[78-L] 78-L Digest, Vol 37, Issue 2

[JD]

> Date: Sat, 1 Oct 2011 12:58:48 -0700 (PDT)
> From: DAVID BURNHAM <burnhamd at rogers.com>
> Subject: [78-L] Mutter 1, Gershwin 0
> To: "78-L at 78online.com" <78-L at 78online.com>
> Message-ID:
> <1317499128.94503.YahooMailNeo at web88601.mail.bf1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Mutter really is a very fine musician in her usual genre but all of the 
> negative comments about this performance are right on the mark! ?It must 
> have been embarrassing for both of them, although Previn, who is much more 
> at home with this style, sounded just fine; ?Mutter's first entry seemed 
> to be on the wrong beat and it just didn't get any better. ?I come to this 
> with prejudice, however, because I'm really not fond of jazz violin, 
> whether it's Venuti, Grappelli or now, Mutter.
>
> I think the subject line should have been "Gershwin 1, Mutter 0"
>
> db
>
> ------------------------------


No discussion of jazz violinists can be complete or meaningful without 
mention ofn one of thre true greats, the late John Frigo. He played jazz 
like a real jazz player, not with the fractured time of most ot the others 
and the annoying cutesyness of Grappelli who was, of course excellent but 
whose concept sounded more like it belonged in a cocktail lounge at Happy 
Hour  rather than a jazz joint. Most classicaly trained musicians have no 
jazz concept and their jazz or swing feel or  "time" is abominable. 
Classical and jazz concepts are two different universes, two different 
languages and few (VERY few) can wear both hats. I know nothing of Frigo's 
classical background, if any but if he was classicaly trained he is one of 
the rare exceptions along with Wynton Marsalis who is world class in both 
respects regardless of what one may think of him or hiis jazz playing.
Jack Daney