Henry Grime Trio: The Call (ESP)
Purchased from the dollar bin at The Exchange
It's Grammy night, and I almost couldn't care less. I'll admit to having a minor interest in learning who wins in the jazz, classical, and spoken word categories, and I would like to tune in just for the "In Memoriam" presentation. (If they applaud more, is it because the audience missed that person, or is happier they're gone?) I remain bitter that that the committee couldn't spend ten seconds of screen time to acknowledge Karlheinz Stockhausen's passing in the 2008 show. I watched just to see if they would.
I understand they're going to give special recognition in memoriam to Sinead O'Connor, a person who I don't think wanted much to do with any of them.
I'm completely out of it with any new music. I can't recall when I last bought something newly issued, but it's been years. Actually, I take that back, half-way: I bought the live A Love Supreme and a newly issued Thelonious Monk concert when those were released, both in Impulse!. Hardly new music, though.
Since I'm nearly at rant mode, I'll take this opportunity to complain about the music on Saturday Night Live. We stay up specifically to watch Weekend Update, which still makes me laugh (unlike most of the show). That means having to sit through one music guest slot. First of all, I'm sorry but I think it's nearly all garbage. Yes, I sound like an old man complaining about the same things old men have complained about for years. "The music isn't as good as when I was younger." I can pretty much hear my own grandfather's voice in my head saying that. But most of the current music presented is shit. This is the show that at one time presented DEVO, B-52s, Elvis Costello, Sun Ra, Ornette Coleman, Stanley Clarke, and at least once a year Randy Newman. I don't count myself a huge fan of all of those artists, but what great variety!
Most offensive to me is that almost none of the music is 100% live anymore. At a minimum they're using backing tracks, and in many cases the singer is clearly lip-syncing. Jack White and Foo Fighters have been notable exceptions in recent years, and good for them. I can't stand Miley Cyrus' singing, but it looked to me like she was singing live on the most recent anniversary special, so, respect.
Last night was Jennifer Lopez. Definitely lip-syncing. Last week, Justin Timberlake, the same. Previously Reneè Rapp, at a minimum, backing track. If they're going to do that, just show a music video, don't have the pretense of a "live" performance. It's all choreography and show, no musicianship.
If I could, the one thing I'd impress on Lorne Michaels (who surely must be retiring after the show achieves its 50th season) is: 100% live music only. No backing tracks. No lip-syncing. Don't like it? You don't have to appear. We can always find someone else. Show us what you got. It's Saturday Night Live, people.
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I'm a person that would spend forever at the shelves of Blockbuster, mulling over what to to rent, often going home empty-handed. The current equivalent is hunting through menus on Nexflix or Tubi, always searching, not always deciding. So too with my own record/CD collection: what to put on? And am I just putting it on to write about it on my blog? I don't worry about that last point too much, but it does occur to me.
I wanted something un-Grammy-like. I wasn't in the mood for Stockhausen. I figured Henry didn't get enough love, I'll put this on. Speaking of not enough love, this is a copy I found at the local The Exchange for a dollar, and it's autographed. No respect at all. I would have bought it anyway, but the lead voice here is Perry Robinson on clarinet. Definitely on board. Drummer Tom Price? I don't know the name at all. I regret not going to see Perry play the last time he appeared here, thanks for Manny Theiner. It's the reason I paid out the butt for tickets to see Herbie Hancock in March: see everyone you can at least once, because you and they have a finite time on this planet.
I love the saxophone. But there are times when I regret, just a little, not having devoted myself entirely to the clarinet. It was my first instrument (more or less, that's a story for another time) and I enjoy playing clarinet more than most saxophone doublers, I've found. (Some of them play flute, and I say they can have it. I have consciously decided to never play flute again. No matter how interesting it can sometimes be, I'm bad at it and no amount of practicing will change that.) I don't spend a lot of time practicing, but most of it in recent years has been on bass clarinet.
Take the famous Sonny Rollins Trio lineup: tenor saxophone, bass, drums, and twist it a little by replacing saxophone with clarinet. I like it. Perry has a meaty sound; not necessarily saxophone-like, something different entirely. I get a sense that he has a looser embouchure, which lets him bend pitches more easily.
There's a lot of free blowing between melodies. It was ESP and 1965, after all.
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