Nels Cline & Larry Ochs, part 1

[hottcuppajoe]

I feel like I'm hearing a conversation between two brilliant aliens discussing quantum physics.

[SpencerTrinwith]

JAZZTASTIC

[nicolasrivera]

This is way to advanced for kids.... way too advanced.

[JacobAPeck]

2:30...



[uncasist]

I played this stuff (improv) for almost ten years in SF late '80's-late '90's. Most of the time it is fun to play, boring to listen. It CAN be amazing, but this ain't much.

[GrowTheCaine]

Everyone needs to calm down your missing the video.

[lexo30]

Nobody *has* to like this music. Jesus, if we had to like every single piece of music ever made, life would be impossible. I like it because I get a sense of the musicians carving it out on the spot, and because the musicians are successfully communicating something to me - maybe cos I am familiar with this sort of music and so the lack of melody and a verse/chorus structure doesn't come to me as a nasty surprise. I also love how Nels, a phenomenal musician, makes it look so fuckin' easy...

[4rescue]

Nels always kills me with his highwater pants... HAHAHAHAHA Been a fan for a LONG time, but I always find new stuff to amaze me. This video is one of those things...

[apv565]

Dimitri, tráeme la Kalashnikov.

[MjXllcommando]

Never considered myself a fan of free jazz, but holy damn! that was awesome.

[MrTokaikid]

After reading thru all the comments about this performance, I must say It is interesting that the people who like this are telling the the people who don't to open up their ears, that this isn't "chewing gum"music. Perhaps those people should be as "open" to the opinions of the the non likers of this music as they want the non likers to be to this performance...But then what the f*&k do I know, I just posted three comments in a row...who does that? hmm

[MrTokaikid]

did I actually say WEAR are those red floodwaters...hmmm

[MrTokaikid]

about the only thing missing is a daisy coming out of Larrys horn and one small braid in his hair...Nels wear are those red foodwater pants I really dig(i really do) ha,ha. Come on whiners if you spent 7 1/2 minutes watching this you must have liked something about it...I know i did. Lets not try to find some deep intellectual meaning to all of this...cause there isn't one, it's just two guys doing what they do.

[rollerblaker]

larry wiggle toes

[jjllooee]

"The more one studies the harmony of music, and then studies human nature,how people agree and how they disagree,

how there is attraction and repulsion, the more one will see that it is all music."

- Hazrat Inayat Khan

(from Nels Cline's website)

[NoGoats]

they have an interesting conversation.

[skoolrulezforeva]

Never have I ever seen a fucking sax player with sandals on...

[mookooable]

Another collection of knuckleheads who couldn't be bothered to work on things like scales, arpeggios, tone, phrasing, etc. You know, the things you need to make music. Actually, this is pretty insulting to jazz musicians who are actually making an effort. Folks like O.Coleman, A. Ayler, etc. were unfortunate for jazz b/c they basically set a standard that said, "Anyone can do this. Just express yourself." Well, what that approach yields is pretty obvious: garbage.

[NoGoats]

you say you know what Jazz is concretely..?

Huge respect guy...more than 500 million people in this world could tell you the same.

[mookooable]

@NoGoats 10-4, good buddy, I wrote that all down.

[Igotbadjoints]

Clangers do jazz..!

[Igotbadjoints]

Sounds Like the clangers Took up Music..........Cool Daddyo..!

[Burfyboy92]

Jazz otherwise known as musical wanking :/

If people have to explain how dynamic and amazing a piece of music is then, I;m sorry but that composer/musician has failed. If you have to be in jazz inner circles to understand the music again its failed. I look at all these comments from apparently educated (google addicts) people going mad at the people who say it as it is, I'm sorry it sounds bad no matter how much you say how the composer inspires you to see this, reminds me a lot of abstract art

[brw0044]

@Burfyboy92 haha I don't care what you want to call it I like it. if you don't then you don't. I'm tired of reading other peoples' opinions put forth as absolutes on youtube. people get downright violent when arguing about "experimental" music. for lack of a better term. it's quite sad.

[GPMusicc]

why did they clap

[jeffn411]

I love how Nels Cline's guitar playing remind's me of Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind! Cool stuff.

[sixteenman]

¿PERO ESTO QUE ES,UNA TOMADURA DE PELO? UN SIMIO EN ESTADO DE EMBRIAGUEZ PODRIA TOCAR ALGO MAS COHERENTE.y pensar que hay intelectuales de esos que van con gafas de concha que no han tocado un instrumento en su vida y que defienden semejante fiasco.Esto es una broma de mal gusto.Ni como payasos tienen gracia.Señores...por favor,seamos serios,que hay muchos músicos talentosos faltos de oportunidades para mostrar al mundo su arte y farsantes como estos les están usurpando el puesto.

[comalito]

@sixteenman Cuando Picasso presentó, en 1907, su obra, "Les demoiselles de Avignon" recibió criticas que lo invitaban a dejar la pintura y se volviera caricaturista, entre otras cosas; el trabajo artístico precedido de Picasso lo hacia un excelente COPISTA, a decir de los críticos por tal obra podía ser llamado entonces "artista" paradigma que rompió, explicar la trascendencia de la obra es largo y complicado tanto como explicar porqué Ochs llegó a tal solución acústica. Responde sin insultos.

[PlasterPirate]

Is this one of those "shreds" videos?

[JusticieroDeLaMuerte]

Freak & weird... definitely not the kind of music I listen to.

[franciscojosesax]

Esto no es jazz, es música contemporánea. Como bien dice Winton Marsalis el jazz ,es jazz por que tiene una base rítmica característica y un determinado swin.

[potencia87]

Esto es arte! JAJAJAJAJAJA

Como se rien de la gente, ese cepillo de dientes es tremendo!

[getkristan]

This music is not really speaking to me. And you folks who say people who dont appreciate this are stupid and/or don't understand music really piss me off. What bugs me about this music is that the genre is tired and played out. There is nothing these two are doing that wasn't being done 30 or 40 (100?) years ago. The genre (avant garde/atonal) is resistant to change almost by definition. I watch this and see something as formulaic as 12-bar blues. (PS Cline is one of my fave guitarists!)

[Nightwizard17]

@getkristan i used to think kindda like you, few weeks ago, someone gave me tickets to see nels cline singers, man, i was blown away. this maybe this is not music to apreciate on a video on youtube, because it is all about the ambience and the energy of the moment.

also, if you can, check "something about david h" by nels cline singers. beautiful song.

cheers!

[Roswellsounds]

@Nightwizard17 Nice. You gotta love those cultural, philosophycal "turning points". Things that you didn´t understand yesterday, now drawn your attention towards something interesting,fresh,like moving to a new house...

I have a keyword for that: CURIOSITY.

[Nightwizard17]

@Roswellsounds totally agree man.

[Roswellsounds]

@getkristan Great comment,man...Finally someone who realizes! But you must know, if you play this music, the difficulties presented in this (huuuge) genre. Nothing new under the sun since A.Braxton,Firth, the late ´Trane.

I tell you, it gets hard to play if you try to come up with something new & meaningful. Those questions drove me off the "free improv" thing a couple years ago. Now, the need to find answers made me return. Seems hard, since every single angle has been exploited. Or not?

[getkristan]

@Roswellsounds Im sorry to say... but every single angle *has* indeed been exploited. :) Trying to make an original musical statement is about as hard as trying to be an original painter. What are you gonna do? Luckily, about 80 percent of the music-buying populace recycles every 5-7 years, or we would all be quite jaded. Then again.. if it makes your soul smile, you are doing it right.

[Roswellsounds]

@getkristan I don´t need lectures, you know? Smile while you´re working... Sounds great! But impossible for me, and the money is inexistent in this kind of music,so... "Musical statement"?? Pompous mastur-bullshit for the wannabe artist (ergo: retarded)

Anyway, I agree with you,man. It´s like hearing myself. And you must know, it´s really tough to function when one realizes those facts. Yes, FACTS. Seriousness is not a possitive trait in our age. Want to smile? Alan Moore got a few ideas...

[BenjaminCole23]

@getkristan whhaaaat?? yeah dude, totally doing this type of stuff in 1910. hahaha let alone the 80's.

[brw0044]

@getkristan I wouldn't go so far as to call it as formulaic as 12 bar blues but I do understand your opinion. and you're right the whole elitist attitude is played out. but you know...these guys are just jammin' and having a good time doing it. thats really all that matters

[NoGoats]

best music in the world. Some people pretend to act stupidly and heartless.

<go away if you think music is something specific....only in your dreams.

[Dangaard1975]

no lo pillo

[rotolo]

its not jazz haha its free expression like 2 kids showg you what they can do with the same toy they have had for 20-30 years, peace i didnt like 1 year ago, i love it now!

[TheCardiacShakespear]

Those who find it necessary to come up with a reason not to like this music only do so because they're afraid of the fact that its rampant atonality and lack of a coherent structure reminds them too much of their own minds.

People who have organized, well-planned thoughts and lives are drawn to this without fear, and are likewise much more likely to shun highly-structured, easily-listenable music.

[aiwassiva]

trendy BS for aging hipsters. you can dress this "post modern" pseudo intellectual crap up in as many adjectives as you want, it still sucks. there's just nothing of substance to digest here.

[melkins1778]

@aiwassiva There is a difference between 'suck' and not likining something. It ain't your thing; fine, but highly doubt you have the knowledge to know the difference between atonality and doorknob. Most people hate and lash out at things they don't understand. As far as it being trendy....what planet do you live on?

[MarsMar23]

Beautiful Improvised/Creative Music...this guys are two faces of the pos-modern music ...people who don't understand this...should be in silence...this is for fans...not for people who just want to listen chewing gum music.

[whoiscuriousgeorge]

It's avant garde based on jazz, and yes, it's music. I think it's probably too atonal for most listeners used to catchy melodies and breezy radio production, and not the kind of thing you can listen to that often, but there's definately value in it. Certainly more value than another generic band cloning the sound of another, "follow the leader" style. That's just what I think.

[ipodguy196]

I enjoy it but it ain't for everyone.

[apv565]

now i believe in the censure.

[zackpliskin]

That's an awesome noise. Reminds me of "Hair Pie Bake #1" from Trout Mask Replica.

[mindisaction]

This prove that Spanish is a democratic country, although underdeveloped...

In other places someone were shooted him!!!. In the name of mental health.

[azgas]

esto es el calentamiento! despues empiezan... :0)

[Llamaranta]

dos amigos haciendo ruido en el garaje

[cadenato]

nojazz new style. esto es. NOJAZZ

[mrdog66]

I love it some Spanish punter called the police when the festival people refused to give him his money back.

It's not Jazz, not my cup of tea, each to their own.

This stuff gives me a headache, it's really very self indulgent. Just my opinion though.

[gluntford]

THIS IS NOT JAZZ I WANT MY MONEY BACK

[dopietzsche]

@gluntford i see, another expert...XD On the other hand, L. Armstrong said somethin similar bout bebop back in 40´... Kiss my jass, stick-in-the-mud buddy ... "none of them can stop the time..."

[TheQuestionOfEvil]

Is this one of those "Shreds" videos?

[incitatux]

when I´m begining to play guitar like that I can feel sick in my head

[Hakstarr]

WTF is this?!?!?! To be honest, this isn't Jazz at all!!!! I'd classify it as Experimental, if anything!

Jazz is suppose to be easy on the ear... This sounds worse than someone gouging your eardrums out! OMG!

[BoundtoUnwound]

(I may regret initiating interaction here...) did somebody tell you this was jazz? Do you define your life in every way by what its... 'supposed' to be? You're painfully (and I mean it hurt a bit right underneath my ribcage) bland assessment of this as 'experimental' is laughable. Thanks for trying, though (? I don't know what to say here). Try approaching it a few different ways. Just a suggestion.

[Hakstarr]

(Oh... I think someone has come out of their ivory tower... But it's in brackets so I won't offend anyone)... But really... Did my opinion piss you off that much?

Critics say he's jazz and tbh they pretty much cocked up in explaining his style...

Let me define what experimental is: When you experiment (stating the obvious for you just to help you out) with a style OR creating and original sound.

[Hakstarr]

But I'm not going to turn this into some sort of musical argument, I'll just leave it to personal OPINION like anybody else.

(I meant "an original sound" ...just to clear that up for your pedantic persona)

[BoundtoUnwound]

I wasn't that insulted (this is the internet). He does touch on jazz, but leave it to critics to typecast the world. I suppose I am the semantic-pedantic; experimental is just SO vague and too many people throw it around. I guess I was surprised at how much you disliked this... was it at least interesting?

[oldlampsfornew]

@Hakstarr

"Jazz is suppose to be easy on the ear"

sorry, what? since when? not all jazz is nat king cole smooth ballads for sitting in your lazyboy with some bourbon on a rainy evening

[BoundtoUnwound]

Nels is easily one of the most creative guitar players my ears have tasted and a deeply personal favorite. It always surprises me the amount of people who seem so immediately opposed to modern creative and structured improvisational musics. There are so many angles to approach it and something "interesting" is certainly of more value to me that something "familiar". also to note: The Atavistic release of Larry Ochs and duo drumming from Scott Amendola and Don Robinson is a treat!

[curleysloth]

Some damn ignorant pricks post here. Makes me wish I never scrolled down. Who spends their day seeking out forms of musical expression with which they do not relate at all, for the mere purpose of trashing it? Why don't you turn on some Coldplay and shut the fuck up?

[badrille]

Contemporary music: it's a new aesthetic religion for the ones who comprehend crap.

[repete86]

I wonder how many Wilco fans showed up becuase of Nels Cline and got this instead.

[Rafescow]

brilliant... not

[curleysloth]

@Rafescow Holy crap. Did you just make that joke up? That is so funny... not!

Wow, that really works. You don't mind if I steal that one do you?

[potencia87]

Qué cara más dura! joojojojojoj

[NazguL2]

me parto el ojal

[austinsaxmansteve]

Crap, crap, crap.

[apv565]

wtf, vaya mierda

[pedvilar]

This is not music, just noise. Seeing this video I think that Napoleon was wrong when he said that music is the less annoying of noises because this proves that some musics are worse than it.

[vinopeleon2]

9 Diciembre 2009. Sigüenza.

Un espectador denuncia a un músico de jazz por no tocar jazz.

Le tenían que haber metido en la carcel.

(a Larry Ochs, por supuesto)

[Euranisland]

Dios, la verdad es que no hace falta ser Guardia Civil pa descubrir que esto es un jazz raro raaaro raaaaro xDDDD

Comprendo al espectador ;S

[NoGoats]

le tenían que haber metido en la cárcel a Larry Ochs...?

tu estas mal de la cabeza chaval...espabila y madura.

A ti te tenían que quitar los ojos para que empiece a funcionar tu mente.

[GarmTyrfingsson]

If that's music I'm marty macfly

[NoGoats]

If you are intelligent, I am you mother.

[mutbrain]

@GarmTyrfingsson

Hi, Marty!

[Zapacito]

@GarmTyrfingsson Come on, guy... Open your mind and destroy it

[dariano2541]

Nels has command over a guitar like no one else. There are some seriously incredible moments here for sure.

[Vader12Tater12]

nels cline is a beast...

what is that thing he pulls out at 2:30

[cooks95]

Hmmm, now that's music

[Laiden12]

it seems as though the two are having a conversation about something through intrument.

[DavidBolg]

Sorry you don't like my comment ,No Goats. I see you have over 1,700 views, but zero subscribers.Should this fact tell you something? Perhaps not, but the rest of us understand completely.

[NoGoats]

hahahah sounds like Sun Ra in his best years!

[Obiwannabe]

Nells with a jag yesss!

[VinzGuitar]

Genius ! This is for Poetry !

[Eddie239]

so gay

[Soul74]

You are?

[livery9]

David Blog is a fucking idiot. This is amazing and beautiful on many levels.  I love this music and it's much more creative than placing bottles in circle you ignorant sac you.

[DavidBolg]

What about this is even remotely interesting? It's reminiscent of of yet another art installation piece consisting of a bunch of bottles arranged in a circle on the floor and a bunch of people pretending that it's something meaningful. Marcel Duchamp version 888,889. Anyone can do this. Why? Because it sucks.

[zerg47]

It sucks for you because your ears are still closed.

I used to be like you. But once you learn to abandon yourself to music, the true value of pieces like this appears. And then trying to "understand" music become meaningless. My advice is: listen more John Coltrane albums (especially later ones).

I think it's a good performance; they are obviously playing together. It's strange and relaxing, like a dream. Pieces like that bring me in another reality. And that's all I ask.

[austinsaxmansteve]

Nothing gets rid of unwanted visitors like "Interstellar Space."

[KnittingRam]

you are entitled to your opinion.. But I disagree that anyone can do this.. Most musicians can't improv for shit..

[kevagonia]

some people said the same thing about ornette coleman. and they were also wrong. you know, these guys are hugely talented, this is just one form of music that Nels plays, he is very capable.

[rickybojangles]

sounds good to me mr. blog. you are free to go elsewhere. but there's room in this world for many different modes of expression. i see no relation to duchamp. could you explain?

[NoGoats]

you are such an ignorant, you know that?

[fuzzstrat]

It's a shame that this performance in the original interview is mono, not stereo. :(