Jazz listening has dulled my taste for Rock...you?

Very interesting discussion. A good friend sent me the link. We’ve had many discussions about this very topic. Very much a rock fan in the 60s/70s, but towards the end of the 70s found rock lacking. Interestingly, did make an attempt at Jazz/Blues years ago. Finally gave up on music completely. Long story short, the aforementioned friend guided me into finer two channel audio a few years ago.

To say the least, I’m disappointed in most rock recordings of this genre on two levels. One, most of the CDs including expensive re-mastered selections still sound awful. Cramped, compressed, tinny, just not pleasurable to the ear. Hopefully not sounding snobbish , but like to listen for the depth and soundstage on recordings now. I possess no Doors albums, and have given away two re-mastered attempts. Anybody have any suggestions on good re-mastered Doors? Any suggestions on Duane Allman’s Anthology set? Two, some music simply didn’t age well. Some of the more poetic rock did. At least to my tastes. Amazingly, I listen to Jazz/Blues recorded in the 40s and 50s and am literally stunned at the reproductions. Kind of Blue by Miles Davis would be an example. Ageless.

Older rock still is played and enjoyed. Who can’t enjoy a good Chuck Berry session? In fact at this juncture, am listening to Mott The Hoople and David Bowie (early 70s stuff) Would have to agree with Mhu, for me this "history remembered" phase can only last so long, and back in the cabinet. Jazz, Blues, and Classical can be played over never seeming to become weary. Actually the time has arrived, and Transformation by Bruce Katz is going in the black hole next.

Morgan

What a great topic and great responses! I have been blessed with having the genes of my father in my diversity in musical interests. Since I grew up with rock and heard many of the groups of my interest during the formative years, it will always hold a place dear to me. On the other hand I always found music of different genres interesting as early as I can remember including swing, rag, New Orleans, bop, and classical, must be the exposure. So I would agree with Nrchy, my tastes have broadened nor were they ever completely defined by a particular musical form. What I will never tolerate is "formula" music, designed rather than created by the record industry to appeal to a particular style rather than focus on creativity and substance. I also believe that much of the music being made today is directed towards that end and with the near death of music appreciation in our schools and society in general, feel that it has lowered the level of creativity and interesting new popular music. So I spend more time exploring music from different cultures which seems more worthwhile.

The blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll!

Now Lizabeth, not all Jazz is involving! Or Rock, Soul, Blues, etc. I just got a CD of Linkin Park and it is an eye opener, maybe not my exact taste but shows some promise. It will clear out your ear canals fo sure!

Happy Listeing.

Short answer: No.

I liked the one word definitions of Froggerz40. I still find that good rock energizes me. The sound of an electric guitar almost always brings a smile to my face. I've mused many times that it's going to be weird listening to this stuff when I'm 80, but I expect (hope) that I still find it energizing.

I also don't believe that rock died in the early 70's, and that nothing good has been produced since. Somebody mentioned Linkin Park - one of a kind artistic virtuousity? Of course not, but a whole lotta fun. Tool, Dream Theater, Jane's Addiction, Joe Satriani, Peter Gabriel, Radiohead - much of my favorite music, and I listen to it regularly. My listening habits have certainly changed since I was 20, so I probably don't listen to these CDs with the same intensity or repetitiveness I did their peers when I was 20, but I also have broader tastes and more music to choose from these days.

I also haven't, and hope that I never do, lose my taste for a well done pop tune. Simple, yes, but simple is vastly underrated in my opinion. Sure, there is a lot of drone-on sameness to the pop scene, but I love finding great pop tunes.

Then there is the matter of definition. There are a lot of "jazz" bands that are not the jazz that seems to fit the definitions being used here. Obviously, there's a whole spectrum. Anyway, a lot of my favorite music that I've 'found' in the past few years is in this area - Galactic, Soulive, Ronny Jordan as examples.

I do like and listen to, or attend concerts of, jazz artists regularly. I saw Stefon Harris last month and it was really engaging. On my worst days, jazz strikes me the way R&R Jeff described it above. In face, light jazz always strikes me that way. But on good days, I find shows / albums like Stefon Harris enthralling.

What listening to jazz recordings has dulled is my taste for rock recordings. Some are excellent (Tool), many are listenable since I like the music, some are just so bad as to make things unlistenable no matter how much you might care for the music. -Kirk