New video of “Who Do You Think” from the opera Detroit. When is it cheating? Lennie Tristano. The Great Gatsby.

Roger CortonSo you posted another video from Detroit. And you said that we should discuss the differences between ‘the score’ and what went onto ‘the album’. OK, shoot.

JCHThe recordings I did for Detroit were not meant to make an ‘album’.

RCI always assumed it was meant for marketing purposes?

JCHPartly. Although partly it was to hear how things sounded! I’m not Haydn or Bernstein. I don’t stand in front of an orchestra every day. Some of the orchestrations? I had no idea how they were really gonna sound. Were they playable? I had the usual noob fear. But yeah, I had the knucklehead idea of doing a ‘Kickstarter’ and all those guys do elaborate ‘presentations’ in their videos to sell the idea. I figured I had to do something like that.

RCBut life […]

Phil Woods was one of a hundred truly great musicians I’ve been blessed (and I do mean that literally) to work with; just once. A last minute sub. A teaching seminar. A gig where the guy was doing a local event and didn’t want to bring the ‘real’ band. Some society gig. So rather than being a great time it’s often kinda awkward. You’re next to this ‘god’ and you’re only going to be together for a few hours. It’s like getting a seat on a plane next to yer childhood idol. Do we talk? Can I ask burning questions? How much do I get to gush? Will I do something stupid? No. Maybe. Not much. Yes.

I confess, I don’t particularly enjoy the saxophone. Don’t get me wrong: some of the greatest music ever performed has been made on the sax. Frankly, the basic tone often sounds to me like what it was invented to be: a really loud, easy to play band instrument. Don’t be angry. Mozart often said […]

JC’s Alternate Ten Progressive Rock list. These are lesser known or out in left field picks that should be part of every music-lover’s collection once you’re ready to go beyond ‘the standards’.

Roger CortonLast time we gave people your top ten progressive rock albums of all time list.

JCHWhich the world was turning blue waiting for. But yes, Ten Albums You Will Not Believe Once You See Them!

RCYou have a great future in Internet advertising. But this time we’re talking about some other great albums that are not necessarily ‘the best’ but are overlooked or out in left field. But like before we should start by discussing our criteria for selection.

JCHWell, to begin, I don’t want any crap about the lack of Pink Floyd or Rush or Dream Theater or whatehvs in the Top Ten List. You want the standard rock critic bullshit to get the imprimatur of rock critics who down deep hate and mock you? Here ya go: […]