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It Don't Mean a Thing by Elvin Jones
It Don't Mean a Thing by Elvin Jones
1993 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I first met Chris Bear when I was fifteen. We were both at a jazz programme and he was the one person there that was frighteningly talented, just ridiculously talented, I was very intimidated by him. “He introduced me to this and it was one of the first records the two of us bonded over. I didn’t see him again for a few years, but this record was something I kept with me throughout the last few years of high school and I always remembered this amazing drummer who introduced me to it. “That first meeting with Chris Bear has been influential in my music and my life. We were all trying to be cool kids, trading on stuff that we knew and he had this record. There’s a wildness and a subtle funkiness to it, it’s functioning within the bounds of what the genre is but it’s pushing these tiny gradations of feeling. That’s what makes really good jazz really great, it sucks you into these funny little changes in the way that people are playing. It’s so human you feel like you’re in it, like you’re the person making it happen, it’s very physical. “The playing on this is incredibly fiery, Elvin Jones is a classic player and I think Chris Bear’s drumming comes a little bit from his playing at times, but this record is a little bit outside of pure jazz. I feel in our band, and in Chris Bear’s playing, he’s always had that subtlety of feeling, you can play within any one genre, but there’s this lightness of touch and a really subtle dynamic going on. “It takes knowing the right thing to find what’s good in jazz, it’s got a language and a history and it’s easy to hear terrible shit too, I get that. I remember riding around L.A in the back of someone’s car getting really stoned and listening to the whole record was like seeing colours, it was really intense and overwhelming"

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Classic Kathleen Battle by Kathleen Battle
Classic Kathleen Battle by Kathleen Battle
2002 | Classical
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Now to get as far away from punk as you can get… Wynton Marsalis is a trumpet player, and Kathleen Battle is a soprano. “There’s a really good video of them performing this song and it kind of tells you everything you need to know about them as people. The combined ego of these two people is insane, you can see it on their faces. Again, it goes back to the idea that you don’t need to feel like you like the people singing to like the song, you can get positive emotions from egotistical people. “This song was played to me by Rachel from Cat’s Eyes. I got into classical music through her and it took me ages to a find soprano that I actually liked. I find listening to sopranos difficult sometimes, sometimes it feels so intrusive with that theatrical, over the top warble. But when the tone is pure I love it and Kathleen Battle is one of those sopranos. “The song is a baroque piece, but I find it quite hard to categorise. It’s so visual and so evocative; it’s almost psychedelic, because their music affects your perception of things. And it puts so many opulent and indulgent pictures in my head while I’m listening to it. Of all the soprano pieces and classical pieces that Rachel played me, this one is my favourite. I listen to it all the time, it’s probably one of my most listened to songs. “These two performers are so completely dedicated to their craft. They’ve been doing this their whole life and they’ve reached a level of control that most people will never get near. That’s why I love watching the video of it so much, despite their monumental egos you can’t help but admire and be inspired by the performance. The level of dedication and the level of musicality is unreal"

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Ready Player One (2018)
Ready Player One (2018)
2018 | Sci-Fi
Jaw-dropping visuals, and heartfelt story. (0 more)
Some plot weirdness common to adaptations. (0 more)
Press Start to Join The Rebellion
A truly excellent movie for the whole family to enjoy. Ready Player One has all of the elements required for a movie to truly excel in the telling of its story. The action is epic, the heroes are cool, and oh boy the fun and laughs you'll have along the way. The voice acting cast was well handled, but is probably the main reason I did not give this one full points. The studio could have gotten higher level actors to sell the more emotional plot points. Olivia Cooke and Tye Sheridan still do a masterful job with their roles, but some lines were delivered with a Spy Kids level of corniness. In truth, you have to hunt for flaws in this movie as if they were easter eggs themselves. Parzival, and the rest of the hunters on the quest, weave a beautiful tapestry of tropes that blends modern gaming escapism with social revolution. Not all the characters are super deep, nor do they have to be. You will find yourself cheering for the good guys, and jeering the bad. That's the beauty of this movie. It is a perfect chance to enjoy a thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and world domination, without having to buckle in for an Oscar level drama. The best of this movie however, and the reason I would ultimately recommend it to just about anyone is the sheer beauty and power of the visual effects, and the warm nostalgia that permeates every aspect of the plot. Pop culture references that are sure to make you grin are peppered throughout as the story unfolds. Any gamer, movie buff, rebel at heart, or really just about anyone who has ever had any kind of electronic fun since the 60s will find a note in the proverbial song meant just for them. Get your game face on, this is a good one.