[Dixielandjazz] Cherokee

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

Hi Craig,
Your comment about Mozart practice exercises means I'll post my own earlier  
self-censored thoughts.  When I was 13 - 18, I lived next door to a kid  
trumpet player, minor prodigy, very talented, both of us in high school band--he  
was several years younger.  And he practiced all the time.  (I didn't.  LOL)  
Three seasons of the year in small town Missouri the  windows are open, plus 
there were lots of outdoor chores to be done.   Anyhow, I heard David practice A 
LOT.  Basically I enjoyed it-- even  when David was playing exercises, he was 
great.  But especially when I  listened to Wynton (more so than Sandoval) I 
had flashbacks of David.   When the drummer came in I felt he was like a fly 
bothering Wynton, but  ultimately (like a talented music therapist working with 
disorganized client  behavior), he pulled Wynton into some rhythm --again via 
my warped brain.   Someone else on the list heard it as the pianist being at a 
loss--I instead felt  he helped.  But overall I very much had the impression 
of Wynton playing  exercises, opening his eyes once in awhile, almost like 
getting his bearings  and playing some jazz.  Now I trust that other musical 
geniuses can  ride along on all those notes with Wynton--but I'm not one of them 
in this  case.
 
Now I will be misunderstood.  I have enormous admiration for Wynton,  his 
trumpet virtuosity, his capacity to play with great beauty and soul, his  
immeasurable contribution to jazz-recognition, what he has done and is doing to  
bring jazz education to the young, what he's done to bring hope and action back  
to New Orleans, his circular breathing, all of it.  It's simply that  Cherokee 
is a great tune to begin with.  I like it when the musician lets  me hear it 
one more time.  Lots of notes can be wonderful, but sometimes  they are a bunch 
more than I was "In the Mood" to hear.
 
That said, I'm all for different notes for different folks, so I'm pleased  
that there's an audience for all of it.
Ginny
 
In a message dated 2/1/2007 12:03:38 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
civanj at roadrunner.com writes:

Thanks  Ginny,

Despite my being a trumpet/cornet/flugelhorn player, I like that  
McLaughlin  one best.
A bit "virtuosic" for my taste, but it sure  hung together and was melodic.
The others were technically correct and  tremendously well played, but 
this one
spoke to me where they didn't. I  admire the hell out of Wynton and 
Sandoval as
trumpet players, but just  didn't dig their Cherokees. But then I think 
Mozart sounds
like a bunch  of  practice exercises, so what do I know.

Craig  Johnson