Do you like jazz?

Carson Leighton · Post by **Carson Leighton** » 3 Sep 2011 6:41 am

Just wondering how many of you guys and gals like jazz..Personally,,I am not a big fan of that type of music,,although I can take a little bit of it... I do respect those that like it and like playing it though...Carson

Dennis Lee · Post by **Dennis Lee** » 3 Sep 2011 7:06 am

Hi Carson! There are degrees to everything...jazz included. I even think of western swing as a form of jazz, what with the chords, phrasing, etc. If I'm the only answer to your post, then, yes, I do like jazz. I try to play these types of chords, licks, phrases, even on my E9th. Jody Cameron has offered a couple of great dvd's for learning that will explore jazz on the psg. I know my post doesn't offer much, just my opinion, and an answer to your original post.

Mike Wilson · Post by **Mike Wilson** » 3 Sep 2011 7:38 am

Absolutely, especially if it's played on the pedal steel guitar.

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 3 Sep 2011 8:28 am

Half jokingly I must say that I'm somewhat of a believer in "Sturgeon's Law" where 90% of everything is crap.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturgeon%27s_Law

IMO, this goes for Jazz, Country, Hip Hop, Rock, Blues, Devotional, and Bulgarian folk music.

It's the other 10% that we need to look for.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 3 Sep 2011 8:53 am

there are many types of music i was not that keen on until i heard it played on steel.

Jim Hollingsworth · Post by **Jim Hollingsworth** » 3 Sep 2011 8:57 am

Amen to that! I use a constant "crap filter" as I travel down life's path. Another excellent observation by Rick. But listen to Big E (and other great players!) play jazz and tell me it isn't inspiring!

Jim

Geoff Cline · Post by **Geoff Cline** » 3 Sep 2011 11:44 am

There are only two types of music--Good & "Other." Genre, style, etc. is irrelevant.

I try to avoid "other" whenever I hear it, whatever genre it is.

That said I LOVE JAZZ and all good music that showcases improvisation and allowing musicians to communicate, to each other and the audience

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 3 Sep 2011 12:34 pm

How do you define "Jazz" ? I looked it up on Wikepedia and it can be part of many types of Music.
IMHO anyone that deviates from the melody and plays out of their own head is playing a form of Jazz from very simple to very complex.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 3 Sep 2011 12:48 pm

I love bop, swing and some Gypsy jazz........I'm not crazy about either Dixieland or the avante-garde deconstructionist stuff that became popular after early Coltrane.

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 3 Sep 2011 12:51 pm

Be-Bop only for me. Cuz I seldom know what the next note is gonna be.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 3 Sep 2011 1:04 pm

"Jazz" with a capital J (the genre), or "jazz" with a lower case "j" (the experience)?

Not being disengenuous, but I had a college professor back in 1965 that was an actual jazz musician. Fred Katz, instructor of ethnomusicology at SFVSC in Los Angeles, was the jazz cellist in the legendary Chico Hamilton Quintet, along with guitarist Jim Hall and saxist Buddy Collette.

Fred felt that "Jazz" was a distinct historical genre, whereas "jazz" was any music that was improvisational. So there was bluegrass jazz, rock jazz (as opposed to the genre "Jazz Rock"), country jazz, etc.

In context, most everyone likes some form of "jazz," whereas "Jazz" has devotees and those who care little for musical exploration outside of a particular genre.

If you disagree or are confused, it's because you "don't dig all that jazz, reet?"

Carson Leighton · Post by **Carson Leighton** » 3 Sep 2011 1:14 pm

As I said in my first post,,I can take a little of it... I like stuff that has a melody that I understand musically..I just don't like jazz that doesn't seem to have any structure,,which I believe is what Tony means...As Billy said,,how do you define jazz,,well that's a good question...There is such a thing as improvising too, which to me,is not necessarily jazz..I just depends on how you put it across, or maybe how someone else hears it...Cheers,,,Carson

John Billings · Post by **John Billings** » 3 Sep 2011 1:23 pm

We're playin' the "Train Track," root?

http://tinyurl.com/cpgjhw

Chris Reesor · Post by **Chris Reesor** » 3 Sep 2011 5:01 pm

Short answer: Yes. Mostly. Now, what the hey is jazz? Tough question, that.
Here is my take on that. The three elements necessary are: Blues, swing feel, and improvisation. All must be present, at least part of the time, or it ain't really jazz, to me.
Loved that link, John B. The dictionary would be quite handy if you wanted to carry on a conversation with that cat....

Cheers, Chris

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 3 Sep 2011 5:47 pm

May seem a little strange but for over 60 years my two musical heros were Bird Parker and Hank Snow. Was raised on a sharecroppers farm[my grand pa and grand ma] Some times we lived in a shack that had electricty,[some times not].When we did I listened to my little motorola radio.You had two choises back then,Big band jazz,and country[called hill billy back then] Learned to LOVE it all back then from Django to Chet,The greatest alto player that ever lived[Bird] to Roy Acuff.Yes I LOVE JAZZ YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 3 Sep 2011 9:33 pm

The answer is yes if it's good. What's 'good jazz'? I think I know it when I hear it, but I'm not gonna try to define it - there's no 'detection algorithm'. I expect the Supreme Court would also argue this line.

I like jazz played on most any instrument if the player knows how to make it work. Steel guitar works, but jazz doesn't require steel guitar to be great. My opinion.

I'm pretty into small combos with guitar, B3/piano and/or horn, plus rhythm section. Lots of space, the great players know how to do it. A lot of my favorite country and blues musicians are also good jazz players. Learn some jazz - it will make you a better musician no matter what you want to play. My opinion again.

Tony Glassman · Post by **Tony Glassman** » 3 Sep 2011 10:34 pm

Dave, I agree with the organ trios: Bro Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith, Groove Holmes............all killer stuff.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 4 Sep 2011 3:34 am

The question for me is if songs like "In Memory of Elisabeth Reed" by the Allmans , "Moonndance" by Van Morrison, or "Girl from Ippanema" belong in this genre. Those are songs where a halfway decent player can figure out the harmonys and melodies .
But for me as a self taught player songs like "'Round Midnight" etc. with their sophisticated chords are over my head, I would need a teacher to play them properly.

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 4 Sep 2011 4:08 am

Herb Steiner wrote: I had a college professor back in 1965 that was an actual jazz musician. Fred Katz, instructor of ethnomusicology at SFVSC in Los Angeles, was the jazz cellist in the legendary Chico Hamilton Quintet, along with guitarist Jim Hall and saxist Buddy Collette.

I have that group's first LP. Great stuff. The liner notes tell about each of the musician's backgrounds, and contains the line:"Jimmy" Hall is making his recording debut.

Sturgeon's law does not apply to Jim Hall.

Al Moss · Post by **Al Moss** » 4 Sep 2011 7:53 am

Do you like air?

Bo Legg · Post by **Bo Legg** » 4 Sep 2011 8:04 am

To me Jazz and/or jazz is a differential calculus like approach to music with the pretense of spontaneity.
I love it for that reason alone.
I have to laugh when Jazz players after years of study and practice and most with degrees, respond with “I just play what I feel”.

Twayn Williams · Post by **Twayn Williams** » 4 Sep 2011 12:00 pm

Bo Legg wrote:To me Jazz and/or jazz is a differential calculus like approach to music with the pretense of spontaneity.
I love it for that reason alone.
I have to laugh when Jazz players after years of study and practice and most with degrees, respond with “I just play what I feel”.

Ya can't just "play what you feel" if you don't have the chops and knowledge to back it up

As for me, swing is where I'm at. I also enjoy free jazz, gypsy jazz, early/mid fusion, jazz funk, etc. etc. etc. I tend to prefer non-pedal steel mainly in swing and I have yet to hear pedals in a jazz context that I like, but that's just me.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 4 Sep 2011 5:40 pm

Here is a great little book [CD included], by Jonny King, that synopsisizes JAZZ. It hits on all issues brought up here so far; especially the idea where a jazz trio [typically piano/bass/drums] will start out with a straight-up melody, and while you aren't really paying attention, the next thing you know, you think that the group is just playing some other song - until WHAP! - the drummer hits the snare and the melody comes back. How did they do that?

This is a fantastic read on jazz, if you really care to learn what it's all about.

As for myself: I dig most of it; can't play hardly any of it; and don't care a whole lot for the really avant-garde way-out stuff.

Check it out: and READ the reviews. Just get the book. My copy came with a CD, but seems in some reviews, other books didn't include a CD. What can I say?

http://www.amazon.com/What-Jazz-Insider ... 090&sr=1-1

Brett Lanier · Post by **Brett Lanier** » 4 Sep 2011 6:22 pm

chris ivey wrote:there are many types of music i was not that keen on until i heard it played on steel.

I used to be a jazz guitarist, and got into steel guitar and ultimately country music because of Buddy Emmons.

KENNY KRUPNICK · Post by **KENNY KRUPNICK** » 4 Sep 2011 6:45 pm

Jazz? Yes!

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