-----Original Message-----
From: denise johnson [mailto:blackpearl@geocities.com]
Sent: Friday, April 03, 1998 6:56 PM
To: acid-jazz@ucsd.edu
Subject: anti-jamiroquai sentiment
First of all, I'd like to say that yes, I'm new to the acid jazz list.
And I have been reading the comments in reference to Jamiroquai. Here's
my $0.02 cents--mind you, I've been known to 'throw in' some extra
change:
1. Too many folks get sucked in by the media hype. The itty bitty dude
does some interviews, says Stevie Wonder is his idol and suddenly it's
interpreted as 'he sounds like Stevie Wonder', 'he copies Stevie Wonder'
blah, blah, blah. As an American who was literally breast fed on Stevie
Wonder's music--Jason Kay does NOT sound like him. Like other half
decent
artist of today (and there ain't that many) you can hear (on the
previous
albums) the INFLUENCE of Stevie Wonder. Just as you can hear Roy Ayers,
James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, P-funk, jazz, latin, disco, r&b etc. And
I'd say, for some cheeky little former street rat who doesn't read or
write music, that ain't too bad. Frankly, there hasn't been that much
'new' stuff musically in the last 20 years (damn, I'm starting to date
myself). And Jamiroquai isn't doing anything different than what the
BNH,
Maxwell, Erykah Badu and countless others of 'new neo-soul,
hip/trip-hop,
acid-jazz, pseudo-funk wannabe bands are out there doing. Let's not
forget that every ten years, culture gets recyled.
2. There was a comment about the band not recording or playing an
'original' note in their entire careers. Most art comes
from--guess what? Art.. I'm sticking my ass on the line here, but more
than often, a song comes from another song. Same goes for painting,
poetry, novels etc. Somewhere, in the corners of the mind, a note, a
melody, comes to an artist--but, because they've heard so many different
things--it isn't necessarily original. It's a sort of epiphany when a
songwriter can come up with a tune that is totally original--which is
possible if you use the understanding that, music, like numbers, is
infinite. If you have a large music collection and a good ear, I'd say
you could hear a 'new' song and actually pick out something in that song
that 'came' from something older. That's where that whole thing about
'influences' come in. Ya' dig? An excellent example of this is in the
hip
hop song 'When the East is in da' House (omigod!). I don't remember the
name of the group (I'm not that heavy on rap) but what made that rap
creative, in my opinion, is that the entire song, drums, bass, melody
was
based on a single note from an OLD song.....my memory t'ain't what it
used to be but the older song was done by a woman, early 70s called
'Rockin' Chair' ('I wanna be your rocking chair'). In the original song,
there is an instrumental break where the singer goes 'Hmmmmmmm' ( I
believe its an 'a' for you musicians). The rap group took that single
note and 'created' a song. Jamiroquai has done some, if not new, at
least
refreshing things. Especially on their first album. To have a song start
out with a Curtis Mayfield flow, then a James Brown groove, then a basic
jazz groove--in one song, flowing together smoothly is quite
constructive
if not new. Sometimes it's not whether they bite from somebody but
whether they do it well. And Elson Trinidad said it succinctly when he
said ' you obviously haven't seen them in concert.' Whether you like
them
or not, they are one of the tightest live bands around. And should
probably focus on more live music than studio. Oh, and incorporating the
yidakki into the music is a lot newer than a lot of the shit that's been
glutting the market. I think groups like Jamiroquai should get a brownie
point for trying to keep a particular genre of music
alive.....Personally, if I hear anymore tired sampling, I just may rip
out my uterus to ensure that I have no offspring who may fall prey to
the
crap that's out there now.
3. Someone puh-leeeeese tell me what owning luxury cars and writing
about
the environment has to do with being hypocritical? Damn, I'm a poet and
I
write about my 'blackness' and things associated with 'black culture'.
So
if I date a white guy and not a dreadlocked-ganja smoking revolutionary
brotha, does that make me a hypocrite? It is possible to separate
personal ideology from art. It's also possible to combine the two.
4. I dig funk and I don't dislike the clown. Personally, I think he can
do a better job--specially vocally and lyrically--and hopefully, as he
matures and builds confidence (not arrogance) he will do one or two
albums that, 10-20 years from now someone will say, "That's a classic".
I
think he has the potential.
I give most artists the benefit of the doubt--particularly when a big
corporation owns a big chunk of them. Try being new and innovative when
you have an AR guy and a PR guy and half a dozen other pricks in suits
looking at charts and sales and have dollar signs in their eyes,
reminding you of your contractual obligations. Try being artistic AND
making money. (We all know most 'stars make their money from
endorsements.) Frankly, if the money aspect was taken out of the
industry, we'd probably have better music.....sure, there'd be more
poor,
homeless starving artists out there but the quality would be great!
5. Lastly, ( I know y'all are glad) find a better way to attack
someone's
creative ability. Why not talk about the lack of better lyrics on the
latest album and their inconsistency? Or the fact that, most of the
songs
are WAY shorter with less instrumentals than the previous albums? And
how, even though the songs on the previous albums where much longer,
they
didn't appear to be as 'self indulgent' as the TWM album? How about the
way the album was promoted? Blah, blah, etc........calling him a twit, a
wanker, or a clown is irrelevant to the product he's put out. Hey, Miles
Davis was probably the prototype for Yoda. But that doesn't affect the
greatness of his music. Gillespie looked like a blowfish. Dude was still
great. Coltrane spent a good deal of time high. But that doesn't change
the fact that music majors are STILL writing their thesis' on his
musical
style.
Any way, my fingers are tired. If anyone wants to, check out
http://www.abc.se/~m8877 Miss Funkyflyy's page. She's got some
interviews
(that she conducted) with some old school folks.....mostly r&b/soul. But
definitely worth checking out. Especially if your under 25 and don't
have
an extensive music collection.
Now, I'm looking forward to participating in this list. Peace and all
that good stuff.
Denise
"Think twice about disrespecting me. I can be an evil, wicked, wretched
wench when I hafta."
---Me