Why Doesn't Contemporary Jazz Get Any Respect?
12-23-10: Coltrane1 Maybe not in this forum but here is an excerpt from my PFO Product of the year award, as posted at Music Matters Jazz. I wrote that exactly... http://www.musicmattersjazz.com/critics.html#13 |
Well, I know it's a touchy subject, and perhaps too heavy to get into here, but one can't help but wonder what place jazz would hold amongst the American public if its legacy was laced with predominantly white artists as opposed to black artists. I'm not suggesting the best players are all black, for there have definitely been great contributions by white players as well. However, it's a valid question one has to ask themselves for the facts of history reflect these cats were discriminated against whilst creating this art form. Gillispie and Parker were known to title specific songs in protest of the racism of the times. Ornithology was one such example. |
An interesting thread. I would suggest that saying jazz is considered America's only true art form makes one question the definition of 'art form'. Among music, bluegrass and musicals are certainly also native to the United States. The problem with most other 'art forms' is that if you define them broadly enough, like 'painting', the USA is obviously too young a region. If one goes more detailed, there are plenty. |
