[Dixielandjazz] The Tel-Aviv "Jazz" Festival

[Jerry Brown]

Hi Marek,

I think you are being rather unkind. I see the names of James Carter, Jeremy Pelt and George Cables amongst the performers all of whom are first division jazz musicians. About the others I am not sure as they are new names to me. The web site has some good bop playing in the background as well.

To deny these three being jazzers (and maybe others) shows the same prejudice as those of the modern fraternity who cannot see the jazz worthiness of Johnny Dodds, George Lewis, Kid Ory or Happy Caldwell, etc.

You may not like their brand of jazz but to deny it being jazz shows a sad attitude to others' tastes. I may think that Avacado pears are the most disgusting fruit known to man but I will not deny that they are food. 

At our jazz party last year one punter came to me on the morning we were leaving the hotel and complained that a set by one of the visiting American stars the night before was much 'too modern' for inclusion in our type of event (mainstream and swing!). When I asked if he had listened to the set he replied that he had gone to bar so that he did not have to hear music composed by Thad Jones! To me and everybody who was in the room to listen it was one of the highlights of the weekend, or so we were told by many of the audience. 

Blind prejudice in jazz shows a level of ignorance similar to that shown by prejudice in many other fields.

Cheers,

Jerry,
Norwich,
U,K,