Monday, April 25, 2011

Primary Sources and Modern Inspiration

I have been slow to warm "modern" musicians. I think I can trace this attitude back to when I was in high school and I really began to get serious about listening to jazz. My father had a record collection that included Miles, Trane, Herbie Hancock, among others. By the time I was 15, I was pretty clearly ensconced in the Trane-Wayne-Sonny-Joe universe. My first year of college, I was probably the only one there who hadn't been wearing out Brecker's "Don't Try This At Home." I say this all by way of realizing that my musical world view is seen (heard?) through a lens in which most of what I hear in my head as an example of an ideal is at least 50 years old.

I have, of course, come to love the entire spectrum of music, but jazz recorded between 1957 and 1972 will always hold a place in my heart as the TRUTH.

I love to listen to many musicians on the scene today, but for study and inspiration I always find myself going back to the primary sources. How about you?





1 comment:

Teddy Meyer said...

It's funny Greg, but I too have a deep connection with the time period from say 1947 to about 1967, just seems like everything was Gold. I grew up listening to electric guitar music when I was in High School, Hendrix, ect, and I am happy I was older and a little more ready when I heard Bird, and later Coltrane. There are even some albums I purposefully have avoided that I want to save for a later date when I am older than I am now, probably sounds funny...John Quartet Plays was one like that, with Brazilia on it. It took me a while to dig Brecker, Potter and some of the other modern players, but I do dig them, I think the better I get at playing, and the bigger my ears get, I should also grow to keep a more open mind.