Jessica Williams linked readers of her blog to the Before & After test she allowed me to give her for the current issue of Jazz Times. In the test, she reacted to recordings by ten pianists. To read some of the comments she received, go to Currents and scroll down.
Oddly, Rifftides has received no reaction to the article despite Ms. Williams’ unreserved assessments.
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
Well, actually, I just read it this past week and was going to tell you I’d enjoyed it….Although she broke my heart because I ADORE Robert Glasper and the way he rides the changes. It actually hurt to read that he “lost the listener,” because I was hanging on every note.
I was hoping a Bill Charlap recording would be included in Ms. Williams’ Before And After exam, but I am sorry she not only gave Bill’s playing such short shrift. I’m also disappointed she did not recognize Ellington’s “Jump For Joy.”
She is one tough critic. Should I be embarrassed to say that I was enthralled when I saw Gonzalo Rubalcaba? And I’m not even a guy.
I read this Before and After a few days ago and my initial reaction was “Where does she get off saying things like this about fellow pianists? Doesn’t she know her thoughts are going into print?”
But then I realized most musicians I know are really harsh critics of other people’s music in private commentary I’ve had with them. The other day I was talking to a former Blue Note artist who was hating on some other saxophone players really intensely. It’s just part of the game.
It’s also funny that roughly in the same month Downbeat and JazzTimes published their respective versions of “Blindfold Test”/”Before & After” with musicians who gave unsparingly harsh criticisms of the music and musicians – in DownBeat the hating was done by bassist Ron Carter. Check THAT out…