No, this essay isn't going to be another essay about the death of jazz. Rather, my title is meant to show the conflict, seemingly unending, that goes on in the jazz community, year after year. Someone writes that jazz is over, and someone else writes that no, jazz is still going strong! The circle continues, and the whole thing gets repeated the next month. There are flaws … [Read more...]
Don’t Be Afraid, The Clown’s Afraid Too
When was the last time you heard a record that could barely hold it together? A record made by musicians who hated each other, or hadn't showed for the rehearsals, or couldn't quite handle the material? Recordings have always been viewed as the place to make things perfect. Whether the musician was recording as a way to get people to gigs - Sonny Rollins, for one, felt that … [Read more...]