tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452326100454427003.post6476559863838422615..comments2024-03-17T02:14:53.310-07:00Comments on The Melodic Drummer: Uptempo Jazz part 2: Karriem RigginsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02381086734035028832noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452326100454427003.post-608053092860975222012-04-05T07:12:15.915-07:002012-04-05T07:12:15.915-07:00That's the truth.That's the truth.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02381086734035028832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452326100454427003.post-4757723398233385242012-04-05T07:04:35.991-07:002012-04-05T07:04:35.991-07:00Regardless of your opinion of the musicality of up...Regardless of your opinion of the musicality of uptempo jazz, as a professional drummer you will, without a doubt, have to play up tempo tunes on gigs from time to time. That is reason enough to explore the subject.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452326100454427003.post-44513223049314132162012-02-15T07:03:30.184-08:002012-02-15T07:03:30.184-08:00Thanks for sharing your perspective! I appreciate...Thanks for sharing your perspective! I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my posts.<br /><br />I agree that there is a lot of bad uptempo jazz out there, but I don't think I would go so far as to say nearly all. Three musicians that spring to mind immediately as counter-examples would be Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, and Ray Brown. All three could play blistering uptempo stuff that still retained an incredible degree of musicality. There are lots of other examples that we could talk about as well, but those are three that really stick out to me. <br /><br />I also totally agree that music shouldn't be a sport. But I think because of the incredible bar set by musicians like the ones I mentioned above, there will always be a non-sport related reason/inspiration for jazz musicians to try to learn to play this way. Because of musicians like Charlie Parker, there is no reason to think that playing extremely fast HAS to be exclusively athletic or unmusical. And having access to this range of tempos can add a particular kind of energy and vitality to jazz music (if done correctly of course). <br /><br />I agree that lots of inexperienced audiences who really do not enjoy uptempo jazz (myself included initially). But I also think that there is a place for music that challenges audiences. Very often in the history of music great innovations were initially received with disdain and sometimes outright hostility. Eventually though these same innovations became standard practice, embraced and loved by audiences everywhere. I believe that to some degree, the crazy tempos of Bebop are one of those innovations. <br /><br />That being said, I don't think music should be made exclusively for the purpose of challenging audiences. That to me seems artificial. The question in my mind is always, "is the musician/composer really hearing this?". That is, is this a honest musical expression, a genuine attempt to communicate? I know that that standard may seem a little vague, but it is the best I can do. And in the case of uptempo jazz, I think that all the musicians I listed are examples of really hearing what they are playing. <br /><br />In any case, thanks for checking the blog out, I look forward to hearing more from you.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02381086734035028832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2452326100454427003.post-57004066656310732692012-02-13T14:47:39.135-08:002012-02-13T14:47:39.135-08:00I'm sorry but... I have been a professional mu...I'm sorry but... I have been a professional musician for more than 15 years and I still find nearly ALL up-tempo jazz to be completely unlistenable garbage that falls under the category of "just because you CAN play it... doesn't mean you SHOULD." And yes, I CAN play it... I just typically don't find it to be musical at ALL. And as a side note... I find that many of the jazz uninitiated tend to think of this type of jazz when they imagine jazz at all... which is why so many people find jazz unappealing and are turned off by it. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE jazz and am very schooled in it as well but... I generally think that, if you CAN NOT sing back what you have played, it is NOT musical. And music should be listenable, not math... or a sport. I find that just about everything above 300 bpm is nothing but sport playing which I personally find to be anti-musical. Disagree with me as you will but... music should NOT be difficult to listen to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com