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sharing music with musicians

paulpoitierpaulpoitier 29 Posts
edited November 2005 in Strut Central
Just a general observation-I have a few relatives and friends who are professional musicans (classical, jazz and a compositional PhD candidate) with whom I share records, cds, and discuss music with. With the exception of one uncle, I find that sharing music with musicians is much trickier at times than with um, civilians or um, non-musician folks. I am not a musician but find that some musicians work in very specific genres of music for a living (codes created by a marketplace) and become sort of specialists that are hesitant to try music recommended by non-musicians. Also, I find that I have to be careful as to how I discuss my experiences about music because musicians sometimes feel almost offended by my recommending albums or artists that they are unfamiliar with. Just wanted to know if this was a common experience.

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  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Just a general observation-
    I have a few relatives and friends who are professional musicans (classical, jazz and a compositional PhD candidate) with whom I share records, cds, and discuss music with. With the exception of one uncle, I find that sharing music with musicians is much trickier at times than with um, civilians or um, non-musician folks.

    I am not a musician but find that some musicians work in very specific genres of music for a living (codes created by a marketplace) and become sort of specialists that are hesitant to try music recommended by non-musicians. Also, I find that I have to be careful as to how I discuss my experiences about music because musicians sometimes feel almost offended by my recommending albums or artists that they are unfamiliar with.

    Just wanted to know if this was a common experience.

    My experience has been most musician's ears are wide open.

    One type of record that you might not get reenforcement on is the "funk 45 genere" and other fake generes that promote second rate performences, songs and recordings. Assume that when it comes to funk your friends and family are already hip to James Brown, Lou Donaldson and Jimmy Smith, so you better play them something better not a bad imitation.

    It is the serious, over 50, jazz collector that I can't get to listen to anything. Years and years ago when I was selling new Latin cds and records I had a customer who liked Cuban music from the 40s and also be bop. I would get in great historical recordings on the Ansonia and other labels he would by. I had a favorite new cd that I was able to sell to 70% of the people who walked in my door by playing it for them. It was called Llego La Inda Via Eddie Palmieri[/b]. As I was playing it for this guy he kept telling me how much he hated rap music and how his daughter liked rap music and he hated. After we had listened to about three songs I realized he was calling Eddie Palmieri and India rap!! People like that make me sick.

    Dan
  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    I think older musicians have heard a lot of stuff over the course of their life in some cases, and get jaded. And in many cases, some 'serious' musicians simply have atrocious taste in music and are just plain snobs on top of their terrible taste. Musical talent is not hand in glove with great taste, in my experience. Nor is great taste any guage when people are musicians and music fans. You know, the 'Cool-dudes-terrible-band" syndrome.

    On the other hand, sometimes when younger heads are inundating you with 'have you heard this, have you peeped that', it's often a lot of sub-standard new genre music that is at best just innocuous, and at worst an assault on good sense. So there you have it.

    At this point, I am far more open than I was 10 years ago, but also more selective as to who I let pull my coat about music or musicians.
  • lucerolucero 425 Posts
    I've got a friend who's a talented musician and although we haven't had indepth discussions on this (we've lived in different cities/countries for a few years) he never seemed to be overly enthusiastic about records or dj'ing, nor does he have a large collection of recorded music himself .. his view is probably shaped by the realisation that records & dj's, to some degree, take away from his capacity to try earn a living doing what he does & loves
  • SPlDEYSPlDEY Vegas 3,375 Posts
    I think older musicians have heard a lot of stuff over the course of their life in some cases, and get jaded.

    I think MOST music fans are jaded, and deluded. Even my most open minded friends are close minded.

    Nor is great taste any guage when people are musicians and music fans.

    Taste is so subjective, that I don't even look at it as good or bad anymore. Just different, and different is good. You like 50 cent? Handle your business.

    - spidey
  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts

    Taste is so subjective, that I don't even look at it as good or bad anymore. Just different, and different is good.

    People like what they like. It's often people who have built up a whole slew of rules around WHY they like what they like who I have no interest in or patience for.
  • ShingalingShingaling 877 Posts
    I'm speaking on behalf of local musicians I'm surrounded by...I'm suprised at how little of music they have heard. Professional and rising local stars. It's kind of cool at the same time though cause when I hear certain local bands and think they are totally ripping off someone...the band has never heard of them. It's funny how many riffs and musical styles can be filtered out through Bruce Springsteen and Pavement.
  • SouthCrackalackSouthCrackalack 3,853 Posts
    on a somewhat related note, I met a pretty cool guy about a month ago that played with and produced for Moses Dillard and he described the music he is playing now as "like Christopher Cross."

  • ShingalingShingaling 877 Posts

    he described the music he is playing now as "like Christopher Cross."

  • SouthCrackalackSouthCrackalack 3,853 Posts
  • planlessplanless 819 Posts
    if a mc counts as a musician, then most of them are completly close-minded.
    it??s hard to introduce them a lp in full length.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I've got a friend who's a talented musician and although we haven't had indepth discussions on this (we've lived in different cities/countries for a few years) he never seemed to be overly enthusiastic about records or dj'ing, nor does he have a large collection of recorded music himself .. his view is probably shaped by the realisation that records & dj's, to some degree, take away from his capacity to try earn a living doing what he does & loves

    Many many working musicians are not collectors or afficianados. But don't fool yourself into thinking that means they are not listening to everything. They depend on friends, family and fans to make them mix tapes (err, I mean burn them cds). They don't care about names, labels, pressings. They do care about musicianship, originality and taste. Plus they listen to music when they are working. They care more how the keyboard player they are playing with voices a tune than how Larry Young would voice it.

    That has been my experience.

    Sounds like Paul's family is a bunch of stuck up academics. I wouldn't try to get Wynton Marsalis to listen to something that wasn't Louis or Diz.

    Dan
  • lucerolucero 425 Posts
    I've got a friend who's a talented musician and although we haven't had indepth discussions on this (we've lived in different cities/countries for a few years) he never seemed to be overly enthusiastic about records or dj'ing, nor does he have a large collection of recorded music himself .. his view is probably shaped by the realisation that records & dj's, to some degree, take away from his capacity to try earn a living doing what he does & loves

    Many many working musicians are not collectors or afficianados. But don't fool yourself into thinking that means they are not listening to everything. They depend on friends, family and fans to make them mix tapes (err, I mean burn them cds). They don't care about names, labels, pressings. They do care about musicianship, originality and taste. Plus they listen to music when they are working. They care more how the keyboard player they are playing with voices a tune than how Larry Young would voice it.

    That has been my experience.

    I agree wholeheartedly - good post!



  • youngEINSTEINyoungEINSTEIN 2,443 Posts
    hmm. if you find yourself offending people they are probably very closed minded. it's not really a good idea to be hanging around those types. especially if you are a musician. some of the best musicians i know can play any instrument/any lick they hear but are still impressed with what i do on the mpc3000 or turntables. open mind is key. peace, stein. . .
  • JUDJUD 82 Posts
    if a mc counts as a musician, then most of them are completly close-minded.
    it??s hard to introduce them a lp in full length.
    Weird, i've had the completely opposite reaction, where dudes were just amazed and thought every part was sampleable.
  • DubiousDubious 1,865 Posts
    I'm speaking on behalf of local musicians I'm surrounded by...I'm suprised at how little of music they have heard. Professional and rising local stars. It's kind of cool at the same time though cause when I hear certain local bands and think they are totally ripping off someone...the band has never heard of them. It's funny how many riffs and musical styles can be filtered out through Bruce Springsteen and Pavement.

    this is totally on point from my perspective too.
  • robert_murtrobert_murt 338 Posts
    Musicians seems to definitly not react like we (I mean by "we" die hard collectors and rare groove afficionados) and their tastes are definitly very personal..

    I interviewed Alain Mion from Cortex and he never heard of Roy Ayers.
    The guy sounds like an innovator and open minded people when you hear his music, but then he tells you stuff like: "sample music is shit, there's no creativity at all in it" and so on..

    When you read a Marc Moulin ITW, where he said: "Placebo sucked, it's really bad produced..", and then you go in his 2004 live and what he plays is sooo terrible, with house music beat launched from an i-mac, whith even no bass player or real drummer on stage..

    Many musicians seems to don't have "step back" with music overall, it's all about their shit and nothing else really counts..
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