The State of Jazz

I guess it's easier to make a blanket statement about Jazz ending blah, blah, blah.... than to do a little digging for yourself. Some people need to be spoonfed and some like to cook their own meals, just sayin'!;)

The tendancy to declare that any creative period is "over" just mystifies me, although I realize people need to quantify and catalog stuff...as shallow and innacurate as that might be. I currently work mixing live jazz shows (and other shows)...lucky me! There are BRILLIANT jazz musicians out there playing as good as anybody has, and standards are simply a platform for musicians to play together...Krall has the chops to be taken seriously by the musician community (that's good enough for me), as does the intensly creative and category defying Norah Jones. The current jazz scene is packed with "maximun creativity" and to listen to Jason Moran, Brad Mehldau, Avashai Cohen (either one), Bill Frisell, Bill Charlap, my Uncle Bill (well, maybe not him), Jeremy Pelt, etc. etc., all of whom are writing brilliant stuff that could very well join the legacy of "standards", you can't help but be diggin' it...one needs to merely pull one's head out of their wazoo to see that Jazz is currently doing just fine.

Current jazz performers are just not promoted by the media in the good ole USA! They would rather debate if "Kind of Blue" is the greatest jazz recording(lol)! Even the acclaimed Ken Burns jazz series had very little to say after Miles or Coltrane. If Krall is to watered down for you check out Eliane Elias or Roberta Gambarini if you desire to hear a true current female jazz vocalist. BTW nice shout out(Wolf Garcia)for the Bill Charlap Trio!

I worked with the Charlap trio a couple of years ago, and more recently did a few shows with Peter Washington in various configurations...brilliant...and Charlap's Bernstein kills me. By the way, Peter Washington enjoys single ended tube amps from Brooklyn (can't remember the name) with Tannoy speakers, a Cary preamp, and a Basis turntable.

Thanks, Wolf_garcia. Jazz is more than alive and well; unfortunately, likely due to limited and commercial exposure, one needs to be in the big cities to experience with any regularity. My observations, excluding the vocalists referred to by others, is jazz's direction. Many of the younger players are exploring new avenues, which to me often does not sound like jazz...not traditional or standards. Check out some of the new, highly critiqued jazzers...Ambrose Akinmusire; Aaron Parks; Walter Smith III; Gerald Clayton; Vijay Iyer; Christian Scott; Chris Potter; Dayna Stephens...among many others.
Check out the New Times Friday weekend shows. Youtube these guys to see their inclination of the jazz scene. For me, it is taking time to conform to. It has been explained this jazz is more intellectual than emotion.