smoking cigarettes and coffee loudly

[raybear]

I don't really have anything to write about, but I felt compelled to open the window anyway, since I had a few minutes at work to shirk.

Yesterday I gave into temptation and bought a 2-CD 'best of' from Instinct Records' "This is Acid Jazz" series. This is a genre of music that I spontaneously decided to learn about my sophmore year in college. I can't remember at all what cause me to choose it, other than I was trying to format a radio show and needed an area of music that's received little or no commercial airplay. Perhaps I was also looking for a lesser known subset of jazz, since I knew I couldn't compete with the geeks/geniuses who produced the jazz programming. I basically went online and read everything I could get a hold of in the form of music and band reviews, as well as "brief history" of the genre. I also learned which labels to avoid (specifically, most bands on the "Acid Jazz" label are NOT really acid jazz), and which areas of Europe produced which sound (I'm partial to portuguese sounds). I also prefer bands that tend to have more of a "neo-funk" sound, if you will, and less of the "smooth jazz" restaurant vibe.

It's one of the few areas of music interest in my life that I share with NO one. Not that people hate it, but I don't know anyone who likes it and knows it and could talk shop about it. Though strangely enough, DJ Pussy Galore mentioned an artist when we were talking a few weeks ago. Almost out of the blue, she was like "have you heard of Jhelisa?" and I nearly fell over. But that was the only artist she knew of, and had heard of it through a friend. So I couldn't really ask her if she thought the James Taylor Quartet were quasi-hacks or just enjoyable mediocrity. Or if she preferred experimental Brooklyn Funk Essentials or their more basic style. Or if she prefers New York groups to London groups, and why does everyone else get the shaft and labelled 'world music' just cause they sing in spanish?

But strangely enough, I don't feel particularly compelled to seek out these conversations either. I'm sure it'd be pretty easy for me to join a listserv or find a bulletin board. For the most part I'm fine without it. I'll just keep on surfing the used bins for the occasional compilation album since I don't typically throw down for imports.

Maybe I'll just make a mixtape for myself. I haven't done that in a long time -- I'm so busy giving them away.

Comments

[hissyfit.livejournal.com]

i know what it is, and i like it, but i couldn't talk shop about it. i like the genre, but i couldn't name artists. sorry, music guru.

what she said...

[geechee.livejournal.com]

although i do know of the brooklyn funk essentials and jhelisa. every once in a while they play her on V103. she has an amazing voice.

Re: what she said...

[raybear.livejournal.com]

i need to listen to V103 more often, i think. i go through these phases where i want to consume pop music, listening to gci or b96 at work. but then, much like having cookies for breakfast every day for a week, i start to feel nauseous and need to start listening to something more nourishing.

for some reason i sometimes feel drawn to that newer station, 'the drive' (97.1?). it's like lite classic rock.

Re: what she said...

[geechee.livejournal.com]

i like listening to V103 at night for the quiet storm because they play all the old school dusties and other jams. that's when i've heard them play jhelisa. i haven't listened to the drive yet. i like the loyola student station, terri hemmert's show on xrt and wbez's jazz and blues shows. sometimes i listen to b96 for fun but after an hour of that i want to shoot myself or something.

[ex-fish.livejournal.com]

I had a random sampling of This is Acid Jazz on my computer at work back when I worked at the university. I don't remember how I came across it but I enjoyed it, if I recall. Leastways, while you're making that mixtape for yourself.. remember, 99% of Kansas Lesbians who work at Kwik Shop and are named Chris listen to tapes at work.