would not have discovered as many amazing artists and labels. Keep spreading the good word.
I must say I don’t know or have heard anyone say that they think free jazz is what Jazz is most non jazz folks don’t even know it exists . When they think of jazz they think of Dixieland, Winehouse or Buble. Keep up the good work, love your shares.
It is how they show pretentious people in film often.... No one finds Billie Holiday difficult or Basie, or Brubeck ..its that FREE shit that pop culture uses to paint a brush of a pretentious jerk in media that MANY people think JAZZ is!!
Not once have I revealed to someone that I like Jazz with the thought that it would elevate my social status or level of cool. If anything, I brace myself for the inevitable backlash of fun-poking, while simultaneously preparing to defend what I love. And I don’t believe people react this way because the Avant-garde is their perception of all Jazz. People most often think “Jazz hands” or “elevator music”. Due to this, I believe your Beatles Revolution 9 comparison is somewhat backwards. People who generally crap on the Beatles do so based on the I Want To Hold Your Hand stuff, and it’s the same for Jazz. Also, Dan, I believe you sell short the missionary-like importance of all the current reissue series. My collection is somewhere just south of a thousand records, about 95% reissues (the other 5% being new releases). Without these reissues I wouldn’t know ANY of this music. If I had this same music collection twenty years ago, all OGs, it would be mind blowing. But for some reason, because these albums are widely available, it’s not as interesting of a collection??? There’s a bit of snobbery at play there. People who truly love Jazz should be thrilled to see so many coming aboard and appreciating this music, and it’s all due to the work being done by these reissue series. Even if all a person collected was Blue Notes Tone Poet and Classic Vinyl Series they’d have a very wide range of Jazz awareness/education/appreciation. You have an incredible music collection, Dan, and obviously a vast knowledge that makes your channel both important and entertaining. I agree with a lot of what you have to say, but I find myself tuning in mostly for the things I don’t agree with; so I do value opposing opinions. However, from time to time I do pick up on a few elitist (for lack of a better word) undertones that seem out of character for someone who proclaims himself a Shepherd to the legacy of this music.
Its got nothing to do with snobbery... The reissues are but a small fraction of the canon, so much jazz is still lout there USED and VINTAGE alike.. But escapes purchase becasue the view of collectors has been so whittled down to so few artists and titles
Also .. people do not think of JAZZ as easy listneing.. they find it brash and offensive.. trust me I work in a coffee shop and have spoken with 100's of patrons about this
Our opposing views on how people outside of Jazz stereotypically perceive it are based on our own personal interactions with these people. And that may vary a lot based on which parts of the US you and I are in, or whatever, there are definitely different factors to consider. And, yes, the reissue series are but a sample size compared to the vastness of Jazz as a whole. However, I don’t believe you need to own it all, or hear every note ever put to record in order to gain a genuine appreciation. A sample size, which is growing every day via these reissue series, will do. And more and more we see artists gaining some attention that weren’t before. The shine isn’t solely on Coltrane, Miles, Blakey, Donald Byrd. Mal Waldron is coming into the fore. Even Shelly Manne, whom you mentioned, is now getting more and more love via these reissue series. And many others will follow as long as people continue to show interest by way of their dollars. I just see a particular attitude towards these reissues gaining traction that I do not understand. And it’s always from collectors who own a very respectable library of OGs /rare pressings. You’ll have to forgive me if it seems I’m pointing the finger directly at you because that isn’t my intention, it wouldn’t be fair and isn’t warranted. I do feel the need to speak out about this in a place of significance though, and some of what you say ties into all of this. Absolutely no disrespect intended. For me, it’s the music that’s important. I’m glad it’s out there and I’m happy people are openly enjoying it more everyday. They’ll never hear ALL of it, and neither will I but I absolutely wish that I could. Can’t get enough of it.
@@jeshurunabinadab6560 I also have a large collectio of reissues, nothinf wrong with that . just it seems to limit what many collect is all... n my main contention, is for people to LOVE jaz and come to the music we should champion the stuff thatMOST people will enjoy
I've been having such a rough time this week. So much bad crap happening all at once, so it's a breath of fresh air to see you continue to post. It always brightens my day. But yeah I've said this before, but I've been in some of those communities with such jazz fans and I can see how it's a turn-off for people at large. I say just let your ears guide the way and don't listen to what everyone else says.
Dan the man. Keep doing the great work mate. I’m truly surprised your channel has only just over 5k followers. Likely reason many did not discover it yet nor are willing to dig a little deeper in their thin veneered, touch and go, shallow daily lives. Thanks bother.
Hi Dan, nice episode as usual. Your comments on Jimmy Smith are particularly special for me. You see Bonnie and I celebrated our 55th anniversary today and we went to see Jimmy Smith on our first date. That would have been 1968. Verve years for sure, but I had a lot of his albums including Blue Notes back then. Still have them actually. His first album on Verve was The Cat, arranged by Oliver Nelson, Grady Tate on drums (a fave of mine) with Kenny Burrell and a killer big band. If you think that album is boring I think you need a check up. Anyway, Jimmy Smith made a lot, let me say that again, A LOT of money when he went to Verve. He can't be faulted for that. In fact all those guys that Creed Taylor brought to Verve did pretty well. The world could use more guys like Creed Taylor as far as I am concerned. Jazz was pretty popular in part because of him, and Michael Cuscuna (who we lost last week, a great loss), and Norman Granz, and Orrin Keepnews. These guys are heros. Anyway, God Bless, keep up the good work!
I love the fact that the likes of Jimmy Smith and probably Shirley Scott plus quite a few others are looked down upon. It makes such great records easier and much cheaper to find. Please keep on being pretentious if that continues!! Being an oldie from Manchester England I was/still am a big of Joy Divsion /New Order. Saw JD once and N.O. many times including at their night club-The Hacienda.
Hi Dan No matter what you are Jazz , you do what you can to keep up the movement of apriciating the sounds of Black people in the cotton fields of meccicipi singing out and we also do have it today. We have it world wide. Jazz had been part of it. I listen to Charlie Haden ,Charlie Parker, Charles Lloyd and Charles Mingus a few of many Greats and I love it Thanks Dan. I always love to listen to you.
I really appreciate the diversity you show. My favorite area is Traditional Jazz which is ignored in the Jazz community. I'm working on a video "Dixieland is not Traditional Jazz".
My absolute biggest pet peeve is people who proudly talk about how much they dislike records with organ … just writing off an entire instrument without regard to who’s playing it and what they’re playing. I can understand needing some time to acclimate to the sound of jazz organ, but any real music fan would be too embarrassed to make such a comment out loud.
Comparing the Beatles Revolution 9 as a comparison to an intro to jazz is our genius. So many people misconstrue what jazz really is depending on how they are introduced especially by some of this jazz know it all channels.. keep up the great videos Dan
90% of your dialogue revolves around identity. Who is really obsessed about this? Also when you start your blabbering with “fucking this and fucking that” …there’s no point
I hated jazz so much if I passed even quickly jazz on the radio I would get irritated, but something happened- I got it through my interest in all things guitar. Started with Al Dimeola, earl klugh, then I heard Chet Baker and forget about it, and I especially hated brass altogether, now I would love to learn to play the trumpet- lee Morgan,Clifford brown,dizzy,Byrd,Dorham,Mitchell, whew the list is long, and time is short
How right you are Dan, and love the analogy of the leaf at the end of a branch being representative of the whole jazz cannon. Many people I have spoken to say jazz is the genre of music they wont listen too, but probably have unknowingly.
Many of them have probably heard lots of jazz or jazz-inspired production music pieces, like on SpongeBob, Fairly OddParents, Family Guy, and many shows like it. That's the irony.
Genesis with and without Peter Gabriel, Allman Bros. Same issue w/o Duane, CSNY without Neil. Some examples. Most folks don't put in the effort (on most everything). Just walk on by, more good music for those who put in the time. Nice episode, as always.
I love joy division and new order.. just like I love Brubeck and sun ra…. You are right there is an elitest attitude with some collectors/listeners that “ you are not as hip as me because you don’t get this complex out there stuff”. People listen to what appeals to them and why criticize what they like even if it’s not your thing. Bikers can be Harley only or anything on two wheels works. I once explained to a friend that I don’t like kiss but i understand how kiss is to him as the monkees are to me. Perspective
Onya Dan. Lead on old son. If people don’t like Jazz, I just feel sorry for them for not even trying to hear it…no problem. It is a shame, but then again, I feel even more special for being somebody truly feeling it, learning about and loving the art form- Fark, does that make me a Jazz snob? The YT dribblers who go on about “I have this version” or “this version is so much better than the OG” or pretend to dig Jazz are the problem here-Obviously ‘selling’ the products of the record companies. Dig deep Dude, Dig Jazz.
@@TheJazzShepherd if we look at so many of these later musicians, many of them will cite some of their favorite jazz and blues musicians who have influenced and inspired their own musical creations...
Dick Johnson. Heard him in the 90s. He was from my area in Mass and wouldn't fly to gigs. Which is why he isn't as well known. Did a performance with our senior high jazz band. My son was on bass. I agree. Jazz is not for the pretentious. I love Grover Washington and will argue with anyone who calls him smooth jazz. Winton Kelly, isn't he Marcus Miller's uncle?
Their loss is our gain. We are able to find the treasures in the bins of used record stores that might have a less than perfect jacket but virtually unplayed album.
I was a fan of Joy Divison as a teen, both musically and conceptually interesting, or had more value than most Indie Pop of the time. My reacton to New Order was '''what is this shit'', mindnumbing muzak.
Great discussion Dan you're certainly singing from the same hymn sheet as I am. Your channel certainly has had an impact on me and what to look out for. If my foots tapping that's usually enough for me. In the UK when you say you like Jazz the reply is usually "Nice" which relates to a repeated segment on a comedy sketch show "Welcome to Jazz Club" where a pretentious presenter with a whispering voice introduced a jazz band and his catchphrase was "nice" it was funny but that pretentious image of jazz and the people who listen to it has stuck with people of a certain age here.
Never DID I SAY THAT!! I said lets allow people outside of the jazz world learn to love jazz with the accessible stuff and not the difficult stuff always
@@TheJazzShepherd Well, it comes through as if you're implying that it's some kind of pretentions posing to enjoy music that possibly is less accessible to the average person. And I say music because Jazz is sometimes a label someone other than the artist apply to it, but that's a different story. It's not wrong not to like Brubeck either. Perhaps you're making the same mistake as the pretentious jazz fans you're talking about, by dismissing what you don't like as less "real". That said, I really enjoy the episodes you've made where you talk about music you DO like, you've made plenty of really educational episodes, talking about artists and labels that will otherwise go under the radar for most. You have a lot of records and a deep knowledge about this music. Those episodes definitely does more to the jazz community and the possibility of people discovering music they didn't know about, than ranting about music you don't like. Keep up the good work.
