tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post3739278773715936058..comments2023-10-21T07:14:37.880-07:00Comments on Jazz: The Music of Unemployment: No one dances in New YorkAndrew Durkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11471871547839907538noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-30401069759249819912009-11-02T09:44:00.340-08:002009-11-02T09:44:00.340-08:00Thanks, everyone, for weighing in.
Having done s...Thanks, everyone, for weighing in. <br /><br />Having done some music reviewing myself, I know full well what a weird experience it is to be confronted with something that bears no relation to the evaluative criteria you regularly work from. It's pretty hard to write about something like that in a way that is actually interesting. So I don't envy NC that task at all.<br /><br />Anyway, this review is not the end of the world. All I wanted to do with this post was provide the other side of the story. So thanks for reading!Andrew Durkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11471871547839907538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-13862836856760511512009-10-30T05:06:42.908-07:002009-10-30T05:06:42.908-07:00The biggest problem here, is the reviewer obviousl...The biggest problem here, is the reviewer obviously backed away from trying to understand where you guys are coming from. Critics often go on the idea that the intention of the artist is moot. But in this case, where you guys wear your satire on your sleeves, it seems he deliberately omitted your point of view so it wouldn't get in the way of his goal to bash you for not entertaining him.<br /><br />And that's garbage.Henry Powderlyhttp://henrypowderly.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-22295592034529772772009-10-29T19:12:51.206-07:002009-10-29T19:12:51.206-07:00I've already exhausted my mental prowess for t...I've already exhausted my mental prowess for the day, so I'd just like to say That Is One Hot Picture Of Our Shirtless Dancing Bassist!!<br /><br />And, maybe the New Yorkers weren't dancing (unlike the Vermonters), but they certainly didn't walk out on us, either. I seem to remember a few of them sporting their six-way mustaches.<br /><br />Thanks for the rebuttal, Andrew.<br /><br />Anonymously,<br />me (see above)Tany Lingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-34534880793883395482009-10-29T18:24:56.074-07:002009-10-29T18:24:56.074-07:00Gabriel (IJG's fab bari player for this tour, ...Gabriel (IJG's fab bari player for this tour, for those of you who don't know) forwarded me this "helmet-cam" video of the Bari Army's ambush from The Bell House. <br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3UyW57BDyM<br /><br />Scroll to :33 and you'll hear the camera-person invite Josh (from Darcy's band) to step down off the stage and run around with the other players. Josh conveeeeeniently had a camo army hat handy-- these are not part of the a standard Secret Society dress code. (Go, Josh, go!)<br /><br />You might also notice some people SMILING. Good heavens... people actually enjoyed themselves that evening! <br /><br /><br />Oh crud. Am I coming off as too smug?Shrill Jillhttp://xtingu.livejournal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-7339542139278020642009-10-29T17:32:18.466-07:002009-10-29T17:32:18.466-07:00I dug your show, and was a little surprised that N...I dug your show, and was a little surprised that Nate picked on you in his review. But I agree with Chris -- you and him came into the evening with a different set of assumptions which prevented him from digging what you had to offer.<br />Having grown up in Portland, I have to say that the East Coast probably isn't the best environment for what you do. Not just the "nobody dances in New York" issue (a valid point, by the way) but the fact that I think the kind of person who'd come see a show of yours in P-town isn't quite the same kind of person who'd come see a show at the Bell House. Bjorkestra and Secret Society were better suited for the audience, and I think that's what Nate was expecting from you guys as well.<br />In any case, congrats on the tour and I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to chat with you more in person at or after the show!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-28607261625050264202009-10-29T11:44:35.186-07:002009-10-29T11:44:35.186-07:00Andrew,
Sometimes there's a tragic, unbridgea...Andrew,<br /><br />Sometimes there's a tragic, unbridgeable incompatibility between a good reviewer and a good musician. That seems to have happened in this case. Don't let it mess you up.<br /><br />I enjoy your blog!<br /><br />Thx,<br /><br />Chris KelseyChris Kelseyhttp://chriskelsey.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-30019935463400402722009-10-29T10:48:19.122-07:002009-10-29T10:48:19.122-07:00Is it no longer true that the first (and only) rul...Is it no longer true that the first (and only) rule of getting reviewed is to ask whether your name was spelled correctly? Possibly that is now changed in the time of Internet and meaninglessness.<br /><br />If that video is typical of the Baritone Army then I lament the waste of some magnificent instruments. I dug out my Tokyo-chutei-iki album and played it really LOUD as an antidote.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNrf-u6dbwQ" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNrf-u6dbwQ</a> (If you're put off by the pop nature of that clip, skip to the last 30 seconds)David Ockerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03468370745653879674noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-18437230447020758102009-10-29T10:29:45.992-07:002009-10-29T10:29:45.992-07:00here's something he got right: "cribbing ...here's something he got right: "cribbing a move or two from Charles Mingus and quite a few others from Frank Zappa" -- that 'move or two' being the ability to totally confound the easy-way critics and thereby gain a cult-status as a band the 'nice' papers never liked until long after the cult-following underscored their place in the pantheon, upon which they then universally turn around to say they somehow 'discovered' them first by running thoughtless reviews like that one.<br /><br />Whatever happened to the Susan Sontag School of Reviewers? You know, the one's that just said what it was and what they heard and saw? Nonetheless, though, it is still a major achievement that a road-weary gaggle of hamthraxed jazz-pop jerkoffs from Portland could grace the pages of the lofty NYT on their first ever national tour. That's worth framing all by itself ;)mrGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00582052332934960204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-45319138777464951992009-10-29T09:30:44.035-07:002009-10-29T09:30:44.035-07:00Nicely written, Andrew. I was very surprised by th...Nicely written, Andrew. I was very surprised by the harsh tone of the NYT piece. And I'm thrilled to have had a chance to see the band on the tour. <br /><br />All the best,<br /><br />Jason<br />http://thejazzsession.comJason Cranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16378703004144129880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-18358013677500901492009-10-29T08:54:49.322-07:002009-10-29T08:54:49.322-07:00Andrew- I'm really glad you wrote this rebutta...Andrew- I'm really glad you wrote this rebuttal. I was completely shocked after reading Nate Chinen's review and have been waiting for your response, which I think is very even handed. I really do hope I get to hear you guys in your natural habitat, sans tour. I know I'll enjoy it- and maybe even dance a little! ;)d0nnatr0yhttp://bottomlesscupmusic.typepad.com/educationnoreply@blogger.com