NPR's "The Record" and the future of their Critics Poll

[Brad]

Her singing on the song seems ok to me. The piano intro seemed a little different. As far as oversized colored glasses, that’s the in thing nowadays. 

[Scott Dolan]

I’m not a fan of Jazz vocalist, generally. But I didn’t find any fault with her voice, although the style is a bit offputting. 

[JSngry]

She sounds to me like Carmen McRae with the good parts filtered out merged with a mentally incapacitated Betty Carter.

I guess that too is the in thing nowadays.

[Scott Dolan]

I guess it’s a good thing I’m not into Jazz vocalists. 

[JSngry]

Jeanne Lee, Betty Carter, Jimmy Scott...they (and others) are worth checking out, they stretch (and still do, even from beyond). But these kids today, they can get off my lawn if they're not going to mow it, edge it, and keep it weed-free and lusciously green.

The old folks were like Elastic Man with a song. These youngsters, they're more like splatters for the sake of splattering.

And about the hats and glasses...upon further review, it's not my rule for the 21st century, it's something I've always had, I guess...Ritchie Cole, Billy Taylor, nope, ain't having none of that here, then or now.

[Steve Reynolds]

36 minutes ago, Scott Dolan said:

I guess it’s a good thing I’m not into Jazz vocalists. 

Me too. I do love some Lauren Newton and when Joelle Leandre starts singing with her bass playing I’m in heaven. Looking forward to their duo performance which is included in the 8 CD box set “A Woman’s Work” from Lady Joelle.

Did Ms. Leandre again miss out on all the awards & polls? 

She’s still ahead of the curve at 67 years old - maybe one day she will be noted as a “new artist deserving wider recognition”!!!!

 

[JSngry]

My favorite singers, regardless of genre, are the ones who "inhabit" the song, bring life to it and make it something you in return can go into yourself, Some do it by handling the words in a special way, some do it with the melody, some with enunciation, there's all kinds of ways to work a song with the voice...hell, there's all kinds of ways to work a voice, period. It's still the original instrument, and still the most flexible.

But so many of this new generation of jazz singers (or singers in general, really), I don't here them engaging the song as much as I do them imposing themselves on it with no concern about whether or not the song is responding in kind. And keep in mind that I still think that "songs" as they have come to be known are essentially outmoded/obsolete means of meaningful contemporary musical communication. Maybe that's why the failure rate is so high, people are subconsciously trying to kill the fuckers off so something new will have space to grow, like a forest fire in the woods of tuneage. But still...it's painful to witness, even more painful to listen to.

[Scott Dolan]

I love Dr. Taylor. In his case I can overlook the Elton John glasses. 

[JSngry]

I'd like to think that he could have overlooked them too, but what's done is done.

[medjuck]

I usually don't like wasting energy on negative posts but actually she reminds me more of latter day Sarah Vaughn and I admit I don't much care for that either.  I do like some present days singers though:  Catherine Russell, and despite the general attitude here, Norah Jones.  

[JSngry]

Latter day Sarah Vaughan was quite often, uh...extravagant. But it was always under control and had a plan. And knowing where and how she got there, ok.

This, not so much of either, not that I can hear, anyway.

[Scott Dolan]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

I'd like to think that he could have overlooked them too, but what's done is done.

As someone who now has to wear reading glasses to be able to see anything up close, I can sympathize with anyone that wears glasses and wants the largest field of coverage possible. 

 

45 minutes ago, medjuck said:

I usually don't like wasting energy on negative posts but actually she reminds me more of latter day Sarah Vaughn and I admit I don't much care for that either.  I do like some present days singers though:  Catherine Russell, and despite the general attitude here, Norah Jones.  

I think Norah Jones has a wonderful voice. I think the backlash against her was mostly the label that signed her, to be honest. I've only heard her first album, the one that caused such an uproar in the Jazz community, and found it to be incredibly pleasant, well-written, and superbly executed. 

[sgcim]

15 hours ago, Brad said:

Her singing on the song seems ok to me. The piano intro seemed a little different. As far as oversized colored glasses, that’s the in thing nowadays. 

15 hours ago, Brad said:

Her singing on the song seems ok to me. The piano intro seemed a little different. As far as oversized colored glasses, that’s the in thing nowadays. 

Yeah, the piano was what I was talking about. It probably would've sounded fine if someone who respects a great song, like Tommy Flanagan, had accompanied her, but she's gotta use a young guy who wear a funky hat and plays wrong changes, cause 'they're the new generation, and soon they're comin' to your town..'.

[Scott Dolan]

Isn’t Jazz about improvising? Creating your own variations? 

[JSngry]

I myself didn't mind the pianist. I did mind the singing. It was all "expressive" all front, no back.

This shit is not easy. Bullying a song is not going to have a successful long-term effect, unless you find enough people who like that type of thing, which I suppose there are. But I don't like it, nosir, not one bit.

[sgcim]

5 hours ago, Scott Dolan said:

Isn’t Jazz about improvising? Creating your own variations? 

Yeah, but unless you're playing free, you have to play within a certain harmonic framework. Even Monk understood this.

[Scott Dolan]

Ah. Rules. I’ll have to take a pass on that. I personally think one should play it however they feel it. 

[JSngry]

8 minutes ago, Scott Dolan said:

Ah. Rules. I’ll have to take a pass on that. I personally think one should play it however they feel it. 

Well sure. But that's just the beginning, not the end. "Rules" are not the issue, but context matters, and even more than that, macro-reality, how does what you're doing fit in with the rest of the world, past present and future, and that's where it becomes a lifelong pursuit, both internally and externally. Just kicking out the jams, that's a quick fix, a cheap thrill, That's good for a revolt (and/or vandalism) but is any of this a revolt? Hardly. And even at that, revolts are easy, creating a revolution and then sustaining it meaningfully is hardass work. If the object of these young folk is to extend the tradition, they better think about that and just not think that inheriting the house is enough. You gotta keep it fresh and livable lest it become a gaudy birght shiny façade on the outside of a dusty wax museum on the inside. All front and no back ain't gonna cut it (like a dull knife).

 

[danasgoodstuff]

Cecile don't grab me, but she don't push me away either.  My two favs from last year (Halvorson and Frisell's Johnny Smith trib and Lonnie Smith's live one aren't on it, so screw 'em eh?