Bill in Dayton:… the dis-respect you are showing this guy is rude. For a player who has shared "Strauss waltzes, military marches, polkas, and even the William Tell Overture" with the masses, I'd expect a different approach .

Lucky: I like to think of myself as outspoken, blunt, and a straight-shooter!. Besides, no one ever died from an overdose of “rude.” We’re all grown adults now. But, if you really want to see “rude,“ jump in your car and take a spin to where I live. The folks around here would put me to shame and make me sound like Little Lord Fauntleroy.

Bill in Dayton: I do not know you, but I'm guessing you are older than I. (I'm 48) You have seen & heard things I have not.

Lucky: Yes, Bill, I’m older than 48, and...a BIG yes...I have probably seen and heard things you have not.

Bill in Dayton: The young man who is the subject of this thread seems quite comfortable in his own musical skin and beyond that, who really cares? So what if he's making $$$$ on NYE? What we make or don't make on NYE is a clear indication of only what you'll deposit in the bank later on...

Lucky: This was not about whether he makes money or not at what he’s doing. My original question was simply: “Tell me what YOU think of his playing separate from his rapport with the audience?” Making music for delivering shoddy workmanship is fodder for another thread.

Lucky: Do you honestly believe he got hired for New Year’s Eve at $700 for two hours the instant he called an agent with his demo’s? Further, do you honestly believe everyone in this group tells the truth about their bookings?

Bill in Dayton: “A suggestion...find yourself a recording of Claire De Lune and listen to it 3-4 times in a row.”

Lucky: I’ll go with that, Bill. I do it regularly. “Music soothes the savage beast!”

Thanks for your post.

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Ianmcnll: “Personally, I like this tune better…”

Lucky: You got that one right. When all else fails, listen to a Muppet mega-mix melody.

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Bill in Dayton: “You/I/We can collectively all wish the world had different musical sensibilities, but for any of us to "decide" what the "positive direction" musically is, isn't our place.
For some, musical beauty is found in the works of the Classics...some find it in the blues...some find it in Broadway scores and so on.
I think, to try and reverse the dumbing down as some call it, it a fool's errand with only frustration at the end of the quest...

Lucky: Bill, I’m sorry but I have to disagree here about trying to reverse the “dumbing down” effect. You can’t keep taking from the System. You need to put something back in. It’s like this: would you keep withdrawing your money from your bank account without re-depositing something? Surely not, or you would eventually be broke. The same with music. One needs to keep reintroducing “good” MUSIC (notice I capitalized it) to the general public as compared to “putting something together and going on a cruise ship and just building up your assets with tips!” That’s selfish.

Now look at Hellboy’s demo. THAT rocks! He’s also making money, but he’s giving back at the same time. They spent time practicing their instruments, they know how to play their instruments, they took the time to choose great tasty selections, memorized their words, and they’re having the same rapport with the audience. I call that UN-dumbing and “giving back to the System.”

Remember, I’ve also worked as a DJ for quite a few years. I’ve observed my audience as I play generational music. Contemporary music does nothing for them. But when I go to the 80’s and before, they start to come alive. This also is called UN-dumbing and we need to see more of this.

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Kingfrog: “You cannot "force your art and culture" on anyone. Quality music is in the "ear of the beholder" not the creator. You can play Gershwin, Brubeck, Mozart, Kahn all day long but those days have passed and unless you are playing what YOUR audience wants to hear they will not pay to hear you and or go away not liking your work no matter how many years you studied or Music degrees one has.
I loved Jon Lord in Deep Purple. I cannot stomach his work very long today.”

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Lucky: You don’t “force” your art and culture” on anyone. You just “introduce” them to and “remind” them of the really great music in the world and leave the water to find it’s own mark.

I’ve been doing this grade school party for the last 12 years as a DJ. Every year I try to come up with new ideas for games. I decided this time to put together a medley of different dances (Fox Trot for warmup, a waltz, cha-cha, tango, merengue, Mexican Hat Dance, etc) and call it simply the “Dance Contest.” The kids use their parents as partners. I was a little apprehensive about doing it, but they hung onto it and didn’t let go for the whole 12 songs. I do this at many events now. If done right, it leaves everyone exhilarated (and tired).

I view my job as making people aware there was “real” music before R&B, rap, & Hip-Hop came along. Performing is not just about making money.

BTW: My own definition of music is anything heard where simultaneous sounds are produced in harmony and can interact naturally with the receptors in your brain, and that has enough of a melody you can hum it afterwards. Like someone said here...contemporary music is just a series of loops and words. It’s not music at all...it’s “noise!”

BTW 2: Jon is my original B-3 organ hero and Deep Purple on of my favorite bands. I’m still listening to Highway Star, Smoke on the Water, Flight of the Rat, I’m A Leo, Lazy, etc. Those guys put out an incredible sound. I saw DP in person at one of their shows in London.

Lucky