One of the nicest listener mentions...

[jeffoest]

I've been struggling with an 'elevator message' / 30-second sound bite on what our podcast is about so someone could quickly assess whether it's something they might be interested in.

Lo and behold - sometimes your listeners are the best source in summarizing that for you (at least how they percieve it - which is, of course,not always what the producer would percieve at all).. Not only is this is a really nice blog article about us, but it gives me all kinds of ideas for an eventual first This And That promo.

(plus a nice look at the throw-pillow with Len's drawing on it!!)

http://abyss-island.blogspot.com/

[ToasterBoy]

Jeff-

That's awesome! Listener feedback just makes my day! One of the coolest things we've received so far in the form of listener feedback was from someone at Walt Disney Imagineering who said that there's a whole crew there who listens to the show every week!

I always search out mentions of our show on the net and if it's a blog or message board I always try to leave a note saying thanks.

Got to be nice to the fans in return!

Grant

[timn]

Very nice! Congrats.

But can you explain to me (and I freely admit to being a musical cretin - so take it easy on me), what's the difference between "REAL JAZZ" and that plain old fakey jazz that he seems to disdain?

[ToasterBoy]

I'm not sure on the differences, but Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap said once that Jazz musicians make many mistakes when they play and that's why they play so softly. He said they need to be proud and TURN IT UP!

Grant

[jeffoest]

Thanks guys!

I've found other references to us through 'snooping' - in this case, the writer emailed me.

The jazz comment had to do with a show in May (5/14 - show #13) where I talk about going to a 'jazz' festival and not getting to heare jazz (my definition). I also play some samples for Pat of jazz vs. what many think is jazz.

Though it's not really rigourously defined anywhere, I consider jazz Miles Davis, Coltrane, Bird, Diz, Monk and the folks today who are influenced by them.

I consider the jazz that is often called 'smooth jazz' that is often featured in the 'jazz tents' of jazz festivals (artists such as Kenny G, etc...) as a dissapointment to jazz fans who were expecting something else. Just a simple label like 'smooth' in the description on agendas or the tents would make all the difference.

A method to check to see if your listening to jazz or 'smooth jazz (with maybe 80% accuracy - there are lots of exceptions) is the beat. If you're swinging your eights (hint: listen to the hats), you are probably either listening to jazz or shuffling....A lot of 'smooth' jazz relies on steady eights (as does rock of course). Small detail perhaps but a large fundamental difference in the approach and feel.....

Another thing to look for is instruments. Again, certainly not 100% or close in accuracy - USUALLY if the band is using a synth, electric guitar and electric bass, some percussion, in addition to a customary drum kit, for example, it's PROBABLY smooth jazz. If you got an stand-up bass, acoustic piano and some horns and a standard drum-kit (or perhaps with stripped down toms), CHANCES are they are playing 'real' jazz (or my definition of it!). lol

[jeffoest]

Grant - Disney? Way cool. High compliments!!

Apparently a smallish (100-person) architecture company in Dallas plays us on Monday's during lunch break in their lunch room. Pretty funny.....

[ferg]

Lo and behold - sometimes your listeners are the best source in summarizing that for you (at least how they percieve it - which is, of course,not always what the producer would percieve at all).. Not only is this is a really nice blog article about us, but it gives me all kinds of ideas for an eventual first This And That promo.


Braggard!

Actually, Jeff, I don't think I could have said (what your listener wrote) better myself. I don't know if I've stated on these particular forums, but I've made my opinion about This and That well known (that it's not only the gold standard for production and professionalism, but also remarkably entertaining).

Great work!

[Hittman]

I'm not sure on the differences, but Derek Smalls of Spinal Tap said once that Jazz musicians make many mistakes when they play and that's why they play so softly. He said they need to be proud and TURN IT UP!

Bowie has said that he likes to concentrate on the mistakes. The often turn into something interesting.

Another thing to look for is instruments. Again, certainly not 100% or close in accuracy - USUALLY if the band is using a synth, electric guitar and electric bass, some percussion, in addition to a customary drum kit, for example, it's PROBABLY smooth jazz.

I think that's too simplistic. I just saw Spyro Gyra a few days ago, and they fit that description, but they were nothing like "smooth" jazz. They're some of the most incredible musicians I've ever seen or heard up close.

One of my favorite Jazz bands of all times, Return to Forever, also fit that description.

The essence of music is emotion, "soul." Smooth Jazz "artists" don't have any. Listen to Kenny G. or Yanni, if you can stand it. They are very good from a technical standpoint – they can play the right notes at the right time - but they have no soul. The music is plastic and whitebread.

Back when I was playing coffee houses, there was a musician there who was obsessed with Al DiMeola. He was a technical wiz – he could play the entire Casino album at full speed without missing a note. It was amazing to watch – for one song. But then it got tiresome, because, sadly, he played it without emotion. He'd get up and do a song, and the audience would applauded, amazed. Then he'd do another, and they'd clap, but not as enthuasticaly. By the time he did his third, and last, song, people were getting noticeably bored.

Then someone would follow him banging away, clumsily, at three chords on a beat up, slightly out of tune guitar, but with soul and feeling, and the audience loved his *** all the way through his 15 minute set.

If you got an stand-up bass, acoustic piano and some horns and a standard drum-kit (or perhaps with stripped down toms), CHANCES are they are playing 'real' jazz (or my definition of it!).

That I'll agree with. But that doesn't mean they're any good. I've heard some pretty rank jazz bands that fit that description. But at least their sin wasn't whitebread and plastic.

[jeffoest]

Good points Hittman.

One thing that I probably should have mentioned, I never really implied that 'smooth' jazz musicians were not talented. Actually I have heard and seen several that oozed talent.

My comment was more aimed at my getting misled by the term 'jazz'. I have a certain expectations of that word and get dissapointed when it terms out to be 'smooth' jazz because I simply don't enjoy it as much.

But, I also have no doubt that 'smooth' jazz is much more popular and therefore more featured at these jazz fesivals and other outdoor events. I have become 'smarter' in doing my research before I go!

[jeffoest]

BTW - Ferg - thanks for the very kind words. As you know - I think the same of your show..... killer!

[Illinoise]

Actually, I think I have a copyright on the term killer as it pertains to describing podcast quality, although you did maintain proper usage when describing Air Ferg.

Isn't it great when listeners come out of the woodwork for you? It's sooo close to being an actual superstar. But without all the hot-chick-model girlfriends.