[Dixielandjazz] Brubeck

[Rob McCallum]

Hi all,

I think this is the old semantics argument.  If one thinks of the word 
"jazz" as only applying to pre-Be-Bop styles, then Brubeck wouldn't fall 
into that category.  However, I think that very few people apply the term 
that narrowly (at least since the days of the New Orleans Revival : ).

It gets back to the problem of categorizing.  My own view is that "jazz" 
developed along a continuum with Buddy Bolden at the beginning and guys such 
as Woody Shaw, Coltrane and Wayne Shorter at the other end.

While I hesitate to group musicians into too many stylistic categories 
(because of so much overlap), I have found it helpful to roughly divide the 
"traditional" (OKOM) and "modern" (Parker and after).  This is not because I 
think there's a great difference in the music styles (IMHO one style simply 
developed on the foundation of the styles that came before), but because 
such a large percentage of the traditional jazz audience just doesn't like 
modern jazz.

Ironically, though I'm sure there are some modernists who find traditional 
styles to be old hat, I haven't noticed the same intense dislike of 
traditional jazz by the modern jazz musicians that I encounter.  In my 
group, only one member had ever played New Orleans style before (they all 
played straight-ahead modern jazz).  Now, they love playing with my group.  
Recently, I had a sub piano player who normally plays funk and salsa 
(complete with dreadlocks) play a show.  Afterward, he told me that he 
hadn't had that much fun on a gig in a long time.  He was a heck of a player 
too--he's now my first call sub.

Cheers!
Rob McCallum


>From: "Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
>To: Rob McCallum <rakmccallum at hotmail.com>
>CC: Dixieland Jazz Mailing List <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Brubeck
>Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:51:22 -0500
>
>>I might agree re. "classic," certainly not - jazz.
>>Cheers
>_______________________________
>
>I would be interested in knowing why you don't regard Brubeck as jazz and 
>if it isn't what is it?
>
>Many solos for example are recorded and written out and become "the only 
>way it should be played".   I think the sax solos in "In the Mood".  after 
>the 47 thousandth time it's played it certainly isn't jazz any longer but 
>many things start out that way.  Once a solo is recorded and published like 
>"Take Five" it does sort of lose it's pure jazz status but to argue that it 
>isn't jazz at all sort of stretches things a bit.
>
>I guess it could be argued that if the musician is reading and not just 
>standing there with his eyes closed blowing that it isn't improvised 
>therefore it isn't jazz.  Personally I find playing written solos to be 
>tedious and not a lot of fun.
>
>Some members of our local jazz club just can't accept groups that have any 
>paper in front of them as being jazz but I think that's a little extreme.
>Larry
>St. Louis
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Marek Boym" <marekboym at gmail.com>
>To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
>Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, August 14, 2007 6:21 AM
>Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Brubeck
>
>
>>Dear Bob,
>>You have written "Brubeck's music is certainly Jazz.  Whether it is
>>"Classic Jazz," can beargued . . . But it is certainly "Classic."
>>
>>I might agree re. "classic," certainly not - jazz.
>>Cheers
>>
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>
>
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