Klarinet Archive - Posting 000680.txt from 2000/12

From: Tony@-----.uk (Tony Pay)
Subj: [kl] Roger speaks
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2000 21:59:36 -0500

On Tue, 12 Dec 2000 19:22:19 -0600, rgarrett@-----.edu said:

> Tony Pay said:
>
> > the end result of the jazz enterprise is not on such a high level
> > of artistic achievement.
>
> Anyone who has studied, performed, and continued to excel in the very
> difficult and rewarding area of jazz studies/improvisation/composition
> will recognize that the above comment is neither intuitively
> understanding of what jazz and all of it's components are about, nor
> is it reflective of an adequate knowledge or education of the
> performance medium of jazz and the kind of artistic ability needed to
> reach a high (equal to classical performance) level of that artistic
> and expressive ability. From a performance practice viewpoint alone
> the statement shows a lack of fundamental knowledge and understanding
> of jazz as an advanced form of artistic and aesthetic expression.

What I actually wrote was, quote level adjusted to conform to the above:

> > ....I regard my own contribution to music, and the contribution of
> > my fellow performers of written music, as in one way on a much lower
> > creative level than the level of the best jazz players; which is
> > perhaps why I become rather testy on this list and elsewhere when I
> > feel that what we do is relegated even further, to the level of mere
> > technical expertise, as in 'making it all seem easy'. We are
> > creative too, but under a different interpretation of the word,
> > 'creative'.
> >
> > This feeling of myself operating at a lower level of creativity than
> > the jazz performer, however, is somewhat offset for me by the
> > feeling that the end result of the jazz enterprise is not on such a
> > high level of artistic achievement.

You can judge for yourselves whether the 'comment' has been taken out of
context.

> > The best composed/performed pieces are for me on a different level
> > from the best improvised pieces.

My opinion.

> > Also, even though 'straight' players often find jazz improvisation
> > difficult or impossible, it has to be said that some very good jazz
> > players find it impossible to do what 'straight' players do well.
> > So perhaps it's not so easy after all.
>
> More often, I find jazz players play classical literature much more
> readily and accurately than classical players trying to play jazz.

OK. Doesn't invalidate what I said.

Unsurprisingly, I'm not going to participate further with Roger in this
discussion.

Tony
--
_________ Tony Pay
|ony:-) 79 Southmoor Rd Tony@-----.uk
| |ay Oxford OX2 6RE GMN family artist: www.gmn.com
tel/fax 01865 553339

..... I could be arguing in my spare time.

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