The cool factor- who has it?
My question relates to music and musical artist's performance and music. Who has that COOL factor? In the past or currently. For example I think the Beatles had it and also Bob Marley. Today I think Lenny Kravitz (if for nothing certainly for his longevity).
Thoughts?...
Chet Baker is the only trumpeter who never play trumpet but use it to speak... All the others play trumpet with bravado and virtuosity... Miles is the greatest here ... But Chet speak ....And Sing... We dont feel music but we feel his heart ....Even when he had difficulty to play.... He stay a silent virtuoso....The coolest possible one... Almost silent....
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@waznme “Jim. (Morrison)” l got another one No.1 Jim. (Kirk) Now l know that guy had a (big) head start…. It’s cold in space.
Never bought any of his chill-out albums…. Too cold to handle
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@mahgister ”Chet Baker” Have you heard John Barry’s (score) soundtrack to “Playing by Heart” on Decca? l think Barry nailed it with his sympathetic scoring. The added period Baker tracks plus the collaboration of Chris Botti makes a good listen. Look for low priced copies on eBay for this much underrated film that slipped under the radar. There are two soundtracks so be careful not to pick the songs and score version. John Barry could be considered “cool” for his lush orchestrations and counterpoint writing style, particularly in his later years. Think of the “Dances With Wolves” period. His “The Beyondness of Things” concept album on London 460 009-2 CD is pure magic if you like modern symphonic music. The recordings for both are top quality. |
@mylogic love it! then there is Jim(i). can you hear Jimi? |
@waznme “Jim(i)” Iyke, from Nollywood? lf l have the right one and for the record, Jimi is easier to say than James lkechukwu Okolue. Was he also “untamed” until he formed his own record label? If not… ”Who am l?” to make a judgement. |
Yes i know it and i love this Chris Botti album dedicated to Baker ... Botti borrowed something from the master ...
There is many great trumpet players... The greatest one is Miles Davis...He is Jupiter... But for me there is only one sun : Louis Armstrong and only one moon : Chet Baker... No other trumpeter sing as they play except these two ...
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l get your point with Miles Davis… Jupiter “The Bringer of Jollity” John Barry loved working with Louis, “We have all the time in the world” vocal was recorded just a few days before he died. Only he could sing that song. Can’t imagine anyone else wanting to try to cover it as well. With regard to the Chris Botti CD, you are talking about the orchestral backing one with John Barry? I think the trumpet mix with the new orchestrated dramatic score is a winning combination. The extra 3 original Chet numbers also add to the flavour. |
@mylogic - What a shame about Dave Cousins, yeah? We were just talking about him recently... |
Surprised no one mentioned EVH or SRV... Zappa was on a whole 'nother level, I was a Roadie and Stage Security for a few Kid Rock USO gigs overseas and got to hang out with his entourage...I don't care for his music but he was genuinely old school Allman Brothers/Lynyrd Skynyrd cool. Samantha Fish is a stone cold badass. Buddy Rich (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFe0-pOp_wA) Bonnie Raitt John Prine (RIP) Lowell George (RIP) Robert Plant Tal Winlkenfeld Brian Ferry Leon Russel (RIP)
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”Dave Cousins” of The Strawbs. l had not heard he had died. So sad. He was the soul of The Strawbs. When you read his 60s and 70s lyrics they are like poetry. He had that way with words and wrote about his relationships and places with observations and life’s personal experiences. l was lucky to have had many fleeting conversations with him over a 35 year period. The most recent was in 2019 at one of the last acoustic Strawbs concerts in Honiton England, 10 miles away from a cottage he had owned during the height of his writings. He lived in many houses quite close together near the coast in East Devon, one being an old school house (Hence “Old School Records”) That’s why he wrote so much about the countryside rivers and sea.
“Glimpse of Heaven” Newborn lambs that sweetly played Speckled eggs all newly laid But for you l would have stayed l think l must have caught a glimpse of heaven
The fields of East Devon viewed from a hill. “If heaven exists, it would look like this” Speckled eggs… he noticed them as a boy in a butchers shop in Branscombe. In London they were all white
“Witchwood” The interwoven branches Where laden deep with snow A rainbow shone so softly To show which way to go
Possibly Wistman’s Wood, High altitude dwarf oakwood with lichens and mosses on Dartmoor. Spooky at night or day.
“The Shepherds Song” There was no need for discussion It was surely no disgrace Her soft skin had the texture Of the finest silken lace Waiting moist and trembling It was just the time and the place
l never asked him who the girl was for obvious reasons.
”Shine on Silver Sun” Once I sat upon a hill To watch the world go by My friend the young musician Had forbidden me to cry But l was the comedian With the laughs in short supply
The young magician was his “new love” (documented) after a marriage breakup.
After the concert l waited until he graciously had signed all the autographs sat down with his glass of white wine and we talked about those summer days. He was becoming very frail at this time but still enthusiastically answered all my questions. I reminded him about the Sidmouth “reunion concert” in 1984 at the Radway Cinema and the documentary filmed by local TV. I wondered at the possibility of finding the videos from the defunct TSW network. He thought the project could work with a donation to charity for the rights to release it on disc. That will probably never happen now….. unless the great man had started the resurrection.
David Joseph Cousins R.I.P. |
Miles definitely created the cool vibe, but I suggest that Lalo Schifrin popularized it. Everyone knows the theme from Mission Impossible, but I think some of his best work was the soundtrack for Bullitt. The combination of the music, the car, the 60's San Francisco scene, the story and the King of Cool in the lead role really sealed the deal for me. To this day, that soundtrack reminds me of how I got into music and continues to be a touchstone for how soundtracks should compliment and enhance a film. Today's score writers would do well to learn the lessons Schifrin bequeathed the industry. |
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@jnovak - I always liked that 'great folk scare' - did you ever see the movie 'A Mighty Wind', which was made by the same people who did Spinal Tap, but instead of metal, it deals with the folk music scene and their band is called the Folksmen. Those guys are/were cool.... |
https://forum.audiogon.com/posts/2822510
50's, 60's or 70's Elvis, he practically invented R&R cool.
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Lots of votes for Miles. Not surprising. Many other artists mentioned here whom I hadn’t heard of. I will try them. I think Joe Cocker (listen to St. James Infirmary ), Jimi Hendrix was cool. Later SRV. Chet Baker, for sure. Les Paul I would add. I would add Sade, Bonnie Raitt, and Natalie Merchant. But then who can forget the J Geils Band and the Sensational Alex Harvey Band! Block of ice cool. |
Cool, who is or who isn’t is an overheated argument now. Times have changed and just about anyone can be cool (a little like everyone has the potential for 15 minutes of fame, as alluded to by Andy Warhol’s brilliant claim) Cool was once a term used only sparingly for just a few people who were ultra brilliant in their class. I first heard of the expression in conjunction with Steve McQueen. Have there been any other actors that have topped this? Not many people are “really cool” now as l believe the term has been seriously undervalued because of it’s all too easy frequent overuse. I prefer to use the term acceptable or luke-warm for a lot of the suggestions made on here. My conclusion only which will not be deemed “cool” by those who like to over use the outdated “hay man that’s cool” expression.
A reflection from my partner. Someone mentioned Elvis was “cool” in his early years…. She says he definitely was NOT cool…. He was HOT Steve McQueen made Schifrins music even cooler when he composed for Bullitt. Jazz scores took off with Quincy Jones too. |
@jnovak Bullitt “ l tried to watch it once” l believe that McQueen garnered the label “King of Cool” because of Bullitt and “The Thomas Crown Affair” Think of that glider sequence, the music and song “Windmills of Your Mind”, and all the lovable sleuthing with Fay Dunaway. Also consider “The Cincinnati Kid” as another character he played in that short period that moulded his cool persona in the public eye. The car chase is remembered more than his acting ability in Bullitt, but he did look “extra cool” playing opposite a bad stiff wooden performance by Robert Vaughn. |
A few come to mind, not yhat I listen to thrm all. Fat Freddies Drop Gotan Project Dylan The Boss Jhonny Guitar Watson MC 900 foot Jesus James Brown Lambert, Hendrix & Ross Tina Turner Mose Allison Joni Herbie Fela Kuto Doors Heads B52’s Ike Quebec Mary Ann Faithful Beatles Miles Beasty Boys CSN & Y Dead Most all Brazilians… Seu Jorge Patrica Barber Kurt Elling Any Marsalis Jon Baptiste Stanton Moore RL Jones & RL Burnside ….,,,,,,,
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@wsrrsw “a few come to mind, not yhat l listen to thrm all”
Longest list l have ever seen…..
Your house must be really COOL …… But not your typing P🛟🛟L |
There's the public persona and the private person. I think you may be disappointed by some of your heroes. There's a well-publicized account by a guy I knew back in NY who helped Miles D after he crashed his Miura and there were bags of white powder all over the floor of the car. J Morrison was pretty gone by the time I saw him, after the indecency bust--overweight, not very engaging with the audience, the band just split in the dark when they were done with their set. The coolest person I met and knew in the industry was not a performer but he made a lot of careers possible-Chris Blackwell, who was described by one writer as louche. Chris had an ear for the "new" music when the majors were still selling dreck in the late '60s and signed a lot of important acts (from King Crimson and Tull to Marley) in the early days of rock-- he was someone artists were drawn to and he helped transform the sound of contemporary music. There are a few others who were "behind the scenes" who most of you know of by reputation. What's interesting is Morris Levy, long associated with his disreputable "mob" connections, ran one of the first racially integrated clubs in NYC back in the day when that wasn't "cool." As somebody once said to me, "when you think you're cool, you aren't." And, an awful lot of musicians came to awful ends--sure, I can enjoy Rory Gallagher or Paul Kossoff for what they gave us musically (like many jazz greats who died tragically), but I think a lot of them lived pretty dark lives. Sorry to be a buzz-kill. |
@whart on your quoted “Miles D” and the car crash episode. You are indeed a real borderline cool dude party pooper. l will now forever think of Miles Davis as the “black, white powder guy” |
Miles Davis was not a cool guy in real life, many, many issues. And some of the others mentioned here also not cool in real life. Harming oneself is one thing, harming others is quite another.
I also saw Miles live towards the end, the audience treated him as a god, basically all he could do at this point was blast out a single note from time to time. Really one the worst displays of trumpet playing I've ever seen, band carried the show, he was missing in action. |
Giving the women their due. Julie London, Peggy Lee, Lana Del Rey. Mose Allison so cool and clever.
Louis Prima and Keely Smith, "just A Gigolo", their whole act was the epitome of cool.
Dave Cousins of Strawbs, do people equate sensitive with cool, or is cool about being aloof? I do love the entire Brit folk/rock/traditional movement of early 70's. Brit music in general way cool, they've invented so many genres.
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