Naim label (suggestions)

"It should be noted that I've never had a day job in my life."

Well, neither have I!

Which actually means that I have long periods of fourteen-hour working days, and I feel worse when I don't.

Herman

In the 90's my bass playing & musical tastes took a more 'mature' direction. IMVHO my playing is now better than it ever has been, but..... the audiences I have more recently played to are not in concert halls, people are often drinking glasses of wine and chatting. This took a while to get used to as I KNOW that some people considered our music as 'background' & worst of all Muzak. Like Fred, as long as the 'audience' took a little time out and just listened to one piece then I
guess this was enough for me.

The genre that Fred is playing in is subtle, but it is defiantly NOT Muzak. Once you 'get it' it is enveloping & spiritually uplifting. It is intensely satisfying to be involved playing this style of music, but regrettably some musicians can get rather self indulgent, playing muso music for muso's. Fred thankfully never falls into this
category.

My bass playing mentor, Eberhard Weber, has IMHO produced some of the most spiritual music on the planet. I have given up playing his albums when friends are round as I can't bare to have the musical spell broken with chat. I also know that a percentage of them would consider his music as 'background'. This frustrates me, but I do understand it.

My advice would be to give Fred's album a spin when you are totally chilled, maybe late at night with a glass or two of wine. Turn the lights down & the music up a bit & see what happens.

Bob.

Mick, I think there is an errant "but" in the above sentence...

Bob

On a slightly different note...

quote:

---

Originally posted by Anna Tooth:

Thanks to Pete for his vocal support of the label.

---

Nae bother, but distribution could be a little better at times. I'm still waiting for the Flamenco Havana, Honour Simplicity and Vento to get to Robert's CD rack in Montrose...

And another note still; Fred, you must be very glad you're no Sarah Brightman! You're no Michael Bolton either, you'll be relieved to hear...

Pete.

Look out for a thread over the next couple of days regarding a new release from the Naim Label, a jazz pianist who is legendary amongst musicians and essentially unknown to the jazz record buying public.

Not Fred Simon this time, sorry guys.

Anna

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nick Lees:
Anna,

As a result of all this I've listened to a bit of Dreamhouse and thought it worth buying. However, although I ended up buying from the Naim site (out of loyalty I guess), I could have bought it cheaper from 3 other sites in the UK that I checked out. Why should your postage be higher?

Fred,

Get your pen out and hassle Amazon.com! Amazon.co.uk have Dreamhouse on their lists (and someone's given it 5 stars), as do Amazon.de but not the US site

---

Actually, it's Naim's decision not to vend through amazon.com. I'd certainly welcome it, though.

And thanks for giving Dreamhouse a shot; glad you're digging it.

quote:

---

Originally posted by dozy:
For what it is worth, I really can't stand people chatting when I have paid to see a band perform. I wish they would STFU. Then people wouldn't have to play so loud ...

dozy

---

I agree, both as performer and audience member. It's become so pervasive now that you're almost risking your life even to politely ask someone to be quiet. People now consider it their right to talk, and how dare you ask them to stop. Same in movie theaters.

[This message was edited by fred simon on TUESDAY 12 March 2002 at 01:56.]

quote:

---

Originally posted by herm:
Fred admits:

"It should be noted that I've never had a day job in my life."

Well, neither have I!

Which actually means that I have long periods of fourteen-hour working days, and I feel worse when I don't.

Herman

---

I mentioned this in response to your observation that "Any sane person would get a day job," with which I agree, as well as serving as prime example.

quote:

---

Originally posted by bob atherton:
... the audiences I have more recently played to are not in concert halls, people are often drinking glasses of wine and chatting. This took a while to get used to as I KNOW that some people considered our music as 'background' & worst of all Muzak. Like Fred, as long as the 'audience' took a little time out and just listened to one piece then I
guess this was enough for me.

---

If it's a restaurant/bar where music is ambient, that's the nature of the gig and I accept it as such; I play one like this most Friday nights. If someone is listening (and usually someone is) and even gives me positive feedback, all the better.

But if it's a club featuring music, I find it grossly disrespectful to the musicians, the music, and those in the audience who came to listen (often paying substantially), for people to be obliviously chatting away as though this was their own private salon. It's become epidemic, and, as I said in another post, the social tables have turned ... if you politely ask them to stop now you're an asshole.

quote:

---

The genre that Fred is playing in is subtle, but it is defiantly NOT Muzak. Once you 'get it' it is enveloping & spiritually uplifting. It is intensely satisfying to be involved playing this style of music, but regrettably some musicians can get rather self indulgent, playing muso music for muso's. Fred thankfully never falls into this
category.

---

Bob, thanks so much for your sweet words; I appreciate them greatly.

quote:

---

My bass playing mentor, Eberhard Weber, has IMHO produced some of the most spiritual music on the planet.

---

I agree. Eberhard is in my pantheon, too, especially Fluid Rustle, Silent Feet, Little Movements, Colours of Chloe, Later That Evening, and the recent Endless Days.

quote:

---

My advice would be to give Fred's album a spin when you are totally chilled, maybe late at night with a glass or two of wine. Turn the lights down & the music up a bit & see what happens.

Bob.

---

Wise advice.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pete:
And another note still; Fred, you must be _very_ glad you're no Sarah Brightman!

Pete.

---

Yes, very glad for so many reasons, perhaps the foremost being that I'm not the ex-Mrs. Android Leper.

quote:

---

Originally posted by 1st Pentacostal Church of Vuksanovic:
DEAR MR NAIM

more Fred, more Fred now ...

I actually like quite a lot of the Naim CDs - but Dreamhouse is a definite stand out disc for me ...

Jonathan

---

Jonathan, I'm very gratified that you're enjoying my music so much. Thanks for the rousing endorsement.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boldface Type:

It may interest you to know that the Legend of Fred has now reached the major film companies ... Advancing fearlessly toward the girlie masses is a Bosendorfer Grand equipped with caterpillar tracks. Yes, it can only be the near-legendary Fred Simon of the 33rd Light Armoured Piano Division! ... But! Deep within an underground recording studio, a new enemy was soon to emerge in a battle for the Omnipotent Chord of Power. Fred Hersch! ... Coming Soon! Fred - there can be only one.

---

Mr. Type, that's pretty damn good. I laughed, I cried, I optioned my life story for $5 million.

Two observations, though ... I prefer Steinway although you're probably correct that the massive 11-foot Bosendorfer is needed for this particular job. Also, I dearly love the music of Fred Hersch, and would gladly defer to him anytime. Besides, all Freds are brothers.

I would have included Orchestra & Pendulum. Orchestra is my favorite album to date.

Bob.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Boldface Type:
I would also like to see naim become a 'great' (jazz) label; at the moment (IMHO) it's mostly pleasant, well recorded stuff which sits some way back from the bleeding edge ...

... In the end I don't think the naim label ever set out to be radical / cutting edge / goatee-bearded

BfT.

---

Each to their own, of course, but I do want to suggest that music steeped in creativity and substance does not reside solely on the "bleeding edge," nor need it wear a goatee.

Just my opinion,but there could do to be a little more in the "rockier" department or perhaps some modern day blues,folk etc ?

Regards

Chris

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nick Lees:
I've had Dreamhouse for about three weeks now.

When I first got it, I thought "Hmmm...This is quite nice"...and not too much more.

So why is it that I've played it almost every day since? Answer: I love it.

I can pay it no bigger compliment than to say that it's grabbed me just like the Loussier Satie Variations (Telarc). In fact the Fred originals have a certain something that's very Satiesque about them without ever seeming like poor relations.

If I do have a slight quibble (and it is slight), it'd be with "Old Folks", which to me at least, sounds a bit too loungey.

Whatever this release has got though, it's totally hooked me emotionally. And I want more please. Preferrably now. If not sooner. Please.

Nick

---

Nick, effusive thanks for your glowing endorsement. I couldn't hope for any better, unless, of course, you were actually in charge of things at Naim. I strongly urge you to copy your post directly to the powers that be at Naim (in case they don't see it here).

Your account of having it sink in slowly is a common experience with Dreamhouse; it is not an album that hits one over the head, but, rather, insinuates ... much like thoughts and images that find their way into one's dreams at night.

Very perceptive of you to hear the Satie influence; his music figured prominently in my formative years, and still does. I haven't heard the Loussier variations, sounds intriguing.

Regarding "Old Folks" ... I hope that your characterization of it as "loungey" applies to its dissimilarity from my originals, being a standard jazz ballad (covered by myriad musicians, including a famous rendition by Miles), rather than a critique of my particular version. I hope.

By the way, it marked the first time I had included a jazz standard on one of my albums. We were playing it, and other standards, in between takes of the originals as sort of a palette cleanser but not with the initial intention of including it on the album. But it felt right, we played it well, and its introspective vibe fit the rest of the program.

Anyway, a recapitulation of thanks are in order.

Currently getting repeated play from me. Quite brilliant!

John

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nick Lees:
[Old Folks] somehow lacked that certain something that grabbed me with all the other tracks.

---

I'm determined to take that as a compliment.

quote:

---

I checked out Amazon for other stuff by you and only came up with a rather strange-looking Beach Boys album...and the All Music Guide, where they have a record of a few much older albums that appear to be deleted.

---

That would be The Music Of the Beach Boys, an album that is better than it perhaps sounds. I was commissioned to arrange their music for solo piano, my choice of tunes: mostly early Brian Wilson songs, and some from Pet Sounds, played as if Bill Evans and Joni Mitchell melded into one inside my head. In other words, it is not the bouncy, surfing Beach Boys sound but, rather, the lyrical, poignant, introspective sound of Brian alone in his room. In preparing for the album, I discovered that his songs are laden with melodic and harmonic sophistication, innovation and genius, easily on a par with Burt Bacharach and Lennon/McCartney; indeed, McCartney praised Brian's masterpiece God Only Knows, (included on my album, incidentally) as the most beautiful song he'd ever heard.

The label that commissioned it specialized in music with nature sounds, so they later added an accompaniment of ocean waves. It wasn't my idea, but actually I dig it ... I've always loved the ocean, had once thought about combining music with its sounds, and it's tastefully done and unobtrusive. And not inappropriate considering the program.

Concerning the other albums of mine listed in the AMG -- if you or anyone else is interested in them feel free to contact me directly via e-mail: fredsimonmusic@aol.com

quote:

---

Oh, and AMG have you down as playing sax in the 40's for Charles Brown, Arnett Cobb, Dizzy Gillespie and Lionel Hampton, amongst others!

---

It's true -- I am 97 years old, and damn grateful to be riding the second wave of my career.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nick Lees:

The Loussier Satie is a gem. Even though he takes the old war-horses for the starting points (Gymnopedies, Gnossiennes) he gently wrings new stuff out of them. His drum sound is to die for, BTW!

---

It's funny, but I had never heard of (Jacques, I assume?) Loussier until your mention. And then, a day later, I read that he is suing Eminem for plagiarizing one of his tunes. Small, strange, world.

Did anyone enjoy it? Although I have enjoyed some of the output on the Naim label, this was a great disappointment. It left me wondering why anyone would bother.

Sorry to sound negative. The classical and jazz discs are alot better.

David

quote:

---

Originally posted by David Sutton:
Did anyone else buy this disc?
Did anyone enjoy it?

---

Yes and yes, respectively. I wouldn't go so far to say it's a "must have", or anything like that, and would generally steer people interested in this sort of thing towards the Indigo Girls, but although it's lightweight I don't see there's anything wrong with that.

quote:

---

It left me wondering why anyone would bother.

---

Very large tracts of music available in the world generate just such a feeling in a lot of people, so it's hardly surprising some bits of music affect you (or not) that way. My Mum doesn't see any point in the Messiaen on the Concerts Under the Dome 2 disc, but that hardly makes it bad...

Pete.

I feel well and truly repremanded over my narrow minded views. But I still think Foo Foo is crap and a waste of time and effort.

Sorry
David

I don't think it's being narrow minded not to like it though. Like any other piece of music, you either like or you don't.

Steve B

The recording quality isn't up to the Naim jazz standards (IMHO!) but that has helped me appreciate the music more quickly than the 'sound' - an easy thing to slip into with stunning discs.

It's light hearted, fun music, by people with a sense of humour - and they're great fun live.

A.