Re: Ken Burns on Charlie Rose

From: R. Scott (framboise@mindspring.com)
Date: Wed Jan 10 2001 - 06:07:32 CET

  • Next message: R. Scott: "Re: Ken Burns on Charlie Rose"

    Excellent response. My post was meant to invoke conversation.

    I don't really have a problem with Burns/Jazz using corporate sponsorship to
    present his work to the masses. I WAS surprised by the commercial content
    prior to the shows airing.

    FYI - I am an artist who makes a living at what he does and I know the line
    you speak of too well. One of many reasons I remain "underground" in what I
    do is - integrity.

    Thank you very much.

    peace,
    R. Scott
    framboise@mindspring.com

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "Nathaniel Rahav" <nat@rhythmlove.com>
    To: "R. Scott" <deebull@mindspring.com>
    Cc: "Steve Catanzaro" <stevencatanzaro@sprintmail.com>; <acid-jazz@ucsd.edu>
    Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 7:00 PM
    Subject: Re: Ken Burns on Charlie Rose

    >
    >
    > I think we tend to get very critical of artists whose work reaches the
    > masses because they immediately become part of the giant capitalist
    > machine that has ravaged so many honest and noble hearts on this planet.
    > I think in this particular case you are being unfair to what I see (and
    > stand by to my original comment) as a labor of love. I say this
    > only because I saw Burns talk about his work on Charlie Rose and
    > I trust his motives based on that.
    > Sometimes you gotta bite the bullet and get some corporate sponsorship in
    > order to reach the masses. At least there are some companies out there who
    > are willing to support the undertaking.
    > I think you should save your anti-capitalist sentiments for some of the
    > more wicked shit that goes down in this country on a daily basis.
    >
    > America is indeed a land of contradiction. I would love to see the
    > government support a project like this through public TV and NEA and all
    > kinds of other great institutions that have been pummeled into the earth
    > in the last 20 years.
    >
    > We all have to hustle a little in this friggin country (or
    > any other for that matter) to survive, and some have to hustle a lot
    > harder if they want to get their message across to the masses. Its no
    > reason for you to be critical of them, especially if they manage to
    > maintain some degree of integrity.
    >
    > To be an artist in this country, or in fact to do anything you love, you
    > have to walk a very thin line that necessarily involves compromise,
    > and in this case "corporate advertising" in order to get your message
    > across.
    >
    > Perhaps the symbol of America is the dollar sign, but you cannot overlook
    > the fact that all of the artists whose stories are told in this
    > documentary also had to walk on this fine line between making music and
    > selling out, and if it wasnt for their ability to do that, we wouldnt have
    > their recordings today to reflect upon their genius.
    >
    > peace,
    > Nat
    >
    > On Tue, 9 Jan 2001, R. Scott wrote:
    >
    > > Here's an excellent point. I sat waiting for the thing to start and had
    to
    > > wait 10 minutes because of corporate advertising. And the commercial for
    the
    > > "product" at the end......geez!
    > >
    > > The symbol of America is a dollar sign.
    > >
    > > peace,
    > > R. Scott
    > > framboise@mindspring.com
    > >
    > > ----- Original Message -----
    > > From: "Steve Catanzaro" <stevencatanzaro@sprintmail.com>
    > > To: "Nathaniel Rahav" <nat@rhythmlove.com>; <acid-jazz@ucsd.edu>
    > > Sent: Tuesday, January 09, 2001 12:34 PM
    > > Subject: Re: Ken Burns on Charlie Rose
    > >
    > >
    > > > Nat wrote;
    > > >
    > > > The whole thing is definitely a labor of love and not a commercial
    > > venture,
    > > > > which immediately increases its credibility thousandfold.
    > > > >
    > > >
    > > > Don't kid yourself! I have never seen so much ancillary packaging for
    a
    > > PBS
    > > > production. Videos, DVD's, Books, CD's.... and check out the gigantic
    GM
    > > > spots. "Public" broadcasting? Kind of laughable.
    > > >
    > > > Burns may be passionate, but he'll probably make more money off of
    this
    > > one
    > > > thing than Art Tatum made in his whole career....
    > > >
    > >
    >



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