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Blueranger
Has it occured to you, that I am actually trying to defend Charlie, here?
On his own merits he is great, but placed in the wrong context, he is viewed as a wannabe. People and critics at the concert, was not informed by the actual facts that Charlie is not the kind of drummer that jazz-aficionado's are praising.
And on the other hand, who were they trying to fool? Being a lover and player of straight jazz, is one thing. Another is to be able to play what certain parts demands and both Charlie and the big band did not benefit each other.
Here is an excerpt from a review in the danish newspaper Information:
"Rolling Stone With Support-Teatcher"
by Peter H. Larsen
There are certain reports that Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts spent Friday in Copenhagen to hear Jan Kaspersen in Jazz Cup and afterwards to examine the place of supply of CDs with Gus Johnson, Count Basie's drummer in the early 50s. Seen through the eyes jazz is this celebrity that is prima facie a 'nice guy'. But it is also precisely this far you can stretch. One must indeed be much more than a nice guy, if you have to meet the requirements of a modern big band drummer, and none of the requirements honored Watts when he Saturday night appeared in DR's concert as a guest with the DR Big band.
And let's just get it over: He revealed a fundamental lack of authority in his game that he would hardly have been able to pass through some of the amateur auditions, which so often occur in the same DR-house. Therefore, he was surrounded by two support teachers, partly his own English tentets bassist Dave Green - an excellent musician with a rock-solid beat - partly DR Big Bands regular drummer, Søren Frost, who had to play all the accents and fills that Watts missed. Frost possesses all the power and feel for each title's uniqueness that Watts is missing, and although Frost can now boast at his next dinner party, that the other day was playing alongside Charlie Watts, so it should be that Watts, should go home to London and boast that he has met Søren Frost.
The music's pulse
Also in a Gerry Mulligan-inspired quartet number revealed Watts - with brushes - so great helplessness in the final chase chorus that it screamed to the sky (heard in the foyer from Alex Riel: "It must be his age. Remember, he is only a year younger than me! "), and it was only in two movements from Watts 'own tribute to Elvin Jones," Elvin Suite' that one sensed that the power of the music emanated from him - although he here rather sounded like Gene Krupa than as Jones.[Ending of Extract]
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maumau
And so this Peter H. Larsen is of course the Bible on which to "defend" Charlie Watts "own merits". Dare I say Charlie need not to be defended from this? Oh my the Purists..Quote
Blueranger
Has it occured to you, that I am actually trying to defend Charlie, here?
On his own merits he is great, but placed in the wrong context, he is viewed as a wannabe. People and critics at the concert, was not informed by the actual facts that Charlie is not the kind of drummer that jazz-aficionado's are praising.
And on the other hand, who were they trying to fool? Being a lover and player of straight jazz, is one thing. Another is to be able to play what certain parts demands and both Charlie and the big band did not benefit each other.
Here is an excerpt from a review in the danish newspaper Information:
"Rolling Stone With Support-Teatcher"
by Peter H. Larsen
There are certain reports that Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts spent Friday in Copenhagen to hear Jan Kaspersen in Jazz Cup and afterwards to examine the place of supply of CDs with Gus Johnson, Count Basie's drummer in the early 50s. Seen through the eyes jazz is this celebrity that is prima facie a 'nice guy'. But it is also precisely this far you can stretch. One must indeed be much more than a nice guy, if you have to meet the requirements of a modern big band drummer, and none of the requirements honored Watts when he Saturday night appeared in DR's concert as a guest with the DR Big band.
And let's just get it over: He revealed a fundamental lack of authority in his game that he would hardly have been able to pass through some of the amateur auditions, which so often occur in the same DR-house. Therefore, he was surrounded by two support teachers, partly his own English tentets bassist Dave Green - an excellent musician with a rock-solid beat - partly DR Big Bands regular drummer, Søren Frost, who had to play all the accents and fills that Watts missed. Frost possesses all the power and feel for each title's uniqueness that Watts is missing, and although Frost can now boast at his next dinner party, that the other day was playing alongside Charlie Watts, so it should be that Watts, should go home to London and boast that he has met Søren Frost.
The music's pulse
Also in a Gerry Mulligan-inspired quartet number revealed Watts - with brushes - so great helplessness in the final chase chorus that it screamed to the sky (heard in the foyer from Alex Riel: "It must be his age. Remember, he is only a year younger than me! "), and it was only in two movements from Watts 'own tribute to Elvin Jones," Elvin Suite' that one sensed that the power of the music emanated from him - although he here rather sounded like Gene Krupa than as Jones.[Ending of Extract]
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DandelionPowderman
Why does it matter that he is viewed upon differently? No one knows better than Charlie himself that he would be. In spite of this, he sticks his neck out, and does what he thinks is great fun. And he learns a lot in the process, too.
A win-win-situation, imo. People from other genres, wanting to do something in another genre always get dissed. Read the YouTube-comments of Keith singing Nearness Of You with the Stones. «He destroys the song» etc...
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DandelionPowderman
Why does it matter that he is viewed upon differently? No one knows better than Charlie himself that he would be. In spite of this, he sticks his neck out, and does what he thinks is great fun. And he learns a lot in the process, too.
A win-win-situation, imo. People from other genres, wanting to do something in another genre always get dissed. Read the YouTube-comments of Keith singing Nearness Of You with the Stones. «He destroys the song» etc...
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BluerangerQuote
DandelionPowderman
Why does it matter that he is viewed upon differently? No one knows better than Charlie himself that he would be. In spite of this, he sticks his neck out, and does what he thinks is great fun. And he learns a lot in the process, too.
A win-win-situation, imo. People from other genres, wanting to do something in another genre always get dissed. Read the YouTube-comments of Keith singing Nearness Of You with the Stones. «He destroys the song» etc...
If he was not "Charlie Watts", no one would have ever cared. The big band licked his a** because he is a celebrity (I am a Dane, and I have insider-info).
I think it is most unfortunate being Charlie, making a fool of yourself just because you have a passion and on the other hand being a big band trying to make a buck because you can get your name associated with a star who is not in the slightest way accomplished to do what is aquired. My opinion anyway. Move on.