You got jazz?

[kosmo]

Any Jazz lovers here? You might find this more than interesting: http://www.straightjazz.com.

John Goldman is an old friend of mine, a trumpeter, a music teacher, and still a student of his music mentor Nicholas Rodriquez, a pioneering jazz pianist who played with Monk, Dizzy, and others, who died in the 80's.

He also created a unique style of jazz that no one really could ever get a good handle on. He didn't score his music, relying on improvisation, but within a unique structure. Fingering was very important, and other aspects of it, that always kept his music out of  reach of even his closest students.

John saw somethng coming, that Nic would die before his music could be understood, scored, and played by other musicians. So he began to record Nic's lessons, some purely audio, some audio/visual, a few years before Nic became incapable of continuing.

Since that time, John has made efforts at putting it all together. You can see how far he has gotten by checking out his site. And this is where I come in.

I visited with John this past summer: "Hey John, how's the Maestro Project coming?" Well it had gotten stalled like many things do - the work of transcribing hours upon hours of audio tapes and dvr's, and then putting it all in some kind of order; of editing and making decisions about what to discard and what to save - these things are daunting and it's a lonely business. So now I'm involved.

John purchased a transcription system, software, earphones, for me. He sent the first mp3s that need transcribing. I have never done any of this before, but I know what is happening. I will help John finish this task he took on over twenty years ago, and Nic's beautiful, intricate music will one day - maybe in a year of two - be known and played by afficianados throughout the world.

Lord, may it be! :e_wink:

[JRL]

I am a jazz lover, there are a couple others, most here have other interests(drum machines, samplers, sequencers, turntables), so I am glad to have you aboard. Someone the understands the magic of improvisation is always welcome.

Question: Why here? This music page is a sleepy backwater around here, my interests and opinions pretty much unpopular. I guess I am just old and in the way.

When I have a bit more time I will delve into your site, in the meantime welcome!

[judih]

hey kosmo, that's fantastic. It's a joy to keep genius alive and i admire your willingness to help your friend.

jrl, jazz will always be less popular than other music because in general it takes understanding, but that doesn't mean there aren't jazz fans here. Many jazz fans just don't post - don't despair!

This post so reminds me of when a marvellous friend was telling me his Beat stories of Ginsberg and all and i was editing them for flow. He's dead now and i don't have permission to publish. Getting permission is so important.
So, go Kosmo and John. Pass down the message.

[kosmo]

Question: Why here? This music page is a sleepy backwater around here, my interests and opinions pretty much unpopular. I guess I am just old and in the way.

Spiritplants radio was the lure that brought me over here, but I like this forum from the time I participated briefly a few years ago. Cenacle is an inspiration with his commitment to his poetry and the radio project, and I am looking for ideas from other non-commercial, community based, web programs in order for me to be of help "behind the scenes".

Over the last two years I met and befriended a group of musicians and artists in my part of Florida who are tinkering with both radio and visual podcasts. I am not a musician myself, and my "knowledge" of music is emotional/intuitive, yet I have managerial and creative skills that are helpful to the performers.

In other words, I am a fan of every sort of music that moves my feet, lifts my heart, but I can't play a lick!

With the Rodriguez project (which is not associated with the Florida artist project), I don't need to know how to play jazz, or even how to listen to it technically. My part is to convert audio cds to word documents, to help edit both visual and audio content into a coherent form for mass distribution, and then to help manage and promote the completed project. Wish me well!!

[JRL]

Point taken, both of you. We (musicians and all artists) need the support of people like you Kosmo. Right on!