Search & Destroy: John Coltrane

I mean, the first track is exactly why I don't listen to Barry Harris. He takes one of the most famous bebop melodies there is, and plays it like Bach. He's exactly the kind of guy who'll say "jazz is America's classical music" with a straight face, and want you to nod soberly when he says it. He's not an innovator. He's a traditionalist, someone who makes sure the fences stay up.

Harris pretty much shoots that Evans is not that good and is overrated go listen to Hank Jones.

this would be funny if harris told the student to go listen to ryo fukui

Can I flagpost the whole thread for the Barry Harris hate?

What’s the hive mind opinion of Don Friedman?

see Can I flagpost the whole thread for the Barry Harris hate?

He's not an innovator. He's a traditionalist

god help us if every musician has to be an "innovator"

Sorry, he just really rubs me the wrong way, and I really did not like him in person! His music is fine. The idea of "learning to play bebop correctly" makes me want to die and is part of the reason I dropped out of the music program I was in, which was built on that concept. And I say this as someone who can actually play bebop "correctly."

Like no I am not interested in becoming an AI bebop generator, what the fuck is the point of that?

god help us if every musician has to be an "innovator"

Well, that's not what I said. But if you're determined not to be an innovator, maybe jazz isn't for you. Maybe you should just play piano in a blues or a country band.

Meanwhile, here's Miles talking about why he didn't require the players in his band to "know jazz history"
https://www.tiktok.com/@ettletodd/video/7349651562203024683?_t=8lFPsTGTris&_r=1

Also, even among *just bebop* players, I find Harris pretty unadventurous, fwiw.

every celebrated "jazz" "innovator" ever has been a traditionalist and the coltrane quartet was basically a fancy blues and country band anyway

yeah I thought bebop was about wrong notes where's the wrong notes

he's fine you know just not the kind of music I'd listen to

dubiousness about the phrase aside, my point stands: harris, by all acounts, was a consummate professional and highly respectable musician. he never did anything cool enough to merit a fucking catchphrase though.

no, not everyone needs to be an innovator to be an expert. but i would think the experts (who know what they're doing) would defer to the innovators.

Jazz is a big tent with ample room inside for lots of different cats of varying stripes.

Dissing Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones and Barry Harris in one go is basically running down the entire Detroit school of piano– unless you are intentionally making an exception for Roland Hanna– along with the deep well that they were part of and contributed to that also brought us Motown etc.

TBC, I love Tommy Flannagan. I saw his trio live at least three times.

Now remembering some tangentially relevant funny things I heard Tootie Heath say at Smalls that I’m afraid I can’t type here

Meant to add something to that other post to the effect of “study, study or bonk, bonk on the head with Henry’s Swing Club!”

TBC, I love Tommy Flannagan. I saw his trio live at least three times.

It's pretty much understood these days that Coltrane practiced so assiduously only in the hope of someday bursting in on a urinating David Crosby

Loool!

Just remembered that bit of business in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS