Face of the Bass Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Inspired from an exchange in another thread, I think it would be revealing for posters here to do the following exercise: You are sitting in your living room with your best friend in the entire world. A large man breaks in your front door, marches into your living room, pulls out a gun, and then asks the following question: "If you could only save all the recordings of ONE artist in your jazz collection, which artist would you save?" Taken aback by the shocking crudity of this question, you say, "Of course, that is an impossible question. I could no sooner choose one artist's recordings over another than I could choose one child over..." Before you are able to get out another word, the man walks over to your best friend, puts the gun to his head, and pulls the trigger. Your friend's brains are splattered all over your carpet, all over your couch, all over the walls. Now he puts the gun to YOUR head. "Which artist?" he shouts. As you shake with fear and struggle to maintain control over your bodily functions, you give your answer. What is your answer? If you could only save all the recordings of one artist in your collection, with all your other recordings being taken away from you forever, which body of work would you save first? I would save the following artists, in the order listed: 1. Miles Davis 2. Sun Ra 3. John Coltrane 4. Ornette Coleman 5. Cecil Taylor 6. Charlie Parker 7. Steve Lacy 8. Thelonious Monk 9. Anthony Braxton 10. Pharoah Sanders If he denied me any of those ten, I'd tell him to just go ahead and pull the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 DukeHe was my way in and will be my way out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcrom Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 I don't know what I'd say if I thought about it, but the first name that popped into my head when I read this was Sidney Bechet, much to my surprise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 I just hope my friend's brains didn't get all over my records. I hate when that happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 See, this is why it's ok to own a gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Brown Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Ellington. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFrank Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 GUNther Schuller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny weir Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 (edited) Pops - no question. Edited August 14, 2011 by kenny weir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 I would say Miles because I have so many more of him than anyone else. Also because his style changed so often it would be like having more than one artist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Late Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 I would say Miles because I have so many more of him than anyone else. Also because his style changed so often it would be like having more than one artist. Agreed. And same. Though, based on solos alone, it would have to be Sonny Rollins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papsrus Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Agreed. And same. Though, based on solos alone, it would have to be Sonny Rollins. BANG! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Fess Manetta (perhaps only Jeff and Kenny will understand) - if that doesn't work, a karate kick to the nuts, a flying Matrix leap, two Bruce Lee waves, and one AK47 (thank god this country lets me buy one of those). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDK Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 If limited to jazz artists, it would have to be Duke, Mingus, or Monk. Which one in particular is harder to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIS Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 (edited) I would have saved my friend's life and answered right away - Walt Dickerson. Now, if pressed for a number 2, after some thought probably Michael Moore. Edited August 14, 2011 by NIS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Pres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Louis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlitweiler Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Pres or Jelly Roll Morton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 (edited) Duke. But I'd probably make a play for the gun, fatal mistake that may be. Edited August 14, 2011 by jazzbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swinging Swede Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Cannon. 'Cause cannon trumps gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 Cannon. 'Cause cannon trumps gun. Not when someone yells "Behind you!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllenLowe Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 I'd go get Bird's axe and whup that guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.:.impossible Posted August 14, 2011 Report Share Posted August 14, 2011 He's going to kill you anyway. You just witnessed an execution style murder. This kind of thing doesn't end well, regardless of your taste in good music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Face of the Bass Posted August 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2011 He's going to kill you anyway. You just witnessed an execution style murder. This kind of thing doesn't end well, regardless of your taste in good music. Right! But if I'm going to go, I want to go at least touting some good music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenny weir Posted August 15, 2011 Report Share Posted August 15, 2011 Fess Manetta The more I play it, the more Longhair I hear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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