Leeway

The paradox of contemporary jazz A thoughtful list, overall, and one that does not look like it was put together by a PR flack.

Blue Note gets a lot of credit for going beyond the easy or obvious picks.

I happen to think that's a valid observation, but why is it "condescending"? In fact, it seems to me quite the opposite. As far as smooth jazz and smooth R&B (the fulsome crooner school of emoting) goes, I've noticed the same phenomenon here in DC. Interesting that most of the African-Americans I work with, and my wife works with, in DC, have little or no use for rap either. (That might be an age thing). My conjecture is that as more African-Americans move into the American middle and upper-middle class, they adopt more "mainstream" tastes, i.e., mass market, or middlebrow. Thus, music that is "smooth" and "soothes," has a veneer of ease and offers easy to pick up melodies, appeals more than a music that one associates with harder times, "outsider" status, etc. Same goes for their white counterparts. Same in books, films, etc. The American mainstream usually prefers homegenized cultural products. So, my sense is that this is a class thing.

Happy Birthday, JazzMoose - click on link below for all things MOOSE MOOSEWORLD

They must be running out of choices.

First, thanks for the link. I've admired Gleason for the way he advocated for the rock music of the psychedelic era (among other things). he was a pivotal figure in the history of rock. Perusing the linked article, I came across this passage, in which the author apparently laments the way music critcism has developed. Do you agree with the author?

I'm not from Philadelphia, but have visited there often and enjoy it. My favorite spot is the Reading terminal market, with all those wonderful food vendors (including Rick's Italian Beef ):

In this world of "virtual" everything, it is a sober reminder of the awesome power of Nature and the fragility of life.

Art and criticism are always in a dialectical relationship. As I said in my earlier post, I believe that artists lead the way, and great artists, in a short historical moment, can blow away all the tired theorizing and practice that impedes the development of any art form at a critical juncture. But great art needs great critics, the kind who can appreciate "the new thing" and help clear space for it, nurture it until it can take hold, and help spread the new ideas. Eventually, this process repeats itself. As for "bad intellectualizing," that doesn't really get us anywhere, as what we see as "bad" might be something we just don't like. Time tends to sort out what is truly new, original, and worthwhile, from what was mereley the secondary, the pastiche, the retread. Much of this has been worried through in other fields, and it remains a valid source of attention. perhaps the classic work on this subject is T.S. Eliot's essay, Tradition and the Individual Talent. For those so inclined, I have included a link to the essay itself: T.S. Eliot Essay

Atlantic 1223. Warner-Pioneer Japan pressing, Mono, great sound, fine bop playing. The OBI strip designates the particular series which includes this LP as "Jazz-Forever Excellent 2," not fluidly expressed but, hey, isn't that what we all want Blue Note, blue label, black "b," Van Gelder in the dead wax. Excellent sound. The title refers to the civil rights activists fighting discrimination on public transportation in the South in the early 60s. Phil Woods, Jaki Byard, Richard Davis, Alan Dawson, "Musique Du Bois," MUSE 5037. A good group, and I think essentially MUSE's rythym section, but some really fine playing by Woods. Also excellent sound.

As a kid growing up in NYC, and playing baseball, stickball, stoopball, touch football, soccer, etc, in the public parks or streets, I agree that playing the game is an invaluable way to really understand it - I just don't think that's the only way. I do much prefer that kids play basketball than watch "NBA 2004" on DVD. Unfortunately, a lot of kids don't seem to share that preference, or stop playing as soon as they can get Mom or Dad off their backs. THEIR experience of sports is different than mine, certainly. Anyway, I was trying to work with the example that Jim gave about experiencing jazz in an immediate way. I can't play a musical instrument. I'm sure that hurts my appreciation somewhat, but I don't think it is a disqualifying factor. OTOH, there are many musicians who, despite their technical ability, don't seem able to appreciate their art, or the art of others, in an immediate way (fill in blanks here). Some musicians are perceptive; some critics are perceptive, and it is hard to generalize about these things.

I'm all for primary experience of the art, whatever art it is: it's better to go see the painting , than a picture of the painting. It's better to read the book than a review of the book. And so on. But to take the baseball analogy a bit further. Yes, it' still better to go to the game than to merely read about it in the paper (actually, it's more likely that young people know about the game through video and DVD games than through actually playing it). But has anyone gone to a game recently? I have. The game as I knew it has changed on the field. It has changed in the stadium. Hell, the stadiums have all changed. Many new stadiums offer a "retro" experience of the game, realizing that the original experience of the game is long gone,, and offering some kind of recreation of a former era (ersatz or authentic?). The ballpark organ is gone, replaced by very loud rock and roll. In between innings, one is likely to find an overstuffed mascot shooting wadded-up t-shirts into the crowd. There will likely be a disco dance contest at some point. Maybe even some of the players will climb into the stands and try to beat your brains out (those steroids can make you crazy and violent). And so on. A far cry from the baseball of the 50s and 60s that I grew up with. My point is that direct experience of any thing is much more problematic and undefinable than we might like to think. So what is direct experience of jazz? For virtually all of us, we know about jazz through recordings. Certainly, that's the only way for us to know the musical past. And what has changed in jazz is what has changed in all the arts: the multiplicity of media, the availability of media, the commodification of all art forms into consumer "product," the rise of critical commentary of all sorts, including this board. As has often been said, this is a post-modern era, in which all forms of art, past and present, are mingled, sampled, recycled. (It's a byproduct of capitalism; but that's another thread I suppose). Some celebrate this complexity and diversity, some don't. To paraphrase our Secretary of Defense, one goes with the age one is born into; it may not be the age one would like, or the age one would want to have, but it's the age we have been dealt. Now I too feel increasingly uncomfortable with the zeitgeist, and perhaps when enough people do, then a substantial change will occur. I believe one should always advocate authenticity, naturalness, directness, in life and in art. What form that ultimately takes will be determined by the artists amongst us or to come. THEY shift the forms of art, the experience of art, and have been doing so since they drew on the walls of the caves.

one of the worst cover designs ever. it's so bad, it's good again. what *were* "they" thinking? Reid Miles, the designer behind so many terrific Blue Note covers, did the cover design for this Clifford Jordan LP. I'll agree that it's not up to his usual standards, and if one didn't know who did the design, probably wouldn't guess it was by Reid Miles. It's a curiously static and bland design, although I like the photograph qua photograph. Compare it to the other Clifford Jordan album from the same year, which I think is a lot more dynamic:

I'll second that. Mike is always prompting (sometimes more us to burrow down to the bedrock of fact when the tendency is to sometimes fly off in the balloon of conjecture (helluva metaphor, oh well).

Blue Note, Classic Records reissue. Blue Note, Classic Records reissue. Blue Note, Liberty pressing. Gatefold Lp has wonderful full-sleeve photo portrait of Lee Morgan.

Merry Christmas to ALL:

Thanks Jim! Us vinyl types are, er, somewhat resistant to change

Back to the Pearson Mosaic Select, Disc 3, with the Christmas music.

Washington, DC-- WPFW-- a Pacifica station. Best shot is Willard Jenkin's Friday afternoon show, which features new releases. WPFW

The curriculum of the course under discussion looks reasonable to me. I don't see any racial bias at work there, and I'm reluctant to attribute any such bias to a teacher who is unknown to me (and even then...). I'm with Mike Fitzgerald on this: when teaching just about any subject matter, some things are just going to have be left out. I taught (English) for about 5 years and that was always an issue. I think most teachers will tell their students to explore beyond the curriculum and will often set up in-class projects for students to present subject matter not included in the formal curriculum, or accept such projects for term papers.

Doesn't stop anyone else Feel free to pile on! BTW, it doesn't have to be "smart and intelligent" --just look at the Politics thread B-) [Ph yeah, I include myself in that ]

And: Also: Al Cohn -- No Problem - Xanadu And:

Oops! When I made the new forum everything got shifted. Would you folks rather have it back towards the bottom? Yes, actually. It does seem to me to be oddly placed between AOTW and BFT, which I think belong together.

Allison, may the New Year bring you full good health! Take your time, make sure that whatever was injured has time to heal.

Why? [Moved, that is]