Alison Balsom Playing a little jazz...

MrClean · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 11:17 am Post subject:

Oh dear...

She's probably just trying to balance the scales - I've heard plenty of great jazz and salsa players hack their way through classical rep, so it's all good...

It's a rare animal that can lay it down on both sides of the fence. I can only think of one at the moment, and some people have issues with him on both sides.

J
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razeontherock · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:09 pm Post subject:

bike&ed · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Posts: 1837

kehaulani · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:16 pm Post subject:

An opposite take on classical/jazz players playing jazz/classical. Al Hirt vs. Joseph Haydn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1E2Rfh8XoDw
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Steve A · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:17 pm Post subject:

Okay, so it's not the best and most convincing jazz ever played. But, maybe she just likes it, and wants to play it for people, regardless of whether or not she's equally strong in the jazz idiom as the classical? Is that really so bad?

I don't think it's a healthy part of our overall musical culture when we have this whole, "if you do something other than what we already know you for, we're going to assume you think you do it as well as specialists, and will ruthlessly attack you for your presumed ignorance/arrogance."

Also, as far as the "people only listen because she's good looking" thing goes - I heard her play the Hummel Concerto with the Toronto Symphony a few years ago. It wasn't my absolute favourite performance of the piece I've ever heard, but it was definitely good, and it was also one of the most interesting, elegant, and individual (even brave) versions I've heard. Even if not everything she does is embraced by purists (I'm thinking jazz and baroque trumpet here, and I don't disagree), I like the fact that she's willing to step outside the box and play what she wants, and clearly without undue concern about critics' opinions.

bike&ed · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Posts: 1837

A.N.A.Mendez · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:27 pm Post subject:

bike&ed · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Posts: 1837

Did anyone watch the Mendez Haydn I had also posted? I know quite a few folks on this forum consider him the end-all, be-all of trumpet soloists, but we all have weaknesses...

MrClean · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 1:36 pm Post subject:

I think it is great that she is working on playing jazz - it will make her a better musician - this is advice I would give to anyone. IMHO what most people are bridling about is that she is under the impression that this is good jazz playing; otherwise she would not have released it.

She is a fine player, and a lovely person.
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Crazy Finn · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 2:52 pm Post subject:

A.N.A.Mendez · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 4:38 pm Post subject:

I think the issue for the highly trained classical players would be the whole experience of reading and playing every detail, constrained. Then, trying to open up and let go.... You play classical music, Jazz just comes out of you. It is felt, not read.

Or as someone famous said "you can either swing, or you can't "
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razeontherock · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 4:40 pm Post subject:

razeontherock · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 4:45 pm Post subject:

razeontherock · Posted: Fri Sep 04, 2015 4:47 pm Post subject:

kehaulani · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 3:12 am Post subject:

Regarding Mendez, he played in dance bands, theater orchestras, and was a first-call L.A. studio musician. He might not have been an improvising soloist, but in those days, you didn't normally play these kinds of gigs if you couldn't swing.

roynj · Heavyweight Member Joined: 19 Oct 2002 Posts: 2065

Not sure what she was thinking, but I'm sure that she and the group had a lot of fun with this attempt. It should not have been recorded and put up on youtube though. That was unfortunate.

saxophonist56 · Veteran Member Joined: 17 Apr 2013 Posts: 193 Location: ca

i love her hayden!.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3nHgW5Pwag[youtube]

checkout 12 and 1/2 minutes in.....

my aunt was a great classical pianist and couldn't play a lick of jazz either [/youtube]

chuck in ny · Posted: Sat Sep 05, 2015 2:10 pm Post subject:

criticism duly noted she keeps the day job. i enjoyed it anyway, it's a lovely melody, and jazz is always spaghetti with marinara sauce, the infinite variation on a simple classic. that good tone part doesn't come in a crackerjack box. this glass is half full.