[78-L] fwd: Marsalis makes the world safe for pure jazz^

[Julian Vein]

Steven C. Barr wrote:

> Later versions of "jazz" gradually eliminated the necessity of adhering to 
> already
> extant "chord structures...leaving players free to wander off into 
> new/different
> sets of chords. which did NOT have to depend on either extant chords for
> given songs...or on long-extant "rules" as to which chord might follow 
> another
> given chord! This, of course, takes some "getting used to" from listeners!
> 
> Finally, jazz players decided to dispense with any/all "rules" that in any 
> way
> defined what they were to play! 
> 
> Steven C. Barr 
=====================
Once I'd tuned into avant garde jazz in the mid-60s, I had no trouble 
"whistling along" to the solos. I had no problem following Ornette 
Coleman's work, but, in retrospect, I find his angular phrasing a little 
unpleasant, and unnecessary. Rhythmically, he was quite conventional, 
using brilliant bass players, but stodgy drummers (shades of Duke 
Ellington!). As someone once remarked to me: "Billy Higgins is better 
than Ed Blackwell, but that's not saying much!"

It wasn't until I heard Sun Ra, that I found a fully rounded free jazz 
that I was totally comfortable with. I now find I have 67 LPs and 177 
CDs of him, with some more on the way! Of course, there is much 
time-wasting on his later work, but there is usually one great track on 
each record. His vintage period seems to be 1962-1965.

      Julian Vein


__________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4716 (20091225) __________

The message was checked by ESET Smart Security.

http://www.eset.com