| The Young Jazz Academics
Ingrid,
I guess I must be getting old. After the gig a few nights past I was at the bar, imagine that, eavesdropping on a couple of the young guys. They both have college teaching jobs and are great players. The crux of their conversation was on academics. I suddenly realized that an entire generation has evolved that never heard Miles, Dizzy, Woody Shaw, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, etc. Their entire point of reference is from recordings and books. They speak of the best place to get a degree, the best place to teach. The same conversation the legit guys were having when I was their age. Has academia provided the vehicle for the preservation of Jazz or has it become an elitist club that limits the common man's accessibility to this music called Jazz? |