Artists you know well but have never really liked

[BillF]

Lou Donaldson is definitely one that I have too many discs of, compared to my estimation (or lack thereof) of his music. Sure, he's a good bop alto player and he did some fine organ gritty stuff, too... but later, he went on playing the same two or three numbers, and I never quite got into his sound, either.

He only features in my collection on the classic Blue Note Birdland session with Art Blakey, Clifford Brown and Horace Silver and IIRC on some early 1950s sides with Milt Jackson.

[jeffcrom]

It's funny - many of the artists mentioned in this thread are musicians I didn't like very much once upon a time, or liked just enough to want one or two albums by - like Brubeck and Lou Donaldson. And my affection for most of them has grown over the years. I seem to be in a Brubeck phase right now, for instance.

Edited June 12, 2010 by jeffcrom

[AndrewHill]

ok, funny enough, I see the point somebody raised about Herbie Nichols. I now own three seperate cds and they do all have the the same sound, meter and melody to them! Maybe, this can get tiresome?

[mjazzg]

For me it has to be Sonny Rollins.

I only really enjoy The Bridge and that's a lot to do with Jim Hall. I own a fair number but somehow they just never 'click' for me. Perhaps Way Out West and East Broadway would survive the cull on a generous day. I have persevered over many years occasionally buying another because he is Sonny Rollins! But this thread has really brought it home to me how little I listen/enjoy him.

[Matthew]

I do not understand the worship of Stanley Turrentine, even though I have a ton of cds where he appears, I just don't like or get him. I don't like his tone, sound, what he plays, I just can't hear him.

[A Lark Ascending]

Interested to see the references to Metheny here. I really like him when he plays straight jazz guitar in a jazz setting or acoustic...I enjoy his pastel side (as on 'Watercolours'). But on far too many of the Metheny recordings I own he insists on sticking his guitar through some sort of effects machine. I must have half a dozen discs by him that just don't get played.

Joe Lovano has always lost me. I've learned to tolerate Brubeck's rather mitten fisted piano style because of the other things going on around him. But I can't claim to really like it.

Two of Britain's most internationally respected tenors - Tommy Smith and Tim Garland - have never really done it for me. I often enjoy the projects they do but am left with no memory of them as players (and I know they are both highly accomplished). I'd rather hear Iain Ballamy or Mark Lockheart (from the same generation).

And I don't get Ahmad Jamal at all. The music grins too much.

Edited June 13, 2010 by Bev Stapleton

[clifford_thornton]

For me it has to be Sonny Rollins.

I only really enjoy The Bridge and that's a lot to do with Jim Hall. I own a fair number but somehow they just never 'click' for me. Perhaps Way Out West and East Broadway would survive the cull on a generous day. I have persevered over many years occasionally buying another because he is Sonny Rollins! But this thread has really brought it home to me how little I listen/enjoy him.

I would probably keep East Broadway, Way Out West and Sonny Meets Hawk if it came down to it.

For some reason, he's clicked very little on record for me, though ironically some of the players he's influenced I hold in high esteem (Monterose, Shepp, etc.).

[king ubu]

Lovano... not sure, from the distance I don't like him that much, but each time I really listen to his stuff, there's plenty of good music to hear.

I'm very sympathetic to what jeffcrom (#77) has posted - I've had this experience several times, and with some musicians, I keep having it.

As for Metheny... those who don't like him (I know, until a year or so ago, I was in that camp, too) - how much have you actually heard? Any early stuff? PMG, solo, duets with Haden, 80/81, Song X, the trio with Holland/Haynes... ? There's so much different music coming from him...

[David Ayers]

As for Metheny... those who don't like him (I know, until a year or so ago, I was in that camp, too) - how much have you actually heard? Any early stuff? PMG, solo, duets with Haden, 80/81, Song X, the trio with Holland/Haynes... ? There's so much different music coming from him...

...and what about Sign of Four - yowzah...

[king ubu]

As for Metheny... those who don't like him (I know, until a year or so ago, I was in that camp, too) - how much have you actually heard? Any early stuff? PMG, solo, duets with Haden, 80/81, Song X, the trio with Holland/Haynes... ? There's so much different music coming from him...

...and what about Sign of Four - yowzah...

Have only heard of it so far... will have to change that some day!

[flat5]

It's a bit frightening how subjective music is.

[Dan Gould]

I do not understand the worship of Stanley Turrentine, even though I have a ton of cds where he appears, I just don't like or get him. I don't like his tone, sound, what he plays, I just can't hear him.

So is it fair to assume in general that you don't care for big greasy bluesy tenor sax? Or is Turrentine specifically?

[Matthew]

I do not understand the worship of Stanley Turrentine, even though I have a ton of cds where he appears, I just don't like or get him. I don't like his tone, sound, what he plays, I just can't hear him.

So is it fair to assume in general that you don't care for big greasy bluesy tenor sax? Or is Turrentine specifically?

Just Turrentine. Love the Jug, now that is a big, greasy, bluesy tenor sax sound.

[AndrewHill]

For me it has to be Sonny Rollins.

I only really enjoy The Bridge and that's a lot to do with Jim Hall. I own a fair number but somehow they just never 'click' for me. Perhaps Way Out West and East Broadway would survive the cull on a generous day. I have persevered over many years occasionally buying another because he is Sonny Rollins! But this thread has really brought it home to me how little I listen/enjoy him.

I would probably keep East Broadway, Way Out West and Sonny Meets Hawk if it came down to it.

For some reason, he's clicked very little on record for me, though ironically some of the players he's influenced I hold in high esteem (Monterose, Shepp, etc.).

Guess I could think of a dozen more titles I'd keep:

On Impulse!

Plus Four

Vol. I

II

Newk's Time

Village Vanguard

Contemporary Leaders

Freedom Suite

Worktime

Tour de Force

What's New

Our Man in Jazz

[jlhoots]

For me it has to be Sonny Rollins.

I only really enjoy The Bridge and that's a lot to do with Jim Hall. I own a fair number but somehow they just never 'click' for me. Perhaps Way Out West and East Broadway would survive the cull on a generous day. I have persevered over many years occasionally buying another because he is Sonny Rollins! But this thread has really brought it home to me how little I listen/enjoy him.

I would probably keep East Broadway, Way Out West and Sonny Meets Hawk if it came down to it.

For some reason, he's clicked very little on record for me, though ironically some of the players he's influenced I hold in high esteem (Monterose, Shepp, etc.).

Guess I could think of a dozen more titles I'd keep:

On Impulse!

Plus Four

Vol. I

II

Newk's Time

Village Vanguard

Contemporary Leaders

Freedom Suite

Worktime

Tour de Force

What's New

Our Man in Jazz

Saxophone Colossus

[gmonahan]

I could play this one fairly safe and just say Brubeck, whom I keep trying and failing to like, but I'll commit a combination of hara kiri and horrendous blasphemy and say (he quakes)...Coltrane. I have just about *everything*, especially the Prestiges and Atlantics, and a lot of the early Impulses, but there is just something about the tone. I love the ideas, the structures, but despite *constant* effort, I've never gotten myself to love Trane's tone on the tenor. Sorry to all of you worshipers, but he always sounds slightly flat and a bit "blaring" to me. (I have a friend who says Tony Bennett sings flat--I tell him he's crazy--different ears to different listeners I guess.) I promise to keep trying.

gregmo

[WorldB3]

I'll say Mingus since I have well over 10 recordings but the thing is when I hear him I can tell its exceptional music its just listening to him isn't an enjoyable experience for me.

I can hear his frustration with his place in the world in his music and it always makes feel a little uncomfortable. Not that its not a fascinating listen its just hard to find time to put on music that is going to agitate me these days. Its like having a friend who is really talented and interesting but a total narcissist, its hard to go out with them and just have a good time as there is always drama.

Again Mingus is great and great art should make you feel something its just take for example Coltrane who can be intense I can still relax to it, with Mingus I can't.

[BeBop]

Charlie Parker. I meant there's a whole lot more to jazz than inventing, defining and mastering new musical forms of expression. There's also making a lot of money. And, face it, Bird sucked at that. (Mooching, on the other hand, is debatable.)

[BillF]

Charlie Parker. I meant there's a whole lot more to jazz than inventing, defining and mastering new musical forms of expression. There's also making a lot of money. And, face it, Bird sucked at that. (Mooching, on the other hand, is debatable.)

Gotta defend Bird, come what may. For me, the most sublime artist in any art form whom I've encountered in my long lifetime.

[A Lark Ascending]

Stephane Grappelli really grates on me...I put up with him for the Django. Though I'm not keen on jazz violin in general - has the same effect on me that flutes and sopranos have on others.

[A Lark Ascending]

As for Metheny... those who don't like him (I know, until a year or so ago, I was in that camp, too) - how much have you actually heard? Any early stuff? PMG, solo, duets with Haden, 80/81, Song X, the trio with Holland/Haynes... ? There's so much different music coming from him...

"80/81" is one of favourite jazz records. I wish he played like that more often - a nice mix of Ornettian abstraction and sheer melodic beauty on the final side.

[BeBop]

Charlie Parker. I meant there's a whole lot more to jazz than inventing, defining and mastering new musical forms of expression. There's also making a lot of money. And, face it, Bird sucked at that. (Mooching, on the other hand, is debatable.)

Gotta defend Bird, come what may. For me, the most sublime artist in any art form whom I've encountered in my long lifetime.

Just to be clear, I was kidding. I should have added an emoticon, but I usually pick the wrong one.

There are people who equate making money with musical value. I'm not one of them. I suppose I had the several mentions of Brubeck (and Metheny?) in mind with my comments. The guy made a lot of money (I hear), but seems to have connected with the general jazz audience at least as well as he connected with the fanatics. On the other hand, Stan Getz.

Stop me before I ramble any further.

Edited June 14, 2010 by BeBop

[Dan Gould]

Charlie Parker. I meant there's a whole lot more to jazz than inventing, defining and mastering new musical forms of expression. There's also making a lot of money. And, face it, Bird sucked at that. (Mooching, on the other hand, is debatable.)

Gotta defend Bird, come what may. For me, the most sublime artist in any art form whom I've encountered in my long lifetime.

Just to be clear, I was kidding. I should have added an emoticon, but I usually pick the wrong one.

Just as I was kidding when I posted this

Lately I've been wondering what the hell I ever heard in Gene Harris. I mean, shit, the dude just plays the blues on damn near every thing, and talk about repeating yourself.

but no one felt a need to come to Gene's defense or question the sincerity of my assertion.

[Noj]

For those who have listed artists, is there any one song or group of songs by each artist which is an exception to your overall impression of their discography? McLean's "Poor Eric" or Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" or Lou Donaldson "One Cylinder" are personal favorites of mine, and even if I find other tunes boring/grating/etc. there's always those peak tracks. I'm sure that's true for every artist here...isn't it?

[BeBop]

Just as I was kidding when I posted this

Lately I've been wondering what the hell I ever heard in Gene Harris. I mean, shit, the dude just plays the blues on damn near every thing, and talk about repeating yourself.

but no one felt a need to come to Gene's defense or question the sincerity of my assertion.

I, for one, knew you were kidding. Heck, I still know you by the initials "GHF".