Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Stacks I wonder if your problem is specific to the late 30s-early 40s set. Kids my age are into THAT REAL SCHITT (I'm 28).
Hey Jonny,
I doubt that you (or your friends) are the typical 28-year old. You are on Soulstrut after all, which would probably preclude you from being "regular" folk. I probably suffer the same fate in that it's hard to relate to the "everyday" types musically. I was a Black kid who listened to Kansas, America, etc., so I wasn't exactly "typical". Everyday Joes aren't that informed musically, it seems, anyway. Play some Zapp, mid-late 70's Funkadelic, or Grover Washington Jr. and they're straight.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Unfortunately (cultural insight-related), everyday Black folks think Najee is good jazz.
Stacks you are dumbing down your own people man, "everyday Black folks" that I know love some Miles, Coltrane, on down to obscure shit like Prince Lasha "The Cry" which I was playing the other day... an older Black gentleman strolled in and kicked it for a while on the strength of the music. He wanted a burn of the record because he listens to CDs.
I mean, I know plenty of folks, of all colors and walks of life, who are not into records or obscure music and can still appreciate real jazz. Sounds like these friends of yours just have bad taste.
Hey Jonny,
You said it, an "older Black gentleman", is not exactly "everyday Black folk" today. Remember, I'm 36 years-old, so I wouldn't normally hang out with that cohort. I'm talking my age and slightly younger, folks are clueless about jazz. They say and I quote, "I don't like that old stuff." Doesn't this sound familiar (rap-related)? I even have an older Black colleague (mid 50ish) who gets amped about going to a Boney James show. I remember back in Akron, my wife and I (girlfriend back then) went to see 1 + 1 with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Some Black folks next to us were complaining because they didn't play "Rockit" I think I saw 2-3 Black folks out of a predominately White crowd at a Buddy Guy concert in Cleveland some years ago. Oh course, there are exceptions like my older brother and some of his dudes (who are older also, by the way), but folks are on some dumb shit about music. It's the sad truth.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Man, just because people don't actively seek vintage jazz out doesn't mean that they're going to be totally hostile to it. I think that's the mistake you're making.
As far as Najee goes, I don't think I know any young folks of any race that listen to that crap, although I have known plenty of older black folks that somehow went from listening to James Brown and the Stylistics to listening to John Tesh over the past thirty years (actual example)... but even so, I don't think most of the older folks that now listen to smooth jazz would be like "turn it off" if you tried to put on some real jazz.
Hey Faux,
Actually, I start with the vintage stuff. Then, I get those dirty looks to say "eww, put on something else". Or, they say, "I don't like that, sounds like old people music". I play several "real" pieces (e.g., "Giant Steps", "Quiet Nights") then after a few iterations, I get the "thumbs up" when I put on some progressive jazz. I always try to expose them to the real first, but it always gets a poor reception by the guests.
Unfortunately (cultural insight-related), everyday Black folks think Najee is good jazz.
Stacks you are dumbing down your own people man, "everyday Black folks" that I know love some Miles, Coltrane, on down to obscure shit like Prince Lasha "The Cry" which I was playing the other day... an older Black gentleman strolled in and kicked it for a while on the strength of the music. He wanted a burn of the record because he listens to CDs.
I mean, I know plenty of folks, of all colors and walks of life, who are not into records or obscure music and can still appreciate real jazz. Sounds like these friends of yours just have bad taste.
Hey Jonny,
You said it, an "older Black gentleman", is not exactly "everyday Black folk" today. Remember, I'm 36 years-old, so I wouldn't normally hang out with that cohort. I'm talking my age and slightly younger, folks are clueless about jazz. They say and I quote, "I don't like that old stuff." Doesn't this sound familiar (rap-related)? I even have an older Black colleague (mid 50ish) who gets amped about going to a Boney James show. I remember back in Akron, my wife and I (girlfriend back then) went to see 1 + 1 with Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. Some Black folks next to us were complaining because they didn't play "Rockit" I think I saw 2-3 Black folks out of a predominately White crowd at a Buddy Guy concert in Cleveland some years ago. Oh course, there are exceptions like my older brother and some of his dudes (who are older also, by the way), but folks are on some dumb shit about music. It's the sad truth.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Man, just because people don't actively seek vintage jazz out doesn't mean that they're going to be totally hostile to it. I think that's the mistake you're making.
As far as Najee goes, I don't think I know any young folks of any race that listen to that crap, although I have known plenty of older black folks that somehow went from listening to James Brown and the Stylistics to listening to John Tesh over the past thirty years (actual example)... but even so, I don't think most of the older folks that now listen to smooth jazz would be like "turn it off" if you tried to put on some real jazz.
Hey Faux,
Actually, I start with the vintage stuff. Then, I get those dirty looks to say "eww, put on something else". Or, they say, "I don't like that, sounds like old people music". I play several "real" pieces (e.g., "Giant Steps", "Quiet Nights") then after a few iterations, I get the "thumbs up" when I put on some progressive jazz. I always try to expose them to the real first, but it always gets a poor reception by the guests.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Hmmm... well then I don't know what to say.
How about using jazzy funk records like Kool & The Gang to ease them into jazz?
Stacks I wonder if your problem is specific to the late 30s-early 40s set. Kids my age are into THAT REAL SCHITT (I'm 28).
Hey Jonny,
I doubt that you (or your friends) are the typical 28-year old. You are on Soulstrut after all, which would probably preclude you from being "regular" folk. I probably suffer the same fate in that it's hard to relate to the "everyday" types musically. I was a Black kid who listened to Kansas, America, etc., so I wasn't exactly "typical". Everyday Joes aren't that informed musically, it seems, anyway. Play some Zapp, mid-late 70's Funkadelic, or Grover Washington Jr. and they're straight.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Stacks, I hang out with a lot of people who couldn't give a fuck about a record, soulstrut, or the minutae that I obsess over on the daily. They trust my suggestions because they know I do this for a living and I rarely steer them wrong; while I may be very lucky to have open-minded people in my circle, I certainly don't consort (solely) with the type of folks that frequent websites like this... thank god
Big_Stacks"I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
Stacks I wonder if your problem is specific to the late 30s-early 40s set. Kids my age are into THAT REAL SCHITT (I'm 28).
Hey Jonny,
I doubt that you (or your friends) are the typical 28-year old. You are on Soulstrut after all, which would probably preclude you from being "regular" folk. I probably suffer the same fate in that it's hard to relate to the "everyday" types musically. I was a Black kid who listened to Kansas, America, etc., so I wasn't exactly "typical". Everyday Joes aren't that informed musically, it seems, anyway. Play some Zapp, mid-late 70's Funkadelic, or Grover Washington Jr. and they're straight.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Stacks, I hang out with a lot of people who couldn't give a fuck about a record, soulstrut, or the minutae that I obsess over on the daily. They trust my suggestions because they know I do this for a living and I rarely steer them wrong; while I may be very lucky to have open-minded people in my circle, I certainly don't consort (solely) with the type of folks that frequent websites like this... thank god
Hey Jonny,
You stumbled upon the crux of the problem, the ugly reality that a lot of Black folks are NOT open-minded musically. If you notice, our folks tend to like certain genres with little or no consideration of others (e.g., R&B, soul, funk, Gospel). All you have to do is go to the concerts of Black artists outside of the mainstream (e.g., Blues, Reggae), and look at the racial composition of the crowds. I think the problem is partly socioeconomic which may reduce exposure to different styles of music, musical instruction such as orchestra, etc., and so on. Always, I have found that folks are quite closed to listening to things outside of that to which they are familiar. Sure, my evidence is anecdotal, but I have run into this "closedmindedness" for decades. Oh yeah, there is also a sort of "muscial racism" in that some Black folks are immediately put off by some music that you're playing because the artists happen to be White. They communicate this sentiment with the question, "Why are you listenin' to that White music?" It's a strange phenomenon indeed.
Comments
Hey Jonny,
I doubt that you (or your friends) are the typical 28-year old. You are on Soulstrut after all, which would probably preclude you from being "regular" folk. I probably suffer the same fate in that it's hard to relate to the "everyday" types musically. I was a Black kid who listened to Kansas, America, etc., so I wasn't exactly "typical". Everyday Joes aren't that informed musically, it seems, anyway. Play some Zapp, mid-late 70's Funkadelic, or Grover Washington Jr. and they're straight.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Hey Faux,
Actually, I start with the vintage stuff. Then, I get those dirty looks to say "eww, put on something else". Or, they say, "I don't like that, sounds like old people music". I play several "real" pieces (e.g., "Giant Steps", "Quiet Nights") then after a few iterations, I get the "thumbs up" when I put on some progressive jazz. I always try to expose them to the real first, but it always gets a poor reception by the guests.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak
Hmmm... well then I don't know what to say.
How about using jazzy funk records like Kool & The Gang to ease them into jazz?
Stacks, I hang out with a lot of people who couldn't give a fuck about a record, soulstrut, or the minutae that I obsess over on the daily. They trust my suggestions because they know I do this for a living and I rarely steer them wrong; while I may be very lucky to have open-minded people in my circle, I certainly don't consort (solely) with the type of folks that frequent websites like this... thank god
Hey Jonny,
You stumbled upon the crux of the problem, the ugly reality that a lot of Black folks are NOT open-minded musically. If you notice, our folks tend to like certain genres with little or no consideration of others (e.g., R&B, soul, funk, Gospel). All you have to do is go to the concerts of Black artists outside of the mainstream (e.g., Blues, Reggae), and look at the racial composition of the crowds. I think the problem is partly socioeconomic which may reduce exposure to different styles of music, musical instruction such as orchestra, etc., and so on. Always, I have found that folks are quite closed to listening to things outside of that to which they are familiar. Sure, my evidence is anecdotal, but I have run into this "closedmindedness" for decades. Oh yeah, there is also a sort of "muscial racism" in that some Black folks are immediately put off by some music that you're playing because the artists happen to be White. They communicate this sentiment with the question, "Why are you listenin' to that White music?" It's a strange phenomenon indeed.
Peace,
Big Stacks from Kakalak