A Proposal: NON-JAZZ Album Of The MONTH

[JSngry]

Seems like we all have non-jazz music that we take pretty seriously for both personal and musical reasons. A focused discussion on these albums might prove entertaining and enlightening, no? And, if the album in question has some relation to jazz, so much the better. I was going to unoficially begin the matter and the forum with Sly's THERE'S RIOT GOIN' ON to see if there were any takers, but that would have been presumptuous. There is, however, a thread started on the album in the Recommendation Forum, if anybody's interested. It's HERE.

R&B, Rock, Classical, Adult Pop (Sinatra, Cole, etc.), C&W, whatever, it would all be fair game (even Disco - some of those Chic records have GREAT playing on them!). Anything that you think would be MUSICALLY relevant, if only indirectly, to the community here would be fodder for inclusion.

I know that this is a jazz board first, which is why I propose the monthly format. Besides, the monthy format would allow for a purchase by those less inclined, but not totally dis-inclined, to buy non-jazz music to check out the discussion, obtain the item if they desire, and join in the discussion. The "spotlight" that an AOM designation carries with it might focus attention in a way that a general discussion wouldn't, I think.

Just an idea. What do y'all think?

[king ubu]

Yes, why not? You could start with "C'est Chic"!

ubu

[mikeweil]

Count me in with lots of suggestions!

[Dan Gould]

An interesting concept, though I wonder how many would actually join the discussion. It seems like the BFs have outrun the AOTW in popularity, and sometimes the next Album doesn't even get named, kind of like the problem we had at Board Krypton. And that's for jazz!

But I'd keep an eye on them, sure. Might even pick one, if someone were to give me the shoulder-tap

[JSngry]

It seems like the BFs have outrun the AOTW in popularity, and sometimes the next Album doesn't even get named, kind of like the problem we had at Board Krypton.  And that's for jazz!

Indeed, although I wonder how much of this phenom is seasonal in nature. We'll soon see, eh?

But that's another reason why I propose this be a monthly affair - to give the selection time to "resonate" (or not) amongst the community. There's been an AOW or two that I keep meaning to pick up (and will), but the urgency fades as does its time in the spotlight. I figure that monthly might difuse that potential problem, as well it might for AOW, should the "rut" that esteemed feature find itself currently in continue unabated. But I like the symbolism of monthly as opposed to weekly for another reason. It's like "I know that our focus is on jazz, but here's an item you might want to devote a little bit of your attention to". If the thread develops at a leisurely pace, so be it! Just seems "right", somehow, to keep the weekly/monthly distinction as a symbolic gesture, if we do indeed get into this.

So far, no dissenters, but not exactly a heavy show of support either. Who else has an opinion, pro or con?

Edited January 19, 2004 by JSngry

[Brad]

I'm not exactly in favor but not exactly opposed either. It's not an idea that appeals to me because as you say this is a jazz board. However, if members want to do it once in a while, like monthly, why the heck not. I suppose we could all use a little diversity and dredge up some things from our non-jazz past. Bob Wills might be pretty interesting.

[JSngry]

Well, here's the deal. We all have other musical intersts, and a focus on Sly one month, Delbert McClinton the next, maybe Bartok after that followed by Johnny Cash, on to Elvis Costello or Marvin Gaye, well, HELL yeah! Too often, discussion of these types of music is left to musically illiterate and/or musically limited gushy "fan" types blinded by the glare of stardom, and/or lacking the necessary depth of experience to view these musics in a broader context. Either that, or you get the "music journalist" types who as often as not are at root fans with a vocabulary and a writing gig (there's some notable exceptions, though,, to be sure).

The Organissimo community is anything but! I'd think that these "other" musics could be discussed quite illuminatingly by our bunch,especially since we seem to have more than a few members who are relative newcomers to jazz but have the musical and personal maturity that comes with time and an open-mindedness, a personal quality that no doubt led them to jazz in the first place! While discussing the specifics of jazz in great detail might sometimes be "difficult" for them, it's only due to a lack of experience, the accquiring of which is only a matter of time (We ALL have to crawl before we walk, right?). They still possess intelligence, personal maturity, and a much greater than average musical "depth" than the average "fan", and I think that that might make posting about NON-jazz music that is meaningful to them quite rewarding for all concerned.

Besides, jazz is a music that has both influenced and been influenced by other musics. Getting a bigger taste ofd what some of that has been (and still is) about might be rewarding, I'd think. The plate is big indeed!

But like I said, this is just an idea, nothing more.

[Joe G]

Damn! Look at Jim, blowin' sunshine up our hineys!

Hey, I'm all for the idea myself, being interested in the many different types of music that I am. I just don't tend to spend a lot of money on cds, so that's what usually keeps me out of discussions, though I do read them.

[JSngry]

Damn! Look at Jim, blowin' sunshine up our hineys!

I knew a guy who claimed it was once his gig to blow coke up Stevie Nick's rectum because doing it through the nose was affecting her voice so badly. Surprisingly enough, I believed him - he seemed quite creditable! So...

Be thankful. Be VERY thankful!

[Joe G]

Imagine seeing that on a resume!

[connoisseur series500]

Although I don't own any non-jazz cds (can you believe it?) I think it would be a good idea. I would definitely read the thread if I've heard the music.

[JSngry]

Imagine seeing that on a resume!

Imagine calling for references!

[neveronfriday]

I have something like 3000 CDs. Although I find myself listening to jazz almost exclusively nowadays, that doesn't mean I don't listen to and buy other stuff.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Peter Frampton (yeah, I was a teenager on a school trip to London when that one came out), King Crimson, The Rhino Disco Box, Night on the Bold Mountain by Mussorgsky (in the original orchestration), Dean Martin (Bear Family), Steve Vai, Van Halen, Thin Lizzy, Thunder, Motorhead, Earth, Wind and Fire, Marvin Gaye, Marvin Gaye, Marvin Gaye, all the Universal Deluxe Editions, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Andreas Vollenweider, Chick Corea and Bobby McFerrin, Riot, Aerosmith, Whitesnake, Wagner, Verdi and Mozart, and, and , and.

My answer: I'm all for it.

Edited January 19, 2004 by deus62

[tonym]

Just logged on and I think this is an excellent idea. Not least because I assume many younger jazz fans were, in fact, rock or soul (or whatever) fans beforehand.

Some of the looser rock moments got me into this music but I still explore the old and new avenues of the other genres.

cheers, tonym.

[Dr. Rat]

I'd certainly be intersted. The station runs a reasonably broad mix of jazz, blues, roots, world, alt. country which I come into regular contact with, so I could suggest new stuff. I've also got a pretty big collection of weird pop, folk & world to draw on.

So I'd have plenty of suggestions and would be willing to give other people's suggetions a spin or two.

--eric

[JSngry]

...I assume many younger jazz fans were, in fact, rock or soul (or whatever) fans beforehand.

As were some of the older ones, yours truly included.

[AfricaBrass]

I think it's a great idea, Jim!

I'm barely listening to jazz lately, so this would be fun for me.

Plus, you can't go wrong with Sly.

[chris]

I'm down with it too! I'm always looking for good listening, regardless of genre...

[tjobbe]

count me in too.... and how about some Little Feat: Waiting for Columbus , although isn't Day at the dog races a jazzy tune as Lowell George said when he refused to participate in the life performance of it ?

Cheers, Tjobbe

[catesta]

Go!

[Sundog]

Bob Wills might be pretty interesting.

Now your talking! Ahhh-hahhh

[Chuck Nessa]

I'm afraid this will fragment us and no thread will succeed. Go for it, but I will only post to the classical messages (if I like them).

[paul secor]

I haven't been posting on the aow lately, but I'd like to see what happens with this. I'm for it.

[Rimshot]

I'm real new to this board, but this sounds like a good idea to me. My musical tastes are very diverse. I listen to it all and on occassion, I have to play lots of styles. i have a lot of dfferent styles in my collection:From early music through Baroque and Classical, folk music, early blues, swing, bebop, hard bop, fusion,Show Music, rock and roll,R&B, heavy rock (even some heavy metal on occassion), celtic, Midde-Eastern, West African, South African, some Latin, Asian Indian,and march music. I'm not too big on Country and Rap/Hip hop, but I will listen.

Bring it on.

[mikeweil]

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. I'm not keen on country or Rap of Hip hop either, but would perhaps listen to some essential item from this style.

One of the reasons keeping me from participating in the AOW forum on a regular basis was the weekly rhythm - I found it too fast a pace to keep up. But I guess it is possible to participate on a deliberate basis as well.