My hat's off to all of you. I can't watch the grammies any more. People like Timberlake and Jackson and Spears all get called "musicians." I can't stand that. Can they play an instrument or write music? Heck, can they even READ music? Yet the grammies, a MUSIC awards organization puts these people on a pedestal as though they have actually accomplished something of lasting value.
When I hit the tread mill during the winter months I like to watch movies. I've been re-watching the Ken Burns series, "Jazz" and I just finised the 'umpteenth' viewing of Eastwood's flick, "Bird." There was a time when popular music had a mix of good music and cutting edge stuff, like the transition between big bands and be bop. Now, it's too bad folks like Parker couldn't get rich doing what they were doing, but that wasn't for lack of air play and recording. There's a great line in "Bird" when Chan is lamenting their financial woes by commenting on all the records Parker has sold. Parker's (Whitaker's) response was, "I made them, Puddin'! someone else done sold them!" Nevertheless, popular music was at some point of a fairly high quality.
I didn't like everything the Beatle's did (I couldn't stand some of the junk like "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," etc.) but they did produce some well crafted melodious stuff. Also, remermber bands like "Yes" and "Emerson, Lake and Palmer" or "Jethro Tull" or even "Led Zepplin?" FWIIW, they we're trying to PLAY instuments and created their own music. They didn't have to hire entire teams of behind the scenes folks to feed them things to do. I can't remember a pop rock band in the past 5 years or even ten years that has done something that is, IMHO truly interesting or unique musically. It's all about production and electronics as opposed to advancing the musical thinking.
And don't get me going about all this lip synch crap! Any act that hasn't got the guts to stand up and perform live will never get a dime from me or even a serious listen.
The grammies represent the sad influence the media and marketing folks have had on what passes for music in the US. If it isn't easy to sell, it isn't going to be heard, no matter how good it is. What does it take to "sell?" Pretty, young "performers" (not musicians) and "tunes" that will never challenge the listeners to do more than jump around a little. Greed, avarice and vanity have gotten a grip on the world of pop music and it is just too easy for those folks to keep up the status quo of mediocrity.
Oh well...
It's sorta funny. I have decided (last summer, actually) to dedicate myself to learning how to play be bop and hard bop. I've given up any hope of symphony work (too "old", sadly enough), so I figured I'd just throw myself into this. Now, when I hear Dixieland or Trad- Jazz, I hear a style that sounds historically old to me, but be bop still sounds fresh. However, I'll bet my kids and students have the same feeling about the be bop I'm trying to learn - old fashioned stuff.
Interesting (well, to ME anyway...), but I don't really care. I'm stickin with it. Maybe someday, this beginner will master some of the Old stuff. I still mess with the ACID jazz thing, on the side, just for fun, but I really want to learn my craft.
I'm done with the grammies all that it represents. I can't regard their little awards as having anything real to say about music.
Peace, all, and may you all keep on making REAL music.
All of this rant is just a bunch of personal opinions, obviously enough. Thanks to the moderators of this forum for letting me fulminate a bit!
Nick