[Dixielandjazz] Can you listen to music and chew gum at the same time?

[Charles Suhor]

Listmates Gunter, Kashkishian, et al.--

Thanks for this interesting strand. I listen mainly to jazz and 
classical music of all eras plus some world music and very old popular 
stuff. It usually makes me want to stop all else and listen. As for 
other music, I usually want to turn it off because it's boring, tepid, 
or not to my taste. True confession--there is some classical music that 
I can either listen to intently, or just enjoy during dinner or as 
background music because I find it unimpinging--most of Mozart, early 
baroque like Corelli and Aliboni.

Interesting that around the late 70s, sophisticated restaurants (and 
now coffee shops like Starbuck's) started playing modern jazz as 
background music. I often want to stop and listen, but the din of the 
crowd and a glass of wine make the flow of background jazz lines 
compatible and even pleasant. I suspect there's a reason for this, 
namely the fact that jazz and conversation are both spontaneous forms 
of improvisation, and we're hard-wired to sense this. Or maybe it's 
just the wine.

Charlie Suhor


On Feb 2, 2005, at 7:38 AM, Bill Gunter wrote:

> Hello friends,
>
> Listmate Jim Kashishian writes:
>
>> Next time you are having trouble dropping off to sleep try putting on 
>> a jazz
>> CD.
>> Researchers have shown just 45 minutes of relaxing music before 
>> bedtime can
>> make for a restful night.
>> Actually, I can't listen to jazz, period, when doing something 
>> else...even
>> driving.  I really listen when I listen, and lose track of what I'm 
>> doing.
>> That may be due to the fact I'm a musician, and find myself within the
>> group, so to say. I certainly couldn't describe listening to jazz as 
>> being
>> relaxing for me.
>
> This is interesting to me because I have essentially the same problem. 
> I can, however, drive while listening to music but that's probably 
> because driving is a motion - sort of like dancing with wheels. I mean 
> I wouldn't say that I can't dance while listening to music . . . but 
> that's beside the point.
>
> My problem is that as long as I can remember, whenever music is 
> playing someplace my attention is immediately captivated. I can't 
> carry on intelligent conversations with others because my attention is 
> too strongly diverted away from conversation.
>
> On the other hand it's possible I can't carry on intelligent 
> conversations anyway but perhaps that's also common among musicians.
>
> I could never do homework and listen to the radio at the same time 
> when I was in school . . . result - I rarely got my homework done.
>
> In talking about this phenomenon with some of my musician friends, it 
> turns out they have the same problem too. I'm beginning to think that 
> some people often become musicians because they basically can't do 
> anything else when music rears its ugly (read beautiful) head.
>
> How many of you have trouble concentrating when the music starts?  I 
> bet it's a pretty common thing amongst DJMLers.
>
> Respectfully submitted,
>
> Bill Gunter
> jazzboard at hotmail.com
>
>
>
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