Stan Getz on Wasted Years | Blank on Blank

"I've done some dastardly things, but what can I do except make amends and apologize?"
- Stan Getz
Interview by Joe Smith
August 7, 1987, Los Angeles
Tape recorder
blankonblank.org/interviews/st...
Recorded during the writing of Off the Record
Hear the full interview catalog at the Library of Congress
www.loc.gov/rr/record/joesmith/
Executive Producer: David Gerlach
Animator: Patrick Smith
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Music: Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio "Pennies From Heaven" / Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz "One Note Samba" / Stan Getz "Lush Life" Stan Getz and Bill Evans "Night and Day"
Help us caption & translate this video!
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[@alexcarter8807]

"You can do anything with practice" - Stan Getz. Words to live by.

[@yahweheaven]

good

[@derekdexheimer3070]

"Most of my records I don't remember making." Man, what an incredible admission. To have such an exalted position, to create such great art, and not even know you did.

[@NoahHornberger]

some would say it is the lack of knowing that creates great art. It is surrender to the mystery that continues to produce those things that represent to us the power of the unknown. But it does get tied into habits of addiction when artists become addicted to not knowing.

[@paulgentile1024]

@@NoahHornberger I'm not one of those people that would ever say it's a lack of knowing that creates great art. and that goes for any genre of music or 🎨 art...

[@Fung43]

@@NoahHornbergersomeone would say saying some would say is pretentious

[@nikcastle6943]

I’m at this stage currently. It sucks not knowing what you did the night before. Suddenly waking up in bed, wondering how you got there, and only remembering the last thing you were doing before your memory cut out…

[@alanasda7705]

My dad was a jazz musician and Stan Getz was his hero. My dad had a photo of me as a baby that was actually signed by Stan Getz, wishing me a happy life. He had it in his wallet until the day he died. My mom gave it to me and I still have it to this day.

[@luis.njr_]

That’s awesome!

[@cqtaylor]

I guess if a 9-foot tall bear takes a swipe at saxophonist, it's best to be a high saxophonist.

[@jpmcgrath3536]

been a fan of getz for a while, never heard him speak or tell his stories until now. i’m absolutely blown away by his unconventional type of articulation and the magnitude behind the words he speaks. thank you for posting this

[@namelastname8569]

this series is truly incredible. its got that Humans of New York vibe with rad celebrities

[@majorsnodgrassthethird5699]

I saw Stan once. He said, 'and now I'd like to present our guitarist (Rene Thomas)" "One of the best guitarists in the world" Pause. "He's got to be that good to play with me"!! Stan's solos get to parts of my brain nothing else reaches as does Chet.

[@JiveDadson]

When a friend of mine played bass with Getz, he only allowed my friend to play ones and fives. My friend was a pro, but Getz just couldn't trust him.

[@edgregory1]

Chet Atkins?

[@lrn_news9171]

@@edgregory1 Baker

[@TheMatbrown]

Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto is some of my favorite mood music

[@ChrisCaldwellO66]

Sounds hilarious when I read this!

[@GregFishman]

Love it! Beautiful animation, great interview! Keep 'em coming! I was friends with Stan Getz in the last two years of his life. So good to hear his voice again. Stan's the reason I started playing tenor saxophone. Thanks for this!

[@zeroskull9998]

It's cool stumbling across this great comment from you Mr. Fishman! Your videos and content always give me a lot of insight and a lot to work with!

[@tim789jesus]

I'm about to start tenor sax cos of Stan. Somehow I dont think that even staying on coffee I'll be scratch on him..

[@gnewt75]

I love this series. Thanks for producing them!!

[@okthabiobeatricia]

This is so beautiful! Thank you very much for doing these videos.

[@gobstompper13]

The amazing Stan Getz. I'm really into this series of artist interviews.

[@cRobbone88]

This is the most impressive things i have watched in some years, i mean the whole project not just this interview. Great job you guys!!!

[@ruthverheyen2083]

+

[@spankyharland9845]

I can relate to Stan Getz being in a cloud of alcohol....functional and carrying on life, doing things on autopilot and making major accomplishments all under the influence of alcohol and when it is all said and done, you look back and don't remember a minute of it.....on to the next drink...and do it all over again, until the alcohol takes it's toll on one of your important major organs and then that is when you realize you can't keep doing this unless you want to take that long dirt nap.

[@SYNFPVPILOT]

Another great interview. Loved it! Keep em coming.

[@stacyblue1980]

SO glad he recovered later. I love the man. I adore his work. ♥ He is one of the very best. Gosh!

[@jon2508]

this. is incredible. 21 years old, really feeling that life is challenging at the moment, and so I sort of related myself to what he was saying..... and BUDDY, it helped. thank you. the animation really helped stretch out the explanation as well.

[@blakebortles23]

thank you so much for making these videos. they are so inspiring.

[@Elephantinred]

This channel is pure awesomeness, thank you so much

[@getzfan1]

Thanks for posting this. It was great to hear!

[@computer_in_a_cave2730]

Just fantastic animation and interpretation ~ perfectly captures the style, feel and moment.

[@TheFeghoot]

What a beautiful tone he gets on that tenor. Trane once said that if all tenor players could sound like that, they would.

[@JiveDadson]

He played on very hard reeds. He said he was always on the edge of disaster. Sometimes you can hear just the beginning of a squeak on the attack.

[@drewhunkins7192]

Read Art Pepper's "Straight Life." An absolute classic on the jazz drug scene of the 40s and 50s.

[@majorsnodgrassthethird5699]

There were times I had to put the book down it was so harrowing to read.Its funny how talent will out.

[@drewhunkins7192]

The book is compelling, disturbing and astonishing all at the same time.

[@drewhunkins7192]

Thank you.

[@andymassingham]

A supremely difficult and brilliant read. Complete passages are burned into my mind but I’ve only read it once.

[@drewhunkins7192]

@@andymassingham Great descriptive of the book. I actually have vast passages highlighted. Take care.

[@sloaiza81]

Not once did he say those years were ¨wasted¨.

[@stoneocean0065]

Because years are never truly wasted because they made you who you are , if you think that's a simple excuse that's usually the best excuse

[@jimcapley3843]

He did say that he wasn't his true self and he didn't remember making any of his albums? He was truly wasted, stoned.

[@theyedmeister6981]

Well, they didn't go to waste, but he was wasted most of those years

[@keithmichael112]

@@theyedmeister6981 this was what I was going to say - they were trying to be clever

[@dilanrajapaksha]

Wasted as in not sober

[@giovanna722]

Wonderful animation. Terrific, thank you!

[@patkramer702]

Great interview!

[@seeyouninu]

This is one of those channels which you know that you gonna follow for long time and they will deliver good stuff.

[@jefcam814]

At the end he's playing with BILL EVANS &ELVIN

[@Steezologist]

Love that record

[@guitarsANDcars39]

And Ron Carter too

[@StankFernatra]

Beautiful

[@JapiSandhu]

best channel on youtube, these videos are so important.

[@Brew311]

Another great Blank on Blank. Keep them coming.

[@Markkaiseriii]

God I miss these vids please make more

[@philmore516]

Stan getz is the greatest of all time.. great video

[@yohenson]

I like how this artist, made this simple shapes with them heavy jazz coats. so simple and good and effective

[@jobsterdogozombi]

this teaches a lot!! thanx!!

[@Neridon420]

Just love your channel

[@paxwallacejazz]

Melodic informed linear subtle smart as hell always playing challenging material what a great musician.

[@mangoberry2534]

Bring this channel back please!

[@theodorepullins3124]

This was great 👍🏼 to watch. I love ❤️ jazz music 🎵 🎼 🎶

[@fanoftheclassics5720]

Something about jazz that draws me towards it.

[@colsomemiah6095]

Such a brilliant talent....so underrated....

[@TCHartselle]

wonderful animation and amazing story

[@djjoeykmusic]

Great video Thank you

[@williamgregory1848]

“I’m sure we could’ve played better, if we weren’t.” That’s so sad to hear. As good as Stan Getz was, imagine how better the music could’ve been if he wasn’t battling addiction.

[@pallhe]

Gary Burton played in Stan's band for three years in the 60s and tells some amazing stories in his autobiography.

[@jonfcartwright479]

Great -informative - thanks!

[@bassinblue]

He definitely getz it!

[@chrisnagy1429]

awesome thanks stan getz

[@davidmatela9868]

LEGEND!!! Speaking the truth

[@JohnPaulsonJohnisaStegosaurus]

this is really about the anxieties of his age, and attempting to escape through drugs but the anxieties of society remain. there's definitely dependency there and you might change your behavior to fix your reaction but the problem remains.

[@Azman.]

He is my top favorite after all. Great muzik The Steamer '.

[@Lousson2695]

Great stuff.....

[@carapo66]

I'm shaking my shoulders like that bear now. Nice upload.

[@danielsoheili9752]

3.02 "I Was So Fucked Up All My Life" I Can Relate. ❤

[@GaiaVedai]

Too bad the subs are not on time:(

[@aazreaal]

Yeah jeeze

[@tiluriso]

When Getz says they were 'stoned' I don't think he actually meant 'high on cannabis' - which is what the accompanying cartoon depicted. 'Stoned' applied to junk as well, plus it's Heroin, not Mary Jane, that usually makes one lose interest in Sex. Miles Davis talked openly about that, that when you're 'stoned on Junk', you lose interest in getting laid.

[@DarkSideOfTheBrightSide]

tiluriso that’s true.. especially in that era, where Marijuana was more on par with the whole free love & hippie movement that started to rise- or was this earlier in the years?

[@tiluriso]

@@DarkSideOfTheBrightSide Cannabis had been around for decades and many of the earlier, 1930s Swing Era Jazzers smoked it - Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, Mezz Mezzrow, for example as well as late 1940s BeBoppers like Dizzy Gillespie, but by the early 1950s, heroin had become the drug of choice of many young - such 'Cool Jazz' saxophonists like Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz even got busted for it in the 50s. Marijuana had a resurgence in the '60s during the hippie movement, but it was a whole new generation.

[@DarkSideOfTheBrightSide]

tiluriso thanks, man, for the reply.. do you by chance have any good documentaries that you know about Jazz in that light?

[@jibsmokestack1]

He was talking about being high on heroin. Being stoned meant that in his era!

[@tiluriso]

@@jibsmokestack1 Yep.

[@mjcruiser4238]

That was some sax section in the band -Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Serge Chaloff and Stan -wow!

[@StankFernatra]

Thank you

[@stevekobb3850]

So glad I heard this (and watched it, too). I had to stop listening to an Audible version of his biography because it was SO depressing. The guy was a "monster" player... and just a regular monster human being, horrible to everyone around him. It pains me to write that, considering how much I love his playing. Anyway, good to know that he kicked those habits in the 80's. Maybe I'll go back and listen to the rest of the bio, now that I know he redeemed himself at the end.

[@hardyblues2194]

@@Fredo_Viola At least he wasn't boring like you.

[@BrooklynJPakathi]

thank you

[@renelopez2244]

What a talented man

[@DoveLady]

didn't know who stan getz was before watching this, all it toom was two songs to add him to my pandora playlist. the man makes love to the sax and his accompany is brilliant

[@michaelroach4219]

Stan Getz was working professionally when he was a teenager.He was with grown men who were addicts and or alcholics.Poor kid didn't have a chance.Shame on his parents for letting him be in that environment.

[@blablatructruc9308]

Please fix the subtitles.

[@franktheawaken7169]

One of the greatest )for me he is the greatest) saxophonist. This interview shall be presented to anyone being alcoholic or on drugs. In the end It got him... ''I'm sure we could have played better if we weren't'' RIP Stan Getz, you were simply the best.

[@samferguson9171]

The Sound!

[@edepillim]

Great story about Serge Chaloff. He was the supply and annoyed Woody. (Herman)One night in a crowded bar Serge was stoned, speech slurred etc. Woody urinated against his leg then walked off. Stan has to be my favorite player, no question but he was a very strange character. Zoot said he was a very nice group of people! Trouble was you never knew what one you would get.

[@thdgcfx]

Jazz is and always will be a Man's game.

[@theodorepullins3124]

WOW AWESOME.

[@davids.816]

Jazz music is a man's game

[@MrShobar]

I saw Stan give a series of clinics at Stanford University in 1986. I seem to recall he died shortly thereafter.

[@nk-salinger]

GREAT

[@zrhrrs]

I like how zoot is a trumpet player in this video when he was actually a tenor saxophonist

[@MrCholla1]

Ezra Harris aren’t his main hits recorded on tenor?

[@zrhrrs]

Layne Reiners around 1:20, the video points to Zoot and he’s got a trumpet, when really Zoot Sims played Tenor Sax

[@frankgreen5405]

I think Stan would want to help young musicians by his experiences. He's the king of the saxophone, let's face it. and when the king tells you not to do something, it makes us kids want to do what he says. if anything, his words here are a blessing.

[@pjr5913]

amen I wish I would ve listened to this year's ago

[@jibsmokestack1]

King of the saxophone? Smh. He is a great but no where near the King! He was essentially a Lester Young disciple and no where near as good as Young imo! The KIngs of the saxophone all time in chronological order are Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins & John Coltrane. Notable mentions are Johnny Hodges, Benny Carter, Dexter Gordon, Eric Dolphy, Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter, Joe Henderson, Mike Brecker and many others I could mention!

[@wafflcoptr]

Coltrane is king of sax.

[@avarmadillo]

Great.

[@huyivant5190]

2021!

[@joeydrums1159]

Does anyone know what album the version of "I've Got You Under My Skin" is from (at the end of this clip)? I thought it was from the album that he did with Bill Evans, Ron Carter and Elvin Jones but that tune is not on the track listing. I'm unable to find this Getz version of this tune anywhere. Anyone know?

[@mrlofi333]

The voice has its own story

[@chriscarlone527]

Jazz legends.

[@lrn_news9171]

He had a way longer than 10 year heroin habit, more like 40 years lol

[@paxwallace8324]

Wow he's talking about being a lush while playing Ellington/Strayhorn's brilliant "Lush Life" with Chick Corea on Rhodes.

[@joeltunnah]

It’s a rare soul who can survive celebrity. Getz died of liver cancer 5 years later.

[@JasonFerguson1283]

Shows the pure will this man had to make art while addled. After heroin he went to booze and what was not mentioned in this fave interview/animation was that he was a cocaine user as well.

[@lrn_news9171]

He was already on booze at around 15 years old man he drank for most of his life lol

[@LAMBORGHINIACE]

Dam this waz a gd one

[@wardellmobley77]

Shit like this is why I Love KZbin

[@gabrielhuff6969]

2:02 oof, I mean I get it was a different time and mentality back then, but that still stung a little

[@JahJahBruh]

4:10 What this tune again, tought Montgomery also played it.

[@greenbeany12]

Jamiro Smajic Night and Day

[@22agentsmith]

I like how they used Coltrane in the background. Whoops.

[@user-zn3tu6lg2k]

Lol where

[@Leo-mu8kn]

Its bc stan is busy talking to u

[@johnlindstrom9994]

Near the end of this, I believe it is Warne Marsh who is depicted.

[@theodorepullins3124]

It was said that Art Blakey turned just about everybody jazz artist on drugs, Lee Morgan’s wife said this.

[@straycat7247]

I know the focus of this video is not to glorify drugs, but there is a danger that especially young people think that the drugs made him great. He was great in spite of the drugs. Drugs won't make a nobody a Stan Getz. Who knows how much better he could have been.

[@MrCholla1]

StrayCat this is the truth, man. It’s all about the moment.

[@anfrankogezamartincic1161]

Great cartoon

[@emilyaversa1327]

this is very sad but like they say, if Billie Holiday had been a spinster schoolteacher, she wouldn't have sounded that way and given us all such joy. Same with Stan, Im sure

[@MrDamojak]

The captions are mislocated.

[@Nonexistanthuman]

Crazy he probably don’t remember the albums I liked

[@lrn_news9171]

He remembers the album he doesn't have many memories in regards to the recording process or the backstory

[@terryhanready5068]

Stan's son sings in a church choir in westchester, ny.

[@jeunedaiko]

Can you put the hendrix one back on ?

[@bklyncrook]

Thought Paul Allen of Microsoft funds to keep Jimi's legacy alive. Thought it would be for the public.

[@XAVIER4703]

Not sure anyone will actually see this or know but what’s the song at 2:25 ?

[@adamkhan1480]

did you find it?

[@XAVIER4703]

@@adamkhan1480 Lush life by getz

[@rickbeck2121]

It's so interesting that there was this perception of gay people as being "unmanly." It's hurtful and shocking to hear such an honest interview with a talented icon, but I'm so grateful to be able to listen to it uncensored. I know it's bleeped out, but I know what he said. It's wrong, it's ignorant, but that was the perception of the culture at the time, and we need to hear it.

[@wafflcoptr]

Different times. This man came from a time when people used the word faggot casually instead of even saying gay.

[@lrn_news9171]

Actually, they were mostly right to feel that way lol

[@channingparker9431]

If it weren't for my so called "wasted years" I wouldn't know half of the things I know now. Nothing is ever wasted, stop rushing other people's lives for selfish reasons.

[@cjgreen4331]

rushing lives? what??? I'm pretty sure the title means "wasted" as in not sober?

[@CinemindParadox]

Guys the Jimi Hendrix Blank on Blank is gone, forever none of us will ever be able to see it :( FCK If anyone by any chance downloaded it or owns it in any way please send me the video i have to have it.