What are you listening to?

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

there are a lot of different types of jazz. What have you listened to?

Actually, not all music is for all people, but Jazz comes closest. What I should be asking is "what do you listen to music for?"

[Onion of Death]

I listen to music as a way to escape from the chaotic thoughts constantly running through my head. I do the same thing with video games. Depending on my mood I'll listen to everything from Bad Religion, to Slipknot, to this 2 hour cd of Mozart my brother gave me.

The Jazz I've listened to is the kind my grandfather listens to. I like the sound of saxophones, but I really can't seem to get into the music. It's probably due to my lack of attention span (screw you MTV, I hate you!).

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

hrm
seems like fusion or bebop would be right up your ally. A lot of complex progressions, etc. They require paying attention to them to follow. That'd empty your head of all else.

[JP Dogberry]

Dave Brubeck Trio is cool.

Brian Eno is cool.

Secret of Man soundtrack is cool.

That is all.

[Mr_Pleasington]

I've tried to get into jazz before, but it just doesn't do it for me.  I've never been able to pick up on the progressions and exchanges that people seem to talk about.   I think I'm missing all the subtleties.  I've only listened to it live though, never sat through an album, so that could be a reason.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

wow. Live is the way it's supposed to be heard. it helps to be familiar with the repretoire, though, because than you can pick up better on when they're ragging or improvising.

Like i said, no music is for everyone, though. I recognize that being familiar with jazz before you can appreciate it can be more work than many people are willing to put in.

[Mr_Pleasington]

I don't know. It kind of bored me.  Everyone takes their turn playing, rinse, wash, repeat. As a psuedo-musician myself, I think it would be fun to play in one, but I don't think I could without understanding the music more.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

they take turns playing is the key. It's not just playing. It's usually 100% improvisation. In modern jazz and later (since the late 50s or so, that is) usually when someone takes over is completely improvised as well. NOTHING is written ahead of time except hte basic chord progression, which itself can be difficult to find in some songs.  Like I said, it can be a lot of work. And if you don't love it on the first listen, it can be hard to feel like the work is worth it. Which is understandable. I don't think less of anyone for not liking jazz (though it disappoints me that my wife doesn't), but I do think that anyone who goes through the work to appreciate what's going on will find it worth it.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

"Ska for Your Soul" a mix of 2nd generation ska (late 60's through the 80s) that a friend made for me while I was a missionary in his ward.

Yeah, we'll be taking the fifth on any questions about the first time I listened to it.

Anyway, I almost didn't take it to work. I thought "I don't really want to listent to that." Well, I took it, and it's all I listened to today. Nice stuff. I mean, bands like Reel Big Fish and No Doubt and Save Ferris are ok, but this second generation stuff.. nicey nicey.

The best song is See No Evil's "Ghetto Charged." Yeah. I like it like that. Though it really shows you where a lot of rap was headed right after that.
Another nice one is Maroon Town's "Nostalgia." More rap precursor (which really makes sense that the stuff that came out that goes on the alt rock stations is more punk than ska), but looking at what he did in the 60's. What's cool is that among the things he lists most prominently are Batman, The Prisoner, Captain Scarlet, the Thunderbirds (TV show), and Dr. Who. Yeah, the SF gets more representation than other movie stars. These guys would be cool to hang with.

Anyway, it's convinced me to add some of these artists to my wish list.Get some Toasters, Neville Staples, Thae Bakesys, and Bim Skala Bim, folks. They'll show you what ska is REALLY about.

[Onion of Death]

I like ska. But that isn't really Jazz is it? If it is, it's a cross between new punk and jazz. I've always been a fan of Reel Big Fish, ever since I heard "Sell Out" when I was like 10.

[fuzzyoctopus]

Reel Big Fish ruined "Take On Me" for me, as I like their version much better and now I hate the original.

Ok, so maybe that's not the definition of 'ruined'.  But whenever I hear A-Ha sing it I'm like, "No!  Where's the beat!  You need a beat!"

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

No, it's definitely not jazz. I was returning to the original subject of the thread. RBF's version of "Take On Me"is fun but a bit weak, imo. It's all camp, and it's a good song in its own right.

If you just need a beat, there's a good techno remix of A-Ha's recording.

[fuzzyoctopus]

Well I've started back up watching VH1 in the mornings before I leave home,  (I have good reasoning, if anyone's curious why)  And so I have this song stuck in my head which I'm sure I would not under any other circumstances.   It's by Katy Rose, who is one of these blonde, "I'm 20 but look like 15-year-old jailbait" singers.  Very mainstream; her song is called "Overdrive" - very unremarkable, with a semi-catchy chorus, in a minor key.


Chorus: "Yeah-ah, I'm independant,
              yeah-ah, I'm borderline
              yeah-ah, I'm California
              My heart's all spinning upside down,
              but my heart's in overdrive."

Now the reason I'm mentioning this, is bedcause this is sthe first time I've heard California referred to as an abstract concept.  If you know of other instances let me know, but the chorus of a cookie-cutter punk/pop song is not where I expect to hear this kind of thing.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I'm sure you have a very good reason.

I also like how a top 40 style singer insists she's "independent" and "borderline."

What about "California Dreaming?"

[fuzzyoctopus]

I always figured California dreaming meant you were dreaming of California and the warm weather, beach, etc.  This seemed to be referring to California for it's liberal nature, independant reputation or something.