[Dixielandjazz] Growing the Jazz Audience Can't be Done--Broadcaster Paul Mattingly responds

[Norman Vickers]

To:  DJML;  Musicians & Jazzfans 

From:  Norman Vickers, Jazz Society of Pensacola, Inc.

 

Broadcaster at WUEV 91.5 FM Paul Mattingly responds.  Paul is the radio
voice of the University of Evansville ( IN)  and can be heard online at
wuev.org 

 

 

 

From: Paul Mattingly [mailto:evillejazzman at gmail.com] 
Growing the Jazz Audience Can't be Done--

 

As a jazz broadcaster and someone who came to jazz through the fusion
movement of the early-to-late 70's (Return to Forever, Weather Report,
Headhunters, Marharvushnu Orchestra) I would suggest that there were many
transition from the AOR and pop that we were listening to into the jazz I
now love.  Some of it were musicians who were exploring.  Of course, Miles
Davis had a lot to do with it.  Miles took the same sort of dirision as he
went from bop, to modal, to the fusion he created that was similiar to what
Dylan went through when he plugged in his guitar to an amp.

 

I have always thought that a trasition point for me were albums like The
Allman Brothers; Live At Fillmore East.  I know what kind of music it is.
And I know it's not jazz.  But, the improvisation that the band was able to
creat in spots (as it was) open a door for me as I made that transiton.  As
a fan and a fortunate one who gets to be part of the scene without being a
musician, I realize that I am limited in my ability to analyze in a large
group. However, I sometimes think that the breadth we'd like the jazz scene
to have would exist if the analysis was broadened a bit. I was never a band
geek.  As I say that with much affection, isn't that what most young players
creating the fine sound we are hearing today really are? Leaves a lot of
folks in the wings wondering what is going on and why they should listen.
Anyway, just thought I'd add my extra beat.

 

Love this list  and read it often.  It makes me sound smarter than I really
am.

 
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