From: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org (basia-digest) To: basia-digest@smoe.org Subject: basia-digest V11 #124 Reply-To: basia@smoe.org Sender: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-basia-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "basia-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. basia-digest Wednesday, December 20 2006 Volume 11 : Number 124 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: OT - Peter White [PerfectCaravan@aol.com] Re: OT - Peter White [Bill Roberts ] Re: OT - Peter White [Bill Roberts ] Re: OT - Peter White catfight [Paxety Pages ] Re: OT - Peter White catfight [Leslie Osborn ] Re: OT - Peter White ["Dennis J. Majewicz" ] Re: OT - Peter White [J3SITE@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 10:52:10 EST From: PerfectCaravan@aol.com Subject: Re: OT - Peter White In a message dated 12/18/2006 11:49:18 P.M. Central Standard Time, marzenie_99@yahoo.com writes: I'm glad someone out there has a perfect world! Good for him! I'd also like one day for you not be on this list solely to hit people with this stuff whenever we have discussions of PW. Give an arguement with some meat to it, not just flowery superlatives and veiled insults. Argue the music. Not the person. I'm sorry Leslie, if you think I insulted you, that was not intended. And I did argue the music, through every response sent. I have a problem with people not taking the time to listen to the music before offering criticism, that's all. Peter's music is not so simple that it can be judged in a CD spin or two. My point in this was if one knows his MUSIC (and not the person), you'll hear the gradual maturation of his style and artistry...from YOTC to LWNY to Reveillez and Glow. Every single one of these projects shows some kind of progressive evolution. It can be in usages of harmonies, dynamics, technique (some new ones on this album), inspirations......every time Peter White has put a guitar or accordion or keyboard to any project that is to be promoted for sale, there has been something new or at least innovative in it's delivery. So, there's my point and it is an argument on his music and not his person. There are no veiled insults, I'm much more direct than that. I would agree with you that there's much more in that person's composing and musical soul that needs to come out and it will.........and does each time he produces something. I guess it's not as apparent to the listening audience as it is to perhaps someone who has studied his music for many hours. I've often said that most people have no idea what a musical genius he is.....Danny's brother or not. But I won't accept that his music has become stagnant or repressed. Simply not true. As to charting, yes, it's very publicly driven, especially on requests for spins on radio stations. And I take no exception to how it's measured.....if it brings him the exposure to continue writing, covering, performing, side-manning; these are all opportunities to hear something very wonderful musically. It's all part of the package and how it's marketed and again, I'm just grateful to have the opportunity to hear it. You can try to hold it against me that I'm his FC prez and I'd have a skewed view, or that it would be an expectation for me to stand up for Peter and if that's the way chosen to view this, then nothing will sway it. I don't need to defend my reasoning. I will always defend quality music or at least something that challenges the music lover to stop and think and feel. Playin' Favorites gives every listener that opportunity. J ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:24:09 -0500 From: Bill Roberts Subject: Re: OT - Peter White Too many times a cover is not that much different from the original, meaning the style, tempo, instruments used, etc. In that case, what's the point? If someone has a different interpretation of the song and it's interesting, then I am all for it. Bill Quoting Kamille : > > Has anyone heard the Al Jarreau/George Benson disc yet? They cover "Summer > Breeze," "God Bless the Child", "Ordinary People," "Every Time You Go > Away," etc. It's always interesting to hear someone talented interpret a > song. > > Kamille ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 11:36:07 -0500 From: Bill Roberts Subject: Re: OT - Peter White Quoting Leslie Osborn : > Argue the > music. > Not the person. > > --Leslie O. Good advice. Could have used that advice a few years ago on this list. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:23:39 -0500 From: Paxety Pages Subject: Re: OT - Peter White catfight I went to the library today - I was looking for a copy of The Nutcracker, something I had been unable to find in stores. In fact, I was surprised to see how few CDs are for sale in the stores. I guess no one else actually goes to the store to buy CDs anymore, either. Anyway, in looking under the section "Holiday Music", in typical library filing fashion, I found first, Spike Jones, then Victor Wooten, then Peter White. I grabbed PW before finally finding Tchaikovsky. I, too, found a great deal of anger in myself after hearing "What Does It Take." Peter's guitar picking was OK, but that saxophone - ugh. What a limp wristed, no breath support, warbly rendition. Weak even for a Kenny G. clone. Compared to the original, it wallows in the mud. Jr. Walker played with fire, even on his more subdued songs, such as this one. He used proper breath support and dynamic emphasis and the bends and smears that the saxophone is capable of. Sam Riney, on the PW disc, honks lamely and warbles under his breath like a teenager's mumbled reply to a mother's question about grades. I recognize that a certain degree of blandness is associated with the Smooth Jazz genre, but there can still be passion. Listen to Hit The Road Jack - Peter plays with passion there. I will add that I don't know Peter White or Sam Riney or Paul Brown, so my above stated opinions are based solely on the music. un abrazo, juan ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 16:11:26 -0800 (PST) From: Leslie Osborn Subject: Re: OT - Peter White catfight I didn't really see it as a catfight- I'm far too calm to have participated in one! For what it's worth, and I think it's important to give a fair shake to the musicians perspective on this, this interview seems to have Peter on the preemptive defense about the concept: http://www.smoothjazznews.com/cover_story/index.html Key excerpts: "The famed smooth jazz guitarist recently scored his 14th No. 1 Radio & Records airplay hit with What Does It Take (To Win Your Love) from his new album, Playin Favorites. I know the music business is often geared around numbers and units sold, he says, but I rarely pay attention to cold statistics because looking at sales figures doesnt give me anything close to the thrill of fans telling me how much they like one of my songs, that it touched them or meant something special to them or even relaxes them. Im very appreciative of the success Ive had at radio, but really, what keeps any of us musicians going is the pat on the back from the fans who come up to us after the show. The interaction with people is what this is all about. and "In this time when instrumental cover songs are at an all time high on smooth jazz radio and so many artists are doing all cover albums, it might seem that White was simply jumping on the commercial bandwagon in recording Playin Favorites. Not only does he insist thats not the casehe says no one at his management or label even suggested he do a cover album but its actually a follow-up to a similarly themed album he put out in 1994. He says he was actually ahead of his time some 12 years ago when he released Reflections, an all-cover album which in recent years has become more popular now than when it was originally released. He says that back then, people told him it was a mistake to make this kind of album because nobody was making cover projects. Interestingly, he says, the shift in the format had something to do with its official (format) name change from new adult contemporary (NAC) to smooth jazz. Suddenly, cover songs and classic pop vocals were in, world music and new age were out, and everything changed dramatically. Which in a sense was good luck for me because The Closer I Get To You didnt make much of a splash initially but is now played all the time. I don't feel any differently about Playin' Favorites or on the issues it raises, but in the interest of fairness, there you go! - --Leslie O. PS- his daughter is adorable! Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 21:51:03 -0500 From: "Dennis J. Majewicz" Subject: Re: OT - Peter White Speaking of covers, this is the season for it, isn't it? How many different versions of "This Christmas" have you heard recently? Dennis - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Roberts" To: Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 11:24 AM Subject: Re: OT - Peter White > > Too many times a cover is not that much different from the original, > meaning > the style, tempo, instruments used, etc. In that case, what's the point? > If > someone has a different interpretation of the song and it's interesting, > then I > am all for it. > > Bill > > > Quoting Kamille : > >> >> Has anyone heard the Al Jarreau/George Benson disc yet? They cover >> "Summer >> Breeze," "God Bless the Child", "Ordinary People," "Every Time You Go >> Away," etc. It's always interesting to hear someone talented interpret >> a >> song. >> >> Kamille > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.15.24/592 - Release Date: > 12/18/2006 1:45 PM ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 23:17:40 EST From: J3SITE@aol.com Subject: Re: OT - Peter White Not to mention Jingle Bells. LOL Just kidding. ~Joe~ In a message dated 12/19/2006 10:20:29 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, majewicz@adelphia.net writes: Speaking of covers, this is the season for it, isn't it? How many different versions of "This Christmas" have you heard recently? Dennis ------------------------------ End of basia-digest V11 #124 ****************************