"Jurassic FM"

[french frank]

Gulda, Corea, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack, Jon Lord, Billy Joel, Keith Jarrett.

Interesting list, predominantly "vice versa", though. Only Gulda actually made a name for himself in the classical world. They may all have been 'classically trained' and been able to perform better than most but except Gulda, their distinction was in jazz.

Maybe my reservations about Kennedy are based solely on a personal dislike of 'flamboyance' which I find distracting, and seeing him stomping around in his Oxfam outfits while he directs is a vision I can't get out of my mind even when I can't see him. There are two generations of younger violinists to give him a run for his money without the antics.

Much enjoying the Corea/Jarrett Mozart sans the exhibitionism. Is it really them?

[jayne lee wilson]

“Hendrix is like Beethoven Vivaldi’s more Des O’Connor” …… well Nige it’s a point of view ……

That's a little unfair .... the quote is:

“Hendrix should be talked about like the great composers, man,” he says. “Beethoven. Bach. Duke Ellington. Stravinsky. Jimi is in that line. Serious motherfuckers!” Not Vivaldi?

“Not so much. Vivaldi is like … not quite Des O’ Connor but it’s lighter shit that people can listen to while they’re drinking their coffee.” Ouch. He’s laughing like a drain.

****

Kennedy has not had the easiest time. He must have suffered psychologically for his art after a rapid rise to fame when very young. Which didn't stop him leaving many wonderful Classical recordings, with the greatest orchestras and conductors, which will be played forever. But he found that Classical Culture difficult to live within, he couldn't bear to go on playing the same repertoire in the same contexts, and tried to find - had to find - his own individual path.
I recall a wonderful Berg Concerto live on Radio 3 which John Drummond commented on - or rather didn't comment on, since, in his plummy public-school tones, he mainly mocked Kennedy's Death-and-Goth-inspired white-face make-up and black cloak outfit.
I saw Drummond in a different light after that, and not a favourable one. Let Performers Perform - and Present, any way they please. Don't just jump on it with tired old reflexive we-know-best Classical-Snobbery. A Live Musical Event is always a visual performance too.

I think some of the comments on this thread are unintentionally all too appropriate to its title.....

[Old Grumpy]

That's a little unfair .... the quote is:

“Hendrix should be talked about like the great composers, man,” he says. “Beethoven. Bach. Duke Ellington. Stravinsky. Jimi is in that line. Serious motherfuckers!” Not Vivaldi?

“Not so much. Vivaldi is like … not quite Des O’ Connor but it’s lighter shit that people can listen to while they’re drinking their coffee.” Ouch. He’s laughing like a drain.

****

Kennedy has not had the easiest time. He suffered psychologically for his art after a rapid rise to fame when very young. Which didn't stop him leaving many wonderful Classical recordings, with the greatest orchestras and conductors, which will be played forever. But he found that Classical Culture difficult to live within, he couldn't bear to go on playing the same repertoire in the same contexts, and tried to find - had to find - his own individual path.
I recall a wonderful Berg Concerto live on Radio 3 which John Drummond commented on - or rather didn't comment on, since, in his plummy public-school tones, he mainly mocked Kennedy's Death-and-Goth-inspired white-face make-up and black cloak outfit.
I saw Drummond in a different light after that, and not a favourable one. Let Performers Perform - and Present, any way they please. Don't just jump on it with tired old reflexive we-know-best Classical-Snobbery. A Live Musical Event is always a visual performance too.

I think some of the comments on this thread are unintentionally all too appropriate to its title.....

I believe Kennedy found an active role in the Polish jazz scene...


...oh, but that is on another continent.

[cloughie]

Interesting list, predominantly "vice versa", though. Only Gulda actually made a name for himself in the classical world. They may all have been 'classically trained' and been able to perform better than most but except Gulda, their distinction was in jazz.

Maybe my reservations about Kennedy are based solely on a personal dislike of 'flamboyance' which I find distracting, and seeing him stomping around in his Oxfam outfits while he directs is a vision I can't get out of my mind even when I can't see him. There are two generations of younger violinists to give him a run for his money without the antics.

Much enjoying the Corea/Jarrett Mozart sans the exhibitionism. Is it really them?

Yes but what you don’t take into account is that particularly in the cases of Roberta and Nina is that there were not many opportunities for becoming black concert pianists at the time though I understand they both had aspirations in that direction!

[Ein Heldenleben]

That's a little unfair .... the quote is:

“Hendrix should be talked about like the great composers, man,” he says. “Beethoven. Bach. Duke Ellington. Stravinsky. Jimi is in that line. Serious motherfuckers!” Not Vivaldi?

“Not so much. Vivaldi is like … not quite Des O’ Connor but it’s lighter shit that people can listen to while they’re drinking their coffee.” Ouch. He’s laughing like a drain.

****

Kennedy has not had the easiest time. He must have suffered psychologically for his art after a rapid rise to fame when very young. Which didn't stop him leaving many wonderful Classical recordings, with the greatest orchestras and conductors, which will be played forever. But he found that Classical Culture difficult to live within, he couldn't bear to go on playing the same repertoire in the same contexts, and tried to find - had to find - his own individual path.
I recall a wonderful Berg Concerto live on Radio 3 which John Drummond commented on - or rather didn't comment on, since, in his plummy public-school tones, he mainly mocked Kennedy's Death-and-Goth-inspired white-face make-up and black cloak outfit.
I saw Drummond in a different light after that, and not a favourable one. Let Performers Perform - and Present, any way they please. Don't just jump on it with tired old reflexive we-know-best Classical-Snobbery. A Live Musical Event is always a visual performance too.

I think some of the comments on this thread are unintentionally all too appropriate to its title.....

Was Hendrix a composer or just a super talented improviser ? Vivaldi may have suffered from over - production but you can’t compare the Four Seasons or the Gloria with Voodoo Child or All Along The Watchtower. They are just radically different types of music . I spent five years hearing one of my sons learning Hendrix solos note for note - an interesting experience- so his music is almost drummed into my brain.
I don’t share the prejudice against NK - he’s a superb live performer and has a fan base that extends to teenagers - who came along to a concert of his I once went to of Bach and Fats Waller. I also bumped into him once - you couldn’t meet a more charming man. If there were more like him classical music wouldn’t be so moribund.

[Bryn]

Was Hendrix a composer or just a super talented improviser ? Vivaldi may have suffered from over - production but you can’t compare the Four Seasons or the Gloria with Voodoo Child or All Along The Watchtower. They are just radically different types of music . I spent five years hearing one of my sons learning Hendrix solos note for note - an interesting experience- so his music is almost drummed into my brain.
I don’t share the prejudice against NK - he’s a superb live performer and has a fan base that extends to teenagers - who came along to a concert of his I once went to of Bach and Fats Waller. I also bumped into him once - you couldn’t meet a more charming man. If there were more like him classical music wouldn’t be so moribund.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jimi-Hendrix gives some context.

[jayne lee wilson]

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jimi-Hendrix gives some context.

Excellent read, thanks Bryn...

[Ein Heldenleben]

Excellent read, thanks Bryn...

I thought the article was a series of unsubstantiated assertions which didn’t really address why Hendrix was so innovative …

[french frank]

I thought the article was a series of unsubstantiated assertions which didn’t really address why Hendrix was so innovative …

I did feel it wouldn't have passed the Wikipedia objectivity criterion.

[Ein Heldenleben]

I did feel it wouldn't have passed the Wikipedia objectivity criterion.

….which is vastly better needless to say and much much longer . The Britannia entry looks like it’s been written by a gushing PR agent .

[antongould]

That's a little unfair .......

Sorry I just read and quoted verbatim the headline ….. lazy of me I know ……..

[french frank]

The Britannia entry looks like it’s been written by a gushing PR agent .

Charles Shaar Murray had a jazz programme/series(?) on R3 and got quite a few column inches in one of the broadsheets promoting it, and gratuitously swiping at FoR3 for wanting to get rid of jazz on R3. I wrote c/o of the programme and protested but got no response. Nothing to be done, as usual, about the press coverage which must have reached many thousands.

[Serial_Apologist]

I thought the article was a series of unsubstantiated assertions which didn’t really address why Hendrix was so innovative …

Has any writer really addressed that question? Rock critics, even at their best back in the Melody Maker day, tended to stick mainly to personality, lifestyle and, if lucky, cultural context, generalising any jazz or classical influences, (Murray goes a bit far by claiming Hendrix's guitar innovations extensions of John Coltrane's saxophone playing). It would probably take a quality jazz author.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Has any writer really addressed that question? Rock critics, even at their best back in the Melody Maker day, tended to stick mainly to personality, lifestyle and, if lucky, cultural context, generalising any jazz or classical influences, (Murray goes a bit far by claiming Hendrix's guitar innovations extensions of John Coltrane's saxophone playing). It would probably take a quality jazz author.

The wiki article does go into quite a lot of detail about Hendrix’s experimentation . I just don’t know enough about 60’s rock and blues guitar playing to know whether it’s accurate …