This Jacob Collier guy

[pancreas]

Pretty sure NoSleep posted a youtube of him giving harmony lessons to some kid. A prodigy, he appears to have spent his childhood learning instruments rather than wanking. They have him doing a prom here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bb8d8v/bbc-proms-2018-jacob-collier-and-friends

Despite the frenzied performance, I have to concede that the guy is really astonishing. I've honestly never seen anything like this. Apologies if this is a well-worn topic, but it didn't seem to be on the basis of google.

[NoSleep]

I can assure you it wasn't me. Don't blame me.

[pancreas]

I can assure you it wasn't me. Don't blame me.

You're right. I've found it. It was Depressed.

[Shit Good Nose]

A bit like Rachel Flowers, who I've mentioned before.  She's 24 and is already a virtuoso on the piano, keyboard (as in synth) and guitar, and has a great singing voice to boot.

Here she is emulating Frank Zappa - https://youtu.be/9RvBMHXLGms?t=124.  I mean it REALLY could be FZ.  Unbelievable.

And here she is fucking around on a Chapman Stick for the very first time - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6vEljhS8ks  33secs to 1min something amazing starts to happen.

[Twit 2]

That clip of him splurging about theory is interesting. It's impressive musically as he obviously has a hell of an ear on him but the concepts he's talking about are standard music degree stuff, from 'Europe or somewhere like that'.  Waving your hands about, however cute, does not make it more complicated. Ah, to be young and enthusiastic, though - really brought home what a jaded husk I am.

[Shit Good Nose]

That clip of him splurging about theory is interesting. It's impressive musically as he obviously has a hell of an ear on him but the concepts he's talking about are standard music degree stuff. Waving your hands about, however cute, does not make it more complicated. Ah, to be young and enthusiastic, though - really brought home what a jaded husk I am.

It will be interesting to see what he's up to in 20 or so years time.  Assuming he doesn't kill himself or die from a drug overdose or something before then.

Mind you, talented and proficient though he is, I don't like any of his stuff.  It's all very Britain's Got Talent.

[Twit 2]

Yes, he's already reached a level quite early on that most people never get to - the question is whether he plateaus or continues ascending. Looking at his bio it's not surprising he's so good with the background and musical education he's received. Put him next to your other BGT lot or vacuous youtubers and I'm sure he's a God, next to any Royal Academy student of the same age and background maybe not...

[Ominous Dave]

By his age Stevie Wonder had already made Music of My Mind, Talking Book and Innervisions, while Collier's act seems to consist of what, for all his undeniable technical ability, are ultimately just novelty covers of pop songs. I'm sure he appeals to the Young-Musician-of-the-Year 'let's coo over posh kids playing instruments' audience, but none of it appeals to me I'm afraid.

Here she is emulating Frank Zappa - https://youtu.be/9RvBMHXLGms?t=124.  I mean it REALLY could be FZ. 

If you drain out everything that's actually interesting about FZ as an artist, then yeah. 

(This post makes me look like a total cunt, doesn't it? Sorry.)

[Twit 2]

While we're sticking the boot into her, I'll just add that the Chapman stick vid is pretty unremarkable, blindness aside and relative to her existing abilities. Someone who doesn't play music doing that? Fine. Someone who is already very proficient on other instruments? That's what happens when you give them a new one (bear in mind it's a fretted string instrument, not a stretch for someone who can already play a fretted string instrument well). 

[Shit Good Nose]

If you drain out everything that's actually interesting about FZ as an artist, then yeah. 

I did specifically mean emulating one of his live solos from the early-mid 70s, not his entire career.

While we're sticking the boot into her, I'll just add that the Chapman stick vid is pretty unremarkable, blindness aside and relative to her existing abilities. Someone who doesn't play music doing that? Fine. Someone who is already very proficient on other instruments? That's what happens when you give them a new one (bear in mind it's a fretted string instrument, not a stretch for someone who can already play a fretted string instrument well).

I don't know if you've ever played a Stick, but it's NOTHING like playing guitar.  Completely different way of playing, thinking and moving around the instrument.  That's like saying someone who is a decent banjo or ukulele player will turn into John McLaughlin the minute they pick up a 6 string guitar.  It just doesn't happen - they may be stringed instruments, but they're as different from each other as a violin is.

[NoSleep]

And yet Ollie Halsall (RIP) went from vibes player to proto guitar shredder almost overnight. If you know music then the jump to other instruments is not that great (given that most instruments are an invite to play, not an obstacle course).

That said, all reed and brass + all fretless instruments probably take a little bit of getting into, not that a muso couldn't get something out of them.

[jake thunder]

I find his face, hair, voice and general demeanour super annoying but can't help but be impressed with his skills. That said I don't really enjoy listening his music.

However, I think he's part of a general trend of more using more complex theory and composition in pop music. Which is good.

See also:
Vulfpeck : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUyuGjLy4BQ
Louis Cole : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAH4zGd_W1s
Knower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnEmD17kYsE
Anomalie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyQDvJ53WYA
Thundercat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNCd_ERZvZM
Jacob Mann Big Band : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZcetk5jw9U

Seems Americans are much better at this stuff.

[sevendaughters]

he's really smart and has taught me (via youtube) a couple of things I definitely didn't know and have gone on to think about in my own music. the major disappointment is that with all of his knowledge of theory he lacks taste, and his own music is phenomenally bloodless. in the video where he explains harmony to 5 different people of ascending degrees of knowledge of music, he says to Herbie Hancock (lvl 5) (I paraphrase) "when you realise you can make any two notes work together and the options are limitless, the next task is knowing what to do with that, how do you do that?" - which is true and powerful, I think, being open-minded can be paralysis - but Herb just says something like "well, it's life experience" and even though it was sweetly said and not a burn, it felt like one.

[NoSleep]

Especially considering Herbie was busting that stuff when he was in his 20's; must have learnt a lot in early life.

[Twit 2]

That's like saying someone who is a decent banjo or ukulele player will turn into John McLaughlin the minute they pick up a 6 string guitar. 

Not really comparable as it was 30 seconds of noodling - she didn't turn into Tony Levin.

It just doesn't happen - they may be stringed instruments, but they're as different from each other as a violin is.

I think a violin and banjo are much more different than a stick and a guitar. You have a fretless neck and bowing to contend with on a violin; a stick has frets. If you already know how to play piano and can tap on the guitar (both of which she can) then you're some of the way there. I get the stick is a tricky instrument, and I do think what she does on it is impressive, just not mindblowingZ

[sevendaughters]

on a related tip to Jacob Collier (I suppose) is that I've watched all six of the Leonard Bernstein "The Unanswered Question" lectures, where he goes through the history of music and its various theoretical developments and gives them some interdisciplinary contexts. He brings in Adorno on Stravinsky/Schoenberg and rebuts it in a very genial and clever way. It's all really good and just as accessible, on the border between avuncular and professorial, rather than a Collier or John Maus yammering in a charming tunnel-vision kind of way.

[boki]

Louis Cole : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAH4zGd_W1s
Knower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnEmD17kYsE

I've been digging Knower lately, they've got a pretty good balance between cleverdickmusoism (definitely, totally a real word) and making fun pop music.  Haven't really delved into Louis and Genevieve's solo stuff yet, though, and definitely need more Clown Core in my life.

[Brundle-Fly]

I like him. Got his album which has a touch of Bobby McFerrin meets Matthew Herbert about it.

Here's his robot Swingle singers version of Beach Boys In My Room

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZgR2rXsRC0

[sevendaughters]

hmm. don't like any of these clips. they're all undeniably clever but more than a little show-offy at the expense of, idk, emotional content? like, what is Collier or Louis Cole trying to communicate there? Knower was just not my thing but also the video was a bit irritating. Be glad when we blow past constant self-awareness in art tbh.

i realise cerebrality or humour has its place but i don't think they're as interesting as someone like Ariel Pink, who at least goes the next step and puts himself in the picture and tries to use theory and unusual metre to do something with the song. feel free to knock it though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czjJGPDGI2U

[Tikwid]

Wanted to see if there was a CAB thread about this guy, and was interested to discover this one with a lot of people mentioning percieved showoffyness and proficiency-at-the-expense-of-emotion. I definitely felt that way when I first came across him, but checking out his more recent music since the last posts here - especially the original songs from his current album series, Djesse - it seems he's managed to hit the sweet spot, finding a nice balance between the virtuosic and the sublime (the latter both in subdued moments and in genuine pop bangers). Plus, any kind of perceptions of showing-off aside, he genuinely seems like a generous and humble person - writing bespoke harmonised accompaniments to melodies sent in by fans, sharing production methods by livestreaming breakdowns of his song multitracks, even down to incorporating audience interruptions (phones ringing etc) into his live performances rather than making a scene.

Sleeping On My Dreams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR4IwtiEbyo
All I Need: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJpiozQUJvE
With The Love In My Heart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlFD298wTOM

[Twit 2]

Those are fun songs. It's all rather happy, bubblegum stuff, though. Prefer the good old days when you'd get on skag, get your teeth kicked in and fall out of a window.

[Famous Mortimer]

Those are fun songs. It's all rather happy, bubblegum stuff, though. Prefer the good old days when you'd get on skag, get your teeth kicked in and fall out of a window.

You can still do that if you like.

[Brundle-Fly]

 I like it

[Twit 2]

This is great and gets seriously impressive half way through:

https://youtu.be/zua831utwMM

[Goldentony]

people who keep the chapman stick in business need to be thrown in prison, its simple as that

[Echo Valley 2-6809]

If he's so technically gifted why doesn't he fix his microphone?

[sevendaughters]

This is great and gets seriously impressive half way through:

https://youtu.be/zua831utwMM

worse than just drum clinic dorkery, pure music as content

[Blinder Data]

worse than just drum clinic dorkery, pure music as content

yes, as talented as many viral YouTube musicmakers are, incredibly elaborate and intricate covers wind me up something rotten. just play three chords and rock out ya bunch of NERDS

[Head Gardener]

fucking appalling

[earl_sleek]

I see this grinning cunt in his Fiat 500 ad, makes sense I guess