On my musical LinkedIn recently, there was a question about jazz. Specifically, whether or not the recent attention and flurry of words about the genre were helping to keep jazz "marginalized".
And Jeff Jumps In (Too):
I don't think Jazz is marginalized so much, as simply ignored by most. Much of this, unfortunately, has to do with overriding truths in the Justin Moyer Washington Post piece: a lot of jazz music today is perceived as "elevator music" (in the same way Classical is cast off as "stuffy" or "fusty") ... There continues to be an overreliance on the tried and true, but increasingly tired, "American songbook" comprising "standards" ... and along these lines, too much jazz is performed lazily, going through motions without any e-motion: smiling blankly, pausing significantly, "This next song...". Or the predicable 'insert bass solo here' live jazz moment.
Beyond this, there is the ridiculously furious circling of wagons whenever attention IS brought to Jazz. "Kenny G" mutterings, for example, if anyone inside gets too popular ... or admonishments, in no uncertain terms, to 'leave jazz alone!!' if anyone outside comes to play. Witness the Django Gold / "Sonny Rollins" New Yorker debacle (on which, incidentally, I also blew).
Frankly, I think I could've pulled that one off better than Django ... but I get what he was trying to do. Too many refuse to.
As long as Jazz remains disinterested in making an effort or expanding its appeal, it's going to keep being d(ism)issed ... Not "marginalized", because nobody's marginalizing Jazz except insiders - the jazz community itself.
Beyond this, there is the ridiculously furious circling of wagons whenever attention IS brought to Jazz. "Kenny G" mutterings, for example, if anyone inside gets too popular ... or admonishments, in no uncertain terms, to 'leave jazz alone!!' if anyone outside comes to play. Witness the Django Gold / "Sonny Rollins" New Yorker debacle (on which, incidentally, I also blew).
Frankly, I think I could've pulled that one off better than Django ... but I get what he was trying to do. Too many refuse to.
As long as Jazz remains disinterested in making an effort or expanding its appeal, it's going to keep being d(ism)issed ... Not "marginalized", because nobody's marginalizing Jazz except insiders - the jazz community itself.
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| "L'Esprit de Jazz", ©Jeff Glovsky |
I have to say, I get it: the piece IS funny. Non-sequiturs ('I hate music. I wasted my life.') placed in an absurdist context (Sonny Rollins uttering them) … is funny. Absurdity is a foundation of satire, which of course is an element of humor … and humor is comedy.
Lighten up, people!
... (U)ntil ‘Sonny gets blue’ about it, why should we?"
Then I traded with Payton, who got all riled up and made terrible noise. His bars had "race cards littering the table.
"Not at all what the original 'offending' piece was about."
I was disappointed to hear Payton blowing that way! Not surprised though - it's out there, and always will be.
Anyway, the set ended for me when this cat, Howie Doodat, kept putting people down, man. Thanking people for agreeing with him ... Otherwise, "Learn about life," he'd smirk. "No wonder you're confused," he teased. "'Django'" (in quotes), he kept chiding Django ... suggesting that can't be the cat's real name!