Jazz Beyond Jazz

I took up jazz piano lessons at 55yrs. old..160 lessons over a five year period from Arlette McCoy Budwig, widow to Monty Budwig (premiere bassman) you know she gave me the right stuff. I was doing it purely to explore the art of it...little did i know it would become a major part of life, giving me a booster rocket to ride on as i traverse the 4th quarter of my life. Jazz--can it turn back the biological clock? I must say..it sure feels like it! Jazz beyond Jazz...absolutely...my greatest life thoughts come while playing the piano, eyes closed...woodshedding a jazz standard. Nice crystalization "Jazz beyond Jazz" Thanks Mr. Mandel

PS
Oh, And thanks for mentioning truthinmusic.com.

Chris Corso

Beloved Howard Mandel, thank you for your tenacity and courage to bring to us the relevance of JAZZ. Just heard Freddie Hubbard transitioned..pray he did not suffer. He left a legacy of bright moments for all of us to listen to...WBGO is saluting Freddie by playing his music...it always seemed to me that we should be playing the music while they to can hear it...anyway...at least he is being introduced to those who listen now..When I was WRVR's first female DJ in the late 60's and 70's, I introduced the birthdays of our music legends and played their music, celebrating their life. but that was another time..I am also a Jazz Singer...who played with Lionel Hampton, and other Jazz Greats...that to was another time...I just felt I would seize the moment to share a moment in time with you...Again, I am soo happy to have found you and will look forward to your Moments in Jazz across the board...Take care...Happy New Life and know I send you many Bright Moments. I am called Stella :Soft Soul: Marrs

HM: Thanks for the Bright Moments, Stella.

I realize I'm a bit late to chime in here but I only just happened across your "Jazz Beyond Jazz" and cannot resist a comment or two ... first, thank you Howard for a wonderfully concise phrase ... such a powerfully descriptive term "Jazz Beyond Jazz" is so needed at present. Secondly, I love jazz but what I hear from most of the current crop of mainstreamers (as virtuostic and well versed in the music's history as they mostly are) makes me often think of how many instances of the letter 'z' should be contained within the spelling of their "jazz" ... eg. is this three 'z' jazzz I'm listening to, or maybe four, five or six 'z' ... jazzz, jazzzzz, or jazzzzzz ... ?

Jazz is alive, well and fully awake and has assumed a new identity: "Jazz Beyond Jazz". We should refer to it accordingly.

Thanks, Graham.

For those who don't know this man is an extraordinary jazz composer who has written a book about the general misuse of that term; a bassist-ensemble leader, theorist-historian and educator whose works should be better known in the U.S. (he's an OBE in the UK). His albums Workpoints and Hoarded Dreams feature live performances by bands with soloists including Kenny Wheeler, Roger Dean, John Surman, Harry Beckett, Juhanni Aaltonen -- in enduring concerts from '68, '75, and '85.

'What if jazz - and the jazz beyond, behind, under and around jazz - could enrich your life?"

Well it has mine, in all the ways you say. I'm the richer for it and glad to still be doing it, listening to it, living it. I'm only sorry that more people haven't discovered its joys.

Good luck with the new venture Howard.

Jazz is alive in public school education, all over the US, Canada, and Europe. Check out the International Association of Jazz Educators Journal.
Vicci Johnson: Twin Cities Jazz Society, Education Chair

This raises questions that many jazz lovers have probably asked themselves. For instance, we know jazz is a great art form, but why does it seem to struggle for its very existence? Is this a function of listener boredom, brought on by jazz's near fanatical infatuation with the "classics?" Doesn't such an elitist attitude toward jazz ignore the commercial viability required to sustain the art form?

How can jazz survive without addressing the listener's inevitable desire for exciting new forms of music?

Great piece Howard. I look forward to reading the rest of the book.