[Dixielandjazz] "Why Americans Don't Like Jazz"- -Paul Kurtz writes

[Norman Vickers]

To: Musicians and Jazzfans list;  DJML
>From : Norman

Paul Kurtz of Jacksonville, FL writes.  Paul is trumpeter and pianist who
plays with several groups in Jacksonville--jazz to classical.
He has degrees in counseling, psychology and computer science and has
extensive credits, as well, in music education.  He writes from a unique
perspective in that, like our DJML moderator Bob Ringwald, he is blind.
Thanks, Paul, for your valuable contribution to this discussion.

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Kurtz Jr [mailto:kurtzph at comcast.net] 
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 12:19 PM
To: Norman Vickers
Subject: Re: "Why Americans Don't Like Jazz"- 

I think this is a fascinating topic. In the main, the reason Americans and
ultimately others in very busy cultures don't like jazz (and classical, for
that matter) is that it takes work to listen. Things are built in sound
bytes today. I'm not sure the greatest orator on the planet could survive,
for instance, in today's political environment. Jazz, classical, and great
oration requires a person to follow a stream of thought or logic or at least
look for a pattern instead of having something fed to them. It requires some
longer-term attentioning, engagement of the brain, and a willingness for one
to challenge their own conclusions about life, art, and their innermost
thoughts. 
I read in a biography of Glen Gould that he stated, "Radio is a blind
person's medium." So is jazz, classical, and long oration. Rather than
frustrating a person's mind, listening to things gives a blind person
stimulation and makes the brain work. 
To me, as one of those blind persons, I see the world becoming more and more
visual at the expense of music, of more involved discourse, and ultimately
of thought. I hate to sound elitist because I'd much rather stay a good
southern red neck, but I find it to be true. Even the ability of a person to
hold a long and involved conversation without getting lost seems to be
dwindling. 
What do we do? When we have opportunity, we force people to listen, pay
attention, work their brains, and improve their intellect. We do that by how
we structure groups, family situations, and other things we deal with. And,
we keep music on in the house rather than the TV. Does it work? Yes. 
My son, who's not a musician at all, is one of the best music shoppers you
could find to help look for music. If I was browsing through a rack of CDs,
there's nobody I'd rather have reading them and looking than I would him. He
seems to have an innate ability to pick. And, I prefer to think that's
because I played jazz, classical, bluegrass, and good rock through his young
years. 
One comment for the gloom and doom side. Just in case, I've collected a
music library of over 29,000 selections in case my good stuff continues to
disappear. But, we can all push forward and keep it alive, inch by inch and
mile by mile.
Paul Kurtz Jacksonville, FL=