[Dixielandjazz] Was - Charlie Parker - Now - Differences of Opinion

[Jazzjerry at aol.com]

Steve,

The cutting and pasting that is going on in this series of messages is simply 
getting more and more confusing so I do not intend to even try to chop any 
bits out of your last retort apart from one short paragraph which I just don't 
understand which is:-

"What pretentious rubbish, to coin your favorite phrase. Some folks get
one year's worth of experience 40 times in 40 years and others may get
40 years. Based on your absurd remarks about Charlie Parker, it is
obvious that you are among the former."

 Both you and I are perfectly entitled to have opinions on all sorts of 
issues and I'm sure that they will differ on many subjects not just music. I 
presume that you might agree any opinion on a subject will be based on experience 
and knowledge of that subject be it music, politics, food, or even dress sense.  
 
In your opinion my remarks about Charlie Parker were absurd but on what do 
base that opinion? It was simply an opinion on my part with which you disagreed. 
I will restate the simple opinion that Parker was overrated and the 
note-by-note study of everything that he recorded strikes me as just bizarre. That is 
my opinion and I am entitled to it as it is formulated based on my following 
and listening to jazz over the past forty years. You are entitled to disagree 
with me based on your own experience of the music but you are not entitled to 
slag me off.

Having read your posts to the DJML over the years since you came on board I 
have noticed that you always seem very ready to express an opinion on a wide 
range of subjects which have come up but also very ready to belittle anyone who 
dares to express an opinion which is at variance to yours. Before you rush to 
attack me for this opinion of your posts might I state that I do not consider 
myself an expert on every DJML message but base my remarks on a general 
impression which I am perfectly entitled to do.

There are also many issues upon which I have not expressed an opinion. For 
example I have both listened to your band's CD which you kindly sent me and also 
did view a video of one BSJB live performance but have never expressed any 
opinion on the competence or otherwise of the band and whilst I have an opinion 
about what I have seen and heard I shall not be expressing it on the DJML.

Recently what really got up my nose was your remark which included the words 
'awful British Trad' and 'couple of good bands' albeit with a smiley. This 
comment seemed to me to be casting an unnecessary slur on a very large number of 
excellent British jazz players and I would query upon what you base the 
opinion that there have only been a 'couple of good bands'. Presumably listening to 
them because I can't think of any other way that you could arrive at such an 
opinion. 

Finally I will state that I found your remark "do you have Alzheimer's? ;-)" 
neither funny or in very good taste and certainly do not think that such 
tasteless use of such a serious and sad illness helps your argument in any way 
whatsoever.

Cheers,

Jerry