Jimmy Fallon is widely seen as the nice late-night guy, which makes a recent segment in which he poked fun at a group of obscure musicians — and German free jazz musician Peter Brötzmann — all the more baffling.
Brötzmann’s reaction? “We both know the world is full of ignoramuses and stupidos, one more or one less, it doesn’t matter,” he said. rolling stone in an email.
Last week, in the segment with the creative title “Do Not Play List”, Fallon laughingly criticized Brötzmann’s 1969 free jazz album Nipples, because he apparently always finds the titular word (pun) funny and has never heard free jazz before. After chuckling over the album cover — which features the musician in silhouette, reed clenched between his teeth — Fallon shared a selection from the record, grimacing the entire time. “Sounds like a Guitar Center on a busy Saturday,” Fallon joked, invoking the most tired of musical jokes.
The jazz world, understandably, was not pleased with Fallon’s timely removal from the 52-year-old record. (rolling stone gave his 2018 album, sparrow nightsfour stars, by the way.) Probably because Brötzmann is a much revered free jazz musician with over 50 years of experience and acclaim under his belt and Fallon compared him to a bunch of teenagers and absurdists trudging their way through “All Along the Watchtower” in a suburban mall. According to Brötzmann, several people have angrily sent him the clip since its premiere.
The musician, however, is not tousled at all – unlike Trump’s hair in 2016. “This little snippet I got from friends around the world and my reaction was laughter,” he said. he declares. “The only thing that annoys me a little is that this piece, produced in 1969, is an important step in the history of free music, at least in Europe.”
“I don’t know these American TV shows, but I know this is a serious TV channel, so after a few days I wonder, sitting here at my kitchen table, is there something behind , not just an out-of-order-joke,” he adds. “Well…. again… who cares.