[Dixielandjazz] Woody Allen...again

[David Dustin]

As a newbie to this forum, I¹ve found the dialog on whether or not Woody
Allen (or anyone) is fair game for negative criticism interesting. To my
view, anybody who stands up and performs publically is a legitimate target
for public reaction. To the extent that such a person is charging admission
to that performance, that person had better be ready for cheers or catcalls
as the audience registers its appreciation, or lack thereof.  To suggest
that only ³professional² critics can express a legitimate opinion seems
nonsensical. In my experience many dedicated jazz fans have achieved a
finely honed sense for jazz excellence and the idea that their negative
opinions count only if they are ³professional² reviewers seems absurd;
there¹s a fine line between being a highly knowledgeable trad buff and
someone anointed ³trad jazz critic² at the Daily Blatt.  Where do we think
those critics spring from?  And what are bulletin boards, such as this one,
but opportunities for players and fans alike to come together to express, in
a mutually respectful manner, opinions and exchange musical resources and
trivia?  I disagree that a forum like this must be confined to ³happy news²
and appreciate straightforward opinions, expressed cogently and politely,
that might influence the degree to which I allocate resources to investigate
the musical performance of someone like Woody Allen, his noted filmmaking
talents notwithstanding.

Fuerte y afinado,
David Dustin