Hello Rok and Frogman - I have been away from this board again for a few days, and just read your recent exchanges with great interest, especially since they concern one of my favorite jazz artists, Wynton. As a fellow professional musician, I agree with all of what Frogman says about Rok's attitude, etc. A long post I made on the subject (imploring someone who loves music so much to please learn more about it) a few weeks ago now was completely ignored, which was a very depressing experience for me. I just don't get how someone who is so passionate about music is so resistant to learning more about it. As Frogman says, Rok, the music will wash over you that much more, and your enjoyment of it will vastly increase if you take the time and effort to learn more about it.
However, on the subject of Wynton, while I must say right up front that Frogman has infinitely more authority on jazz than I - I do not pretend to have any knowledge/experience on the same level as he does, as he is truly an artist in both the classical and jazz worlds, and I am only in the classical world professionally - as a listener, I would still respectfully disagree with him on Wynton, and I would go so far as to say that I agree with Rok's comment that Wynton is doing more for jazz than anyone else right now, and it's not even close. I fully understand all of Frogman's "museum" comments (though I would argue that this is very important and necessary work), and I understand that you do not feel that he is as emotional as some other performers. There are many who agree with you on that. Frankly, this has always baffled me and many other fellow musicians, especially other brass players. There is certainly no question that he is a far better trumpet player than any other in the jazz world from a technical standpoint, but that is not really what we are talking about here, I hasten to add. We are talking about musical expression, and Wynton's musical expression is not always overt - it is often of a more subtle, introverted nature. For me this does not make it not as expressive - in fact, one could argue that it is more personal, in a way. It demands more focus and thought from the listener, and I do not consider this a bad thing. He is an experimenter, and not all of his experiments work. I happen to think his interpretations of standards are very relevant, and often as good or better than people before him, and I like much of his original experiments as well. My point, however, is not to argue with you, I know where you are coming from and respect your opinion, but to point out that the subject is arguable and is argued among musicians (your post reads like it implies otherwise). I liken him to Alfred Brendel in the classical piano world, another one of my personal favorites who nevertheless is very polarizing, and is often criticized in many of the same ways Wynton is. I might argue that Wynton is sort of the Richard Strauss of the jazz world, which I can't believe I just typed, but I'll let it stand. I think Frogman will know what I mean by it. I'm too tired, but...
The main reason I would argue that Wynton is doing more for jazz than anyone, though, has to do with his teaching ability, whatever our disagreement on his actual playing. I just caught an episode of that show where he is teaching some ARTS competition winners, and he is simply amazing at what he brings out of them, teaching them to listen to each other and play off each other, and give each other what is needed in the moment, never intruding his own opinions/style on them, but teaching them to be themselves, in the way only the best teachers know how to do - he was born to teach. It is guys like him that will keep jazz alive, in every sense of the word. I have very rarely seen something equally good in the classical world as far as a clinic in how to play and make music together with others, whatever you think of the actual ideas being explored at the time. It was a very inspiring program, and the brief clips from the concert were great. Brendel is the same way, by the way - an absolutely amazing and inspiring teacher. OK, I'll go to bed now. Sorry for the rambling late night randomness of some of this. Frogman is definitely a superior writer in these here forums. I'm out for now.
