Janek and Hadrien

[urb]

[quote name='XB26354' post='881396' date='Jun 29 2010, 09:40 PM']Wow - quite damning! I can understand what he means though. Sometimes frightening technique can be a bit of a bugbear.
As funkypenguin said, Patitucci is the man really - effortless technique, doubles and is superb on both, grooves like mad and solos like a bebop sax player.
On The Corner is still one of my favourites.
Wish he'd kept the Smith though - I've never liked the clickety clack he gets from a Yamaha.[/quote]

That's pretty full on from Gary, but there's another quote from McLaughlin on the Abstract Logix site where he talks about his latest album To The One, in which he frankly explains he effectively sacked Hadrien from the band because he played too loud... I've met Hadrien a few times and he really seems like a cool guy and very down to earth, I agree his incredible technique can be quite cold sometimes and if I'm honest guys like Gary Willis or Garrison or Etienne play with much greater musicality and far less from the POV of massive technical chops first and appropriate and proportionate musical responses second...

EDIT - here's the JM quote:

"RS: How did Etienne join the 4th Dimension…or why didn’t Dominique DiPiazza join?

JM: I’ve known Etienne for about eight years now. I first saw him with Zawinul’s Syndicate in Nice, and we became friends at that moment. He’s a wonderful musician and human being. About two years ago we were beginning a European tour, and the day before the first gig Hadrien Feraud arrived with a broken hand. Only Dominique DiPiazza was capable of coming in on 24 hours notice, and he sweated!!! But he came through with flying colors.

Prior to this tour, I’d had words with Hadrien about his volume on stage, which was excessive. I’d actually had many words with him about his volume which unfortunately, he seemed unable to change.

Several months later we had a gig in Switzerland on the opening day of the Olympics in Beijing. The gig was a free concert for the Tibetan people with whom my wife and I are associated. Hadrien was healthy, and aware that this was a kind of “test” concert. Unfortunately the volume was way over the top, and shortly after I just had to let him go. Dominique has quite a career going for himself, and it was clear that I should find another bassist. I called Etienne and he was in. The rest is history, as they say."

[funkypenguin]

[quote name='XB26354' post='881396' date='Jun 29 2010, 09:40 PM']Wow - quite damning! I can understand what he means though. Sometimes frightening technique can be a bit of a bugbear.
As funkypenguin said, Patitucci is the man really - effortless technique, doubles and is superb on both, grooves like mad and solos like a bebop sax player.
On The Corner is still one of my favourites.
Wish he'd kept the Smith though - I've never liked the clickety clack he gets from a Yamaha.[/quote]

i really like his sound on the Yamaha personally, though his Smith sound is great also (particularly on tunes like heart of the bass).

My favourites are imprint, the well, scophile, heart of the bass and theme and variations for 6 string bass. just got his trio CD remembrance and its getting some serious listening

Whoa thats heavy stuff from GH and JM...with hadrien exploding onto the scene (for lack of a better phrase) perhaps its just, i dunno, growing up musically.... i think it was steve bailey that said that sometimes the only way you get the message about your part having to serve the music is by being fired

[JamieBenzies]

Not that essential to the discussion but I concur, John Patitucci is the sh*t. I absolutely love Remembrance and Line By Line, and his playing with Chick Corea is unbelievable.

John Patitucci + John Myung = My acquisition of my six strings.

[XB26354]

There's a little story about when Hadrien played at Charlie Wrights a couple of years ago.
I was watching him with his band and some guy on decks. I was a bit bored, snob that I am waiting for something resembling a song or melody to appear.
I start chatting to friends, when all of a sudden some guy wearing a snow hat with tassles hanging down (indoors!) comes up and tells us to stop talking whilst they're playing!
He got short shrift from me - music is something that goes into your brain subliminally and talking at gigs (when music is playing, pretty loud too) isn't entirely unheard of.
It then transpires that this weird guy with the hat is something to do with Hadrien. He goes up to the bouncer and asks him to tell us to be quiet - all this making more noise and creating far more of a scene than when we were chatting quietly. The bouncer comes over, and we talk, and he just laughs it off - it's a gig right?
I get dirty looks from the weirdo who then creeps around the back of the stage for the next half an hour.
Still bored when they took a break between sets, I left. Jazz used to be music people danced to, for chrissakes. One of the best live jazz CDs ever, Bill Evans Live at the Village Vanguard, clearly has noises of people talking, getting served drinks etc. If people get so precious about their forgettable tunes that they have to shoosh the audience then they're missing the entire point of music as an interactive medium. If the music and playing was great I would have just watched. I saw Mike Stern with Anthony Jackson, Dave Weckl and Bob Francescini at Ronnie Scotts the same year. Didn't say a thing all gig

Edited June 29, 2010 by XB26354

[urb]

[quote name='benzies123' post='881509' date='Jun 29 2010, 11:54 PM']Not that essential to the discussion but I concur, John Patitucci is the sh*t. I absolutely love Remembrance and Line By Line, and his playing with Chick Corea is unbelievable.[/quote]

JP's Remembrance really is a superb record - his best for years IMHO - buy or listen to bits of it [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002DKGWTI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=103612307&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002CJRUQY&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0K86XEQ9MCTJJQY7H4HT"]here[/url].

And this version of Giant Steps is f-ing impressive:

[Faithless]

[quote name='benzies123' post='880909' date='Jun 29 2010, 03:12 PM']John Ellis (the nice Soprano [mostly] sax player) has some alright albums, but nothing as good as this. Jojo Meyers own stuff is just him playing live drums to drum and bass which isn't really my cup of tea, he also plays in a very cliché funky band which isn't that special.

To my horror the beautiful man on keys among many other things (he's most famous for his trombone playing) doesn't have any releases that he leads and I can't find him much generally - a great shame, he's probably my favourite soloist on the album.[/quote]


Hey, Benzies

I was listening honestly to those two Janek's live recordings (Live 55 Bar, and Mystery To Me)

I know, what you're saying about 'em, but, for me, I can't rate any of those higher - those two gigs for me are very different.

"Live at 55 Bar" felt to me a bit more like-a 'jam, live' thing, while 'Mistery To Me' had more sophisticated arrangements, and is a really cracking album from arranging point of view..

What left me fairly surprised, was Janek's sound on 'Mistery To Me' - it was soooo 'Jacoish', and, I was a bit dissapointed with his 'stand out', when he played harmonics a la 'Jaco style'..
Apart from this, I'm a bit suprised, how much (in a good way) his sound changed from one gig to another ([Mystery To Me] 2004's to late 2007's [55 bar gig]..

To, me, his 'today' sounding is just cracking - I wouldn't confuse it with anything else. Absolute cracker.


Now, wattabout the other folks playing for Janek - in 'Mystery To Me', I just can't stop listening to 'And Another Thing' - a D'n'Bassy tune with Elliot Mason soloing on trombone (?) - that solo just makes me go into the [i]trance[/i]..

I gotta agree with Benzies - he's one of the sickest soloists in the band.. (Among with Tim Miller and Oli, for me..)


PS Anyone know, what bass Janek was playing on 'Mystery To Me'? and, was it 5/6 string? I hear some low notes on some tunes.. Or is it just an octaver?


easy, folks
Faith

Edited July 2, 2010 by Faithless

[4000]

Janek used to play a Wal 5 so it could've been that.

[funkypenguin]

i was under the impression he was playing his fodera Matt Garrison on both those records, but feel free to correct me on that one. im sure im right in saying that his backline changed between recordings though

[chardbass]

I think I've been watching too much Wimbledon- if I watch the original clip I see Boris Becker and Andy Murray.

I jest.

I'd love an ounce of their ability.

[risingson]

[quote name='urb' post='881427' date='Jun 29 2010, 10:19 PM']That's pretty full on from Gary, but there's another quote from McLaughlin on the Abstract Logix site where he talks about his latest album To The One, in which he frankly explains he effectively sacked Hadrien from the band because he played too loud... I've met Hadrien a few times and he really seems like a cool guy and very down to earth, I agree his incredible technique can be quite cold sometimes and if I'm honest guys like Gary Willis or Garrison or Etienne play with much greater musicality and far less from the POV of massive technical chops first and appropriate and proportionate musical responses second...

EDIT - here's the JM quote:

"RS: How did Etienne join the 4th Dimension…or why didn’t Dominique DiPiazza join?

JM: I’ve known Etienne for about eight years now. I first saw him with Zawinul’s Syndicate in Nice, and we became friends at that moment. He’s a wonderful musician and human being. About two years ago we were beginning a European tour, and the day before the first gig Hadrien Feraud arrived with a broken hand. Only Dominique DiPiazza was capable of coming in on 24 hours notice, and he sweated!!! But he came through with flying colors.

Prior to this tour, I’d had words with Hadrien about his volume on stage, which was excessive. I’d actually had many words with him about his volume which unfortunately, he seemed unable to change.

Several months later we had a gig in Switzerland on the opening day of the Olympics in Beijing. The gig was a free concert for the Tibetan people with whom my wife and I are associated. Hadrien was healthy, and aware that this was a kind of “test” concert. Unfortunately the volume was way over the top, and shortly after I just had to let him go. Dominique has quite a career going for himself, and it was clear that I should find another bassist. I called Etienne and he was in. The rest is history, as they say."[/quote]

Only recently heard of these two guys and their playing leaves me pretty cold... dazzling delivery and all but just not my thing. I could see why playing with Etienne would be preferable as a drummer... the guy is a monster, with a great fundamental and great technique that he doesn't have to spread everywhere. It's why (and controversially perhaps) that in my opinion people like Hadrien are forgettable as musicians, their idea of bass has evolved into something quite unusable in most situations. Etienne M'Bappe isn't my kind of player strictly either, but he clearly is comfortable in keeping things routed down, as well as being a confident soloist, qualities I think Hadrien lacks.

[Faithless]

[quote name='funkypenguin' post='884506' date='Jul 3 2010, 03:19 AM']i was under the impression he was playing his fodera Matt Garrison on both those records, but feel free to correct me on that one. im sure im right in saying that his backline changed between recordings though[/quote]


Errrr.. I don't get it. It's not the first time, actually, I hear people saying, that he's playing Matt Garrison model, but, I think, it's entirely incorrect - well, yes, it's also Fodera, and it's 33 scale, but, apart from that, as far as I know, Janek chose all the stuff for his bass on his own, and it differs very much from Garrison's bass..

So, what the heck about those two?..

[waynepunkdude]

[Faithless]

Wayne, any chance to explain, what the heck does this mean?

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='Faithless' post='884696' date='Jul 3 2010, 11:48 AM']Wayne, any chance to explain, what the heck does this mean?[/quote]


Father Ted reference, I'm not sure you's be aware of Father Ted?

[waynepunkdude]

[Rich]

[quote name='Faithless' post='884696' date='Jul 3 2010, 11:48 AM']Wayne, any chance to explain, what the heck does this mean?[/quote]
It's been a whole page since Wayne last reminded us that he doesn't like this sort of stuff, and I think he's worried that we've forgotten.

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='Rich' post='884708' date='Jul 3 2010, 12:03 PM']It's been a whole page since Wayne last reminded us that he doesn't like this sort of stuff, and I think he's worried that we've forgotten. [/quote]


Sorry, I just watched it again and it annoyed me again, I should have left well alone.


Still what a scene, classic.

[Doddy]

Janek used a Wal 5 string on 'Mystery to Me' and his Fodera Imperial on
'Live at the 55 Bar'.
I think amp-wise,he switched from Eden to Fender-although he now uses TC.

[funkypenguin]

[quote name='Faithless' post='884583' date='Jul 3 2010, 09:32 AM']Errrr.. I don't get it. It's not the first time, actually, I hear people saying, that he's playing Matt Garrison model, but, I think, it's entirely incorrect - well, yes, it's also Fodera, and it's 33 scale, but, apart from that, as far as I know, Janek chose all the stuff for his bass on his own, and it differs very much from Garrison's bass..

So, what the heck about those two?.. [/quote]

Its the same model as garrisons bass, with differing woods and possibly different pickups. but the body shape, 26 frets, drop tuner and control layout are identical as far as i can tell, with janek also having the ramp between the fingerboard and the neck pickup. the standard imperial has a different body shape so i think its fair to say he plays the same model as garrison no, with detailed alterations :s

[Rayman]

I enjoyed the clip a lot. I'm a big Janek fan, but never really given Hadrien much of a listen. By the time it had gotten around to his set at bassday I was "jazzed out", I'd heard enough jazz to last me a lifetime, so I left just before he started.

Matt Garrison is a bit of an enigma to me, I have a couple of his albums, but I just can't get into them at all, the music just seems to wash over you leaving no lasting hooks whatsoever.

[witterth]

This type of stuff takes me back (& indulge me if you will) to "A" level english literature (you know, when it was hard to get a good grade) at a mere 17 summers old......

.....reading Jane Austen or a more obscure (for a good reason) Shakespeare play (eg,Titus and Andronicus) or sonnet.
It was mind meltingly& dull thunderously boring..yet we, as students felt we weren't allowed to say that out loud, because doing so meant we'd be regarded as "thickies who just dont get the genius of the author"
well I do "get it" Im just not enjoying it.

same for this type of thing enjoyed on one level (wish I could play that fast ect ect...) but really?.......[size=1]a bit dull[/size]
opps!!
W

[4000]

[quote name='Rayman' post='885236' date='Jul 4 2010, 08:54 AM']I enjoyed the clip a lot. I'm a big Janek fan, but never really given Hadrien much of a listen. By the time it had gotten around to his set at bassday I was "jazzed out", I'd heard enough jazz to last me a lifetime, so I left just before he started.

Matt Garrison is a bit of an enigma to me, I have a couple of his albums, but I just can't get into them at all, the music just seems to wash over you leaving no lasting hooks whatsoever.[/quote]

I prefer Garrison to the others by a long way. Janek's stuff is pretty good but all seems fairly obvious to me; however I love Garrison's compositions. If I ever listen to that sort of stuff these days it tends to be Matt G or old RTF.

[funkypenguin]

[quote name='4000' post='885315' date='Jul 4 2010, 11:11 AM']I prefer Garrison to the others by a long way. Janek's stuff is pretty good but all seems fairly obvious to me; however I love Garrison's compositions. If I ever listen to that sort of stuff these days it tends to be Matt G or old RTF.[/quote]

Garrison and Patitucci are the two i tend to listen to these days. Matts compositional voice is so much more unique than Janeks (IMHO), tunes like 'Life Burning' for example really stand out. Dont get me wrong, Janek is an excellent composer, particularly when it comes to arranging for horn sections, but i dont think his compositional voice is particularly unique

[Rayman]

I understand Matt Garrison is doing Bassday in Manchester in November, so I'll look forward to checking him out.

[4000]

[quote name='Rayman' post='885418' date='Jul 4 2010, 12:53 PM']I understand Matt Garrison is doing Bassday in Manchester in November, so I'll look forward to checking him out.[/quote]

Crikey! I sent Matt's name in as a suggestion. Fab!!!