Yes, I made the title obscure on purpose .
A couple of months ago I set out to bolster my set of "reference quality" tracks and albums. I started to read every one of my threads in the forum on best of high-res, what's spinning, etc. By far the most recommended genres were Jazz followed by Classical. Some of you know that I am into modern music/rock, not Jazz and Classical. But the goal being what it was, I started to buy the albums anyway. The mission quickly got out of control and I wound up with tons of CDs and downloads.
Then a remarkable thing happened: I started to like Jazz! Before that, it just seemed like random music to me compared to rhythms in popular music. But something happened in my brain where I started to latch onto the harmony that exists in Jazz. What is most stunning is that I went from "starting to like it" to "outright loving it!" So much so that when ran into type of modern music I used to buy and I passed on it as "boy, this is pretty superficial!" The change in preference was huge and rapid.
This was totally unexpected. The closest analogy is when I used to hate and never eat Sushi to very much enjoying it. That took a few years. But this one, in just a month or so! Sushi also broadened my palate where I started to like every other kind of food and nothing was "too scary" to eat. Same thing is happening now with Classical music as I have just started my journey there just the same as Jazz.
This has advanced so much that when I was at RMAF and manufacturers would ask me what to listen to, I would say "Jazz." And no matter what they played, I would find it very enjoyable.
Of course, I am a total luddite when it comes to these two categories of music. I have no vocabulary to discuss Jazz. No recollection of who is who more than a few legends. This lead to some funny encounters where after saying I want to listen to Jazz I would be asked, "do you want club (?) Jazz or this other kind?" I would nod with most confidence and say, "I love either." Not knowing what the hell I was just asked. Like the Matthew McConaughey says in Lincoln car commercials:
I am not doing to be look cool. "I just like it"
I don't know how one thanks the collective membership for such a gift. Transformation of one's old mind doesn't come easy and when it does, it is a profound thing. My enjoyment of music has gone to a completely new level. My appreciation in relating to the other's interest is beyond measure.
Five years ago we started this forum thinking we are just going to talk audio. Never thought in a million years that it would have this profound effect on me personally.
So thank you for being my teachers and guiding light in discovering these great new vistas of music. I look forward to learning to talk intelligently one day about Jazz and learning to love classical. Those of who posts frequently about what you listen to and what brings great enjoyment to you, know that I and I am sure others fully appreciate them and follow with interest, even though we don't contribute in kind.
A couple of months ago I set out to bolster my set of "reference quality" tracks and albums. I started to read every one of my threads in the forum on best of high-res, what's spinning, etc. By far the most recommended genres were Jazz followed by Classical. Some of you know that I am into modern music/rock, not Jazz and Classical. But the goal being what it was, I started to buy the albums anyway. The mission quickly got out of control and I wound up with tons of CDs and downloads.
Then a remarkable thing happened: I started to like Jazz! Before that, it just seemed like random music to me compared to rhythms in popular music. But something happened in my brain where I started to latch onto the harmony that exists in Jazz. What is most stunning is that I went from "starting to like it" to "outright loving it!" So much so that when ran into type of modern music I used to buy and I passed on it as "boy, this is pretty superficial!" The change in preference was huge and rapid.
This was totally unexpected. The closest analogy is when I used to hate and never eat Sushi to very much enjoying it. That took a few years. But this one, in just a month or so! Sushi also broadened my palate where I started to like every other kind of food and nothing was "too scary" to eat. Same thing is happening now with Classical music as I have just started my journey there just the same as Jazz.
This has advanced so much that when I was at RMAF and manufacturers would ask me what to listen to, I would say "Jazz." And no matter what they played, I would find it very enjoyable.
Of course, I am a total luddite when it comes to these two categories of music. I have no vocabulary to discuss Jazz. No recollection of who is who more than a few legends. This lead to some funny encounters where after saying I want to listen to Jazz I would be asked, "do you want club (?) Jazz or this other kind?" I would nod with most confidence and say, "I love either." Not knowing what the hell I was just asked. Like the Matthew McConaughey says in Lincoln car commercials:
I am not doing to be look cool. "I just like it"
I don't know how one thanks the collective membership for such a gift. Transformation of one's old mind doesn't come easy and when it does, it is a profound thing. My enjoyment of music has gone to a completely new level. My appreciation in relating to the other's interest is beyond measure.
Five years ago we started this forum thinking we are just going to talk audio. Never thought in a million years that it would have this profound effect on me personally.
So thank you for being my teachers and guiding light in discovering these great new vistas of music. I look forward to learning to talk intelligently one day about Jazz and learning to love classical. Those of who posts frequently about what you listen to and what brings great enjoyment to you, know that I and I am sure others fully appreciate them and follow with interest, even though we don't contribute in kind.