[Dixielandjazz] That elusive definition of jazz

[Rick Campbell]

[This comment is a spin-off of the discussion of smooth jazz, and the  
related questions defining jazz.]

No one has mentioned that jazz was once defined by the attitute of  
people like your rigid high school band instructor. Well, at least it  
might have been from 1910 to 1960, when the "stage band" was  
legitimized. The academic band director, upon hearing someone playing  
a jazz lick in the band room or during rehearsal, would say:

1. "Don't jazz it up!" Play the dotted eighths and sixteenths as they  
are written. In other words, don't swing it.

2. "Play what's written!"  In other words, the composer is the  
authority, and the player has no freedom to change it in any way.

3. "Follow my direction!"  Your director will decide everything about  
the performance style of the piece.

4. "Jazz is for low-lifes!"  Pay attention, and you might have a  
chance in legitimate music.

In other words, in the early years, we could define jazz easily by the  
people who played it:

Jazz was the province of players who were rambunctious rebels at  
heart, had "big ears," didn't read music very well, loved "hot" music,  
changed and embellished the melody, chords and tempos as they felt at  
the moment, and loved the "jazz lifestyle."

It was a rough and romantic life, and it was hard to survive  
economically.

There are still a few players of OKOM who fit within this archaic  
definition of jazz, but most are gone.

The world has moved on, producing generations of sophisticated college- 
trained jazz studies graduates with electronic gear that allows them  
to self-record and produce, sell on the web, and survive in their own  
way. It is too bad it is called "smooth jazz," because it really is  
original commercial pop music produced by some skilled and sensitive  
players. I hope they prosper and live longer, heathier lives than the  
old jazzmen.


Rick Campbell
Milneburg Jazz Band
Portland, Oregon USA
(503) 234-9440
ricksax at comcast.net