Congressman Conyers :"Coltrane should be studied with the great musicians

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

and composers!" On ARR

He goes to the Coltrane church!!!!
New favorite!!!

[mstrsplinter326]

1. Got my first Coltrane CD last week

Love it.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

2. What did you get?

[mstrsplinter326]

5. A "Best of"

I don't remeber exactly what the name was...

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

6. If you want I'll help you ease into the fabulous world of my favorite man

:)

If you don't know me - this is my sig line



so you know where I'm comin' from :D

[mstrsplinter326]

20. Yeah, I've seen your signature line around a few times

if you recomend a particular album - i'll give it a shot.

I am pretty broke so who knows when I can get it, but I don't know which albums are good and which aren't.

I've heard the later years got really weird, but the stuff before that is really a trip.

P.S. Since "Chavez" is in your name, I wouldn't mind learning about him either. I know basically nothing about him other than his being a labor leader.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

22. Wrong Chavez - Hugo Chavez of Venezuela

To learn more about him go to:

http://www.chavezthefilm.com/html/home.htm


As for Trane - start with Blue Train or A Love Supreme

[RandomKoolzip]

3. Conyers in F9/11:

"Sit down, my son: we don't read MOST of the bills that get submitted to us......"


That's cool that he goes to Coltrane's Church. If I were to EVER go to any church it'd be Coltrane's.


Or Robert Pollard's.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

4. He went on for a while about jazz - he's a huge fan

hearing him and Chuck D talk about it was the height of my day so far!

[klook]

7. "Sit down, my son...."

Conyers is a great guy and a very supportive jazz fan.

Here he is, looking sharp with jazz diva Nancy Wilson:


And here is the text of the resolution Conyers introduced in Congress designating jazz an "American treasure":

House Concurrent Resolution 57

100th Congress of the United States of America
H. Con. Res. 57
Written by Rep. John Conyers, Jr. of Detroit, Michigan
Introduced March 3, 1987

Whereas, jazz has achieved preeminence throughout the world as an indigenous American music and art form, bringing to this country and the world a uniquely American musical synthesis and culture through the African-American experience and -

(1) makes evident to the world an outstanding artistic model of individual expression and democratic cooperation within the creative process, thus fulfilling the highest ideals and aspirations of our republic,

(2) is a unifying force, bridging cultural, religious, ethnic and age differences in our diverse society,

(3) is a true music of the people, finding its inspiration in the cultures and most personal experiences of the divers peoples that constitute our Nation,

(4) has evolved into a multifaceted art form which continues to birth and nurture new stylistic idioms and culture fusions,

(5) has had an historic, pervasive and continuing influence on other genres of music both here and abroad, and

(6) has become a true international language adopted by musicians around the world as a music best able to express contemporary realities from a personal perspective;

Whereas, this great American musical art form has not yet been properly recognized nor accorded the institutional status commensurate with its value and importance;

Whereas, it is important for the youth of America to recognize and understand jazz as a significant part of their cultural and intellectual heritage;

Whereas, in as much as there exists no effective national infrastructure to support and preserve jazz;

Whereas, documentation and archival support required by such a great art form has yet to be systematically applied to the jazz field; and

Whereas, it is in the best interest of the national welfare and all of our citizens to preserve and celebrate this unique art form:

Now, therefore be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives(the Senate concurring), that it is the sense of the Congress that jazz is hereby designated as a rare and valuable national American treasure to which we should devote our attention, support and resources to make certain it is preserved, understood, and promulgated.

Passed by the House of Representatives
September 23, 1987

Passed by the Senate
December 4, 1987

[G_j]

8. wonderful!! Jazz is one of the greatest gifts America has given the world

it doesn't kill and maim people but uplifts them. Put that in your hat and think on it Toby Keith!

[JNelson6563]

33. Conyers is a treasure from Michigan

We are proud to claim him, even if we aren't in his district.

Julie

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Anecdote on Jazz and Classical Music

For many years, San Francisco classical music station KDFC-FM had a rigid format where the host would play a piece and then in a soft, soothing voice announce the name of the conductor, the orchestra, the name of the piece, the composer and the year of composition, always in that order.

One night they played a piece by Duke Ellington and gave it the same treatment that the station would give to a work by Mozart or Beethoven. Then the host broke from the routine. "Some people might think it unusual to play Duke Ellington on a classical station," said the host. "Well, now it's classical music."

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

10. That announcer should be slapped silly!

Sir Duke will always be new!

[klook]

13. Dune and Trane

were so fantastic together on this recording:


That version of "In a Sentimental Mood" is just absolutely killer. True immortals! And, as you say, always fresh!

Jazz can never be preserved in a block of amber or petrified. It's a living, evolving art form, always capable of both the profound wisdom of the elders and the vibrant rebellions of the young. Sorta like life itself.
:toast:

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

15. I listened to Sentimental Mood from that LP about 15 minutes ago!!!

Are you watching me? :scared:


I fucking love that disc, even if the critics didn't!

[klook]

19. All right!

We're obviously tuned in to the same psychic jazz vibe today.

(Sorry my subject line said "Dune and Trane." Duh! Now the editing period has expired and my gaffe has to remain.) ((Then again, maybe Coltrane was a Frank Herbert fan, who knows?))

I can't believe the critics didn't like the Duke & Trane LP. It has some great moments. A couple of years ago I saw Ken Vandermark's group, and for an encore they played "Take the Coltrane" from that album! They didn't even announce the name of the tune, but that's definitely what it was. Just a riff tune, but a cool one--sort of like Monk's "Green Chimneys." Not much there, just enough for these geniuses to turn into a tour de force.

While we're on the subject of great Coltrane albums, how about "Live at the Village Vanguard Again"? Eric Dolphy's bass clarinet playing on "Spiritual" is some of my all-time favorite music.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

21. Eric Dolphy was great with Trane

Have you heard Africa Brass? He's in that group too

[klook]

23. YES!!

Wonderful, and Dolphy wrote the brass arrangements, too! I played that for a friend of mine, and it helped save his life. No kidding, the guy had a drinking problem after his divorce and was a total mess, and after he starting listening to Coltrane he was inspired to turn his life around.

I really love the way the whooping horns sound like animal cries on the opening track of that album. And the deep groove of the opening bass riff (and later the great "moaning" bowed bass during McCoy Tyner's piano solo) are just fantastic also. That's Reggie Workman, isn't it?

Man, what a great record!



Dolphy's solo bass clarinet version of "God Bless the Child" from Berlin Concerts is also stunning. What a master musician. I sure wish he was still around (not to mention Coltrane and many others!).

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

24. When advanced search is back up I'll send you the thread I wrote about

my alcohol recovery and A Love Supreme.

:yourock: - btw!

[klook]

25. Wow

:wow: Glad to meet you, ChavezSpeaksTheTruth! (And I agree that he does.) Can't wait to see that thread. Fun jamming with you!

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Always new; the same can be said of Beethoven

Ellington said, "There are two kinds of music: good and bad." The story of how he came to say that also involves an association of Ellington with classical music.

When Arturo Toscanini was the director of the NBC symphony, he invited a number of modern composers to do a program for the network. Among those he asked to write an original composition for the program was Duke Ellington. Ellington felt a little intimidated about writing a piece to be presented by one thought of as the foremost symphony conductor of his time, one usually known for his interpretations of Wagner and Beethoven. Ellington told Toscanini of his anxiety. Toscanini put him at ease. "Mr. Ellington," he said, "there are two kinds of music, the good kind and the other kind. You do the good kind."

Ellington composed a 14-minute piece called Harlem for the occasion.

[misanthrope]

27. Great story!...

...Pops told tales of King Oliver stating similar sentiments.

[Radical Activist]

11. I wanted Conyers or John Lewis to be the VP pick

He's very cool but I guess Edwards will do.

[G_j]

12. "That's what we are about"

Tuesday, July 27th, 2004 Cornel West on Bush vs. Kerry, Nader's Bid for the Presidency and the "Niggerization" of America (thanks to Kanary for the original post)

<snip>
"...like a jazz group. We aren't looking for unanimity. We don't believe in that. We believe in individuality expressed with integrity in such a way that the overlap of our voices constitute a collective performance that accents an ideal bigger than all of us. How wonderful this community is. That's what we are about. Thank you
all very much. (applause)."

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/27/145200

[misanthrope]

14. My only mild objection...

...is that he should have said "with the OTHER great musicians." As worded, it excludes 'Trane from that category when his intention is just the opposite. I would also dare to say that Louis Armstrong and Charlie Parker should be on that list, too. Few musicians changed the course of American music like those three.

There is still a large amount of prejudice against jazz in some arts circles. In fact, I heard a program director for a public station explain that the reason they were changing their offical tag line from "fine arts radio" to something about "information and music" is that the programming had drifted away from strictly Euro-style chamber and symphonic music. I've also heard other art patrons contend that jazz is not a "fine art," that it's "too coarse."

Not to take anything from Peter Schikele, but if P.D.Q. Bach makes that cut, then Bird damn sure should.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

17. Hey there Misanthrope - good to see ya!

Did you find a new job?

[misanthrope]

26. Not really...

...They've expanded my duties at the newspaper.

[Ann Arbor Dem]

18. Here's an article by Nat Hentoff about Conyers....

It's short but interesting.

Some of the best jazz around can still be found in Detroit. (Personally, I am grateful its improvisational tradition is still vibrant and bountiful.) I see as much live jazz in Detroit as possible, not only for my own soul but to support the musicians financially and spiritually. And yes, Conyers does go to shows as often as he can!

B-)

http://www.opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110005262

[NightTrain]

28. Mr. Conyers speaks the truth.

Coltrane was truly something special!

[Susang]

29. I went to high school with his niece

Catholic school, no less! }(

edited for accuracy

[kodi]

30. Miles Davis sextet 1958 (Davis/Coltrane/Adderley/Evans/Chambers/Cobb)

best "On Green Dolphin Street" ever and my favorite jazz song.

that group was the best thing i ever heard in jazz

[klook]

31. Hell of a group, you got that right

Still the "Kind of Blue" band. Have you heard this one?


I haven't, but it has a rendition of "On Green Dolphin Street" by the same lineup.

[kodi]

32. yes, that's the one.

whenever coltrane comes in with his sax on "on green dolphin street" my chihuahua starts to howl.

its a real trip, the first time she did it i thought something was wrong with her, then it happened again and it broke me up when i realized what was happening.

i played it a few minutes after my first post, and yeap, she started howling again.

i guess she's more of a stan getz fan.

the cd is exceptional. masters in their prime.