[Dixielandjazz] Living in Denial about jazz

[Stephen G Barbone]

> Marvin Ipswich wrote: (polite snip)
>
>
> I personally don't like Coltrane or Ornette, but I have heard their  
> music.
> It doesn't mean I "live in denial." What a strange thing to write. I  
> don't
> like hip hop or rap. I know it's out there, I don't deny that, but I  
> could
> care less who likes it, how popular it is, or how important other  
> people
> think it is. I don't subscribe to the mass mentality. Do people who  
> don't
> listen to early jazz, classical music, country western, "live in  
> denial?" I
> don't think so. Maybe they're never had a chance to hear any of  
> these forms
> of music. How many people have knowledge of or like Greek music?  
> Music from
> the Middle East? Bulgarian folk music? I wonder how many Americans  
> have
> actually heard any of these types of music? Doesn't mean they deny  
> they
> exist.
>
> You or anyone else can wag your finger at me, tell me I'm a "moldy  
> fig"
> because I don't like "modern jazz," and my response is "so what?"  
> Because I
> prefer Bechet to Coltrane, Armstrong to Miles Davis, Morton to Cecil  
> Taylor,
> I know what I like and could care less whether I am or not "hip."  
> It's the
> same stance I've had since I was in high school. Believe it or not,  
> people
> can actually live their lives without having a vested interest in  
> what their
> neighbors, colleagues, friends, etc. like or dislike.

Oh Dear Marvin:

Either you misunderstand what I wrote, or I didn't make it clear.

"Living in denial" as I thought I used it, about Coltrane or Ornette  
Coleman does not equate to not liking them.  Obviously ones likes and  
dislikes are personal opinions which  we all have and are entitled to  
them. Nor does it mean a denial of their very existence.

What I meant by "living in denial" about them was the oft quoted  
rantings of jazz "fans" who insist that what they play is "not jazz".  
Those fans are living in denial about "jazz". Simple as that.

So rest assured, nobody, least of all me, is wagging a finger at you  
and nobody, least of all me, cares whether you are hip or not. In fact  
I agree completely with your very last sentence and always have.

The operative words in what I wrote were:

> For there are those among us who live in denial
> about certain forms of modern jazz (bop, avant garde, fusion etc) or
> live in denial about certain players (Coltrane, Ornette Coleman
> etc.,). Those forms or players are to them "Not Jazz". And to them,
> the totally written out music being played by the young maestros would
> not be jazz either.

I don't see how that could possibly apply to you unless you are among  
those  who deny what they play is jazz.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone
www.myspace.com/barbonestreetjazzband