[Dixielandjazz] Re: Elevator music - Jazz?

[Bob Loomis]

Japanese essayist wrote:

   "On the other hand, especially with the advent
of music videos, the American ears are getting
lazier and lazier. Not so long ago in Western
history, most people knew how to play a musical
instrument or two. Now the vast majority couldn't
tell the difference between a saxophone and a
trumpet. The American
culture is so visually dominant that given a 
piece of music without anything visual associated
with it, most people's eyes wander around
nervously, just like the way a nervous speaker
doesn't know what to do with his hands."

   IMHO this is true in areas other than jazz. I
had a friend over recently and explained that we
would be listening to an installment of Prairie
Home Companion, one I really wanted to listen to.
 He just couldn't keep still, kept talking
through everything and I finally gave up and
listened to the rebroadcast the next morning. 
   I've also noticed that younger folks have no
concept of just listening to the radio, they have
to have something more going on and they do not
listen closely. I suspect this and the fact that
very few people (as a percentage of population)
carefully read newspapers anymore account
partially for the current political trend in our
nation. If anyone were listening closely and
comparing what's said with what's reality, all
the rascals would have been thrown out long ago
... then again, maybe not ...

Bob Loomis
Concord CA
 

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