Jazz for aficionados

****So I wonder what new is going on in Jazz these days?*****

I sometimes wonder myself. I'm just too lazy and uninterested to keep up with it all. I tend to just look for familiar names. Most long dead.

I have finally reconciled to the fact that, it's the rare person that can adapt to music genres throughout their lifetime. The artistic world moves on, as people get on and off.

Cheers

One thing I notice in general is that pure music genres are harder than ever to define these days. There is a lot of mixing and matching and cross-pollination in newer music. Like many things, the US role in determining popular music trends seems less. There is a lot of things going on in many places in teh world musically and its easier than ever for one to plug in to that via Internet and music services. Few hard boundaries that really matter anymore. To me good music is good music. No doubt that we accumulate various attachments to music over our lives that hold special places for whatever reason. Its all quite fascinating really and there is more good music to listen to from all places both old and new these days than any of us will probably ever have enough time to discover.

Also worth noting that while the US role in definingpop music may be less, the influence of American roots based music forms like jazz and others continues to spread across the world, so there is a good legacy there for whomever to build on.

*****Like many things, the US role in determining popular music trends seems less*****

True. As the world recovers from WWII, Colonialism, Communism, and other forms of dictatorship, and enters the IT age, there are more voices demanding to be heard. The world is no longer the playground of the U.S. Everyone is demanding entry into the sandbox.

But, thanks to recorded music, we can live in any era we desire.

How I long for the good old days of the cold war. :)

Cheers

Everything must change, the young become the old, and the old will soon depart; change is the only thing that's certain about life. If you want to know what's good about changes in jazz, look no farther than Cuba; the most scintillating "Afro jazz", as well as "jazz jazz" is emanating from that Island. There are so many subsets of jazz coming out of Cuba, that if you want to split hairs, you can spend all day "categorizing", I prefer to listen and enjoy all the many flavors of this music coming from Cuba.

The word "Cuban", should be synonymous with "survivor"; no other people have gone through so many class, race, political differences and economic upheaval, but yet remained "United Cubans"; they make hypocrites out of the Brazil that claims to be the worlds melting pot. These videos I've chosen will attest to the diversity of Cubans in Cuba who live "harmoniously".

I suppose almost all of these Cuban videos are good, but I chose these two because they present the rocky road of romance that leads to true love, and some smoking hot music plus dance; Cubans got rhythm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rHZXQnQ4rQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDtG84TjYck

For those who desire "Afro Cuban" we have "Cachao"; that one name says more than I could ever say about Cuban jazz.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXCD8VB-sb0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5QPq0oTlb0

Another name is "Chucho Valdez", he's leading "The Cuban Jazz Messengers"

"Gonzalo Rubalcabo" is one of the more current jazz musicians that's going off in new directions; here's an example of him and other musicians going off in new directions,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Fsipr-gHE

"Mayra caridad valdez", that's a name I bet you never heard before; this gal cooks,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7dQasNgHbU

I hope these videos entertain you as much as they have me.

Enjoy the music.