Comments on: Is Jazz Dead?

By: Umberto

Umberto — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:31:52 +0000

Jazz is alive! The best proof is that my kids (14 and 17 year old boys) just “discovered” it, to my great surprise and delight. I wasn’t trying to force them to like jazz, but all of a sudden they just “got it”. And they mostly listen to dubstep (Skrillex, etc.), so that is not a very logical transition, and I think that’s encouraging. The other encouraging trend is (relatively) new musicians, such as Tord Gustavsen, Fabian Almazan, etc. who are fantastically talented and seek new directions but staying within the tradition. Labels such as ECM do a great job of continuing to identify new talent. A longer discussion is the direction in which jazz is going – it moved in an exciting “linear” progression for years – from Bebop to Hardbop to Free, etc. but now it seems to have lost a sense of progression to a logical next step…

By: still-light

still-light — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 00:24:00 +0000

I truly wish jazz was alive and growing in 2012. I love jazz. But there are two concerns: first, and perhaps from my ignorance, I haven’t felt a new turn or wave in jazz for some time. Second, I fear the market for jazz shrinks everyday…that as a rule, we all prefer to connect music from our ears to our crotch than to our brains and heart. My silly two-cents.

By: jim goulding

jim goulding — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 07:17:00 +0000

I hear you, Doc. I remember the 60’s thru the 80’s as advancing jazz music in milestones. For a modern independent jazz composer, I think Maria Schneider is to jazz what Gil Evans was a few decades ago. I remember new jazz and new jazz players coming from the European label ECM during this time, as well. I think we are into a creative null of some kind these days. I have heard some bright exceptions, however, but mostly on small labels and not as frequently as I would like. Hope that changes. Wish I had more to add.

By: Devil Doc

Devil Doc — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 23:53:10 +0000

We have great players, but no longer have any great composers.