There’s a lot of talk coming from some pretty high profile people in regards to the younger generation and what is jazz. Lets be clear about something, every generation is different, every generation has a new vocabulary. If it is the intent of the these people to try and drive the younger generation and jazz itself into the dust and bury it, then by all means continue. You’re doing great! Jazz was selected as a National Treasure of the United States, for various reasons some of which being it’s democratic approach to music, it’s living proof in every performance of “united we stand , divided we fall” while still providing a voice for the individual, and lets not forget it’s all inclusive musical nature. But I guess there are always those who have no other wishes in or goals in life other than to divide. So for all the cats that love to rag on the new generation I’ll leave you a little TRUTH......... Without the younger generation , there would be no Duke Ellington , there would be no Charlie Parker , there would be no Thelonious Monk , there would be no Charlie Christian , there would be no John Coltrane , there would be no John Coltrane ( he’s worth repeating) , there would be no Eric Dolphy , there would be no Bill Evans , there would be no Paul Bley , there would be no Jim Hall , there would be no Miles Davis , there would be no Lenny Tristano , there would be no Keith Jarrett , there would be no Wes Montgomery , there would be no JoAnne Brackeen , there would be no Art Blakey , there would be no Max Roach , there would be no Tony Williams , there would be no drums , there would be no saxophone , there would be no trumpet , there would be no piano , there would be no guitar , there would be no Picasso , there would be no Monet , there would be no NOTHING ( Yeah I know double negative, there goes that stupid younger generation again right?) And I almost forgot............... THERE WOULD BE NO YOU. What prompted this little rant or what-ever you want to call it was some of the things I’ve been seeing on facebook lately. But what really set me off, was sitting in a lesson yesterday with a student and when I asked him what he listened to he was very shy to give his answer. Which was ultimately Pat Methany and Modesky, Martin and Wood. When I asked him why he was uncomfortable about telling me, his reply was, “ I didn’t think you would consider them jazz”. This was because of things he had read and or heard some of these so-called guardians of jazz say. I hear crap like this every semester. SO, like I said before if your intent is to cripple a new generation of musicians then by all means please continue, you’re doing a wonderful job. I wouldn’t change a thing. Sorry if this pisses off a few friends, but then again, I don’t think any of my friends that have an issue with the truth. Just one last thought, when you hit the age where your concerts and gigs are touted as the return of a legend just remember, THOSE YOUNGER CATS THAT YOU ALL PISSED ON ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES BACKING YOU UP. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT, and let me know how it works for you. I know I’m going to take flack for this but I really don’t give a damn. Jazz something that I love, actually MUSIC is something that I love. Obviously the only thing you love is the sound of your own voices. I almost forgot without the younger generation there would be no language in which case I could have just grunted at you a couple times and saved myself a lot typing.
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:37:14 +0000
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