Introduction to Minimalism - by Greg Osby

Greg Osby 4 on BET

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Featuring: 

 

Greg Osby - alto saxophone

 Jason Moran  - piano

Mark Helias - bass

Eric Harland - drums

 

BET Network (1997)

Composition: "Gangsterism on Canvas", by Jason Moran

MINIMALISM in Nature by Francesca Sortino and Greg Osby

The Pace Report: "Not A Minimal Inner Circle" The Greg Osby Interview

Dr. Jazz Talks #370: Samo Šalamon & Greg Osby interview

Greg Osby 4 at DROM NYC w/Sorrey - Brewer - Diehl

Francisco Mela trio with Greg Osby y Petar Slavov

 

 

At Cornelia Street Cafe, NYC

The Greg Osby Interview from the Jake Feinberg Show

Arbenz Osby Krijger

 

 

This is a video single from Florian Arbenz's CONVERSATION #9 project entitled TARGETED featuring Greg Osby on saxophones, Florian Arbenz on drums & percussion and Arno Krijger on Hammond B3.  Video by Jonas Ruppen Find out more: https://florianarbenz.bandcamp.com

Sir, YOU may be the problem.

Extraction from a review of a recent release that featured me as a guest artist. The leader of the project asked me to submit an original composition. "Crtitic's" name and publication withheld. Neither deserves the publicity.

 

"GREG OSBY, AS HE IS KNOWN TO DO, CONTINUES TO WRITE ABSTRACTIONISM WITH ODD METERS AND UNSINGABLE MELODIES."

Below is an excerpt from my response to the review, which I actually never sent. I frequently write them in an attempt to bring clarity to reviews and write-ups that I feel have totally missed the point, or that I feel commit a severe disservice to the music and to the institution of the artist/writer relationship. Sometimes I write these responses when I'm irritated or frustrated but invariably I never actually share them publicly because during the course of writing them, I generally lose respect for the writer themselves or I wind up feeling that trying to school someone (who will, without exception, defend their position) to be a futile pursuit. So, DELETE! But there's a weird catharsis that I experience from venting my frustrations in print and actually looking at them - before I realize how pointless the entire exchange is.

<< Unsingable melodies? Perhaps that’s your unconvincing excuse and dismissal for melodies that YOU exclusively can’t sing, because anyone in my immediate circle has absolutely no problem navigating any of my original works. The term "Unsingable" is an an inaccurate and unfair description of music that you personally don't care for, or are unfamiliar with it's components. 

So "singable" is probably too broad of a term perhaps? "Singable,” meaning simple intervals, total diatonic melodicism, repetitive themes, quatral meters, etc...? Let's discuss this further, but offline. I've recently been having this exchange with other artists that I respect. I think our music (and mission) requires a bit more definition - as defined by US. Lately, I've noticed far too many write-ups and articles where my favorite cats have been unjustly criticized for writing what has been determined ”unsingable melodies," although I find them to be TOTALLY singable by qualified vocalists and musicians that can actually hear, and who have been trained to execute material beyond that of basic folk themes. Actually, the bigger question that should be addressed is why why some people readily and openly embrace what others openly reject. >>

Sam Newsome's Blogsite: Soprano Sax Talk: Why Tim "Bone" Williams Mattered

Sam Newsome's Blogsite: Soprano Sax Talk: Why Tim "Bone" Williams Mattered:   The jazz world recently lost one of its most influential and ardent students of the music. Which is ironic because many have never heard o...

 

 Conversation #9

Florian Arbenz - Drums & Percussion

Greg Osby - Alto & Soprano Saxophones

Arno Krijger - Hammond B3 Organ 

 

 

Arbenz X Krijger / Osby "Old Shaman"

Herbie Hancock Quartet Belgrade Jazz Festival 1988