[Dixielandjazz] le deluge

Beth Schweitzer beth at portafortuna.com
Tue Jan 12 12:13:20 PST 2010


Larry - what about Brett Stamps for example? 

He's director of jazz studies at SIU Edwardsville and is one of the best
jazz trombonists in the business (if you believe Brian Casserly when he
introduces him at every concert Cornet Chop Suey plays). He certainly
knows how to play jazz, even if his personal style might not be
everyone's favorite.

I wonder what he would say to your assertion that jazz can't be taught.

Just wondering...

Beth

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] le deluge
From: "Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis"
<larrys.bands at charter.net>


Steve: > How can we expect anyone to learn anything if there are no 
teachers?

Actually teachers are a problem in jazz. You can teach jazz progressions

and all sorts of technical things but you can't teach art.

You can teach an artist how to mix paint but you can't teach someone how
to 
use colors and if you try you end up with copy's --- not art. The same 
holds true with music.

I would say that 95% of the music teachers that are teaching today
haven't a 
clue as to how to play jazz themselves. I would also say that almost all

of them have never tried to play on a pro basis or spent any amount of
time 
on the stand. If you can't do it you can't teach it.
<clip>




More information about the Dixielandjazz mailing list