haha.

i guess the tongue-in-cheek tone of these descriptions are not obvious enough...

Quote:
haha.

i guess the tongue-in-cheek tone of these descriptions are not obvious enough..

On the contrary Ariel I don't believe that Joe misread the tone but rather he may have been a bit dismayed as what it is about jazz that makes that kind of characterization even possible. The days of smoke filled, poorly lit jazz clubs are long gone. Modern day jazz is played just about everywhere, from small clubs to concert halls to open air festival stages in front of thousands of "jazz-bos" and features music spanning the entire history of jazz and well beyond.

I suggest that you review some of the older posts in this section of the forum and give a listen to a few of the recordings mentioned. I think you will be pleasantly surprised as to depth, breath and variety of the music that falls within the "jazz" category. Can you dig it, man?

I should also add that if you're looking something specific or even something off the beaten track just ask since there are plenty of members here who know a thing about jazz and music.

though my jazz knowledge isn't too expansive, i know more than enough to know that the description given is a stale stereotype, which is the point.

(a joke. hardy-har? its ok to laugh at yourself once in a while.) -- Jazz like rock doesn't have to be taken so seriously, and I'm sure the artists would agree.

and you know what, I dont think there's anything wrong with this romanticization of jazz culture. Based on my past attendances at recent jazz shows, i've noticed that same sort of whacked-out chilled-out mentality is gone altogether from the mainstream, in favor for people with money.

I too have listened to jazz for ages. If you want actual years: I picked up my first Coltrane record in 1998 when i was 11. 12 years later I'm still picking up more and more. My tastes now trend toward Fusion, Early Free Jazz, Funk, and Be-bop, and I know I dont have everything I need, and I will probably ask for some good stuff at some point.

So, i'll change this forum description not b/c it reduces jazz to some old stereotype, b/c its really just a silly joke (like a Looney Tunes cartoon of jazz), and in the same way rock and roll can be sex and booze and leather without offending, the romanticized version of "jazz" shouldn't be forgotten. Sometimes, its the one of thing that keeps me interested. Thinking about Charlie Parker shooting smack in some smokey backroom and then hitting the stage -- unpleasant, but at one point, real.

I will change the description though based on this argument:

Quote:

Modern day jazz is played just about everywhere, from small clubs to concert halls to open air festival stages

b/c the description really is not inclusive enough to all "genres" or venues w/in jazz, many of which I greatly prefer over the one intended to be described.

i apologize to anyone who feels their tastes have been compartmentalized.

Thanks Ariel!

Thank you first for taking the criticism in the tone with which it was intended and second for providing such a wonderful new and improved description. "Keith Jarrett giving the bird to a crowd of thousands" - I love it! Although Jarrett is just one of many performers to treat their audience with disdain. Miles was often roundly criticized for turning his back on the audience. I had the pleasure of seeing Miles several times during his electric period and I never remember caring one bit about his having his back to the audience since I was way too busy having my mind fully blown by the music.

I will also have to ask Stereophile for some form of very small compensation since they are now using my username in the description: "the Blue Room is the place to find your fellow jazzfans, hanging out." In any event, thanks for the honor!

And you have me beat by a few years since I didn't get my first jazz record until I was around 16 or 17 years old, which was during the heyday of fusion: electric Miles, Weather Report, Return To Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Herbie Hancock's Headhunters, Ornette Coleman and Prime Time - boy were those good times!