[Dixielandjazz] Re: What's Wrong With Modern Jazz

[DWSI at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/1/2005 3:00:44 PM Eastern Daylight Time,  
dixielandjazz-request at ml.islandnet.com writes:
 
Thank you, Larry, for finding articulation of my exact feelings about so  
much of "modern jazz."
 
"What tires me out is the wannabes who aren't geniuses but  try to emulate 
the improv styles of those (true jazz) geniuses and generally  muck it up."
 
Max Morath once told me there is nothing easier than to give bad piano  
lessons. You play this page this week, the next page next week, etc. I think the  
same thing can be said of most "modern jazz." Recently I was sitting in a local 
 restaurant in Englewood, NJ featuring live jazz. The band was about 6 
people,  including vocalist. I listened to the keyboardist warming up, playing 
modern  jazz chord progressions, (usually many ninths and elevenths in a downward  
diatonic line). When the performance started, I listened again to the same 
chord  progressions over and over again for every song. I heard the same "riffs" 
by the  horns and guitars on every song. Finally, I turned a friend sitting 
next to me  and commented; there's nothing here that I haven't already heard 
many  times in the 1950's. 

What I love about our trad jazz, and especially the great ensemble  work, is 
it never sounds like a formula; and, best of all, I usually want to tap  my 
feet, dance or clap my hands while I'm smiling. Why can't we go there more  
often?

Dan (piano fingers) Spink