Monday, February 09, 2009

String theory

Still on the theme of Facebook’s apparently desire to become the Dremel Multi-Max* of Web 2.0. The thing is, most of us are capable of using various bits of the interweb, and joining any relevant dots when it feels appropriate.

For example: yesterday I was listening to David Suchet on Desert Island Discs, while reading Shane Richmond’s Telegraph blog. David was expressing his admiration for Joe Morello’s drum solo on ‘Take Five’; Shane, as I mentioned in a postscript to the previous post, was sticking up for Wikipedia in the face of what seems to be a particularly ill-advised rant from someone who is not, repeat *not* the offspring of a former deputy leader of the Labour Party.

Independent of conscious thought, my fingers reached for Morello’s Wikipedia entry, and discovered the fact (although the appropriateness of that word depends on the precise quantity of salt you choose to pinch when referring to Wikipedia) that he actually started as a violinist, playing his first solo with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the age of nine.

But the bit that really impressed me was this:

At the of age 15 Morello met the violinist Jascha Heifetz and decided that he would never be able to equal Heifetz's "sound", so switched to drumming.

Which supports my contention that only a real genius understands how good he isn’t.

* Only follow this link if the phrase "oscillating tool" does not make you gurgle with merriment.



PS: I think if I ever find myself running a nightclub, “jazz casual” will be the dress code.

PPS:Even cooler Brubeck footage here.

6 comments:

Steerforth said...

Watching this makes me wish that I'd been born 20 years earlier. But living in Britain, I expect I'd have been watching Tommy F***ing Steel instead.

Vicus Scurra said...

I saw their last concert in the UK.
Must be 40 years ago.
Thanks for making me feel so very old.

Rog said...

Nice!

Billy said...

I don't normally like drum solos but I have to agree, it's a good 'un.

garfer said...

Isn't that Phillip Larkin on sax?

It's enough to make one consider growing a goatee, wearing a duffle coat, and foot tappin' in a pair of suede Hush Puppies.

Tim F said...

Better still, Steerforth, Mr Acker Bilk.

Cheer up, Vicus. Dave’s still tickling his ivories as far as I know. There’s hope for us all.

Rog: Grrreat!

It can’t be a real drum solo, Billy. It doesn’t give you time to order a pint, have a wee *and* buy a t-shirt.

Garfer: Actually, I was thinking they looked more like the pure maths department at CalTech, during their lunchbreak.