Alex Hoffman on Wayne Shorter - WTF?

[pig pen]

I was made aware of this little tempest in a tea pot yesterday. The only thing I can guess is that Alex Hoffman will be embarrassed by this when he grows up a bit (I guess I'm an optimist).

Here's a summary of Alex's thoughts on Wayne and many other things musical (and just plain fucked up) and one person's rebuttal:

http://atane.tumblr.com/post/42352498860/cerebral-decanting-speak-no-evil-alex-hoffman-gives

[pig pen]

In case anyone isn't aware of who Alex is, he's a young sax player who primarily plays straight-ahead jazz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKYdHIolUmQ

[bluenoter]

[bluenoter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Etv2f1EpRU

[pig pen]

Fucking christ! Those have got to be two of the most boring motherfuckers on the face of the planet!

If anybody makes it through that video, will you please summarize for the rest of us?

Agreed! That video was actually what brought this sorry little tale to my attention and I skipped ahead as much as I could to get the gist of it since I couldn't take the whole thing. I found the blog post above that seemed to summarize the gist of AH's rant.

[moldyfigg]

I'm not a fan of Shorter's recent stuff, but this Alex has baryard detritus for brains.

[pig pen]

catatonic state of dipshittery.

I believe that has been added to the latest DSM. Treatment consists of a twice-daily kick in ass.

[Tom Storer]

Yes, the Alex Hoffman scandal raged over Facebook and the jazz blogosphere for two or three weeks. Most commentary was outrage at his effrontery, most of the rest was debate over whether Shorter's current quartet is the most brilliant evolution of jazz or the emperor's new clothes. I don't recall anyone sticking up for Hoffman, except for a few lonely voices saying that he's not a bad musician despite his big mouth.

In that interview, he does come across as someone you wouldn't necessarily invite to a party.

[John L]

Fucking christ! Those have got to be two of the most boring motherfuckers on the face of the planet!

If anybody makes it through that video, will you please summarize for the rest of us?

That about sums it up. When this controversy hit a while back, I kept trying to watch this video, trying and trying, but just couldn't make it through.

[walto]

Of course he's just a nitwit hunting for attention.

I particularly enjoyed his choice of Debussy as an atonal composer, and his criticism of Shorter "as a human being" because, I guess, he doesn't enjoy his playing.

[Gentle Giant]

Sometimes I wish I could still use the R word with impunity.

[moldyfigg]

Like a fart in a windstorm. . .

[bluenoter]

Sometimes I wish I could still use the R word with impunity.

A recurring opinion in the comments on the interview video was that Hoffman is probably on the autism spectrum---lack of eye contact, etc.

And FWIW, this is one of the comments:

Can this kid clarify the apparent coincidence that Shorter was his primary judge at the Monk Contest that he lost, along with another judge, Greg Osby, who this kid also attacked? Then he attacked Joshua Redman who did win the contest. Sorry but doesn't this seem a little obvious? I think this young man got his feelings hurt and needs to move on.

[peterdubya]

I followed this on FB when it hit, or for a little while I did....

I tried with the video but found Alex to be one of the single mos boring, depressing souls I've ever seen on a video. His playing is not anything I enjoy either.

There were quite a few posts about it on his FB page, he seems to be a very depressed person.

Never saw the comments about the Monk competition, but see now that it might be sour grapes.

[bluenoter]

Never saw the comments about the Monk competition, but see now that it might be sour grapes.

A disclaimer, though: The comment quoted in #21 was the only comment about the Monk competition that I came across (except for a reply noting that Hoffman was a finalist), and I can't vouch for its accuracy, in whole or in part. Hence my "FWIW."

[Monte Smith]

I'm not a fan of Shorter's recent stuff, but this Alex has baryard detritus for brains.

If Shorter's recent performance on the time-warp re-do of the Arsenio Hall show is an indication, there is nothing bad you could say about his music that isn't warranted. However, I know he made a lot of good music. Man, is he boring now. Boring with all the cliches that make jazz largely boring now.

[pig pen]

[size=120][b][font=Times New Roman]A recurring opinion in the comments on the interview video was that Hoffman is probably on the autism spectrum---lack of eye contact, etc.

This makes a lot of sense since, from what I can gather, people with autism can be very obsessed with rules.

[Tom Storer]

If Shorter's recent performance on the time-warp re-do of the Arsenio Hall show is an indication

I didn't see it so I don't know, but Shorter admits his quartet has good nights and bad.

there is nothing bad you could say about his music that isn't warranted.

So, you, uh, didn't like it?

Boring with all the cliches that make jazz largely boring now.

Must disagree: the Shorter quartet's clichés are original!

[Monte Smith]

Arsenio Hall's producers describe this performance as "taking it to a new level."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNPeu0wn8i8

[moldyfigg]

If Shorter's recent performance on the time-warp re-do of the Arsenio Hall show is an indication

I didn't see it so I don't know, but Shorter admits his quartet has good nights and bad.

there is nothing bad you could say about his music that isn't warranted.

So, you, uh, didn't like it?

Boring with all the cliches that make jazz largely boring now.

Must disagree: the Shorter quartet's clichés are original!

He hit his creative peak with Blakey and Miles.

[erwbol]

[size=120][b][font=Times New Roman]A recurring opinion in the comments on the interview video was that Hoffman is probably on the autism spectrum---lack of eye contact, etc.

This makes a lot of sense since, from what I can gather, people with autism can be very obsessed with rules.

Autism spectrum is no explanation for retarded opinions and questionable taste in music.

[steve(thelil)]

Wayne's post-Weather Report stuff never did it for me, but with the critically acclaimed stuff I usually assume it's me and not him. However I saw him and Carlos Santana together once and thought it was a noodle fest. Don't know the real recent stuff.

[walto]

Arsenio Hall's producers describe this performance as "taking it to a new level."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNPeu0wn8i8

FWIW, I didn't think that was so bad--other than that the first two minutes of it are pure throat clearing. IMHO, that's a defect of at least half of all jazz and improvised music that I've heard from the last 30 years and is something that's been a painfully huge feature of Shorter's output at least since Weather Report. But once he gets going (when he does), look out.

[Mike Schwartz]

What would anyone on earth think that Arsenio Hall's producers would say about this or any act they're pumping?

Given a TV spot with limited time thought it was fabulous and Esperanza definitely went to a place I'd venture she's never visited before as a vocalist!