Of course, some people must do, otherwise there would be no Jazz clubs - as few and far between as they are.

However, I think there is a possibility than some people say they like because it appears to give them an aura of sophistication and coolness - but in reality they don't.

I don't know if anyone has seen the programme 'Jazz Britannia' (on cable TV tonight) about post-war modern British jazz. Most of the players were complaining that they couldn't find an audience once rock and roll appeared (actually they didn't have much of an audience before either). I am not surprised.

Much of their music sounded to be like self-indulgent, aural doodling, with players playing for themselves or each other rather than the audience. Parallels can be drawn with other 'art forms' which have ended in a cul de sac, such as the twelve tone compositions of the post-Schoenberg era (which at one time made much of the output of Radio three unlistenable) , or some movements in contemporary art or sculpture.

I like the kinda jazz that probably wouldnt be considered jazz at all. Stuff by ella fitzgerald, louis armstrong, nina simome etc - that you find on compilations like jazz summer moods or whatever. I really hate that improv jazz crap - cleo laine stylee like they used to take the **** out of on the fast show :rant: OMG it hurts my head!!!!

I like the mellow stuff. We had a jazz saxophonist play at our wedding during the drinks reception and photos. She was ace :thumbsup:

the only jazz i like is miles davis and a few others and its my opinion and dont forgot that everyones got one is that modern jazz is ****

Trad jazz used to be my thing.Sheffield used to have loads of jazz clubs. Good music that,the more you drink and the more the band drinks, the better the music is!

Not a great fan of trad jazz, but give me anything modern like Jan Garbarek or pretty much anything else on the ECM label and I'm happy.

If that gives me an aura of sophistication and coolness, then who am I to complain?

My Hubby is a Jazz fan. I do like some but I have to admit that the more extreme Jazz I can't stand. The type when musicians get together and make a great din. No one plays in time or in harmony and it seems a bit too egotistical to me. The musicians seems to have got together to P"** each other off by playing louder etc.

Thelonius Monk is Ok.

I realise I'm in the minority here but I love jazz - pretty much everything except trad/dixieland stuff which grates on my nerves. And yes, I do include free jazz (stuff like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Coltrane's more experimental stuff and late 60's/70's Miles Davis, through to proper 'free' improvisation - which isn't really jazz - by the likes of Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Simon H Fell et al).

And no, I don't listen to it cos I think it makes me seem sophisticated or cool! I just think it's a stupendously entertaining sound.

Originally posted by Fantomas
I realise I'm in the minority here but I love jazz - pretty much everything except trad/dixieland stuff which grates on my nerves. And yes, I do include free jazz (stuff like Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor, Coltrane's more experimental stuff and late 60's/70's Miles Davis, through to proper 'free' improvisation - which isn't really jazz - by the likes of Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Simon H Fell et al).

And no, I don't listen to it cos I think it makes me seem sophisticated or cool! I just think it's a stupendously entertaining sound.

That's the stuff "free improvisational" Oooh I find that very difficult to listen to. I'm too ingrained in the *if it doesn't have a rythm*

Originally posted by bonny
That's the stuff "free improvisational" Oooh I find that very difficult to listen to. I'm too ingrained in the *if it doesn't have a rythm*

Yeah, it can seem a bit impenetrable. The trick is to focus in on just a couple of instruments at a time and listen to how they're interacting with each other. That's what I did anyway when I first came across it, and the whole thing just clicked for me. You can't just put it on in the background cos it'll do nothing for you, you have to be an active listener.

Originally posted by Fantomas
Yeah, it can seem a bit impenetrable. The trick is to focus in on just a couple of instruments at a time and listen to how they're interacting with each other. That's what I did anyway when I first came across it, and the whole thing just clicked for me. You can't just put it on in the background cos it'll do nothing for you, you have to be an active listener.

yeah, my husband used to put it on when we were in bed, until I told him it prevented me from sleeping!
Do you play any instruments?

Originally posted by bonny
yeah, my husband used to put it on when we were in bed, until I told him it prevented me from sleeping!
Do you play any instruments?

I've played guitar (mostly badly) for quite a while. Not in a jazz context, more avant rock, though the odd solo I play is always improvised, and not necessarily in key, harmony etc.

Of course that means that sometimes it's dreadful, but the satisfaction when you pull off something that sounds great more than makes up for it.

I'm not sure really - I don't like improv jazz (it's just a discordant jangling noise to me!) but I do like the old stuff pretty much from when blues and big band sort of evolved into jazz - people like Billie Holliday, Nina Simone, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald - and neo swing like Big Bad Voodoo Dady and Brian Seltzer - so is that a yes or a no?

I absolutely love jazz - it's pretty much all I listen to.

My favs:
-Dizzie Gillespie
-Miles
-Django Rheinhart
-Stephane Grappelli
-Oscar Peterson
-Michel Legrand

I just love how moody and atmospheric it is. There's nothing better than having some jazz on and sipping a glass of fine Bordeaux. Go on- try it!

Jazz is a huge genre. I like some of it and don't like a lot of it. It can be pretentious but it can also be very pleasurable to listen to. I certainly don't listen to it to sound intelligent or sophisticated. Why would I] need to do that?!? :D

Regarding the extreme end of freely improvised jazz, I think there are some worthwhile examples. The late work of John Coltrane, some material by The Art Ensemble of Chicago, the Music Improvisation Company, Company, Evan Parker at his best with John Stevens, Derek Bailey, some Pharoah Sanders and Albert Ayler etc. Even Sheffield's own Martin Archer [whom I have played with, when in my youth]. However, there is also some appallingly uninspired doodling, and 'goings through the motions' in this field. It is a case of interesting moments, and boring minutes with a lot of atonal, electro-acoustic and freely improvised music. Even the great Evan Parker, whose technique of Eastern-style 'circular breathing' has made for some astonishing recordings, occasionally appears to be wandering aimlessly.

The most over-rated musician in the 'free jazz' tradition is its supposed originator, Ornette Coleman. His pseudo-theory of Harmolodics doesn't hold water, and really equates to everyone play whatever they want, but sometimes in the same key. He is the inventor of running up and down the scales, and nothing more. How weedy his Alto Sax sounds too. Coltrane's adventures with atonal 'sheets of sound' are a million times more impressive. With Coleman, all I get is earache. With Coltrane, Sanders, Evan Parker, Steve Lacy, Sun Ra's John Gilmore and other master Saxophonists I get the occasional glimpse of eternity, and the music is capable of transforming time. Niiiccce!

As usual from you Timo, a very interesting and erudite post. I have enjoyed listening to some Jazz artists in the past - such as Ben Webster, Don Rendell and Roland Kirk. But most of it (for example the stuff they play at weekends on radio 3) leaves me reaching for the off swtich.

Thankyou, my Lord, for the kind words, and also for giving us some damned good threads to get our teeth into. How nice to be in the company of such well-informed posters as your good self, Metalman, Boyface and Muddycoffee. Unfortunately, work calls so I must 'skidaddle'...

My friend runs a great Jazz night at the Lescar pub on Sharrowvale road every Wednesday.

Here are rthe details:

Styles: African, Contemporary, Modern-Be Bop, Fusion, Hot Club, Free-Improvised, Mainstream, New Orleans, Trad, Vocal, Dixieland
Venues Promoted: Lescar Hotel
Promotions per year: 46
(Months) booked ahead: 8
Fee Policy: Set Fee, Door Split.
Every Wednesday. Mainly local bands drawn from a 50 mile radius around Sheffield. Held at Lescar Hotel with small entrance fee. Recent bands have included Mike Walker Qnt, Cerys Hogg Qnt, Bill Surron Qrt, Stuart McDonald/John Good Band, Rod Mason Qrt, Rosie Brown Qnt, Steve Buckley Trio, Jim Mullen, Rebecca Askew Qnt, Amazonia, Burnt Orange & Claredad.

Yes, me, I love jazz. As others have noted it's a huge field. I've only really dipped my toe in the water, but the people I love listening to are Grant Green, Lenny Breau (the best guitarist) and Miles Davis (earlier stuff). I haven't got my ears 'round atonal music and have no real urge to, but I'd give anything a listen at least once. I suppose the jazz I really love the most is pop music from the 20's and 30's - Ella Fitzgerald, Ink Spots, Al Bowlly, Andrews Sisters etc (OK, swing as well, then). It's not really 'pure jazz', but the songs are built from jazz progressions and are extremely catchy and clever. My idea of musical heaven is represented by the soundtracks to Dennis Potter's 'Pennies From Heaven' and 'The Singing Detective'. I can play jazz guitar as an accompanist (as long as it's not too intricate/fast). Being a Lord, I learned proper jazz chords. It's the best thing I ever did and has added a great deal to my (reasonable) ability as a, ahem, musician.

If you like jazz, why not stick Phan FM (http://tori.screaminghosts.com:8010) on in your chosen media player (works better in Winamp than WMP).

It's the radio station hosted by Sir Phanny of Craddock, aka Phanerothyme... :lol:

Just a little joke there Phan ;)

Lord Snooty,
What a good-humoured, genial cove you seem. I wonder, given your [seemingly] happy nature, and taste for the music of the 20s and 30s, if you might like Duke Ellington? Perhaps you already contort yourself to the Duke's music at the palatial Snooty country seat? If not, I urge you to try some. It is a million miles away from Coltrane and Coleman, but very, very original and innovative in its own way. Pip Pip!

Originally posted by timo
Lord Snooty,
What a good-humoured, genial cove you seem. I wonder, given your [seemingly] happy nature, and taste for the music of the 20s and 30s, if you might like Duke Ellington? Perhaps you already contort yourself to the Duke's music at the palatial Snooty country seat? If not, I urge you to try some. It is a million miles away from Coltrane and Coleman, but very, very original and innovative in its own way. Pip Pip!

Oh I am, I am! Yes, like everyone I suppose I've heard Duke Ellington from time to time, but I'll take a tip and see what I can find on CD. Thanks! I forgot to mention I also love Fats Waller, Fats Domino, in fact anyone called 'Fats', apart from 'Fats' Von Rundstedt, the fascist.

Lord Snooty,
There is a rather nice Ellington double cd, called ' A Portrait of Duke Ellington', available on Gallerie, catalogue Gale 405, issued in 1997. It has a foreword by Fred Dellar of Mojo magazine. If you can't find it, contact Music Collection International, 36-38, Caxton Way, Watford, Herts, WD1 8UF. Judging from your expressed taste, I would be very surprised if you did not like it. Regards.

Thanks, Timo - I'll have a look on Amazon first.