What It Takes To Be Great

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 18 Mar 2011 8:21 am

Funny you guys know what was in Chet's head back then.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 18 Mar 2011 9:22 am

Funny you guys know what was in Chet's head back then.

Theresa, since you are taking exception with our opinions, maybe you could enlighten us as to what really was in his head back then. I, for one, would like to hear it.
In the meantime, here's what was on his head back then.

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 18 Mar 2011 9:42 am

Barry,
I can't speak for Chet. He must have seen something special in the Beatles. Writing, singing, musicianship and I believe Chet was right along with all those that bought Beatles Music. JMHO
I believe Pete Drake played on a tune or two???

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 18 Mar 2011 9:44 am

Roger Rettig wrote:Sorry - I don't see them [the Beatles] in the same light as musicians of the calibre of Charlie Parker.

I'm a huge fan of both the Beatles and Charlie Parker.
Apples and oranges.

The title of this thread is "What it takes to be great."

At the risk of stating an obvious truism, what is "great", or "genius", or "deep", or their opposites, in art is always and inherently a subjective judgment, peculiar to the individual human perceiver, and this fact is not changed by how many other humans have a reaction that coincides.

Charlie Parker stands out from a good number of bebop saxophone soloists who arguably had/have equal technical command of the instrument and mental command of the harmonic and melodic concepts used in bebop improvisation and composition. In my opinion this would still be true if his recordings and those of others were presented to a sophisticated, receptive listener who had no knowledge of where each individual stood in the historical development of bebop--that is, the knowledge that he was an originator, that much of what the listener hears the others doing was done first by Bird would not enter the equation. I think that listener would still say, "This guy really has it; there's something extra to his music. He's greater. The others are all good but..."

And that's the x factor that defines "great" music for me, and the Parker example illustrates for me how ultimately it isn't a question of elaboration of technique, physical or mental, that makes great art. In the case of Charlie Parker, it helped him a lot. There are other musicians (I won't name any), who in my opinion are even hindered from making great music by their huge development of the "tools" of the art.

A Chinese painting with a handful of brush strokes on otherwise blank paper can be a great painting. So can a painting by Leonardo da Vinci.

Lots of people write lots of simple three-chord songs. A few of them are great songs.
In my view, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is a great song. If someone says it's obviously vastly inferior to a Charlie Parker solo, as far as I'm concerned they're missing the point.

But, as I said, it is all subjective.

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 18 Mar 2011 9:58 am

Theresa:

I merely asked a question - I didn't make a statement. Read more carefully; I asked if he saw genius or was making a commercial choice! Anyway, do you honestly think that Chet only considered covering material composed by geniuses? Given that he made as many albums as he did I'd find that hard to accept!

Brint: You make an excellent point. This is all clearly very subjective, but I do agree that 'I'm So Lonesome...' is a great song...

This thread was bound to wander a bit - each individual's perception of what is 'great' is going to vary enormously.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 18 Mar 2011 10:51 am

He must have seen something special in the Beatles. Writing, singing, musicianship and I believe Chet was right along with all those that bought Beatles Music. JMHO

There, Theresa, now you're doing what I did that you took exception to - assuming what Chet did or didn't think "back then."

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 18 Mar 2011 11:58 am

Yes, You guys are right it's subjective. I'll try to read more carefully.
Yes,Only Chet can speak for himself relating the Beatles. Chet was great for so many reasons!

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 18 Mar 2011 12:47 pm

Chet was, of course, best known for his guitar playing, but to me one of the finest things he ever did was, "I Still Can't Say Goodbye."

John Wilson · Post by **John Wilson** » 18 Mar 2011 3:06 pm

I believe the one common trait that all of the greats possessed was their firm grasp of flippant humor.

Which reminds me of an old Chinese saying:

It takes many nails to build a baby crib....
And only one screw to fill it.

Peace

Bud Harger · Post by **Bud Harger** » 18 Mar 2011 4:26 pm

..."it" boils down to 10% dexterity and 90% desire.

bUd

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What It Takes To Be Great

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