[Dixielandjazz] Louis, Duke and BeBop

[macjazz]

As the majority of participants on this list are musicians, we tend to 
address the problem of listenership/fans as a problem with the solos or the 
music played.

I would suggest that rather the problem is with the listeners, particularly 
young listeners.

They do not have the ears, the training, the background or the musical 
understanding to find any comprehension or communication in the music.  They 
have not had music in school.  They have not played instruments. They have 
not grown up with understanding or interest in what is being done. Above and 
beyond that, if it lasts more than a very few minutes (seconds?) they are 
not longer interested in paying any attention and would prefer to move ono 
to something (anything) else.

They do not understand (nor do they wish to understand) music as melodic 
development nor have any comprehension of the skills that go into an 
improvised solo.  The same is true (and even more of a problem) with music 
based on counterpoint and improvised intragroup relationships.  It is all 
another language and that language is not one which they are willing to even 
hear, let alone comprehend.

Interesting to me (as a retired educator) is the fact that I'm not sure they 
are missing anything they need to know other that it is one hell of a 
brilliant aestheic area when done even correctly, let alone well.  I can't 
read Don Quixote in the original Spanish (which my Spanish PhD wife tells me 
is a completely different experience) let alone the Picaresque and/or novels 
of the Spanish mystics that have never been translated.

I also listen to my OKOM on LPs (many of which are 10") and not much on CDs 
or MP3s let alone as sound clips.  I must admit that even I don't go back to 
the original 78's.  Everything changes.