I found a new Someday. /cheer
Supposedly, Miles said of this festival, "I didn't know you could play trumpet that way."
Now, as an artist and former professional musician, that's speaks miles to me (volumes, I know, but it's so hard to avoid oppuntunities when they arise, so I went with it!). Miles was a creative guy (obviously), and thus inclined toward experimenting/exploring. He was clearly no conformist (even within the social "confines" of the non-conforming jazz world). After all, how many beboppers (esp. those from the original 50's era) tucked the younger generation under their wings and mentored them to the point of accepting (adopting, even) their newfangled, electronic, "noisy" forms?
(That was initially intended to be rhetorical, but...well, those who know and love me are mostly gentle, patient [longsuffering?] sorts, so....)
My answer: relatively few. To be clear, though, I am not at all placing judgment on those that don't/didn't choose to actively pursue mentoring others. In fact, I believe an artist is not ethically bound to formally teach others (although, by default, most artists do, at minimum, teach by example and/or the work(s) they produce [even if said work(s) has/have a limited audience {and even if the artist him/herself is the sole audience}]).
I personally choose to not place boundaries around artists, confining them to a set of social qualms--boxing them up in neat packaging--to make them or their work more palatable to others. I prefer instead that they be palettable (new word!): the world is the rigid palette, and the artists are the malleable colors--not malleable to the world/palette, mind you (as they are often as oil is to water), but in their capacity for an infinite variety of expression. And, after all, isn't a very large part of the point (as regards cogency and objective) of art to be boundless?
Okay. Back to Miles. Miles was not just a "player," but a true artist at heart, and one who matured in his art form. He was not merely technically competent, but was one whose very soul reached out of the bell of his "axe" and grabbed all who listened--who truly listened (not just heard or analyzed). I'm referring to attentive, focused listening in a peaceful environment (sans distractions). I am convinced that anyone who (inter)actively listens to Miles play, will be changed.
Like any artist, Miles touched the heart and soul of the recipient. He could play a fast run, a humorous riff, or just float an airy, distorted note precariously over the changes. He chatted; he coerced; he joked; he prodded; but, no matter what he said, it was true-blue to the soul....and haunting, as if his soul understood yours and was speaking directly to it.
Yes, Miles certainly was capable of opening a can of bebop whoopass and passing it around. But he didn't have to once established....and he preferred, it seems to me, to actually express. To me, that's what art is. Jazz is art. And the true-blue (not just Kind of Blue) essence of jazz is improvisation (spontaneous expression).
So....if Guča was good enough for Miles, then it MUST be interesting, and I wanna soak it up!
Guča's 50th anniversary is scheduled for August 13-22, 2010. My birthday's that week as well, so how amazing would that be?! (I'll happily and humbly accept donations and/or travel partners for the trip!) /fantasize
Supposedly, Miles said of this festival, "I didn't know you could play trumpet that way."
Now, as an artist and former professional musician, that's speaks miles to me (volumes, I know, but it's so hard to avoid oppuntunities when they arise, so I went with it!). Miles was a creative guy (obviously), and thus inclined toward experimenting/exploring. He was clearly no conformist (even within the social "confines" of the non-conforming jazz world). After all, how many beboppers (esp. those from the original 50's era) tucked the younger generation under their wings and mentored them to the point of accepting (adopting, even) their newfangled, electronic, "noisy" forms?
(That was initially intended to be rhetorical, but...well, those who know and love me are mostly gentle, patient [longsuffering?] sorts, so....)
My answer: relatively few. To be clear, though, I am not at all placing judgment on those that don't/didn't choose to actively pursue mentoring others. In fact, I believe an artist is not ethically bound to formally teach others (although, by default, most artists do, at minimum, teach by example and/or the work(s) they produce [even if said work(s) has/have a limited audience {and even if the artist him/herself is the sole audience}]).
I personally choose to not place boundaries around artists, confining them to a set of social qualms--boxing them up in neat packaging--to make them or their work more palatable to others. I prefer instead that they be palettable (new word!): the world is the rigid palette, and the artists are the malleable colors--not malleable to the world/palette, mind you (as they are often as oil is to water), but in their capacity for an infinite variety of expression. And, after all, isn't a very large part of the point (as regards cogency and objective) of art to be boundless?
Okay. Back to Miles. Miles was not just a "player," but a true artist at heart, and one who matured in his art form. He was not merely technically competent, but was one whose very soul reached out of the bell of his "axe" and grabbed all who listened--who truly listened (not just heard or analyzed). I'm referring to attentive, focused listening in a peaceful environment (sans distractions). I am convinced that anyone who (inter)actively listens to Miles play, will be changed.
Like any artist, Miles touched the heart and soul of the recipient. He could play a fast run, a humorous riff, or just float an airy, distorted note precariously over the changes. He chatted; he coerced; he joked; he prodded; but, no matter what he said, it was true-blue to the soul....and haunting, as if his soul understood yours and was speaking directly to it.
Yes, Miles certainly was capable of opening a can of bebop whoopass and passing it around. But he didn't have to once established....and he preferred, it seems to me, to actually express. To me, that's what art is. Jazz is art. And the true-blue (not just Kind of Blue) essence of jazz is improvisation (spontaneous expression).
So....if Guča was good enough for Miles, then it MUST be interesting, and I wanna soak it up!
Guča's 50th anniversary is scheduled for August 13-22, 2010. My birthday's that week as well, so how amazing would that be?! (I'll happily and humbly accept donations and/or travel partners for the trip!) /fantasize
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