[Dixielandjazz] American Idol

[Steve barbone]

Dan Spink at DWSI at aol.com
 
> I hate to sound like a defender of crass entertainment, but I have to say
> that many people on this list are missing the point of American Idol. It's NOT
> about the music quality, people! Any more than rap or other such recording
> success is about the "musical" values. It's personality celebration. An event
> in which to celebrate just being in your age group.The music is a background
> mediuim. How many of you, like me, have gone to a rock concert and really
> tried to hear the music? The last time I went to hear Elton John I got  every
> 10th word amidst the yelling and other racket. It's not a concert. Sorry.
> It's a happening for younger something age group. Pehaps that's what really
> saddens us most; our music used to be young and now it isn't associated wtih
> young any more. It happens.

Hi Dan:

Right on. It is about entertaining the public, the mass audience. Pure and
simple. Does that mean the mass audience is musically challenged? Nah, IMO
they are looking for something to entertain them on the TV. Something light.
American Idol fits the bill and the watchers can laugh at them to their
hearts delight, and/or like it as they choose.

Not much different from the way jazz was in the 20s and 30s. It was mass
audience dance music . . . entertainment. And those mass audience flappers
were characterized by the so called "real" music lovers of the world as dim
witted fallen women and the guys were all criminals and libertines. And
jazz? Just a cacophony of bestial sounds, played by idiots. It was anything
but "good music".

Sound familiar? Same S***, Different Day, that's all.

Surprisingly, perhaps, the music we love can indeed be for the young. A few
of us besides me on this List, like Joe Hopkins and/or Bria and others are
playing for young often, and the young love it.

Mostly for dancing, just like when the young in the mass audience loved it
70 or 80 years ago. That's entertainment for them. And art for us, if we
want to get hung up on that.

Cheers,
Steve