[JPL] Want to P.D. at XM?

[Doug Crane]

It's all about context and the setting of programming parameters.  If, as you did, program a show focusing on nothing but the blues form, that's fine.  But if, as in the case of what I heard on XM, the only difference was the lead instrument, (tenor sax on the first, trumpet on the second) and the remainder of the rhythm section is identical, tempo is virtually the same, style is the same, it's simply too much of the same thing.  If the two tunes had been separated by as much as a short vocal, I'd have had no problem.  

I dare say that most jazz musicians take into consideration song forms, styles, etc. when they put together a set list.  I'd bet that the same thing happens when the order of tunes is being determined on a new CD.  And given a choice, they're probably not going to follow one blues tune with another.  Why shouldn't we employ the same considerations?  And yes, you can certainly cite recordings that feature nothing but blues tunes if you choose to nitpick.  But even the best of those allows for variations in styles, etc.  And that's typically the point of recordings like that anyway.

But why so defensive?  I'm just making what I consider to be a valid observation.  I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition!

Doug Crane
dcrane at comcast.net
KUVO Denver 89.3 FM      

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Eric Jackson <eric-jackson at comcast.net> 
> 
> Playing two 12 bar blues in a row is a cardinal sin? That sounds pretty 
> serious. So what happens when a programmers does that? I mean do you 
> have some documented proof that says something dire happens when you 
> play two 12 bar blues? I'd be interested in that if you do. 
> 
> To me, more important than making up hard programming guidelines like 
> this, it would be better for a programmer to know his or her audience. I 
> wouldn't hesitate to play a string of blues tunes.