[Dixielandjazz] Defining jazz

[Jerry Gordon]

My website (APlaceForJazz.org <http://aplaceforjazz.org/> ) includes a
calendar that lists all open-to-the-public jazz gigs within 100 miles of
Albany, NY. The most difficult part of maintaining it is determining what
should be included.

 

I often get schedules from various venues that includes musicians I have
never heard of; sometimes a description of their musical genre is included,
sometimes not. Since my personal taste leans toward OKOM, I am often
unfamiliar with the younger musos in the area, who tend to play stuff that
is uncomfortable to my ears (how's that for a euphemism?)

 

The criterion I use for including events in the calendar is fairly simple:
If anyone (the venue, the musician him/herself or a critic) considers the
music to be "jazz" (in any of its flavors: Dixieland, trad, swing, big-band,
bop, fusion, hard bop, post-bop, Latin jazz, hot, cool, mainstream,
straight-ahead, vocal, Western swing, gypsy, and on and on), then I include
it.

 

Jerry Gordon, Troy, NY

Webmaster for APlaceForJazz.org <http://aplaceforjazz.org/>  and
SwingtimeJazz.org <http://swingtimejazz.org/>