Comments on: The Retired Hustler http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/ Visualgui is a web design portfolio and a personal playground of Donny Truong. This site gives Donny the creative freedom to be innovative, to experiment with design, to apply his web development skills, to improve his writing, and most importantly, to have fun; therefore, VisualGUI not only showcases Donny's works but also serves as a medium for Donny to explore his thoughts and share his inspirations. Tue, 30 Aug 2011 20:50:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: htc http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20903 htc Wed, 10 May 2006 23:28:03 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20903 My dear Miyo, Like Abraham Maslow once said "if the only tool you have is a hammer you treat everything like a nail". Your good intention is wanting donny to have "some exposure to rock music" beside jazz. There is nothing you should feel terrible about. It's just great fun. Peace? :) My dear Miyo,
Like Abraham Maslow once said “if the only tool you have is a hammer you treat everything like a nail”. Your good intention is wanting donny to have “some exposure to rock music” beside jazz.
There is nothing you should feel terrible about. It’s just great fun. Peace? :)

]]> By: Miyo http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20899 Miyo Wed, 10 May 2006 22:14:05 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20899 Thanks, D. Thanks, HTC. Now I feel terrible. I didn’t exchange opinions to win. Win what, really ? Just thought some exposure to rock music would be nice for D and in return, we’d get to read some interesting reviews different from ones written before. Have to admit I didn’t enjoy D’s “nothing challenges me” and “if you could write jazz, you could pretty much write anything because jazz is the most challenging music”. I guess with D being exceedingly good at critiquing, expectations are high. Agree or disagree, arrogance doesn’t look great on him. So, that's it. I’m outa here. Thanks, D. Thanks, HTC. Now I feel terrible. I didn’t exchange opinions to win. Win what, really ? Just thought some exposure to rock music would be nice for D and in return, we’d get to read some interesting reviews different from ones written before. Have to admit I didn’t enjoy D’s “nothing challenges me” and “if you could write jazz, you could pretty much write anything because jazz is the most challenging music”. I guess with D being exceedingly good at critiquing, expectations are high. Agree or disagree, arrogance doesn’t look great on him. So, that’s it. I’m outa here.

]]> By: donny http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20881 donny Wed, 10 May 2006 20:18:05 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20881 Jazz is superior in its own way, but not to the rest. If I think jazz is the highest form of music, why do I even bother listening to Vietnamese and hip-hop? So don't you put words in my mouth. Yes. I was truly being sarcastic about rock being "noisy" and "wimpy" because I don't listen to rock (I have to admit) enough to make such statement. If you were to asked me why I think that way, I would have replied just like your naive response to the different between Mac and PC :). With that said, let me pack up the beef to go. HTC is right, you win. Jazz is superior in its own way, but not to the rest. If I think jazz is the highest form of music, why do I even bother listening to Vietnamese and hip-hop? So don’t you put words in my mouth. Yes. I was truly being sarcastic about rock being “noisy” and “wimpy” because I don’t listen to rock (I have to admit) enough to make such statement. If you were to asked me why I think that way, I would have replied just like your naive response to the different between Mac and PC :). With that said, let me pack up the beef to go. HTC is right, you win.

]]> By: Miyo http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20873 Miyo Wed, 10 May 2006 19:52:37 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20873 My comment on Coltrane was not irrelevant so don’t you “totally” me !?!! :) You asked if I wanted “brash, blunt, oppressive quality” and offered “Coltrane hardcore jazz” for the same effect so I had to illustrate my point with an easy, visual example. Really, jazz would be so off in such setting regardless of the obscene amount of raw energy it can give off. It’s just of a different style and more suitable in a different setting, that’s all. You know, I seriously don’t think you were sarcastic or joking, D. You think jazz is superior to the rest, period. I don’t blame you since I think jazz is indeed queen in many musical aspects too, however, such supreme authority without her loyal subjects are nothing but a crazed woman, nothing more. Like organs in a human body. It’s tough to determine which is vital and which one can live without. It’s important to have that holistic view about all things, not only with music so yeah, call me a hypocrite all you want. I just think framing someone like that is demonstrably a lack of reason and support for whatever you were arguing for. :P HTC, that wasn’t a scary mask (at least I don’t think so). That was just one jazz enthusiast discussing her thinking with her equally enthusiastic jazz buddy, that’s all. ;) My comment on Coltrane was not irrelevant so don’t you “totally” me !?!! :) You asked if I wanted “brash, blunt, oppressive quality” and offered “Coltrane hardcore jazz” for the same effect so I had to illustrate my point with an easy, visual example. Really, jazz would be so off in such setting regardless of the obscene amount of raw energy it can give off. It’s just of a different style and more suitable in a different setting, that’s all. You know, I seriously don’t think you were sarcastic or joking, D. You think jazz is superior to the rest, period. I don’t blame you since I think jazz is indeed queen in many musical aspects too, however, such supreme authority without her loyal subjects are nothing but a crazed woman, nothing more. Like organs in a human body. It’s tough to determine which is vital and which one can live without. It’s important to have that holistic view about all things, not only with music so yeah, call me a hypocrite all you want. I just think framing someone like that is demonstrably a lack of reason and support for whatever you were arguing for. :P

HTC, that wasn’t a scary mask (at least I don’t think so). That was just one jazz enthusiast discussing her thinking with her equally enthusiastic jazz buddy, that’s all. ;)

]]> By: htc http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20854 htc Wed, 10 May 2006 18:05:04 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20854 Miyo, You win! You can drop your scary mask now! Can you see that donny starts explaining himself? :)) Miyo,
You win! You can drop your scary mask now! Can you see that donny starts explaining himself? :))

]]> By: Thu Hoai http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20838 Thu Hoai Wed, 10 May 2006 17:08:14 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20838 Nice works Miyo and Donny ! I enjoyed you two tremendously! Jazz world is so so big my fav is latin jazz, love that sound!! Nice works Miyo and Donny ! I enjoyed you two tremendously! Jazz world is so so big my fav is latin jazz, love that sound!!

]]> By: donny http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20815 donny Wed, 10 May 2006 15:55:08 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20815 "I have to admit that songs hit my weak spot every time they’re jazzed up a little..." What a hipocrite! :) I am not trying to lecture anyone on their appreciate on any type of music. I just say what I feel from my own perspective. No one has to take my word for anything I say. And I never expected you to. I was pressing your button (or pulling your leg) when I was refering to hardcore rock as noise and soft rock as wimpy. I thought you would catch my sarcastic joke by now. I guess not. Each music has its own aestheticism. Miles used rock to enhance his jazz, so I don't see any problem with that, even though many jazz aficionados do. Even Jay-Z uses rock in his "99 Problems." Your comment on Coltrane is totally irrelevent. But let me not going into details because, you're right, no argument there. “I have to admit that songs hit my weak spot every time they’re jazzed up a little…” What a hipocrite! :)

I am not trying to lecture anyone on their appreciate on any type of music. I just say what I feel from my own perspective. No one has to take my word for anything I say. And I never expected you to.

I was pressing your button (or pulling your leg) when I was refering to hardcore rock as noise and soft rock as wimpy. I thought you would catch my sarcastic joke by now. I guess not. Each music has its own aestheticism. Miles used rock to enhance his jazz, so I don’t see any problem with that, even though many jazz aficionados do. Even Jay-Z uses rock in his “99 Problems.” Your comment on Coltrane is totally irrelevent. But let me not going into details because, you’re right, no argument there.

]]> By: Miyo http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20810 Miyo Wed, 10 May 2006 15:32:23 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20810 Bla bla bla... Jazz does it all. Yeah. Just like how die-hard fans of Thuy Nga, Asia or any other productions would rave about their own products without having a level-headed perspective about it. :) Jazz is sashimi, sushi-chef-intensive-knife-handling-and-ooh-I’m-watching-out-for-parasites kind or raw. Rock is I-see-a-live-cow-on-the-field-and-damn-I’m-sinking-my-teeth-right-into-it kind of raw, dude. Don’t lecture me when it comes to my appreciation of jazz. You could scare HTC off with your profuse use of jazz terminology but save it with me. One doesn’t need technical knowledge to “know” how to enjoy music. If jazz could do it all, Miles Davis wouldn’t have fused it with rock & roll in Bitches Brew or In A Silent Way and got widely recognized for it. Why don’t you go reason it with our legendary man right there, huh ? As for mind-blowing effects, hmm... let me imagine, say, action-packed fight scenes in The Matrix (movie) with John Coltrane hardcore jazz playing in the background... WILD, I tell ya ! Perhaps too wild for my imagination ! That’s just plain... coarse and... rude and... interpretive jazz !?!! How Cirque du Soleil. Very artistic and tasteful. No argument there. Lol. Bla bla bla… Jazz does it all. Yeah. Just like how die-hard fans of Thuy Nga, Asia or any other productions would rave about their own products without having a level-headed perspective about it. :) Jazz is sashimi, sushi-chef-intensive-knife-handling-and-ooh-I’m-watching-out-for-parasites kind or raw. Rock is I-see-a-live-cow-on-the-field-and-damn-I’m-sinking-my-teeth-right-into-it kind of raw, dude. Don’t lecture me when it comes to my appreciation of jazz. You could scare HTC off with your profuse use of jazz terminology but save it with me. One doesn’t need technical knowledge to “know” how to enjoy music. If jazz could do it all, Miles Davis wouldn’t have fused it with rock & roll in Bitches Brew or In A Silent Way and got widely recognized for it. Why don’t you go reason it with our legendary man right there, huh ? As for mind-blowing effects, hmm… let me imagine, say, action-packed fight scenes in The Matrix (movie) with John Coltrane hardcore jazz playing in the background… WILD, I tell ya ! Perhaps too wild for my imagination ! That’s just plain… coarse and… rude and… interpretive jazz !?!! How Cirque du Soleil. Very artistic and tasteful. No argument there. Lol.

]]> By: donny http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20780 donny Wed, 10 May 2006 10:33:40 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20780 "Sure, rock music might not be as rich in texture but what makes it appealing is that it’s raw, rough around the edges and even furious." There's no rough and raw in jazz? You gotta be kidding me. When jazz musicians perform, they only take the structure of a song (the basic element) and just improvise on it. The end result is raw, unedit, and lively. Want "brash, blunt, oppressive quality?" Try some John Coltrane hardcore jazz. He'll blow your brain out. Is that the only thing you can accuse me of? Fear for the unfamiliarity? Hahaha! There is no rule in classical? I am not sure anout classical, but there aren't any rule in jazz either, as long as the musician could keep his timing. He could pretty much improvise whatever the hell he wants. In making of Miles Davis's classic "Kind of Blue," he never gave the musician the music sheet until they began to record. No practice. He only wanted the first take. So that his musicians had to they thier best. If you screw up, you're going to hear that record for life. Now that's some rawness for your ass (Miyo). :) “Sure, rock music might not be as rich in texture but what makes it appealing is that it’s raw, rough around the edges and even furious.” There’s no rough and raw in jazz? You gotta be kidding me. When jazz musicians perform, they only take the structure of a song (the basic element) and just improvise on it. The end result is raw, unedit, and lively. Want “brash, blunt, oppressive quality?” Try some John Coltrane hardcore jazz. He’ll blow your brain out. Is that the only thing you can accuse me of? Fear for the unfamiliarity? Hahaha!

There is no rule in classical? I am not sure anout classical, but there aren’t any rule in jazz either, as long as the musician could keep his timing. He could pretty much improvise whatever the hell he wants. In making of Miles Davis’s classic “Kind of Blue,” he never gave the musician the music sheet until they began to record. No practice. He only wanted the first take. So that his musicians had to they thier best. If you screw up, you’re going to hear that record for life. Now that’s some rawness for your ass (Miyo). :)

]]> By: htc http://www.visualgui.com/2006/05/01/the-retired-hustler/comment-page-1/#comment-20775 htc Wed, 10 May 2006 08:09:18 +0000 http://www.visualgui.com/?p=745#comment-20775 I don't know enough about jazz to have a say here. Thanks to donny's explanation, I learn a bit more of how to listen to it. Just like Miyo puts it, the beauty of rock is in its "raw and rough edge". With rock I feel the music and enjoy the lyric. My choice of music is classical. I guess it's quite close to instrumental jazz except there is no rule. I love to close my eyes listening to my favorite tune and simply let my mind float away. Peace! I don’t know enough about jazz to have a say here. Thanks to donny’s explanation, I learn a bit more of how to listen to it.

Just like Miyo puts it, the beauty of rock is in its “raw and rough edge”. With rock I feel the music and enjoy the lyric.

My choice of music is classical. I guess it’s quite close to instrumental jazz except there is no rule. I love to close my eyes listening to my favorite tune and simply let my mind float away. Peace!

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