By Walter Price

First, before I get to this topic I like to introduce myself. My name is Walter Price and I am a jazz fan and listener. I am not a professionally trained musician nor am I a professional critic or columnist. I'm just an unadulterated high intensity jazz freak. I would like to also state my biases because objectivity is an ideal not a reality. Be very aware of professed objectivity, especially from jazz critics (I affectionately call hacks not because of their taxi driving ability, but the way they hack jazz artists up and leave them all cut up for us the listeners to enjoy -- what a mess! Pay attention to the vocabulary because I use a lot of it and I think people will pick it up as time goes by). Let's be honest, who can be totally objective? Therefore I say lets lay my personal biases on the table so you know what kind of realm I'm coming from.

I am a Miles freak. I love fusion and acoustic jazz almost equally. I tend to be frightful of avant-garde, the new things, and so called "free jazz." I grew up on funk and soul and took an evolutionary path to other musical tastes such as Led Zepplin and Tchaikovsky, but my main focus is on the jazz thing. I am a super fan of jazz who frequently gets chastised at home for buying another album, CD, and magazine. I think the state of jazz is in a stalemate, not because of jazz fans, but because of people in the jazz industry. I think sites like AAJ are what we need to promote jazz and help make necessary changes for jazz not only to survive but to grow as well. My intentions are to come up with some biting, original takes on jazz and the jazz industry. In particular I would like to facilitate the growth process not only for jazz, but this site as well. I also use a little humor in my writing, so please don't take certain things too personal or serious, BUT DO RESPOND! We don't need a keyboard dictator and I certainly know my view is not everybody's view. I represent myself and I think it's necessary to stir the pot so we can get some agitation (sounds like a good title for a jazz cut-Hmmmmm!) in jazz- something I think we desperately need! As you can tell I am also very verbose. Let's get on with it, this is boring, let's talk about jazz! By the way did I mention this -- JAZZ MUSIC IS THE GREATEST MUSIC IN THE WORLD!!!

In the September 1997 issue of JazzAds (my name for JazzTimes because if you tear all the ads out, you're left with a couple of articles actually about jazz), there was this infamous cover story of "Who's Overrated and Who's Underrated-The Critics [Hacks] Sound Off!" Evidently the geniuses at JazzAds came up with this idea to sell the magazine with controversy and debate, they must have never thought about competency, slander, ineptitude, and stupidity, especially when you give a cover story to the HACKS. Ooh I bet they were drooling with this idea, hacks love attention, and they love to prop up the latest unknown they just heard or saw. The majority of even harden jazz fans can barely sift through the history of known jazz names, but these hacks being hacks want to add such prodigies as Eva Cassidy, Ernest Ranglin, and Russell Malone. Attention hacks, quit propping every single jazz unknown in the world, the majority of people in the United States don't even know John Scofield. Way to go hacks! I can see some new jazz listener who recently heard some jazz on the radio she liked, picking up that issue of JazzAds interested in some new artists she hasn't heard of and you fill her time up with Eva Cassidys and Ernest Ranglins. Hacks have you been to CD stores in smaller cities (Hacks, smaller cities are those with populations fewer than 1 million!)? Well hacks did you know many stores don't have very good jazz sections -- heck by the time you get Atlantic's reissue of "My Favorite Things" in most stores, you hacks are reviewing the latest 64 bit never before heard alternate takes of the alternate takes photo of John Coltrane sneezing version of "My Favorite Things." But why should hacks worry about most people when they stay in the big cities where you can get all your favorite CDs (or better yet as a hack you get first promotional copy), go to weekday jazz clubs to see Russell Malone perform, and wonder why Kenny Dorham could be underrated. Attention again Hacks, in most of my CD stores with affordable prices the only jazz artist under D is Miles Davis and there is only one CD there -- "Kind of Blue." There's one problem of why an artist as great as Kenny Dorham could be underrated -- no available discography! Hacks are so presumptuous! I can see that neophyte listener now going to the CD rack and asking for CDs by Hank Mobley, and all she can find is Manhattan Transfer -- thinking their bad because they weren't mentioned, she asks for help and the 21 year old part-timer points her to the Blues/World music/Gospel/Comedy/Latin/Oldies/ Used section. Confused and frustrated, she doesn't bother wasting her time ordering the CD because she doesn't trust that part-timer sending her into CD oblivion (plus he looks like he can't handle another complicated jazz question like, "Do you have any CDs by Duke Ellington then?"). Then she looks back in JazzAds and finds Ernest Ranglin, she then looks up feeling even more frustrated and puts that issue of JazzAds back on the rack! What a way to get new listeners, hacks! Hacks must live in their own world and they must think their audiences are all $40,000 a year making 24 hour jazz listening experts that have jazz databases located in the right part of the brain to access any artist and playlist at anytime. Way to cater to 10 people hacks! Way to go JazzAds if you think jazz fans despise critics now, you just reinforced everything we hate about them. Don't worry, I'm waiting for the next great cover -- "What makes Ernest Ranglin the Best Guitar Player Today."

NOTE: Scott Yanow also wrote a similar commentary on this JazzTimes' cover story in March's issue of Strictly Jazz.

Part 2 next time!

 

Date:	25-Jun-1998 17:07:46
From:	Dan Chen
	Walter, I am not an unadulterated high intensity jazz freak as you seem to be. I don't completely understand your hostility against critics (they are just individuals with their opinions, after all). I am a huge fan of good music... any music that can move, stir, enlighten and entrance, particularly vocalists. My comment is a bit peripheral. I feel that your put-downs of Eva Cassidy are unfounded. Whether or not she is a good representation of what you consider good jazz, I have found her to be one of the best singular voices to come around this decade, if not this century. It may seem like high praise but as an aficionado of vocal interpreters, I find her style and technique nothing short of stunning. I would hope that those who read your article will not be turned off to her. Ms. Cassidy is well worth listening to if you like incredible singing. And since she died prematurely with only a scant few recordings made, I would urge music enthusiasts not to pass her by. As for your issues with jazz critics and the industry, more power to you. But most people outside the jazz community have never heard of Eva Cassidy (yes, that’s why she is what you refer to as "an unknown") and I hope she doesn’t become a casualty of the backlash against over-enthusiastic critics.

 

Date:	12-Jul-1998 16:08:48
From:	Ken Dryden (kenjazz@vei.net)
	Walter: While I have been involved in jazz radio and as a jazz reviewer (not critic, that title belongs to those who can make a decent among of money from their reviews, liner notes, articles and occasional books), I understand som of your rants about high brow jazz writers. However, neither the jazz press or jazz radio can afford to ignore the "unknown" artists to cover only the more familiar names. It is up to individual writers themselves, plus feedback from editors and especially readers, to kepp them focused. Unfortunately, the only mail I've usually gotten from my reviews, whther they've appeared locally, or in a regional or national publication, has been from the artists. I try to avoid slicing and dicing artists; you never know if you might change your mind, meet the artist in person, or become one of those infamous bozos who's quoted everywhere trashing someone's music that became an integral part of jazz. By the way, the metro area I live in is considerably under 1 million people, yet we have jazz radio, printed jazz reviews, plus a fair amount of jazz CDs in the marketplace. For those who don't have any of those luxuries in their communities, their options include: the internet, mailorder, traveling to nearby metro areas with better stores and clubs. I hope it is clear to anyone that a review is only one person's opinion and a decision to purchase a CD based only on one opinion is dangerous until you've gotten familiar with the writer's prejudices and judgement over a period of time. Examples of writers I trust include: Scott Yanow and Gene Lees, though this doesn't mean that I agree with them 100% or that I would automatically buy anything they recommend (given available funds). I think that you might find that jazz critic's egos aren't necessarily all bloated; after all, the music will still be around for decades and who will read anyone's review then? Ken Dryden readers and

 

Date:	15-Sep-1998 19:48:54
From:	Paula Pod (pdemichele@hotmail.com)
	Walter, you need your butthole checked. Eva Cassidy puts to shame every vocalist to take a breath in the past 20 years. Who's the hack?

 

Date:	12-Oct-1998 11:39:57
From:	Jonathan Kranz (jonkranz@aol.com)
	I know I'm a late comer to this thread, but I couldn't hold my peace. I found Walter's mini-essay downright surreal; it never crossed my mind that somebody would attach a critic for encouraging readers to explore new options! In fact, his essay had an effect on me entirely contradictory to its intention: it made me want to read the article he attacked. Kudos to critics willing to break out of the deadening cycle of honoring the same 10 musicians over and over again! I wish the mainstream press would follow.

 

Date:	13-Oct-1998 13:00:09
From:	Weasel's Girl
	Walter: Thanks to the miracle of the Internet, you (who infer that you live in some cultural wasteland) can actually HEAR Russell Malone (et al) through your PC, and EVEN purchase his (and others) [hard-to-find] CD's all in the comfort of your home or office. Of course, you are entitled to like or dislike anyone you choose, but my thought is that if you don't like the music of the afore-mentioned Mr. Malone, you either have never heard him, or you are deaf. He makes some of the most beautiful music in the universe. If you have NOT heard Sweet Georgia Peach yet, I suggest you visit www.impulserecords.com and check out the September issue of Impromptu! (in the "Rewind" section) for a sample of the best music put out by a guitarist in recent history.

 

Date:	05-Nov-1998 16:41:39
From:	Jeff Turton (Turton@csps.com)
	Walter since I disagree with much of what you say, I feel compelled to really only respond to your comment about Ernest Ranglin. Ernest is no newcomer to Jazz. He was playing Jazz in Jamaica as far back as the late 50's. Just because you're finally getting a chance to hear about him doesn't mean he's a newcomer

 

Date:	23-Mar-1999 12:11:30
From:	Darryl G. Thomas (dgthomas@digizen.net)
	Walter, I'm coming to this site and your columns very late in the game. While I share your disgust with the JT "Over/Under" issue the rest of your rant is off the mark. How is a jazz fan supposed to discover new musicians if jazz publications don't talk about them? If all a magazine's critics talk about are established musicians then what you wind up with is the same guys and gals talked about over and over. Not let's imagine you (Walter) were the editor of a major jazz mag back in the '40s. Better yet, let's say you were able to control the content of ALL jazz and music publications back then. Along comes an obscure trumpeter from the Teddy Hill Band named Dizzy Gillespie. He hooks up with an obscure alto-saxophonist from the Jay McShann Band named Charlie Parker. Now with you running things, would we have ever heard of them?

 

Date:	25-Mar-2000 23:03:07
From:	richard dee
	In a lifetime of listening and playing jazz,one of my greatest pleasures has been those occasions when I have quite unexpectedly come upon some completely unknown guy (or gal)and been immediately aware that this was something special.In most cases,the artist has gone on to eventually find some degree of national (or even international)fame. Don't know why the great Ernest Ranglin should be singled out-he is certainly not unknown on this side of the pond (ie the UK).I recall hearing him playing some scorching jazz guiter way back in the late '50,s/early '60,s at Ronnie Scotts "old place",along with other great West Indian musicians such as Joe Harriot,Shake Keane,Harry Beckett and Bogey Gaynor.Understand he returned to his native Jamica and went into the record producing business,but has now returned to active playing.Seems our American cousins are a little deaf to anything other than home-grown talent!

 

Date:	05-Oct-2000 23:34:38
From:	jigtune
	eva cassidy is amazing. i love her artistry and wish we could hear more.

 

Date:	07-Oct-2000 01:22:23
From:	sara k.
	Leave Eva Cassidy alone! Her voice transcends musical styles and had she not died so young she would have been a force to be reckoned with.

 

Date:	06-Mar-2001 14:29:02
From:	Andreas
	Reality check please! In a couple of ways I think Walter is off the mark. The newcomer to jazz is probably not going to be reading "most under-rated" lists anyway. Even if he or she did, getting a Kenny Dorham or Hank Mobley CD is hardly a bad start, but that's beside the point. The fact is, most people new to jazz are probably coming to it by means of music that's more accessible to them. Back in the late 70's I started listening to fusion, which in due time led me to explore other styles. Once I started getting serious about the music I started using various sources of information, including critics' reviews, but also online sources such as fan pages and this type of discussion forums. One source that has been very helpful is the AMG Jazz Guide. Scott Yanow does the lion's share of reviews and I have to say that his picks have rarely steered me wrong! As far as availability is concerned, I'm fortunate that in So. California I can find most CD's, but with some of the more obscure recordings I have to order them via internet. Fortunately I have the net as source of information and as a way to access new music. This source is of course available to you regardless of whether you live in Los Angeles or Timbuktu. I can sympathize with Walter's rant in one regard. Critics, as well as some of the people who contribute to these threads, tend to try to impress everyone by name-dropping the most obscure players that they can think of. I am very much interested in getting to know more of the lesser-known players, some of whom are quite wonderful, but sometimes on these threads people are just plain wanking, and that does not really serve the communication.

 

Date:	11-Oct-2001 09:31:29
From:	Keith Lowe (ccvinc@bellsouth.net)
	Ernest Ranglin is still the greatest Jazz guitar player in the world I saw him live 23 September ,2001. in Miramar FL. Go Ernie