Rasputin

Yeah, google is my first source, then google books, and that usually does it. The most complete info about him comes from critic Scott Yannow, but I couldn't reach him via e-mail. I know he's also jewish. Thanks! It's interesting, the man started palying classical bass at 24(!) and didn't played jazz before joining Ornette! How crazy is that?

There seems to be very very little information about David Izenzon, the bassist of Ornette Coeleman for a period of 3 years in the early 60's. I would like to know more about what instruments he played, where he had studied and what was it like playing with Coleman. He died in the 70's after chasing a thief (a heart attack) and got a PhD in psychoterapy. Sounds like an interesting man, wonder how come even google failed me this time with concern to him.

OK, it's official- I fell in love with Wes Montgomery. He brings to me the enjoyment of music like the one I felt in childhood (Tchaikovsky etc.) Wow. I wanted to know whether there's a good biography of him, something that focus on his early musical endeavors, or maybe I should just pick a few bits and pieces of info from the web (because one of the written biographies, by Adrian Ingram got some mixed reviews). Any suggestions?

You guys, this topic is right on the spot. Mr. Redman spoke about a book he prepared or DID write about saxophone playing and the issues it entails (reeds, mouthpieces etc.) I beleive that he said not long before he died that it was finished. I think the world of music would benefit SO MUCH from another addition to the little saxophone literature there is. I myself am far thousand of miles from the US, but is there any chance to do something about it? Contact Joshua maybe? There must be a way.

I myself study with a teacher- it's basically called a music academy but in fact its pretty much the equivelant of the music programs in the states- there are instrument lessons, theory, music history and I tiik basic composition... It's great but I really feel discouraged because it seems that jazz is so academic this days- like classical music. What ever happend to just take an instrument, know the changes and blow the notes that seemed fit.. When I hear my fellow students (most of them of course are about 5 years younger then I am) I find it amazing that there are jazz musicians at all. One thing is to know how to play technically Bach or even Ravel, but the stuff that a jazz cat needs- theory, ear training, piano skills etc... Insane... That's why I find self taught players so inspiring. another moment i will never forget was figuring how improvising worked ( ) playing the g minor scale up and down... i've seen people take those first few steps in extremely brief time, especially on saxophone... the single greatest moment in my brief history of leading a big band was giving all the alto solos to the 12 year old guy which drove the other alto player (who was 19) mad, but it sure was the right decision, musically... german jazz based entertainer helge schneider is self taught on most of his instruments (all but piano and cello) i believe... but obviously he didn't come out of nowhere (tenor sax, one of the few tenor players of his generation who really listened to dony byas etc, obviously) (piano with jimmy woode on bass...) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8AgLsCi07I (trumpet) (guitar) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLrL_hZqEd8 (vibraphone and organ) Thanks for the add!

Yeah, I must say that from listening to folks who try make decent first notes, or play the g major scale- it's not that easy...(funny how one forgets this first steps)... Too much mouth-piece and you're out of tune. Too little and you have no control. Those reed instruments, ah? At least we don't have to deal with harmonies like polyphonic instruments do Letov is academically trained. Really? I've read something about this, but with no details. I know that he studies engineering (pretty much like 99% of all Russians back in the days) and that he took his first steps as self tuaught at 24. In an interview with him he wrote about the collaboation with Slava Ganelin, and how he felt uneasy playing the stuff the academy-educated pianist composed. There's Karou Abe. Don't know about being self taught but he is one of the most difficult musicians I've heared. Not sure what to do with him...

Tim Berne is interesting for the fact that he was rather a late bloomer, like the above mentioned Wally Shoup... Ben Webster also took the sax at 20, Wayne Shorter and James Moody at 16 or so. I remembered another one: Sergey Letov. He is a russian baritone player, heading the first post-soviet sax quartet...

There was a fascinating human named Moondog, he was a homeless composer who's compositions were played in Carnegie Hall. He was also blind but not from birth, and he learned his theory and harmony from a music book in braille... Plus there's Lennie Tristano who is probably somekind of super human, mastering so many instruments and developing such complicated music without the benefit of western notation.

Say Bill, any idea of Roland Kirk? I think that he had formal studies in the school for the blind. From stories about him it's said that he would cut mercilessly (sp- sorry) jam players who didn't know the ol' standards or could play them in a basic key... He is defiently impressing- his showmanship and knowledge of jazz... and the 3 horns!

The situation with critics is probably alot better then used to be. Can you imagine that the Russian composer Mussorgsky got such bad reviews, that included a claim that the man has no basic grasp of harmony? A critics sins first because of his attempt to put in words the "tao", but when he comes to the subject matter with preconcieved notions, he commits murder altogether. Luckily popular music has expanded so much that people are just open to new sounds.

Oops. Missed that one. I believe that music is music. It's (in western system) "only" 12 notes, and the hierarchy built aroung it should be destroyed. Yeah, I myself doubt the artistic merits of a Britney Spears, but I think that aesthetically speaking- Bach and Zappa are on the same level. Interesting, what Henderson said. Because I feel the same way, really. I believe that I can't, not want to even develope such technique as Parker had, or even Giant Steps Coltrane. I think the sax, like the guitar should sing and not scream frantically at 250 BPM... Jan Garbarek:) Can you tell what was it in Coltrane that inspired Henderson? I believe that Ornette really can play a bebop head... A famous story about him tells that on a tour with Gordon, Stitt and other giants, they sat in the room and heared a Parker-esque playing... They were amazed and realized it was Ornette. He got much more respect after that. Interesting thing that I noticed: Max ROach loathed Coleman, but he recorded with Anthony Braxotn!

I found this amusing piece of journalism while browsing the web, but couldn't find another SINGLE word about this person... Any ideas? And while we are at it- what's your take? Do one has to do his homework- transcribing Parker, Lester, Coltrane before he has the right to jump into the deep murky water called free jazz? Where is the limit between free jazz (like, structured Ornette Coleman piece) and what sounds to most people as noise- Peter Brotzmann, Charles Gayle etfc?

Thank you for answering and the warm wellcome. Here is the list that I gathered (god bless google): Jan Garbarek: Learned the fingerings even before he had a sax at 14. Some dude name Robert Stewart: sarted at 17, learned by himself. Free Jazz idiom: Peter Brotzmann Trevor Watts Ornette Coleman George Haslam John Butcher Dewey Redman (and mainstream son Joshua, though he had some formal lessons). Small band swing: Scott Hamilton Danny Moss, Peter King, Dick Morrissey (all brits) Zoot Sims??? Nick Brignola Art Pepper??? Sonny Rollins- but he had classical training on other instuments as a kid. Also Eddie Locjaw Davis, Plas Johnson (the guy from the Pink Panther Theme) Barney Wilen, Jhonny Hodges. A sort of rumor: Roland Rahsaan Kirk (probably the most interesting saxophonist I had a chance to hear). I always find it fascinating to learn about the first steps of famous musicians, as opposed to reading about their achievements after they have developed proper technique playing 15 hours a day. There are probably many more on other instruments which are easier to master when it comes to making proper sound (keyboards for example. The problem with the keys is that it's a harmonic instrument, and one has to know a lot about harmonic rules, not just how the chords progress). I'm not well versed in jazz history (though I read 2 really huge books about it:)) so you may be right. I know he helped to found the AACM so that's big. Yes, no one is really self-taught and at the same time everyone is. Because the bottom line, even with the best teacher it's you that have to take the sax out of the case when you're back home and practice. Though there's no doubt that even for such basic stuff as fingerings, mouth position- a teacher is the easy and practical way.

Hey, I'm doing some personal research, and I would appreciate if you could throw me some names of jazz musicians (with special mention of sax players) who consider thenselves largely or completely self-taught. Their importance has to be average (Fred Anderson from AACM) to high (Ornette Coleman) if that's possible. By self taught I mean- had little to non private lessons, and of course never got Julliard style education. Nationality, sex, race is not important. I have a list that I'm making- it's rather large (about 20-30 names). Many of them are form the free jazz movement Thank you very much in advance