[Dixielandjazz] RE: Oscar Peterson-OKOM and other Matters

[Tito Martino]

Norman, 

Thanks for your comments. 

Please remark I don't say "that playing OKOM is the beginning
of all musical wisdom".

What i said and mean is that you can play any "modern", contemporary,
revolutionary, modified or anything music; BUT, to have a right to still
call JAZZ that concoction, the thing should keep some connection with
basic OKOM principles, and I mean swing, blue notes, collective
improvisation, extrovert african rhythm elements, all of this melting
with and contrasting with introvert european classical musical rules and
its rigid discipline. 

Examples: Brubeck, Oscar Peterson, Th. Monk.  They knew and could play
OKOM but created their own new rules, and still we can call JAZZ their
inventions.

I can't say the same of Bill Evans, Pharaoh Sanders, and other GREAT
musicians which departed so radically from the origins that to my own
consideration they just don't play JAZZ. They play their own kind of
modern music.

 Even Lester Young and Beans and Dizzy and Parker could play "straight"
OKOM pieces if they wished to, as confirmed by Steve Barbone who was
present to some of their jam-sessions. 

That's why I think that whilst they normally played "modern" music, they
could still call that music JAZZ because they knew from where this
"modern" music came all about; that is, their music stays (even vaguely
in some aspects) related to OKOM basic principles.

Actually I don't give any wheight to that analytic esoteric theoretic
babble, because in practice I accept and appreciate and enjoy any kind
or style of good music (even NOT being jazz), and that is true even if
for my own pleasure I play only old style OKOM. 

Musically yours, 

Tito 


-----Original Message-----
From: Norman Vickers [mailto:nvickers1 at cox.net] 
Sent: quarta-feira, 23 de junho de 2004 10:06
To: DJML
Cc: tmartino at terra.com.br
Subject: Oscar Peterson-OKOM and other Matters


Tito Martino of Sao Paulo Brazil writes eloquently and in detail the
time
Oscar Peterson played traditional jazz with his band.  I'm not sure that
I
can go along with his sweeping conclusion that playing OKOM is the
beginning
of all musical wisdom. However, it's a concept I'll have a lot of fun
thinking about. Thanks, Tito.

>My conclusion: all the GREAT and respected "modern Jazz" players are
>great in their particular "modern" style because they know how to play
>OKOM.

>Tito Martino
>Sao Paulo Brazil




Esta mensagem foi verificada pelo E-mail Protegido Terra.
Scan engine: VirusScan / Atualizado em 16/06/2004 / Versão: 1.5.2
Proteja o seu e-mail Terra: http://www.emailprotegido.terra.com.br/