What is Jazz?

Djohnson54, "We don't need no stinkin Wikipedia", they're going all the way back to slaves dancing in Congo square in New Orleans; our jazz doesn't go back that far.

One day "Bird" picked up his horn and said, "Let there Be Bop" and While merrily blowing his horn; "Diz" heard all that hip music, so he joined in. It wasn't long before all that commotion reached "Miles" in St. Louis. He rushed to New York and he said, "I wanna blow to"; so they let him, and thus was created "Modern Jazz".

Now you won't read this in no stinkin "Wikipedia", so you'll just have to take my word for it.

Jazz is living, breathing life; sometimes it's happy, and sometimes it's sad; it's about every emotion that you have ever felt, and then some; this is not history.

Djohnson, in no way do I mean this as an offense to you or Wikipedia.

The jazz gospel according to Orpheus.....

:-)

Count Basie's orchestra played Jazz.
Guy Lombardo's orchestra did NOT play Jazz
Benny Goodman's orchestra played Jazz
Glen Miller's orchestra also did NOT play Jazz.
(Miller may have played the notes, but not the music)

ps my internet is gone for a week so excuse me for not answering comments...

Labeling someone "The best jazz musician ever" is good. This simply expresses how that person feels about that musician, and this is the "only" gauge that's necessary.

Chazro, Orpheus without the 10 is fine.. "Jazz is ever evolving, the ultimate soul music!!"; that is so expressive that I have to stop and think about it for awhile. I like "Banda Pequi", and normally I'm not fond of big bands; but this is an exceptionally good band.

No, this thread will not devolve into another snoozefest praising the grandfathers of jazz.

Enjoy the music.

Glen Miller did play Jazz.