Rok, I think you missed the point. You may be arguing a point that has nothing to do with what I wrote. I could dispute your notion of “the great unwashed decide….” , but it is not relevant to my point. It is not about who is great, but rather, is it possible to deem one individual “the greatest”. It’s at best, a silly notion, if one is to honor all that Jazz is. Who are the great unwashed, anyway? Are you referring to the average guy walking down the street who considers himself a “music lover” and may even own a couple of Jazz CD’s? OK, ask him if he knows who John Coltrane was; never mind Sonny Stitt. Now, ask him who Kenny G is. Moreover, are you not, yourself, a “fan of certain genre(s)” (to quote your definition of “TGW”)?
Of course a player needs to stand the test of time to be considered one of the greats. Many players have stood the test of time and can rightfully be considered great. But, “THE GREATEST”? That question was the basis of what I wrote. And, why even consider the issue of “modern day players”? There has not been enough time passed to be able to consider whether they will pass the test of time. Obviously. We shall see (hear).
