____T.H.E. .P.A.S.S.

____JC Is A Genius Too

JC is a genius.

I don't mean the JC writing this entry (the JC writing this entry is an idiot) - I mean Jesse Cook. One tiring night after training, Shaun and I were on our way home in the train. He stuck his earphone into my ear and told me to listen. Immediately I became hooked on to the magical guitar melody that rushes me back and forth like the soothing waves of the sea.

Jazz. A sound that I once felt was very difficult to understand. A sound that is painful to digest. Jesse Cook made it possible for me to actually appreciate its art form. His music though doesn't really classify solely under jazz. The well-travelled man who spent his childhood in Canada is described a musicalogical sponge. A sponge absorbs and so does he.

Quoted from an interview by Chris Gaspar in June2005.

"This Canadian instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer have spent a lifetime listening and absorbing sounds from cultures as diverse as Spain, Africa, Cuba, Egypt, France and Brazil. Best described as a "musicological sponge", his captivating style masterfully blends different types of world music, mystically cascading rhythms and melodies at an enamoring pace."

For me, his works isn't really jazz. It's a mix. It's really flamenco or something or whatever word you think of when you listen to it. I think Latin, but I'm not sure. I'm not really that musically inclined. However, I think I know what's good. I have an idea of what I like. And Jesse Cook is one of them. I think Cuba, Africa and Brazil comes into mind when one listens to some of his works such as "Mario Takes A Walk". Guitars. Check. An assortment of percussion instruments such as congas, bongos, triangle, shaker. Check. What's amazing is the speed at which the instruments are played. Plus JC's unique technique of treating the guitar as one of the percussion intruments. And of course, arrangement plays a big part too. Especially with so many notes and everything.

Speedy tracks like "Mario Takes A Walk", "Tempest", "Breeze From Saintes Maries" are enthralling. "Nomad" is one of my favourite ones. Slow tracks such as "Breathing Below The Surface" are good to listen to at night. Well, in fact, all are good to listen to at night.

I know what you all are thinking. X Japan or Jesse Cook? I know, I know. Mingjun mentioned how my tastes changed over the years. From boybands, chinese pop, radio rock, RHCP, then X Japan, Yoshiki's classics and then now Jesse Cook. Although I'm ashamed of having listened to industry-churned crap, I feel that at least it is important for me to have matured my tastes.

As for the X Japan/JC debate, it's still X Japan. X Japan speaks to me. The wildness, the calmness. The effeminate nature of Yoshiki, the tame "girl", that turns into a fiery beast behind the drums. How he may seem a docile creature (his femine appearance) with nothing to hate and yet all his fury unleashed in tracks like "Rose of Pain", "Sadistic Desire" and "Silent Jealousy". I think it is very me - like a hunger infested wolf when I take to the football field.
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I had fun today in the sun though at Sentosa. Not much chances like these for some time. Working life robs one of his/her freedom to be playful. I enjoyed nonetheless.

And oh, drop me an msn if you want to check out any of Jesse Cook's works.

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