What is jazz???

[carlosjrf]

I don't really listen much anymore and suddenly had an inkling for it. Found myself tuning into a local college station that's all jazz (WCLK in Atlanta).
I don't know much about jazz. After listening for a while i realized that most of the songs sound mostly like R&B or maybe instrumental covers of known songs.
I know there are different styles of jazz, but the more a listen the most i think that anything can be called jazz. Even latin rhythms like salsa, mambo, etc., i find them being classified as jazz when they are all instrumental.

So, what is jazz? Is anything jazz?

 

[Michedelic]

I don't really listen much anymore and suddenly had an inkling for it. Found myself tuning into a local college station that's all jazz (WCLK in Atlanta).
I don't know much about jazz. After listening for a while i realized that most of the songs sound mostly like R&B or maybe instrumental covers of known songs.
I know there are different styles of jazz, but the more a listen the most i think that anything can be called jazz. Even latin rhythms like salsa, mambo, etc., i find them being classified as jazz when they are all instrumental.

So, what is jazz? Is anything jazz?

Why would it matter if it's instrumental or not? Jazz is a Rorschach test. Jazz is far more diverse than most people realize. We're talking about over 100 years of history, so I would investigate the origins and evolution first. Social changes forced stylistic changes.

While this is certainly not without its flaws and prejudicial filters, the Ken Burns series would be a good place to start from a historical perspective…
Jazz (miniseries) - Wikipedia

Another station to stream for another source and perspective:
KJazz 88.1 Mobile - America's Jazz and Blues Station
I'm sure you'll get some other suggestions.

Lastly…just get it over with, it's an inevitability, so just pick it up…

Then work your way back, and work your way forward.

 

[carlosjrf]

Why would it matter if it's instrumental or not? Jazz is a Rorschach test. Jazz is far more diverse than most people realize. We're talking about over 100 years of history, so I would investigate the origins and evolution first. Social changes forced stylistic changes.

While this is certainly not without its flaws and prejudicial filters, the Ken Burns series would be a good place to start from a historical perspective…
Jazz (miniseries) - Wikipedia

Another station to stream for another source and perspective:
KJazz 88.1 Mobile - America's Jazz and Blues Station
I'm sure you'll get some other suggestions.

Lastly…just get it over with, it's an inevitability, so just pick it up…
View attachment 4987064
Then work your way back, and work your way forward.

Im not knowledgeable of jazz, but i guess I've listened to what i would call, stereotypically jazz, like Miles Davis.
I suppose what they've been playing on that station, or maybe is just what they play at that time of the day, is more modern jazz? Whatever that means.
The first time i tuned to that station i heard this and i liked it, but then a lot after that was the same vibe. Which is fine. I'm still listening.
I've always considered jazz above my level of comprehension so if this is also jazz them i guess it's more approachable than its ever been for me. I'm still miff about what is jazz in general.

 

[WG Plum]

 

[Fernando Costa]

There are many ways to approach "what is Jazz?". There are several "eras" of Jazz. Several subgenres. It certainly has nothing to do with "being difficult or sophisticated music, a priori", or hermetic, instrumental, or whatever it is that has a negative and antagonistic connotation to popular music.

Jazz was once POP music, sung, movies soundtrack, and sung and played by the people. it's like Rock and all its infinite sub-genres: it's just a state of mind, with 2 or 3 little rules. Rock is a very broad manifestation that "contains music" - it's not exactly, or only, music. Jazz is similar, it just contains a little more music, or a lot more depending on who you ask.

There is one thing that people prefer to ignore: Some genres of music need to be "learned", as do many forms of art. As a common example: Cooking and its appreciation are often cultural phenomena that need to be learned, assimilated, in short, not everything is easy and simple as people would like it to be. Much of what is good in life needs to be "a little" learned, Jazz for example.

A good clue is the respect that jazz musicians have for classical music. For me Jazz is freedom (although I appreciate notation...) My thoughts only.

 

[fdeck]

I enjoyed reading Ted Gioia's history of jazz, and he has another book that might be more approachable, How to listen to jazz.

In my view, jazz doesn't have a strict definition. One reason is that jazz players of every era have pushed the limits of jazz and turned it into something new, while also appealing to the old traditions. Today, the history of jazz is part of what defines jazz.

There are still some must-haves. A person calling themselves a jazz musician would have a hard time fitting into a band without being able to handle "swing" and other jazz rhythms, knowing their way around the standard repertoire, and being able to play an improvised solo.

 

[HelpImaRock]

"The word 'jazz' to me means 'I dare you.'" - Wayne Shorter

Jazz takes an existing structure and improvises on it in the moment. It dares you to do something different in the moment that could take the music somewhere unexpected.

I would ask what kind of music you like to listen to so I could suggest records that might interest you. You need to go inside the music before you can go outside of it.

 

[BassFishingInAmerica]

Jazz: If you play the wrong part, its right. If you play the right part, it might be right if you play it wrong enough. But if you play it too right, it's wrong — Yogi Berra

 

[Killing Floor]

A - I miss WCLK. what a great station.

I get your point. Jazz means different things to different people. I can listen to Art Blakey all day. Pat Metheny makes me want to dismember folks. MJQ just makes me happy inside.
While it is a wide genre there are certain patterns that are typical. It goes beyond just improvisation.

 

[bassGtar]

Jazz is music that smells funny.

This is particularly true when Killing Floor is listening to Pat Metheny.

 

[REV]

To me Jazz is history. I can't imagine anyone with no background in Jazz playing jazz well.

 

[Federighi]

Quoted from the great Wayne Shorter. I also remember watching an interview long time ago where he said he didn't listen to music anymore and instead began to use movies for inspiration.

"Jazz shouldn't have any mandates. Jazz is not supposed to be something that's required to sound like jazz. For me, the word 'jazz' means, 'I dare you.' The effort to break out of something is worth more than getting an A in syncopation. This music, it's dealing with the unexpected. No one really knows how to deal with the unexpected. How do you rehearse the unknown?"

 

[aprod]

Jazz is the Black evolution of music and theory as opposed to the white European approach to Classical music theory.

 

[salmon256]

Even latin rhythms like salsa, mambo, etc., i find them being classified as jazz when they are all instrumental.

While I 100% agree that Salsa and Mambo deserve their own spot in a genre, and they are for sure, here in NY it is at least, however a lot of jazz songs have a "mambo" or "salsa" influence and feel in jazz history and songs. Classics like Willie Colon are put in the jazz categories on radio stations, and lot of school jazz bands or college jazz bands who can not afford to make a separate salsa/mambo band will simply combine with a jazz band, since a lot of salsa bands used similar instruments, mostly percussion is the newest aspect for learners. I'm not a fan of it, however not many people would be introduce or get into salsa/mambo if it wasn't for it being on a jazz station. A lot of amazing bassist come from those genres and because of the language and musical genre barrier many do not venture into it sadly. I'm a huge fan of all latin genres, tango, salsa, cumbia you name it, a lot of amazing players that sadly will not be seen by the rest of the world, but I know many people do know of them at least. Anyway yes I see your point for the jazz debate, I agree that jazz is sadly overly used in the wrong, I am almost positive same made a similar post about smooth jazz and the mis-use of jazz as wording and things being clump with it.

 

[BuddhaFingas]

"If Jazz is about the notes you don't play then you're always playing Jazz, except for when you're actually playing jazz."

 

[Davebass77]

I was in a band once with a loud rock guitarist whose definition of jazz was: more than one wrong note in a row!

I'll let myself out....

 

[Matthew_84]

Jazz is life

… Also, this:

 

[dabis]

...Lastly…just get it over with, it's an inevitability, so just pick it up…
View attachment 4987064
Then work your way back, and work your way forward.

It's the record that stays in the upper level of the feed chain when I think about jazz.

Jazz is life

… Also, this:

Oh man, I love Oscar Peterson's music.

I don't really listen much anymore and suddenly had an inkling for it. Found myself tuning into a local college station that's all jazz (WCLK in Atlanta).
I don't know much about jazz. After listening for a while i realized that most of the songs sound mostly like R&B or maybe instrumental covers of known songs.
I know there are different styles of jazz, but the more a listen the most i think that anything can be called jazz. Even latin rhythms like salsa, mambo, etc., i find them being classified as jazz when they are all instrumental.

So, what is jazz? Is anything jazz?

Here in Spain there are a few Jazz Festivals around the country. All of these use to line up a mix between "old school" jazz, blues, salsa, R&B, flamenco, any variation of fusion (anything fits here, you know) and even hip-hop or progressive rock bands. It's kind of impossible to find a festival or a club that only programs canonical jazz.

 

[Kevin Hailey]

What is jazz? If you have to ask, you'll never know.

 

[BazzaBass]

I don't really listen much anymore and suddenly had an inkling for it. Found myself tuning into a local college station that's all jazz (WCLK in Atlanta).
I don't know much about jazz. After listening for a while i realized that most of the songs sound mostly like R&B or maybe instrumental covers of known songs.
I know there are different styles of jazz, but the more a listen the most i think that anything can be called jazz. Even latin rhythms like salsa, mambo, etc., i find them being classified as jazz when they are all instrumental.

So, what is jazz? Is anything jazz?

Is this a troll? Showing such amazing ignorance of a genre originating in African-American communities over 100 years ago.