Why Doesn't Contemporary Jazz Get Any Respect?

Rupertdacat, I don't know what Chuck Berry said but I can tell you from personal experience that it is futile and sometimes dangerous to try to duck walk to Coltrane.

Sincerely, I remain

Re Onhwy61; I'm no music historian, but in 1957, Chuck Berry said in his song "Rock and Roll Music":........."I have no kick against modern jazz unless they play it too darn fast and change the beauty of the melody and make it sound just like a symphony......."

He goes on ......."gotta be rock roll music if you wanna dance with me". Cheers. Craig

Thanks for pulling that one out of the hat Garfish. It brings back memories:~)

Onhwy61, makes some outstanding points that are undeniably true. (much as I hate to admit it). Melody lines are indeed what most people listen for, and remember, AND are attracted to.It also is true that the Count Basie variety of Jazz, that includes more melodious standards, and the like, as well as swing is mostly missing, in my preferred bebop genre. Yet, the imagination with bebop is limitless. You can listen to it and discover new perspectives as time goes by. Tunes without improvisational foundation, are also quite valuable, to our musical jazz heritage, but somewhat less interesting at a introspective level. My opinion only...........Frank

Boy, people are putting some good thought into this....good subject..and, mostly, thoughtful responses.

Something I noticed, that my Jazz trumpet playing son and I
discussed, is the over-use of reverb in current Jazz and Smooth-Jazz recordings. For Christmas he gave me an excellent CD by Terrence Blanchard with several lady singers..Diana Krall, Cassandra Wilson..etc,. and after listening to it several times I was trying to understand why it is a good an not great CD. The answer...such a great trumpet player..with a world-class Monet trumpet..with state-of-the-current-art singers..and they have put so much reverb onto his trumpet playing as to mock it!

In listening to a local smooth Jazz station..it seems that almost all of the music is so over-processed and over-reverbed that it takes away from the skills/talent of the artists.

Any thoughts from the rest of you?