An Open Letter to Howard Mandel or William Parker Has Had It With Hacks.

"An open letter to Howard Mandel.

"My first response upon hearing that you requested a press pass to write something about the evolving series was, No way. I said, make Howard pay, because I know what he writes is going to be more detrimental than helpful. Then I said good or bad, it is publicity for the series and the musicians. Lo and behold the review come out and it is, as usual, a display of marginalizing the music, the musicians and the taking stabs at the non-profit producer, Arts For Art. This article showed me that you are still a chop shop groupie who kisses the ass of those you think are important, and you associate with them to further your career and bask in Their glory. For those who can't or choose not to support your dream of self importance, you dismiss.

But as Sunny Murray says “The conquest has been Coned but not Won”. It is 2014. I would have thought by now you would have clue about how improvisational music works. Then again, some people live and grow and some people walk around with their head up their own ass.

There is so much more in the phrase, “play what you feel” then you will ever understand. It takes years and years of practice to develop a sound and language on one’s instrument, training oneself how to improvise and how to compose on the bandstand. Do you know what makes Daniel Carter special? Or why is Rob Brown called the epic poet of the alto saxophone? What are their innovations? Howard, your article showed your ignorance, sublime stupidity, and that big chip you have on your shoulder against Art For Art. It is obvious that you don’t understand or get the music you heard.

You have boosted over the years that you have helped us and helped the music. All I can say is you are definitely delusional. With help like yours the music would have died long ago. It is the musicians and music that sustains the music, not your lame writing, or periodic radio broadcasts from the past. Your efforts have always been blatantly self-serving. I have spoken with many well-known Musicians about you and the conclusion I get is they have no respect for you. The musicians from Chicago think you’re a clown. The St. Louis musicians think you’re a creep. The general consensus is that I shouldn’t even bother responding to anything that you have written.

I read your book on Cecil Taylor/ Ornette Coleman and Miles Davis/ the book was horrendous and uninformed unless it was supposed to be a form of science fiction comedic writing.

I want you to know that if you ever get assigned by any magazine to write about the Vision festival or any concert that is produced by Arts For Art. You will not be welcomed. You are banned from entering any event. And, if you see me at a social event, please stay away from me. Don’t write about me, or talk to me, or nominate me for your ridiculous jazz journalist award.

You don’t like what we do and we certainly don’t like what you do. you are blind, unable to see the darkness or the light.

I will be sharing this email with the public just as you shared your review ."

William Parker.

Good old William. The  Pudgy Dunce has been insufferable, glib and useless forever.

Astuteness from Stanley Zappa follows.

"The thing about this particular argument is that it is never accompanied by a solution, or even a direction in which the final solution to all the "problems" of this music can be found.  Is it to be found in written lines, well rehearsed, shoulder pads in the yellow jackets (jack-its)?  What does Howard like to listen to?"

The 1% Jazz Invasion or How I Helped to Kill Roy Campbell. Part 2. Guardians of Gates to Nowhere.

One of the more pernicious problems afflicting the core community turns on certification. On the surface this is easily ridiculous and should be. Beyond traditional peer review, most musical idioms outside the purview of formal institutions aren't subject to much of a credentials process involving six figure price tags.

This credential fabrication is a connivance of gate keepers on the 'commerce' side and the educational side. Old media maintained a retinue of credential makers now increasingly bypassed by the ability to just click on a You Tube of the artist in question and decide for your own damned self.

The 1% Jazz Invasion or How I Helped to Kill Roy Campbell. Part 1 Contours of the Problem.

Roy Sinclair Campbell Junior essentially gave his whole life to the music of his home community, the African American community, from his early days as a community college student with a Fletcher Henderson alumnus, Dick Vance.

From there he learned more trumpet craft from Lee Morgan. And so it went across the bright arc of his moments.

Roy was the ultimate musical working stiff and roamed New York to find work in stage and show bands, parade gigs, probably even a fashion show or two, (it's an actual gig description item in the musician's union rate book).

And through all that he kept faith with his world and participated to the greatest degree he could.