Doug Raney in the Age of Content Creation

Last year, on my father’s birthday, I asked the question, “What would Jimmy Raney think of YouTube transcriptions”? I went into some detail to express a certain point of view, but I’m not sure I came away with a satisfying answer. You be the judge: Jimmy Raney Birthday 2023. This year, on Doug’s, I am posing a similar question, “What would Doug Raney think of YouTube Content Creators”?

(Ok. The question’s wording doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but let’s go with it for now)

To be blunt, if Doug were alive, he’d probably get a little snarky and protective about anything involving him or Dad presented by others. And, he had some pretty strong opinions about who could play, who couldn’t and who was what he liked to call, “a wanabee”.

[Doug Speaks:]

The reality is though, that in the free content era, despite artist protestations, this trend is inevitable and cannot realistically be stopped. The world is way smaller now in the way content travels, and honestly there is at least some money to be made online, if you can figure out how best to position your product, whatever you decide that is. And people are eager to share with others online, even if in some cases it’s way too soon (as noted in last year’s article). I certainly tried to push Doug to build more Internet presence while he was with us (his now defunct Myspace page I created for him notwithstanding).

When I type, “Doug Raney” in YouTube these days, I see a ton of content. In years past, search results were mostly uploaded recordings. But In my article from last year, I saw a bunch of new people performing Doug’s transcribed solos for video as well as Dad’s. I actually met one of the first guys to do it really well, Joel Svensson, last year in Barcelona; we are now good friends. He did this 16 years ago, so he was a real YouTube barnstormer.

This is when I began to realize how pervasive Doug’s influence on younger guitarists was. Maybe even looking to Doug first before Dad. He would definitely find this interesting, given my brother famously said, in reference to Dad, “I’m still trying to catch up to that motherfucker!”

Today we have video content creators with their own jazz channels – with pretty large followings; the older generation of jazz fans might be surprised at this, given they likely resigned to the belief that jazz had a marginal niche audience at best. The noted leaders in this movement are probably Adam Neely and Rick Beato based on their sheer number of followers but there are plenty of others now with thousands of followers.

I first began to notice the jazz guitar channel trend a few years back with Jens Larsen, who has had a channel for quite a while now. He presented 2 videos a few years ago, one of Dad and the other of Doug. I’m very appreciative of his efforts to spread the word and also dissect what he finds compelling about their playing. His video now graces Doug’s bio page here:

Now that I’ve published, The Jimmy Raney Book, facilitated by social sharing across different media platforms like Facebook and podcasts with my friend, guitarist, Lyle Robinson, I find myself rubbing elbows with more people involved in this sphere. A young jazz guitarist from Florida with a YouTube Channel named Chase Maddox just reached out to me about his new video about Doug. He gives Doug his just due, plays really well and presents things in a digestible manner to his followers. Turns out the video study is on the same solo to “Four” played by Joel.

For me, the main thing about Chase and Jens is that, first and foremost they are fans of the music and are really just sharing what they’ve tried to pick up from players like Doug and Dad, which hopefully will be useful to others that are not as far along as they are. At the heart of it, they believe in what they are teaching, but I also sense humility there as well, which is a really important trait, because they realize there is so much more to learn. (More on this topic later)

This is Chase’s video:

YouTube can be incredibly helpful, making other how-to resources, with cryptic, buried or badly explained content, largely superfluous. As an example, I’ve been looking into how to make online video content. I looked at a few how-to videos about OBS software, movie editing, key apps and interfaces; I just followed the instructions to the letter about setting up, and it was pretty straightforward. This is something I could never do on my own some years back with the available resources, despite having some technical skills. Some of this I believe is just the nature of the medium. You can literally scroll through dozens of bad videos until you get to the one you want and you can mirror exactly the steps as shown.

Unfortunately, the current style of videos, how-to do x in 5 easy steps or is what so-and-so saying really legit? (aka reaction videos with its quizzical looks and ???), has now crept into the Learn Jazz channel medium. I get this is the current style for getting more clicks and subscribes – the “currency” of YouTube, so to speak. But still the problem is that on some videos I hear people playing in a very neutered way. The licks they get from Dad, for example, sound so dead because they are extracted from their original contexts and often played without good timing, jazz feel or sound.

In terms of jazz feel, timing and sound, there are very few who can play like Doug. Just listen to the way he plays his eighth note. Doug was really in bad shape physically in his last years in below, but the inspiration I get from hearing just a few notes played in that glorious laid back time feel, killer tone and impassioned 16th note runs, is all the more poignant. It just makes me weep. This is the excerpt from How Deep is the Ocean:

Here’s another example with Dad on his 1975 brisk “Out of Nowhere”. Just listen to passion of the top 9th on the A minor chord and how he relates the phrase to the 9th and 11ths notes on the Bb- chord. There’s so much more going on here besides licks. He’s speaking to you!

There may be some who read this and think I’m being elitist about this. This is not my intention; what I’m asking is for some YouTubers to up their game a little and be humble about what they know. Really reflect on their own playing carefully. Don’t act like you’ve got it all together before you have. Really listen to yourself, apply the lessons of Doug and Dad in their totality, in all aspects. Try to get to the meaning behind the vocabulary and return the favor with more inspired, swinging playing. And listen back to what you do with a critical ear, challenge yourself. Is this really good enough? Or am I just mimicking without feeling it? Don’t just transcribe the solo and consider it “job done”.

To me, I liken the best players to people who are naturally gifted orators. They have some sketches for what they’re going to say, maybe even some verbatim comments, but they sound like their creating on the spot and they touch you. You can tell who speaks like they’re reading from a teleprompter or completely memorized with cut and pasted quotes from others. It makes you feel awful as a listener, because at the end you feel nothing but are forced to clap after as a courtesy to not make them feel bad too.

Inevitably, there is now competition between content creators. Most of them have taken a healthy attitude towards their co-creators (for example Rick has had Adam Neely on his channel) but some declare turf wars. One such example is between Chase and Peter Farrell who basically wants to claim the George Benson teaching mantle all to himself. He went so far as to call Chase an “asshole” over his take on Benson in a live webcast which is just uncalled for. Peter can play quite well and he’s studied with Benson and knows him, but given he puts this Benson testimony on the trailer of every video, coupled with the asshole comment, you begin to feel this is simply his own insecurity about sharing the spotlight. Benson himself would never say such things. He is too humble and down to earth for that.

To me this was part of the problem in the prior watering hole, jazz discussion forums. Inevitably there are people that like to lord over the boards as experts, self promote at every turn and sometimes insult people. I found myself getting so worked up over conversations with people that I really didn’t know, that eventually I just stopped doing it.

So herein lies the rub, there are no shortcuts ultimately to sound like Doug and Dad. If you studied with them they might point out a few things you’re lacking. But I think more than anything, just listening to them transmits it to you all at once and inspires you. It’s like a complex piece of information. You can break it down and organize it however best suits your learning style but never forget the feeling that drew you there, the total message. Challenge yourself to eventually express yourself in a way that echoes their inspiring examples without pulling their musical words into a blender and spitting them out.

To wrap this up, this is a really exciting time for me. For years I have been singing the praises of my brother and my father to a largely unreceptive audience. Now I feel like finally the word is really getting out there. Continue to sing their praises. It is so worth it.

But there is one other important point. They were less known, in a way, because they were pretty humble about their achievements. You could tell it in their body language on stage. Doug would almost back away the applause. Dad, would often put himself in the corner between sets of amazing music. He was shy and matter of fact, but when he was on stage, he was 100% concentrated on every note he played. Doug too.

Always shoot for being in touch with every note you play and how to tell a story. Strive for this focus, but don’t get too full of yourself, and the rest will likely take care of itself.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOUG RANEY, 2024!