Time for a little Zack Kim

[LuvAcoustic6]

this might take a little practice.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqHC1...eature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVrdg...eature=channel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgajZ...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwC36...eature=channel

[alohachris]

Aloha,

Those clips do nothing for me. Absolutely Nothing.

The world is full of skilled exhibitionists, and I've seen so many in every musical genre. People with great motor skills & synapses - but without the mileage & judgement to make the music mean anything.

As Norman Blake would call it, "Pure Hokum!"

Great skill. But not enough mileage to be able to "play" or understand what the composers intended - the richness of pacing & the space between the notes. This kid's dynamics are nowhere to be found in those clips.

Another wind-up performance doll from Korea. Parental exploitation. Yeah, he'll be playing in 20 years. Sure!

Yikes! Kinda reminds me a bit of "da wunnerful & lovely Joanna" playing honky-tonk piano on the ancient Lawrence Welk show for decades. Or even Stanley Jordan & his numerous guitar stands on stage. It's an exhibition. The music means nothing.

Just an opinion, guys. And don't give me that "give this amazing kid player a break" routine. We've seen too many of these whiz kids come & go quickly.

I guess I just don't love musical exhibitionism as much as some. Especially on guitar.

alohachris

[LuvAcoustic6]

Originally Posted by alohachris

Aloha,

Those clips do nothing for me. Absolutely Nothing.

The world is full of skilled exhibitionists, and I've seen so many in every musical genre. People with great motor skills & synapses - but without the mileage & judgement to make the music mean anything.

As Norman Blake would call it, "Pure Hokum!"

Great skill. But not enough mileage to be able to "play" or understand what the composers intended - the richness of pacing & the space between the notes. This kid's dynamics are nowhere to be found in those clips.

Another wind-up performance doll from Korea. Parental exploitation. Yeah, he'll be playing in 20 years. Sure!

Yikes! Kinda reminds me a bit of "da wunnerful & lovely Joanna" playing honky-tonk piano on the ancient Lawrence Welk show for decades. Or even Stanley Jordan & his numerous guitar stands on stage. It's an exhibition. The music means nothing.

Just an opinion, guys. And don't give me that "give this amazing kid player a break" routine. We've seen too many of these whiz kids come & go quickly.

I guess I just don't love musical exhibitionism as much as some. Especially on guitar.

alohachris

what you said could be said for hendrix, zappa, vai, van halen, or anyone thats taken a guitar and tried something different.
sure.

what i like about Zack's clips is the fact that he can perform very clean Bach pieces and jazz standards using 2 hands on 2 guitars.
Thats really all i noticed.
Stanley Jordan does this technique on one guitar at time, for the most part.
You probably wouldn't like that ither.

I cant speak for his Zack's motive in spending years learning to play so many difficult pieces on 2 guitars at once, however, i'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say that he plays guitar for the same reason you play.

And personally I like the asian "wind up dolls" as you described them simply because i dont see race, i just see talent and execution.

here are a few other "wind up dolls" that i like

Sungha Jung

Vienna Teng

Rachael Yamagata

[alohachris]

Aloha,

I never said "Asian." You said "Asian." I said Korean. I live in a largely Asian-Pacific culture by choice. Most of my friends are Asian or Asian-Pacific Islander-Americans. I also have lived & worked in Asia & been married to a lovely Japanese lady. I do most of my business with Asia & Asians everyday. What I said had nothing to do with race, though you seem to construe it as such. I'm sorry if my words offended, especially "wind-up doll" which is regrettable. That is NEVER my intent.

For many decades, in addition to being a regular gigger myself, I was also a weekly regular at the recently-defunct Honolulu Symphony. I really know lots about classical music, the composers' stories, the forms & language of the different era's & the scores. It's been a life-long study. I know the music of those pieces that Zack was playing, including 'Autumn Leaves' which I myself play.

The Symphony, in an attempt to garner more local interest among Asian & local people, would often bring in soloists from China & Korea, heavily advertising their Asian names in the media. With few exceptions, they were technically proficient even highly gifted in skill, but also often lacking in expression & dynamic changes in their playing of musical pieces that I knew very well.

However, the music they were interpreting often called for expression & dynamic changes. Let's just say that I often found it difficult to feel or hear those changes with many - not all - but many of these pro solo artists from China & Korea. It was often a more reserved interpretation of music that had been successfully played without reserve by many for centuries. And I wouldn't have paid my money if I hadn't wanted them to succeed with a good interpretation of the music.

I see the same lack of emotion & dynamics in the music of Zach Kim. It's not about race, but only my decades of experience. Of course, you can't really make a blanket statement about anyone/group/nationality/etc.. But.... I mean C'mon, Autumn Leaves? What could this kid bring to the table in the way of melancholy.... besides exhibitionism & the skill/novelty of two guitars at the same time.

What Zack Kim is doing is not "new" at all. In fact, he didn't even write any original music of note, unlike the others you mentioned -ALL of which I saw in person many times. Sure, there was exhibitionism in their styles, but also originality & life-force.

Zack Kim & Jimi Hendrix are at completely opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of originality, expressiveness, musicality, energy, life experience & balls. It's all in the playing.

I mean, I actually was never impressed when Jimi would retort to tricks like playing with his teeth. Same feeling for me. It detracts. But with Jimi, there was so much more to gawk at & feel & "experience" - his energy for one. It was other-wordly. I don't see or feel that in Zack Kim or his musical interpretations.

All I see/hear is exhibitionism. Certainly nothing new. Others have used dual guitars.

BTW, thanks for mentioning Jung, Teng & Yamagata. I have seen clips of Jung's gifts - but he too is a boy. I will check them out more closely. But it takes some mileage in life to make music mean something. Just like the old blues guys used to tell my generation as we brought their music to the mainstream forefront while capitalizing on it, "Too young. Not enough mileage! Aint deservin!" I agree.

alohachris

[D. Churchland]

I often wonder why when we don't like something musicians assume that other musicians that don't like it are "threatened" or "jealous" Can we just NOT like everything?

There's nothing wrong with saying "meh, it doesn't really do anything for me" and if you think that there is, then you need to reconsider the fact that not everyone sees the world as you do.

And just on a side note, I don't really like Sungha Jung that much either, good technical skill, but VERY bland in terms of dynamics and musicality. Same thing with Zack Kim

For me personally, I kind of find his performance bland. That's kind of the flaw I see with developing a huge amount of technical skill, you skip the dynamics aspect of music, which is a huge part of a good performance.

Here's a good example of the difference that dynamics in music can make.

The first example is a highly technical performance, but notice the lack of variety in tempo, lack of vibrato, just overall lack of soul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn3RYzDuQcE

Now take this recording, notice the HUGE difference in tempo, variety of sound, speed, and vibrato, simply amazing (IMO) compared to the first one.

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

[alohachris]

Aloha Will,

William Primrose??? On Paganini???

Great "classical" example of what I was talking about in terms of expression & dynamics.

And without those? What is left for a youngster without mileage doing interpretations on two guitars?

Exhibitionism. Some like it. I don't. Especially on guitar if there is little substance or originality behind the technical skill, which is pretty cool in Kim's case.

Exactly Will.

alohachris

[BoB/335]

Originally Posted by Will Kirk

I often wonder why when we don't like something musicians assume that other musicians that don't like it are "threatened" or "jealous" Can we just NOT like everything?

There's nothing wrong with saying "meh, it doesn't really do anything for me" and if you think that there is, then you need to reconsider the fact that not everyone sees the world as you do.

And just on a side note, I don't really like Sungha Jung that much either, good technical skill, but VERY bland in terms of dynamics and musicality. Same thing with Zack Kim

For me personally, I kind of find his performance bland. That's kind of the flaw I see with developing a huge amount of technical skill, you skip the dynamics aspect of music, which is a huge part of a good performance.

Here's a good example of the difference that dynamics in music can make.

The first example is a highly technical performance, but notice the lack of variety in tempo, lack of vibrato, just overall lack of soul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn3RYzDuQcE

Now take this recording, notice the HUGE difference in tempo, variety of sound, speed, and vibrato, simply amazing (IMO) compared to the first one.

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

Another bland performance

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTwfTMBB-H0&feature=fvst

I think these kids are great and shame on some of you for knocking them down and then kicking them. If you don't like it fine BUT sheesh........................

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by BoB/335

I think these kids are great and shame on some of you for knocking them down and then kicking them. If you don't like it fine BUT sheesh........................

I'm confused - if I don't like it, is expressing that opinion 'knocking' and 'kicking'?

[D. Churchland]

Originally Posted by alohachris

Aloha Will,

William Primrose??? On Paganini???

Great "classical" example of what I was talking about in terms of expression & dynamics.

And without those? What is left for a youngster without mileage doing interpretations on two guitars?

Exhibitionism. Some like it. I don't. Especially on guitar if there is little substance or originality behind the technical skill, which is pretty cool in Kim's case.

Exactly Will.

alohachris

Hey Chris

Yes you're quite right, exhibitionism in my opinion is rather bland. I think you're quite right, I think that the goal should be to speak to the heart rather than impress the head.

"Without heart, it just becomes a bunch of notes" is the way that my old teacher put it to me.

[Forensicguy]

Actually what he is doing isn't all that much different than a classical pianist would do. Separate part for the left hand, separate part for the right hand. Can't do that all on one guitar unfortunately, so two guitars are necessary to get the various notes.

Whatever... I thought it was fun to watch and listen to. I can't do it, so it's ok in my book.

[BoB/335]

Originally Posted by eatswodo

I'm confused - if I don't like it, is expressing that opinion 'knocking' and 'kicking'?

You shouldn't be confused! You hadn't commented. Saying you don't like something is NEVER knocking and kicking. Blasting something you don't like is a whole other story.

[ericcsong]

Originally Posted by alohachris

Aloha,

I never said "Asian." You said "Asian." I said Korean. I live in a largely Asian-Pacific culture by choice. Most of my friends are Asian or Asian-Pacific Islander-Americans. I also have lived & worked in Asia & been married to a lovely Japanese lady. I do most of my business with Asia & Asians everyday. What I said had nothing to do with race, though you seem to construe it as such. I'm sorry if my words offended, especially "wind-up doll" which is regrettable. That is NEVER my intent.

Chris, I'm not gonna lie, but I took a little offense at that statement you made as well since I'm Korean. But I understand where you are coming from as well and I understand it wasn't your intent to offend

about your stanley jordan comment. are you saying his music means nothing or when he has multiple guitars on stage, that means nothing?

music is so personnel and also very subjective. its harsh when people throw in absolutes when a lot of it is opinion

[alohachris]

Aloha Eric,

I am very sorry that I used the words & connotations I did in my critique of Zack Kim's music. I'm very sorry if I offended you, Eric. It was not my intent.

I don't like any kind of exhibitionism in music as stated. It's one of America's main exports, always lacking in substance. It embarrasses me. Millions love novelty. But there is a difference betwen novelty, originality, substance & quality in music.

I just backed my opinion up with some statements & experiences about why I don't like it, and in this case, the music of Zack Kim. That's it. I wasn't slamming the young man himself, only the lack of dynamics, expression & mileage in his music - to me.

Certainly, I'm amazed by Kim's unique skill. But his music is just not my cup of tea.

Regarding Stanley Jordan, I saw him several times in the 80's & 90's, trying to understand what he was trying to say with his music & why he needed two instruments to do it - beyond the novelty effect.

I came to the conclusion that his tone & music actually suffered due to the logistical challenges of having to deal with the novelty. It didn't work as well as if he'd just played one guitar - to me.

To me it was another example of how commitment to novelty - not the musical innovation - detracts from the music, in this case Stanley Jordan's.

I've been around enough, heard a huge amount of live performances all over the world in every genre of musical expression. At this stage, I have formed some educated opinions about what works & what doesn't for me. Hokum never works in music - for me.

I feel that this experience gives me the right to express what I don't like, as I have in this case. I don't know Zack Kim, so I can't criticize Kim the young man.

Again, I'm sorry Eric.

A Hui Hou!
alohachris

[BoB/335]

!@#$%^&*()_+

[BuleriaChk]

OTH, I remember someone saying about a flamenco guitarist in a village fiesta in Andalucia (who and which which shall remain nameless); "toca con la cara, mejor que los dedos" ..:-)

Well, ok, it could have been me.....:-)