Too good to be true?

[Balladeer]

What do you think of that?

http://www.healthaim.com/jazz-music-and-how-listening-to-it-helps-the-body/7613

[paul secor]

I've read reports of a couple of studies that said that plants that were exposed to jazz recordings tended to thrive. I have no idea how accurate the studies were and I'm not a plant, but listening to jazz works for me.

[Van Basten II]

Considering the range of music called and labelled jazz , it needs way more more precision. Are they talking about Wynton, Brotzmann, Miles Kind of Blue period, Miles Bitches Brew period , Armstrong, Bechet, maybe they are talking about Norah ?

[BillF]

As for plants, I imagine Bud would do it.

[A Lark Ascending]

I suspect that this falls into 'Listening to Mozart will turn Baby into a genius' or 'Listening to Coltrane will help you achieve Nirvana' territory.

Listening to music that requires your attention probably improves your ability to concentrate. Learning to play music (like learning languages) must help in all manner of other intellectual areas, especially in developing skills of self-discipline.

Beyond that I'm doubtful, especially when claims are made for specific types of music. There was a fad in schools about 15 years back for playing Baroque music in the background whilst kids worked - all sorts of claims were made for its ability to calm kids and make them focus. I know no-one who does it now (probably because the kids complained...not Corelli again!).

Edited January 17, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[BeBop]

I'm not a plant, but I am a vegan. Same thing, give or take 11 IQ points (in favor of the plant).

[Leeway]

I've repeated;y seen people at concerts who fall asleep within minutes of the music starting. Not because it's boring, often the contrary, just seems to have an effect on their nervous system. I'll go even further in the direction of this study and say that the type of jazz we like is condition by receptors in our brains, and that the difference between, let's say Brotzmann and Eric Alexander, could very likely be mapped as appealing to different parts of our receptor systems. Does it make you healthier? Doubt it. But it does condition the brain in certain ways.