I buy my music from CD Connection, an on-line music store that has a huge selection of domestic and imports always the cheapest prices. Often a single disk will have three, four or more different pressings. I tell you this because they are amazingly slow at processing orders, but I saved four dollars off Patricias web site price. Not only am I looking for a bargain, but I use turtle express, aka, ground delivery.Therefore I will not get my copy until Friday or Monday. So I have not heard the music
As for dear Patricias musical choices on her latest releases, I have not been a huge fan of the direction she has taken herself. I love Café Blue, Modern Cool, Distortion of Love and Split in that order. I do like some of the poetry in Verse, but I see this as poetry not music.
Back in the day she composed some of the most beautiful cords on the piano, and she pushed the envelope of her vocal extremes. These two attributes combined to be for me, the most creative work of their time. Lately she seems to have lost her ambition to explore the piano, and rather wishes to compose word groupings. This is a fine pursuit of the Arts, just not my cup of tea.
Sadly she continues down the road far too many very creative jazz musicians follow. Her mind is somewhere I no longer wish to follow. I still support her as I purchase every disk she releases, partly hoping for music again some day in the future. As she wanders the journey of eclectic jazz fusion, she is losing much of the support we early adopters gave her.
The reason I pointed out the Guggenheim Fellowship, is my personal respect for The John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the legacy the Guggenheim family leaves. The foundation was set up by Senator Simon Guggenheim in the memory of his son John Simon who died as a teen. This was one of two sons that Senator and Mrs. Guggenheim lost while in their youth. I of course, as an Architect have great respect for the Solomon Guggenheims (the Senators brother) for allowing Frank Lloyd Wright the freedom to create one of the greatest pieces of architecture in history.
The following are excerpts from the Senators letter introduction the foundation;
Promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding, and the appreciation of beauty, by aiding without distinction on account of race, color or creed, scholars, scientists and artists of either sex in the prosecution of their labors.. . . It is Mrs. Guggenheim's and my desire, in memory of our son, through the agency of this Foundation, to add to the educational, literary, artistic, and scientific power of this country, and also to provide for the cause of better international understanding."
"It is with no nationalist or propagandist intent that we desire to make available such assistance. Men and women devoted to pushing forward the boundaries of knowledge and to the creation of beauty, reared with the impress of the same republican institutions and principles of progress, must of necessity approach nearer and nearer together in scientific and artistic respect for each other's attainments and culture. There is, moreover, a republic of learning and art which knows no boundary lines, and we desire only that scholars and artists from the American republics should meet and learn and teach what to them is Truth. For better understanding among the citizens of the American republics nothing is needed but more knowledge--a knowledge of the other's culture that yields nothing in zeal for one's own." (Sorry about the history lesson)
Therefore my point is??? The honor of being the first songwriter to receive a tribute of such great magnitude is worthy of my respect. Patricia has clearly advanced her talents and has received the admiration of a great many people. I do not find her latest direction to my personal taste, but I respect her for continuing to explore her talent. A fellowship like this one may have provided her the opportunity to develop an area of her being that she felt important to discover.
Hopefully as she finds what she is looking for she will begin to perfect that which we all love. Piano composition and her immense vocal range are my favorite traits of hers. Her writing ability for poetry is beyond reproach and often entertaining as I pull out my dictionary to find the meaning of words I have never heard.
One thought to ponder I have met and spoke privately with Patricia numerous times after shows in local clubs. She seems to need to personally supervise the packing up of her piano so she has a bit of time for anyone stupid enough to try and start up a conversation with her. Patricia is not highly gifted in personal communication. She is extremely uncomfortable with small talk, as am I. This leaves for a very awkward discussion. If I am poor at the art of chatter, she is ten times worse. This leaves me thinking she has a very limited social life. I believe she is very much about composing music and has a very limited life beyond that. I do not know this as a fact, but having met her on these occasions I would deduction she rarely allows herself to meet new people on a personal basis.
I bring this up because so many of my favorite writers like Lucinda Williams, Rosanna Cash, Kasey Chambers and the like write about life and the love, loss, joy and pain they encounter. It is this emotion I listen for in music and the reason I find such joy in having a stereo that is able to express these feelings do intensely. This is what the hobby is all about for me. Patricia rarely sings about life, and even more rarely about relationships. It is the lack of emotion and personality that continues to disappoint me in her music.
I believe she has reached a juncture, and until she learns how to live (meaning have life happen), she will continue stuck on the artistic road she travels. Given the person I have met, I often doubt she will develop this deeply missing piece of her music. If this is the case, she will continue to disappoint many of us audiophile. She is walking the road that apparently fits who she wants to explore. Lets all hope she can move through this eclectic phase she has entered.
Jade
As for dear Patricias musical choices on her latest releases, I have not been a huge fan of the direction she has taken herself. I love Café Blue, Modern Cool, Distortion of Love and Split in that order. I do like some of the poetry in Verse, but I see this as poetry not music.
Back in the day she composed some of the most beautiful cords on the piano, and she pushed the envelope of her vocal extremes. These two attributes combined to be for me, the most creative work of their time. Lately she seems to have lost her ambition to explore the piano, and rather wishes to compose word groupings. This is a fine pursuit of the Arts, just not my cup of tea.
Sadly she continues down the road far too many very creative jazz musicians follow. Her mind is somewhere I no longer wish to follow. I still support her as I purchase every disk she releases, partly hoping for music again some day in the future. As she wanders the journey of eclectic jazz fusion, she is losing much of the support we early adopters gave her.
The reason I pointed out the Guggenheim Fellowship, is my personal respect for The John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the legacy the Guggenheim family leaves. The foundation was set up by Senator Simon Guggenheim in the memory of his son John Simon who died as a teen. This was one of two sons that Senator and Mrs. Guggenheim lost while in their youth. I of course, as an Architect have great respect for the Solomon Guggenheims (the Senators brother) for allowing Frank Lloyd Wright the freedom to create one of the greatest pieces of architecture in history.
The following are excerpts from the Senators letter introduction the foundation;
Promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding, and the appreciation of beauty, by aiding without distinction on account of race, color or creed, scholars, scientists and artists of either sex in the prosecution of their labors.. . . It is Mrs. Guggenheim's and my desire, in memory of our son, through the agency of this Foundation, to add to the educational, literary, artistic, and scientific power of this country, and also to provide for the cause of better international understanding."
"It is with no nationalist or propagandist intent that we desire to make available such assistance. Men and women devoted to pushing forward the boundaries of knowledge and to the creation of beauty, reared with the impress of the same republican institutions and principles of progress, must of necessity approach nearer and nearer together in scientific and artistic respect for each other's attainments and culture. There is, moreover, a republic of learning and art which knows no boundary lines, and we desire only that scholars and artists from the American republics should meet and learn and teach what to them is Truth. For better understanding among the citizens of the American republics nothing is needed but more knowledge--a knowledge of the other's culture that yields nothing in zeal for one's own." (Sorry about the history lesson)
Therefore my point is??? The honor of being the first songwriter to receive a tribute of such great magnitude is worthy of my respect. Patricia has clearly advanced her talents and has received the admiration of a great many people. I do not find her latest direction to my personal taste, but I respect her for continuing to explore her talent. A fellowship like this one may have provided her the opportunity to develop an area of her being that she felt important to discover.
Hopefully as she finds what she is looking for she will begin to perfect that which we all love. Piano composition and her immense vocal range are my favorite traits of hers. Her writing ability for poetry is beyond reproach and often entertaining as I pull out my dictionary to find the meaning of words I have never heard.
One thought to ponder I have met and spoke privately with Patricia numerous times after shows in local clubs. She seems to need to personally supervise the packing up of her piano so she has a bit of time for anyone stupid enough to try and start up a conversation with her. Patricia is not highly gifted in personal communication. She is extremely uncomfortable with small talk, as am I. This leaves for a very awkward discussion. If I am poor at the art of chatter, she is ten times worse. This leaves me thinking she has a very limited social life. I believe she is very much about composing music and has a very limited life beyond that. I do not know this as a fact, but having met her on these occasions I would deduction she rarely allows herself to meet new people on a personal basis.
I bring this up because so many of my favorite writers like Lucinda Williams, Rosanna Cash, Kasey Chambers and the like write about life and the love, loss, joy and pain they encounter. It is this emotion I listen for in music and the reason I find such joy in having a stereo that is able to express these feelings do intensely. This is what the hobby is all about for me. Patricia rarely sings about life, and even more rarely about relationships. It is the lack of emotion and personality that continues to disappoint me in her music.
I believe she has reached a juncture, and until she learns how to live (meaning have life happen), she will continue stuck on the artistic road she travels. Given the person I have met, I often doubt she will develop this deeply missing piece of her music. If this is the case, she will continue to disappoint many of us audiophile. She is walking the road that apparently fits who she wants to explore. Lets all hope she can move through this eclectic phase she has entered.
Jade