A Nice Hard Slap - Jazz Bands + Vocalists
- By Nick Nunziata
- Published 09/25/2008
Nick Nunziata
Nick Nunziata created this place and enjoys having people complain about the ads. In addition to his intermittent contributions here, he is the producer of a few upcoming films and often wonders why he bothers.
A Nice Hard Slap - Jazz Bands + Vocalists.
OK, I've had it...
I'm tired of seeing the jazz acts that I like adding vocalists to boost sales and allow for crossover interest. Particle's album Launchpad is one of my favorite records ever, so they fire their great guitar player Charlie Hitchcock and bring on two guitarists who sing. Then they don't release an album for years and bounce around, changing members so that the band doesn't even feel the same anymore.
Galactic, solid band and phenomenal when they don't have someone shouting out JAZZ 101 vocals is another offender. Jazz certainly CAN feature vocals, as evidenced by Ella Fitzgerald and many others... but the kind of jazz that bands like Galactic and their brethren do isn't as conducive towards having a singer and it kills the quality the music has in terms of providing a smooth backdrop to work, relaxation, or whatever ills music cures for you. Words distract when you listen to instrumental stuff intentionally for the lack of them.
Now The New Mastersounds have done it. After a nearly perfect album in This is What We Do and a very good one in 102%, they've released an album (Plug and Play) with a chick singing on it. It makes my head sad.
In this digital world, why not release instrumental and vocal versions of albums? At least when it comes to music not typically built for vocals. It'd make me a lot nicer to be around, that's for sure.
- Nick Nunziata wants jazz to be instrumental!
Before I go, here's the latest thing I'm adding to the blog. Each day I blog I'll have a song, a piece of artwork, a photo, a Mary Worth, or something to further justify your click and to give the trolls a little more ammo. Today, offspring from an Art Jam:
OK, I've had it...
I'm tired of seeing the jazz acts that I like adding vocalists to boost sales and allow for crossover interest. Particle's album Launchpad is one of my favorite records ever, so they fire their great guitar player Charlie Hitchcock and bring on two guitarists who sing. Then they don't release an album for years and bounce around, changing members so that the band doesn't even feel the same anymore.
Galactic, solid band and phenomenal when they don't have someone shouting out JAZZ 101 vocals is another offender. Jazz certainly CAN feature vocals, as evidenced by Ella Fitzgerald and many others... but the kind of jazz that bands like Galactic and their brethren do isn't as conducive towards having a singer and it kills the quality the music has in terms of providing a smooth backdrop to work, relaxation, or whatever ills music cures for you. Words distract when you listen to instrumental stuff intentionally for the lack of them.
Now The New Mastersounds have done it. After a nearly perfect album in This is What We Do and a very good one in 102%, they've released an album (Plug and Play) with a chick singing on it. It makes my head sad.
In this digital world, why not release instrumental and vocal versions of albums? At least when it comes to music not typically built for vocals. It'd make me a lot nicer to be around, that's for sure.
- Nick Nunziata wants jazz to be instrumental!
Before I go, here's the latest thing I'm adding to the blog. Each day I blog I'll have a song, a piece of artwork, a photo, a Mary Worth, or something to further justify your click and to give the trolls a little more ammo. Today, offspring from an Art Jam:
Art by Andrea Rothe, idea by Sean Fahey.
