Hardbopjazz Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 This has been discussed before here, but I want to bring it up again. For the past month or so I find I'm not able to listen to any jazz recordings and get myself inspired. In fact, I started to listen to other styles of music, hoping it will lead me back to my first love of music, jazz. But I still can find any inspiration to listen again. How do you kick start yourself to find the groove and start enjoying again? Quote
Dan Gould Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 I've never lost the groove since January 1988. Quote
Chrome Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 (edited) How do you kick start yourself to find the groove and start enjoying again? Stop paying attention to the election results ... I originally posted that "tongue-in-cheek," but I really find that if I go cold turkey and stop listening to music for day or three I'm soon ready for something to take my mind off of the world's various ills and the next thing I know I'm listening to jazz again. Edited November 5, 2004 by Chrome Quote
John B Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 I would recommend taking a break from music completely for a week or so. I find that giving my ears a break every once in a while brings me back to my old favorites with renewed appreciation. Also, listening to a genre of music that has no connection to jazz for a while can also work. Quote
rockefeller center Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 How do you kick start yourself to find the groove and start enjoying again? Quote
Man with the Golden Arm Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 Go out and buy something really expensive such as an OOP Fontana side or a huge Mosaic box. That way the ability of the seratonin firing in your brain and the pain from your wallet will have a direct influence upon your ears. Quote
Claude Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 Are you bored by every jazz recording or is your collection mostly in the same style? I get bored easily by listening to hardbop or mainstream jazz, so I enjoy it at a small dosis and try to listen to as many styles as possible, jumping from Anthony Braxton to Pat Metheny and Duke Ellington in one evening, one album at a time. I also listen to classical msuic a lot. If I had to choose to take my jazz or my classical music collection to a desert island, I would choose the latter, because there is much more to discover at repeated listening. Quote
Hardbopjazz Posted November 5, 2004 Author Report Posted November 5, 2004 Are you bored by every jazz recording or is your collection mostly in the same style? I get bored easily by listening to hardbop or mainstream jazz, so I enjoy it at a small dosis and try to listen to as many styles as possible, jumping from Anthony Braxton to Pat Metheny and Duke Ellington in one evening, one album at a time. I also listen to classical msuic a lot. If I had to choose to take my jazz or my classical music collection to a desert island, I would choose the latter, because there is much more to discover at repeated listening. I try to vary what I listen to. I will just shut off listening for a week and see if this brings it back to me. At where I work, they changed the music playing in the background to sappy top 40 crap. I think this is what has made it hard to enjoy listening to just about anything. I am here already for 2 hours today, and I've heard Toxic by Britney Spears 2 times. Quote
John B Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 I've heard Toxic by Britney Spears 2 times. is there a more appropriately named song than this? Quote
catesta Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 I've heard Toxic by Britney Spears 2 times. is there a more appropriately named song than this? Word. When I hear the top forty crap, I don't just walk, I run like a mutha back to my jazz stash. B-) HBJ, clear your ears, take the advice of laying off for a week or so. Quote
couw Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 How do you kick start yourself to find the groove and start enjoying again? I stare a lot at the periwinkle banner above, it has a positive and soothing effect on my joy receptors. it must subliminimal. Quote
pryan Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 I find that it's good to listen to that top 40 stuff once in a while, just to make you realize how awesome jazz really is. I must admit to liking some of today's pop, but there's no way I have a passion for it. I agree with the poster who said he likes to hear a good variety of improvised music; that tends to help keep things fresh in that you're not really knowing what kind of nuances you might hear, because going from say Braxton to Sonny Stitt is quite a leap. Both play reed instruments, sure, and both were/are masters in their own right, but each can be appreciated on different terms. I wouldn't rate one as being "better" than the other; I dig both of them for different reasons. Or if mixing it up doesn't work, give it a rest for a while, as Chris mentions. That also works wonders, because when you come back to listening again it seems like a breath of fresh air (for me at least). Quote
wesbed Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 When I catch myself in a jazz-listening rut I start reading about jazz. I recommend an 'about jazz and jazz history book.' Reading about the music makes me aware of details in the music or of its place in history. My appreciation and enjoyment of the music is renewed and I'm able to climb out of the listening rut. Quote
Big Al Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 Two words: Jackie McLean. It seems like any time I’m in this kind of rut, all I have to do to jump-start the mood again is put on something by McLean. The mood then just kinda branches out from there. F’rinstance, the last time this happened, I put on Jacknife, which then lead to Lee Morgan, which invariably leads to Billy Higgins, which lead back to discovering Charles Tolliver, which took a left turn at Andrew Hill, which lead to……. There’s no other artist who, to me, embodies the adventurous spirit of jazz as McLean! Quote
AfricaBrass Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 One reason I find myself in listening ruts is because of the constant sensory overload in my life. I find if I can get away from everything for a few days (no phone, music, civilization), it's easier to get back into music. Quote
sidewinder Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 I'll second those comments above about Jackie McLean. Any of his BNs for me is an instant tonic. Horace Silver comes into the same category. Put on any of his 50s and 60s BNs and you come out of it tapping your feet, marvelling at the inventiveness and eager to hear more. Same thing I guess would apply to the Blakey albums. Over the years they have given service over and above the call of duty... B-) Quote
pryan Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 One reason I find myself in listening ruts is because of the constant sensory overload in my life. I find if I can get away from everything for a few days (no phone, music, civilization), it's easier to get back into music. I definitely concur with that statement. Quote
BruceH Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 Two words: Drink heavily. (Just kidding) Quote
catesta Posted November 5, 2004 Report Posted November 5, 2004 Aw shit, I didn't see the just kidding part! Quote
TedR Posted November 7, 2004 Report Posted November 7, 2004 What gets me out of listening ruts is hearing live jazz. Watching the interaction of the musicians, their concentration and effort, completely opens my ears again to the power of the music. Quote
AfricaBrass Posted November 7, 2004 Report Posted November 7, 2004 What gets me out of listening ruts is hearing live jazz. Watching the interaction of the musicians, their concentration and effort, completely opens my ears again to the power of the music. Big time! I rarely see live shows, but when I do, I get totally fired up. Quote
Big Al Posted November 7, 2004 Report Posted November 7, 2004 Two more words which have already been mentioned, but worth repeating: BILLY HIGGINS!!! I'll write more later when I don't have a pounding headache, but suffice to say, the man could play anything, anytime, anywhere, with anyone. And he always sounds so blasted HAPPY when he's playing it!!!! Quote
Newbie Posted November 7, 2004 Report Posted November 7, 2004 Two more words which have already been mentioned, but worth repeating: BILLY HIGGINS!!! I'll write more later when I don't have a pounding headache, but suffice to say, the man could play anything, anytime, anywhere, with anyone. And he always sounds so blasted HAPPY when he's playing it!!!! Totally. Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted November 7, 2004 Report Posted November 7, 2004 (edited) I think it has to do with stress and happiness as well. When I'm really stressed about my job and feeling very unhappy, the music doesn't sound quite as good. There's got to be a certain amount of inner tranquility and freshness as well. You bring yourself to your activities and hobbies. Edited November 7, 2004 by connoisseur series500 Quote
Leeway Posted November 8, 2004 Report Posted November 8, 2004 If you have background music at work, your ears and brain are probably bummed out from aural pollution. They just want to shut down. It seems to me cruel and unusual punishment to have to suffer all day long with background music. Any chance you can have it turned off? If not, get an iPod or something like it, put some headphones on and groove appropriately Also, lately, I've been mixing my rock and jazz listening, and I find that really stimulating; both forms seem to benefit from the cross-pollination. Quote
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