What is practicing - Hal Galper

**henryrobinett** · 01-08-2015, 03:13 PM

I think the cudgel over the head of jazz is just this -- jazz shouldn't necessarily be either forward or backward thinking. From Bird and especially Coltrane on, jazz has defined itself as being a forward thinking art. It kind of boxed itself in. Then Wynton came along and enforced the reverse -- backward looking only. What we seemed to have missed is the complete and total present.

**docbop** · 01-08-2015, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by henryrobinett

I think the cudgel over the head of jazz is just this -- jazz shouldn't necessarily be either forward or backward thinking. From Bird and especially Coltrane on, jazz has defined itself as being a forward thinking art. It kind of boxed itself in. Then Wynton came along and enforced the reverse -- backward looking only. What we seemed to have missed is the complete and total present.

You read about the legends and Jazz is suppose to be about living on the cutting edge, pushing the boundaries. That you need to study the past masters, but play in the now. One of the masters whose I've been reading about said if you go to my concert expecting to hear something in particular, then your really aren't a Jazz fan.

Another common thread of old and new Jazz artists in they say we aren't entertainers its all about the music. Some did try to walk line and be both Louis Armstrong, Dizzy, Art Blakey, and Miles towards the end of his life. I even miss Rock back in the 60's thru maybe some of the 80's when you went to a concert and it was just a stage with gear and musicians playing it was all about the music. If I want entertainment I'll go to a Vegas show or similar event.

As in the Wayne Shorter book I'm reading he said Jazz was still popular until the early 60's because some of it was the Pop music of the day. Wayne says then the Beatles and Rock took over Pop music. Now in Kenny Werner interview in recent Downbeat he talks about how music schools today are overflowing with virtuosos and prodigies, but downside there are less places to play than ever before. Hopefully the end result will be more people in the masses will appreciate Jazz since they studied it, just couldn't make a living with it.