Jazz for aficionados

Music can be fun and serious at the same time.   What music cannot be, is fun and boring at the same time.

According to my Webster, Boring is an antonym of Fun.  Modern Jazz is Boring.  Why?   Many reasons.   Some, in no particular order:

1) Musicians think that if they can play an instrument, they can play Jazz.   An extension of  "Jazz is anything I say it is". 

2) The idea that you can learn to play Jazz in Music school.  You may improve your skills as a player, may learn theory of improvised playing, but you can't learn the feel for the music.

3) The commonly held belief that art must change with time, and that change is synonymous with better / improvement.

4) The belief that all improvised music is Jazz by definition.  All Jazz may be improvised, but all improvised music is not Jazz.

5) The lack of an authority to define what is and what is not Jazz.  That would be considered politically incorrect.   If it's instrumental, and not R&R, then throw it in the Jazz bin.

BTW, I have been pushing this point of view since this thread began.  But who listens to me?

Good question though.

Cheers

New York Jazz Quartet:

Great tune, played by great players.   Sir Roland carried the day.

Cheers

I do have to admit you are consistent, even when wrong.

Interesting topic.  But, just when I think that there is a more open minded (and correct) understanding of the topic, the apparent "progress" gets shot in the foot by the tendency to be absolutist about things.

Acman3, good observations and questions about the topic of seriousness vs. fun in music.  To be clear: I did not mean to imply that all modern music, or all music, is or should be "fun"; simply that I think modern music could stand a little more of it.  I think you are correct in that more complexity tends to steer things into the "serious" camp; but not always and not necessarily.  First example that came to mind is not generally considered Jazz at all but is both very serious and very fun: the music of a Frank Zappa.  I think that Rok is correct when he says that music can be serious and fun.  My agreement with Rok's comments on the subject ends there, however, and this is what I mean by the tendency to be absolutist and  to make blanket statements.   

****Modern Jazz is Boring.****

A blanket statement to be sure and a more incorrect one is probably not possible.

****Musicians think that if they can play an instrument, they can play Jazz. An extension of "Jazz is anything I say it is". ****

With all due respect, a pretty ridiculous comment.  I know more musicians (and very accomplished ones at that) that will be the first ones to admit that they can't play jazz,  than musicians I know who DO know how to play Jazz.  

****The idea that you can learn to play Jazz in Music school. You may improve your skills as a player, may learn theory of improvised playing, but you can't learn the feel for the music.****

Are we going to go there again?  Jeez!

****The commonly held belief that art must change with time, and that change is synonymous with better / improvement.****

Who is it that holds that belief?! This is something that some on this thread keep bringing up.  There is no such held belief!!! The issue is simply that some, myself included, don't believe that new art is necessarily worse or that old art is necessarily better.  That is not the same as saying that it is better or an improvement.  A red herring and a totally useless stance!

****The belief that all improvised music is Jazz by definition. All Jazz may be improvised, but all improvised music is not Jazz.****

Dont know who it is that holds that belief, but I agree with the premise.  One out of five ain't bad, I guess.

****The lack of an authority to define what is and what is not Jazz. That would be considered politically incorrect. If it's instrumental, and not R&R, then throw it in the Jazz bin.****

Huh?

****BTW, I have been pushing this point of view since this thread began. But who listens to me****

Hah!  Now we're getting somewhere.  I am not much into political correctness (as I think you know) so feel free to declare yourself the "authority" 😊 on this subject; but, I am not looking for an authority, thank you very much.  

Speaking for myself, I'm going back to having fun now.

Fun (and pretty serious):

[URL]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2lZrPnN46Qk[/URL]

[URL]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0hpcWPxBzpI[/URL]