wowsers!
here’s a few things i’d like to say:
First, Jacob Fred is the greatest band in the history of the
universe. i just got word that we are actually Beethoven’s favorite
band of all time. Hendrix, too. and Bird. they all like Jacob
Fred almost as much as I do. We just confirmed a 20-night run at
Carnegie Hall in 2010, and I’m pretty sure the record we’re working
on is going to go triple-platinum. for real.i hear you, though. it is, possibly confusing.
i listen to as much late coltrane as hotchkiss does, and as much
ornette as eric dundee. that music is my church and scripture.jazz didn’t start out elitist. originally, it was FOLK music. made
by semi-illiterate accidental-scholars who simply wanted to party
and let people party. the fact that the opera houses of 1890’s New
Orleans could only afford a single pianist (rather than a full
orchestra), who coincidentally had a night gig at a brothel and a
buddy in a brass band is a happy accident in the culture, and the
upside of the karma of slavery. we are so fortunate that this
happened.Bird grew up playing in big bands for dancers. the music he
accidently invented was still heavy on melody, and he often still
played for dancers. his followers didn’t, but they still played
melody. THEIR followers didn’t play for dancers, and rarely played
literal melody, instead becoming true impressionists of the internal
realms. those listeners who had bumped into their own internal
realms heard evidence of the common struggle, and called this
music “higher.” Elvis, Dylan, and the Beatles were created by
SOCIETY to fill the gap that Bird opened. young people need to
dance and get laid, and sing along. jazz once provided this
service. then it became “higher music.”is ornette “deeper” than louis armstrong? is the coltrane
quartet “higher” than fletcher henderson? are church-goers
catagorically better people than non-chuch goers? does cab
calloway belong in the jazz cannon?this is an important conversation, i think.
music CAN be a force for unification and community. why are the
differences between us our favorite thing about ourselves?why do we want coltrane INSTEAD of the rolling stones. why not
coltrane AND the rolling stones?is there really more heart in charles mingus than there is in neil
young? or phish, for that matter?why assume that the inward-pointing music is greater than the
outward-pointing music? is this the grandchild of the Biblical “you
are not of this world” hogwash? why should we be so proud of our
divorce from earth? because we’ll die here? is that why the inward-
pointing music is greater than the outward-pointing music? because
we wish we didn’t have to die?are we trying to make the world in our own image? it cannot be
done.musicians can be prophets and heralds, it’s true. thank god.
musicians can also be a loving friend to a people in need. and
people don’t always need to be taught. sometimes they need to be
hugged and listened to. just ask my wife. Smile we musicians are in
a state of RELATIONSHIP to the listener. doesn’t a healthy
relationship take the needs of the Other into account? doesn’t a
loving partner try to affirm and please the Other? you can’t tell
your lover what he or she likes. my lover is ANYBODY who is hip
enough to go see live music. my teacher is the Archetypal Need for
music, in EVERYBODY.do people need music?
if so, what do they need it to do?
???????????????????????????????????
what do people need music to do?the drive to exclude, or to convert, this is killing the planet.
the drive to worship the complex and the superficially new, this is
killing the planet.we have to worship what is already here. we have to play the music
that all people are composing. i believe that Tea Leaf Green does
this. i believe Jacob Fred does this. all musicians express the
music of all people. some musicians express the fear and isolation
of the socially excluded. some musicians express the joy and
comfort of being a tribal people. some musicians express both,
because most of us feel both extremes. the RANGE of human
experience… this is our subject.anyway, just thinking out loud.
personally, i’m excited to learn some new things.
i’ve learned a lot from Mr. Josh Raymer. and i don’t have to tell
you that i’ve learned a lot from Mr. Brian Haas. and Sean Layton,
and Matt Leland, and Jason Smart, Steve Kimock, Robert Walter,
Marco Benevento, Matt Chamberlain, Zack Najor, Karl Denson, Skerik,
Mike D, the brothers Barr, Stephen Perkins, Joe Russo, Jon Fishman,
Peter Apfelbaum, Jamie Janover, Jeff Coffin, my parents & uncles,
Peter Tomshany, Annie Ellicot, and a hundred amazing others. should
i not add to this list?to me, the whole concept of heirarchy is fear-based. the musical
continuum is, if anything, a SPHERE…not a line. 3-D, baby!
nothing in front, nothing behind. nothing above, nothing below.
it’s all spinning and equal.plus, in the words of the great John Cage, “A music’s only value is
in it’s USE.”any thoughts? let’s blog it down, friends.
love, reed
11 Responses
hell yeah Reed. This is some great writing. honestly.
the dude spits jazz with his mouth. he’s somethin else. really is.
JFJO is great and so is TLG.
to sum up reed: “Can’t we all just get along?”
Mathis is the man….I hope to see Reed Leaf Green break out some Oklahoma Stomp next time they come around NYC…greatest walking song ever.
i will forever follow reed mathis to the ends earth wherever he may roam
“the dude spits jazz with his mouth”
Right on!
TLG in my book has been decent but with this addition my horn may toot a different tune. TOOOOOOOOOOT!
wow, cool,
but what did that have to do with him joining the other band?
Solid post by Mr. Mathis. He’s a great musician, and can play whatever he wants to with whomever he wants to. Here’s to more JFJO, and here’s to Tea Leaf Reed. I hope he becomes a permanent member and shuffles time between the two bands.
Right on Reed! Thanks for expressing the universality of music in your words here as well as onstage. Your are one of the lions of the modern music scene.
Nice to see it put into perspective. Also, it’s nice to heard you’re still committed to JFJO. You are a kind man, a great player, willing to step into a different surrounding and add what you can. I’m pretty psyched to see TLG now, and to see Reed play anytime, with whomever. From TLG to Steve Kimock & Co. to some guys beating on 5-gallon bucket, I’m there for ya’.
Cheers,
Chrispy
reed mathis for president
Ohhh Reed you made my thalmus tingle! Cannot wait for friday to have my body and soul vibrated by your tones!!! Can’t say I have listened to much TLG. I don’t know if I like them or not, I am very picky about singers but not lyrics. I really like singers who have a really nice tone and don’t do too many cheesy vocal techniques. Anyway, I recently graduated from a music conservatory and Reed just answered that ridiculous connundrum that occurs when studying “higher” musics. I have felt that disdain of simplicity and I realize it really isn’t a good way to live. Why shoo away music that obviously has a place and use for people? And I think one of the major uses of music is extasy. Another is mind control, notice how certain musics are played in grocery stores or department stores. Lulling you into a shopping zen. There have also been tests done where certain musics have had positive results growing plants.
This may be the greatest piece of writing I have every read on the internet. The bass player from one of my favorite bands joined one of my other favorite bands. I met Reed a few times in my life. The last time he offered me a beer and we waxed philosophical for a half hour after a show in Tampa. Kind heart and very wise. I hope we were both wealthier in mind for the experience. I know I was.