Re: [tuning] Re: PBS TV "Jazz" series (now it's off topic!)

"Paul H. Erlich" wrote:

> When Ken Burns was interviewed on Charlie Rose, he said that he allots the
> last 25 years of jazz history only the last 40 minutes of his film because
> not enough time has passed to really deal with this period as "history" --
> it's still a story in the making. And I fully agree.

I don't.

> Today we can look back
> on the disparate threads of jazz history and see how they all tie to Louis
> Armstrong; have a clear, removed perspective from which to compare Duke
> Ellington and Count Basie; can view the enthusiasms and critiques of the
> swing era with sufficient detachment not to be swept up into the political
> and other factors that shaped them, etc. But jazz since 1975 is still too
> close to be able to step back and see the big picture.

Bah! A lot of those eras I outlined have come and gone. And now that
they're
over, it's time to document the history before the trail gets cold.

bep-bop-sliddy-boo. yeah.
db
--
* D a v i d B e a r d s l e y
* 49/32 R a d i o "all microtonal, all the time"
* http://www.virtulink.com/immp/lookhere.htm

--- In tuning@egroups.com, David Beardsley <xouoxno@v...> wrote:
> "Paul H. Erlich" wrote:
>
> > When Ken Burns was interviewed on Charlie Rose, he said that he allots the
> > last 25 years of jazz history only the last 40 minutes of his film because
> > not enough time has passed to really deal with this period as "history" --
> > it's still a story in the making. And I fully agree.
>
> I don't.
>
> > Today we can look back
> > on the disparate threads of jazz history and see how they all tie to Louis
> > Armstrong; have a clear, removed perspective from which to compare Duke
> > Ellington and Count Basie; can view the enthusiasms and critiques of the
> > swing era with sufficient detachment not to be swept up into the political
> > and other factors that shaped them, etc. But jazz since 1975 is still too
> > close to be able to step back and see the big picture.
>
> Bah! A lot of those eras I outlined have come and gone. And now that
> they're
> over, it's time to document the history before the trail gets cold.

If someone in 1730-40 did a documentary on Baroque music, they probably wouldn't afford
Bach more than a passing mention. This is the kind of think Burns is talking about.

Paul Erlich wrote:

> > > But jazz since 1975 is still too
> > > close to be able to step back and see the big picture.
> >
> > Bah! A lot of those eras I outlined have come and gone. And now that
> > they're
> > over, it's time to document the history before the trail gets cold.
>
> If someone in 1730-40 did a documentary on Baroque music, they probably wouldn't afford
> Bach more than a passing mention. This is the kind of think Burns is talking about.

He's the twit who ignored many little known but influential
musicans AND started the film knowing (by his own words)
little about jazz.

And maybe if they had analog and/or digital audio/film
in the 1700's maybe we could of had a better perspective in 1801.

Sorry Paul, the perspective is different now and Burns just lacked
the insider knowledge to do it right.

skiddy boo bop
db

--
* D a v i d B e a r d s l e y
* 49/32 R a d i o "all microtonal, all the time"
* http://www.virtulink.com/immp/lookhere.htm

--- In tuning@egroups.com, David Beardsley <xouoxno@v...> wrote:

> He's the twit who ignored many little known but influential
> musicans AND started the film knowing (by his own words)
> little about jazz.
>
> And maybe if they had analog and/or digital audio/film
> in the 1700's maybe we could of had a better perspective in 1801.
>
> Sorry Paul, the perspective is different now and Burns just lacked
> the insider knowledge to do it right.

Yes, David, Ken Burns is a twit. How easy it is to demean six years of a man's hard work when
you're sitting there typing at your keyboard. I'd like to see you say it to his face.

All of Burns's films have one main theme: race. What you're getting is 19 hours of education on
the racial situation in this country with a lot of great music in the bargain. Perhaps if you watch it in
this light rather than as a musicological study (which it doesn't claim to be) you'll actually enjoy it.

Paul Erlich wrote:

> > Sorry Paul, the perspective is different now and Burns just lacked
> > the insider knowledge to do it right.
>
> Yes, David, Ken Burns is a twit. How easy it is to demean six years of a man's hard work when
> you're sitting there typing at your keyboard. I'd like to see you say it to his face.

No problem. "Hey! Ken Burns! - Your Jazz documentary was a weak version
of Jazz History. It sucked.". Not a big deal.

Paul, you lack the experiences I had: I'm 41 - I was around when
Close to the Edge was released, I heard the 2nd Mahavishnu Orchestra
live...screw Burns..he wasn't even there!

> All of Burns's films have one main theme: race. What you're getting is 19 hours of education on
> the racial situation in this country with a lot of great music in the bargain. Perhaps if you watch it in
> this light rather than as a musicological study (which it doesn't claim to be) you'll actually enjoy it.

It's pure entertainment - Django isn't influential but Louie A. is.

--
* D a v i d B e a r d s l e y
* 49/32 R a d i o "all microtonal, all the time"
* http://www.virtulink.com/immp/lookhere.htm

--- In tuning@egroups.com, David Beardsley <xouoxno@v...> wrote:
>
> It's pure entertainment - Django isn't influential but Louie A. is.

Where do you think Django got his music from?

In 19 hours you can only follow the lives of so many musicians, and
also this is a movie about America . . . OK, it's entertainment, but
very enjoyable, and I think each episode has done great things for me
as a musician.

Enough on this topic.