ISC

[Lazz]

Right then.

I'm considering submitting some songs to this International Songwriting Competition flagged at the top of the pages here. Problem is I'm not category confident. I know I'm not AAA/Roots/Americana even if I understood what it meant. Neither is my stuff Dance/Electronica. Nor Country nor Rock nor Pop.

Automatically I want to submit to the jazz category because, after all, I write jazz songs with a jazz composer. However, none of the listed previous winners in this category employ any lyrics. Would that rule me out right at the start? Is it only for instrumentals? Am I wasting my time? How can something be considered a song if it has no words to be sung?

Anyone familiar with this competition and some of my songs have any advice?

[nigel lawry]

Lyrics: Jim Hillman

You can be what you feel.

It doesn't matter if it's real.

You can be honest or jive -

Just make your attitude alive!

the above is a jazz lyric from jim hillman who collabs with musicians world-wide

so my little piece of input to you lazz would be to go with the jazz

and best of luck with it

[FinnArild]

so my little piece of input to you lazz would be to go with the jazz

I'd agree. Actually, isn't the deadline "sometime this year" or something? I'd write/decide on the very best song first and then decide on a category after. And if it's jazz, it's jazz. In doubt, give it a play for us and I'm sure you'll get heaps of opinions

[Lazz]

Thanks for that Jim Hillman name, Nigel. Funny I've never heard of him before, even though I know many of the guys he's played with and we're kind of on the same scene and definitely in the same country. I'll be getting in touch with him.

My uncertainty is mainly about what they mean and want in this category - two out of the three from last year are edgy New York style hard-bop pieces while the other from Toon Roos is more euro-mantic - but they're all instrumental. They already have a category called "instrumentsl". I'm just reluctant to drop 100 bucks on 'em if it isn't going to count because of some unwritten rules that I don't know about. I have written to ask them about this but no reply yet.

Ah well - maybe yours and Finn's immediate response is the best way.

Finn - you (or anyone else) can check out a handful of songs on our Songstuff Artist Page for Coleman-Lazzerini

Edited June 7, 2005 by Lazz

[Steve]

more euro-mantic

Is that a catagory...?

[hariossa]

jazz is your way. no doubt.

[Alistair]

Lazz

Jazz has been one of the most innovative forms of music. If they see your song as a category-busting entry then they are mere philistines and not worthy of your art.

"Be the change you want to see in the world" (Ghandi)

[hariossa]

Jazz has been one of the most innovative forms of music.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny" F.Z.

[Lazz]

Hey Hari,

Just followed one of your links to discover a list of "influences" and see to my pleasure your inclusion not only of Wes and Martino but also Caetano Veloso and the little loco albino Hermeto Pascoal. No insult intended here, by the way. I love Hermeto. Met him a couple of times. He is quite small. He is indeed albino. And he is very crazy. Doesn't speak a word of English. I have no Portuguese. But we had a great laugh. You obviously have an admirably broad and hungry pair of ears. Very cool.

Alistair,

Thanks again for all your support and encouragement.

Steve,

Maybe euro-mantic should be a category, but I was merely showing off that I finally had my poetic licence restored by the authorities. Now I can commit verbal abuse freely once more.

[hariossa]

Hey Hari,

Just followed one of your links to discover a list of "influences" and see to my pleasure your inclusion not only of Wes and Martino but also Caetano Veloso and the little loco albino Hermeto Pascoal. No insult intended here, by the way. I love Hermeto. Met him a couple of times. He is quite small. He is indeed albino. And he is very crazy. Doesn't speak a word of English. I have no Portuguese. But we had a great laugh. You obviously have an admirably broad and hungry pair of ears. Very cool.

oh yes, Hermeto's music is awesome, so free... I saw him once in Chile, I was in the first row of seats, but nobody was seated! he played many "non instrument" instruments like a teapot full of water... also I saw some photos of him hitting a real pig onstage!!! ( I think that I have a tape of that somewhere).

he can play a lot of instruments (real ones) and if I'm not mistaked he never studied music.

the musicians in his band were incredible too.

Hermeto Pascoal

[Lazz]

also I saw some photos of him hitting a real pig onstage!!!

( I think that I have a tape of that somewhere).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That'll be from "Slave's Mass".

he can play a lot of instruments (real ones) and if I'm not mistaked he never studied music.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh, I don't know about that... I think he studies ALL the time.

You don't get that good at expressing genius without working at it.

His fellow muso-nagicians think of it as attending university.

Have you heard the little games he played with Brasilian football cheers and commentary, Hari?

(Gee - I just had to do that - I like the way it rhymes - especially with lazy English pronunciation dropping the "H" off "Hari".)

Last time I saw him, for one piece the guys all stepped forward holding metal cooking pots containing dried beans and, reading intently from the music charts in front of them. rattled and shook their way through something so percussively sophisticated I could hardly believe it. Music from anything, this guy.

Maybe we should have a complete thread on Hermeto.

More people should get the chance to hear him before he pegs out.

Edited June 7, 2005 by Lazz

[hariossa]

Have you heard the little games he played with Brasilian football cheers and commentary, Hari?

no, I don't remeber that, do you know where to find it?

(Gee - I just had to do that - I like the way it rhymes - especially with lazy English pronunciation dropping the "H" off "Hari".)

it rhymes like Zappa's "kiss my aura Dora, would you want some more-a?, right here on the floor-a?" from Dinna moe hum.

Maybe we should have a complete thread on Hermeto.

More people should get the chance to hear him before he pegs out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yes, anybody interested???

[Alistair]

Alistair,

Thanks again for all your support and encouragement

.

Hey Lazz, I know the joke may have worn thin, but I am still in your fan club

[Lazz]

Hey Lazz, I know the joke may have worn thin, but I am still in your fan club

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I took it as friendly - but no joke.

Having playful appreciation from Steve, Young Tom, Old Tom, and you is more than cool.

It means a great deal.

[Lazz]

no, I don't remeber that, do you know where to find it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I seem to recall Lagoa de Canoa and/or Brasil Universo.

But let me root through my stuff and get back to you.

(Did you see my recent CD review of that other slice of Brasilian excellence, Grupo Fundo de Quintal?)

Let's get that thread started.....

(you first - I'm kinda shy.)

[codajack]

Automatically I want to submit to the jazz category because, after all, I write jazz songs with a jazz composer. However, none of the listed previous winners in this category employ any lyrics. Would that rule me out right at the start? Is it only for instrumentals? Am I wasting my time? How can something be considered a song if it has no words to be sung?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I did the same thing with this competition you did: looked at past winners. All very complex bop instrumental pieces. I would try my luck if I had the extra money, but I just entered two songs in the jazz category of USA Songwriting Competition(forget the weblink, I have it somewhere). The past winners of that jazz category are more varied and some are vocals with lyrics, so I figured I'd have more of a chance.

The category thing seems to be the same with the John Lennon competition: the winners of the jazz division seem to be instrumentals only.

But, I'd try my luck if you have the money. The commitees may decide its time for a vocal tune to win. I don't know how can it be considered a "song" without words either(without being Mendelsohn). Maybe its just a way of getting more submissions in the category. I imagine the "country" and "americana" categories are pretty submission heavy on their own.

[Lazz]

But, I'd try my luck if you have the money. The commitees may decide its time for a vocal tune to win.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks.

ISC replied that this would indeed be the right category and that some of their finalists were jazz vocalists. Never submitted to any of these events before (never had anything worthwhile before) so I'm going ahead anyway just for the crack and just like you guys suggested.

[Steve]

Good man yourself!