> > Please excuse my ignorance (I'm no music expert - just someone who loves
> > listening to it and dancing to it...) - but what is the definition of
> jazz?
>
You can spot dancefloor jazz a mile off. Loads of spiralling freestyling
instruments, and you must be a spaz if you can't tell what makes up a
HAMMOND track!! The two often crossover (such a nasty word). Jimmy Smith and
Jack McDuff can both sometimes be classed in either of these two categories.
Since I've been recently reading Francis Newton's 'The Jazz Scene', I've
found that it is to do with demographics, as much as the way people play.
You know, there are loads of different types of jazz, from it's roots in New
Orleans, Dixieland, Trad, to Modern Jazz (Hancock et al). But what is
running through all these is a from of freestyling. As quoted from The
Commitments, and I dont think I can phrae it better than this, but 'jazz is
musical wanking'! It is the profound talents of musicians to be able to use
their instruments to create spontaneous melody (even if it is often
unharmonic or dischordal). That is why I quote Davis' Kind Of Blue as the
definitive album which shows the talent of jazz musicians. The whole album
is one big improvisation Paul. And yet it is seamless in its entirity. Such
is the wonder of jazz.....
Hope this clears things up,
Matt....
