Friday, February 5, 2016

Tyler Cowen exposed!

Despite finding a high proportion of what Tyler  and Alex Tabarrok have to say about economics on their blog, Marginal Revolution,  maddening, I am a more or less regular reader, chiefly because Tyler's erudition in matters cultural and literary is astounding. Any book I think looks interesting, and that I add to  an impossibly long 'things to get to when I have more time," Tyler has already read.  But I am now taking him straight off the cultural sage pedestal I had heretofore placed him on: in an interesting interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabar, he asks the latter which are the most under-rated of Miles Davis' recordings. Kareem mentions Seven Steps to Heaven, and Porgy and Bess - good choices. (I like Miles Ahead - another Gil Evans collaboration, like P&B- and the amazing Birth of the Cool. )


But Tyler puts in his two cents, giving the nod to.......Fillmore East!, which he recommends as a "souped-up Bitches Brew." This is a recommendation? Say it isn't so, Tyler: you can't, can't, can't  be a lover of that horrible, terrible abomination that is "Jazz Fusion." No!

2 comments:

Jack said...

It only means that Tyler's taste in jazz is about equal to his acumen in the field of economics. I'd hesitate to pick one Miles Davis album as best of all, but take a look at the personnel on Miles Ahead and the '58 Sessions. It's difficult to imagine a group with more depth of talent, in any genre of music.

CrocodileChuck said...

Its not 'fusion'. & it IS a 'souped up Bitches Brew'.

'Fusion' came later, as an unfortunate sobriquet, churned out by lesser bands. By that point, Miles Davis had moved on ['On the Corner', Barkley?]

Last, Kareem couldn't possibly have been serious-'Seven Steps' was a transitional record, recorded in two different sessions [LA, NYC] with two different bands.

Its 'OK', & an enjoyable listen. But not in the ball park for what had come before-or, to come after [Second Great Quintet, the 'Electric Period'].

ps I'm impressed by Tyler Cowen-if he DOES listen to stuff like that [he doesn't read all the books he claims, nor posts about]