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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Inter,pre,ta,tion...What does This MEAN ?
Inter,pre,ta,tion...What does This MEAN ?
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Frank
5048 posts
Aug 06, 2014
7:25 AM
How do you interpret the (Duke Ellington) quote below?
---------------------------------------------------------

"The wise musicians are those who play what they can master."
The Iceman
1901 posts
Aug 06, 2014
8:13 AM
Contradicting quote from Miles Davis

"Play what you know and play next to what you know".
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The Iceman
Frank
5050 posts
Aug 06, 2014
8:20 AM
Would you please expound on that Larry - Go further in depth ( a paragraph or two ) describing how you personally understand the Duke quote? thank you :)
The Iceman
1902 posts
Aug 06, 2014
8:44 AM
Nope.

Thanks for asking.
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The Iceman
Frank
5051 posts
Aug 06, 2014
8:45 AM
Your welcome :) Anyone else?
Komuso
371 posts
Aug 06, 2014
8:46 AM
I got a pet monkey called Charlie Chan.
Jimi Hendrix

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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Frank
5052 posts
Aug 06, 2014
8:52 AM
Your gettin closer Paul - but still a boring answer, Next?

STME58
1017 posts
Aug 06, 2014
8:54 AM
Do we always want to hear music from wise musicians? I think reckless ones are more popular.

There is something to be said for sticking with your area of expertise. But if you want to expand your area of expertise you have to go outside it.

What does it mean to master something anyway? You can always improve and if there is room for improvement, do you really have it mastered?
Komuso
372 posts
Aug 06, 2014
8:56 AM
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

zzzzzzzzzzz

zzzzzzz

zzzzz

zzz

zz

z

.

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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
The Iceman
1903 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:08 AM
In regards to STME58's comments....

A reporter was interviewing Pablo Casals (who was in his late 80's) and asked if him if he still practices. When Pablo replied "yes", he was asked why....his answer -
"Because I feel I am making progress".

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The Iceman
Frank
5053 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:13 AM
58 thanks for your interpretation :) Anyone else?
Komuso
373 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:23 AM
How do you interpret the (Duke Ellington) quote below?
-------------------------------------------------------

"Art is dangerous. It is one of the attractions: when it ceases to be dangerous you don't want it."

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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Frank
5054 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:29 AM
Thanks :) keep trying?
2chops
277 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:32 AM
Regarding the quote by Duke, I think it refers to while you are on the bandstand at a gig. I once saw a Kim Wilson interview where he said that the bandstand is not the place to try new stuff. Stuff you haven't practiced and got a good grasp of.

My two yen.
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I'm workin on it. I'm workin on it.
Komuso
374 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:33 AM
I wasn't trying anything. I want you to interpret it!

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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Frank
5055 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:37 AM

Last Edited by Frank on Aug 06, 2014 9:46 AM
Dragonbreath
11 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:46 AM
Well if you want to go into detail, the two quotes aren't contradicting. The Duke said what you CAN master, not what you have already mastered. It's impossible to play only what you have mastered, because you have to play what you have not mastered in order to master it. So more logically the Duke was saying to play what you haven't mastered. IF you have mastered it, you don't have to play it anymore. But absolute perfection is impossible so for me the quote somewhat implies that one has made a reflection on what something next to perfection would sound like, and a belief you have the possibility to reach that mark.
So envision how you ultimately want to sound and believe in yourself. Or something, this is close to over analyzing now so I'll stop.
2chops
278 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:46 AM
For clarity, my answer was in regards to the first Duke quote in the OP. Komuso must have hit the post button just before I did.

OT...who ever came up with auto correct needs kicked in the teeth. Twice. Aarrrggghhh!
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I'm workin on it. I'm workin on it.
The Iceman
1905 posts
Aug 06, 2014
11:10 AM
Kim may have said that a bandstand is no place to try new stuff.

I disagree, as long as the competency of the musicians are of a high caliber.
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The Iceman
JustFuya
373 posts
Aug 06, 2014
3:39 PM
To paraphrase:

A musician's playing means nothing if it doesn't have that swing.
Komuso
376 posts
Aug 06, 2014
6:55 PM
“Many of the truths that we cling to depend on our point of view.”

- Yoda
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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Komuso
377 posts
Aug 06, 2014
6:57 PM
In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.

Yogi Berra (Yoda's mentor)

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Paul Cohen aka Komuso Tokugawa
HarpNinja - Your harmonica Mojo Dojo
Bringing the Boogie to the Bitstream
Frank
5064 posts
Aug 06, 2014
7:00 PM
When your horse dies, get off :)
BronzeWailer
1375 posts
Aug 06, 2014
7:32 PM
I will play the part of the Fool, then.

BronzeWailer's YouTube
davew
17 posts
Aug 06, 2014
8:20 PM
It took me many years (wisdom) to realize that to master
the music I had to play the music I really loved, music that was in my heart and soul, and to quit wasting time trying to get good at music that didn't move me.
nacoran
7904 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:06 PM
Write what you know- Mark Twain.

Applied to music I think it might be taken to mean to something similar- not that you shouldn't learn new things but that you should draw from what you know; absorb what is around you and use it, but don't fake it. Authenticity. Duke seems to be saying similar. In sports they talk about athletes playing within their abilities. If you are the slowest guy on the team, don't try to steal a base.

Know your limitations when you are performing. Ignore your limitations when you are practicing.

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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
STME58
1018 posts
Aug 06, 2014
9:53 PM
Twain on amateurs and practicing instruments.
Frank
5066 posts
Aug 07, 2014
3:52 AM
JustFuya
376 posts
Aug 07, 2014
5:59 AM
Repost from Mother's Day of YT comment on harp video:

 photo MomHarp_zpse7343f33.jpg
Honkin On Bobo
1227 posts
Aug 07, 2014
6:41 AM
I think nacoran nailed it, nice going nate.
STME58
1020 posts
Aug 07, 2014
3:04 PM
Frank, the Canadian Brass piece is wonderful. Both the music and the video presentation. I found the score is available for $35. I am tempted to buy it and take my brass quintet outside of our area of mastery.

I hope the neighbors don't burn us out!
BronzeWailer
1378 posts
Aug 07, 2014
3:27 PM
Plus one on the Twain piece.

I remember listening to the My Music quiz show on BBC radio years ago and one of the panellists was asked who the trombone player in his band was. He replied that this particular bandmate was more of a "trombone owner."

BronzeWailer's YouTube
nacoran
7908 posts
Aug 07, 2014
3:36 PM
Honkin, closing in on nearly 8000 posts, I figured if I just kept going I might get one right eventually. ;)

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Nate
Facebook
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First Post- May 8, 2009
Frank
5069 posts
Aug 07, 2014
3:47 PM
Nate, you've knocked a few out of the park lately...I was gettin worried about you there few a minute, but you have bounced back with some great whimsical wisdom and coordinated comical interludes - might I dare say, even good enough to be published in the New Yorker :)

Last Edited by Frank on Aug 07, 2014 3:50 PM
STME58
1021 posts
Aug 07, 2014
4:14 PM
If it weren't for trombonists, who would harmonica players have to kick around?
Frank
5070 posts
Aug 07, 2014
5:09 PM
Lots of great posts and interpretations, thank you!

How do you interpret the (Duke Ellington) quote below?
---------------------------------------------------------
"The wise musicians are those who play what they can master."


I believe he is talking about a player who is on the bandstand?

And if the player hasn't Mastered a "Rumba Rhythm" for example -

I believe he is suggesting that a wise musician - wouldn't play it.

He's not insinuating that the player is horrible or wrong if he does attempt to play along to a rhythm he is unsure of,

He is simply questioning that players wisdom :)

That's one example - many more can be thought up!

Last Edited by Frank on Aug 07, 2014 5:24 PM


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