Re: [Harp-L] Grégoire Maret

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have to agree with you here.
 Maret, a gifted artist in his own right, reminds me of the early bee bop players who, while technically very advanced, they were almost TOO advanced. And would roll the chords with an eye (or ear) for finding unusual combinations that up until that time hadn't been utilized. Now this will undoubtably appeal to other musicians whom are ALSO quite advanced and Avant Garde. And some would say that these musicians ruined jazz (in general). Once they appeared on the scene, other musicians were expected to be at their high level. And when this didn't happen, jazz split into 2 (basic) groups. Those that are die hard jazz fanatics. And those whom are jazz 'appreciators'.
 
 This can be a 2 edged sword. On the one hand, they can negotiate amazingly complex passages, but on the other hand, I think they somehow loose some of the human voice aspects. Nothing in the animal world has vocal jumps like that. So, I think too much of it can be tedious. Example: I happen to know the greatest saxophone player I have ever heard live. He is brilliant, but plays in the high phonics too much. I'm talking entire chorus' above the range of the sax. And notes? Millions of notes. After a while you can't handle it. Or more correctly 'I' can't take it. I'm looking for a bus to throw myself under. 

Then there's some of todays singers who seen to like to emulate Stevie Wonder's vocal flutterings. And while Stevie wasn't the first to do it, he certainly had some influence in the current trend for singers to run all over the place AROUND the note that would sound best until they finally hit it. This isn't all bad IF you use it a little more sparingly and don't try to over load people's auditory receptors until blood runs out of their ears. 

And I was going to say that it's an age thing. With the younger people appreciating way out stuff more. But that would be false, as the benchmark of way out in orbit actually came about in MY era. And I am fairly old. 

smo-joe 


On Oct 1, 2013, at 3:13 PM, Music Cal wrote:

> Of the working jazz chrom players I prefer Hendrik Meurkens. Lyrical, great
> tone, great chops, great ear. And funny.
> 
> 
> On Mon, Sep 30, 2013 at 2:38 PM, martin oldsberg
> <martinoldsberg@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> 
>> Caught a snippet of a Jacky Terrason concert the other day (Swedish
>> televison) where Grégoire Maret sat in on a jam on at least one song.
>>  I´ve heard him quite a few times over the years with Cassandra Wilson,
>> Charlie Hunter et al, and he´s obviously a well-schooled player and
>> tremendously successful -- but I just don´t "get" him.
>>  He´s forged an individual style (although at times he sounds a bit like
>> a truncated Toots T), likes to play on the outside of chords, rather dry
>> tone/sound, no vibrato (almost) and a sort of choppy phrasing -- certainly
>> not ingratiating.
>> 
>>  Strange, perhaps interesting but -- apart from recognizing his skills --
>> he does not move me at all. I´m not into slamming him (as if he´d care
>> ...), and you could say the problem is mine, but am I alone in this? Or can
>> someone give some pointers on what he´s up to.
>> Cheers,
>> Martin
>> PS I don´t give a rats ass what instrument he´s using (it´s chromatic
>> harmonica!), lubrication oils, amplifiers, microphones etc: this is about
>> the music.
>> 
>>