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SATCHMO · 09-26-2009, 01:22 AM

One of the most famous quotes ever from a musician about music in general was given to us by the late Louis Armstrong when asked by an interviewer "What is jazz?" to which his reply was "If you have to ask what jazz is you'll never know". In the 40+ years since these words were uttered by mr. Satchmo himself the phrase has been modified and bastardized by everyone from pretentious boutique salesmen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And anyone who ever read any pretense or snobbery into Armstrong's remark need realize that he was actually speaking volumes on the essential nature of jazz as an artform and mode of personal expression.

While were on the subject of quotes by jazz musicians, Wynton Marsalis once said about the general perception of instrumental jazz "People will say all the time that without words jazz music is just too vague and abstract. Music as a language is never vague. It's words that are vague and abstract. Music is very specific. It's too specific for words.".

Both Wynton and Louis stumbled on something quintessentially important, yet equally ineffable in describing the core essence of what defines jazz, and that is jazz is about internal knowledge. It's about what you know and feel but can't complicate with words trying to express. Essentially Louis, in his own sweet way, quoted the Lao Tzu's Tao te Ching "Those who know don't speak and those who speak don't know". It's the knowing that's important. It's the knowing, the implicit, the ineffable that is jazz.

Take everyone's favorite jazz album ever Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. This album gets so much word of mouth lip service from people who believe it's their moral obligation to laud it as the greatest jazz album of all time. Is their any other genre that experiences such an unwavering unified opinion amongst it's fans regarding it's "best" album? I can't think of any. It does get to be a bit tedious when it get's to be a Pavlovian response to the question by jazz neophytes. What is it about this album that makes it so great?

Some will say that it's because the recording session was just business as usual for the hired guns involved, that it's Davis' vision that shines through. Some say, including myself at times, that it's Bill Evans' haunting yet subdued piano playing that unifies the entire album and makes it a cohesive whole; many have added that it really deserves to be considered as much a Bill Evan's album as a Miles' album. I might agree with that too. But there are thousands of amazing jazz albums out there. What really makes this one so special?

My response to this question is it speaks volumes to a lot of different people in a lot of different ways. I can only tell you that my particular love for one song on Kind of Blue pretty much seals it's reputation as a masterpiece.

The song Blue in Green, which I don't hesitate to confess that I usually skip halfway through the album to get to most of the time, conveys the depth and dimension of being in love as being anything but a black and white emotion. The constant pile of conflicting emotions and feelings, the introspection, the need to draw closer coupled with the spontaneous urges to draw away. The vulnerability beneath the surface of joy and passion. It's all in there in all of it's subtle glory. Even the title of the song implies the complexity inherent in the piece. Again, with this song Bill Evans adds something so essential to the texture and dimension of the piece.

I can hint at with words what this song means to me, but I can't tell you what Miles is saying. I know what he's saying, constantly I know, but...If you have to ask, well...

09-26-2009, 01:22 AM	#4 (permalink)
SATCHMO Al Dente Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 4,708	One of the most famous quotes ever from a musician about music in general was given to us by the late Louis Armstrong when asked by an interviewer "What is jazz?" to which his reply was "If you have to ask what jazz is you'll never know". In the 40+ years since these words were uttered by mr. Satchmo himself the phrase has been modified and bastardized by everyone from pretentious boutique salesmen to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And anyone who ever read any pretense or snobbery into Armstrong's remark need realize that he was actually speaking volumes on the essential nature of jazz as an artform and mode of personal expression. While were on the subject of quotes by jazz musicians, Wynton Marsalis once said about the general perception of instrumental jazz "People will say all the time that without words jazz music is just too vague and abstract. Music as a language is never vague. It's words that are vague and abstract. Music is very specific. It's too specific for words.". Both Wynton and Louis stumbled on something quintessentially important, yet equally ineffable in describing the core essence of what defines jazz, and that is jazz is about internal knowledge. It's about what you know and feel but can't complicate with words trying to express. Essentially Louis, in his own sweet way, quoted the Lao Tzu's Tao te Ching "Those who know don't speak and those who speak don't know". It's the knowing that's important. It's the knowing, the implicit, the ineffable that is jazz. Take everyone's favorite jazz album ever Miles Davis' Kind of Blue. This album gets so much word of mouth lip service from people who believe it's their moral obligation to laud it as the greatest jazz album of all time. Is their any other genre that experiences such an unwavering unified opinion amongst it's fans regarding it's "best" album? I can't think of any. It does get to be a bit tedious when it get's to be a Pavlovian response to the question by jazz neophytes. What is it about this album that makes it so great? Some will say that it's because the recording session was just business as usual for the hired guns involved, that it's Davis' vision that shines through. Some say, including myself at times, that it's Bill Evans' haunting yet subdued piano playing that unifies the entire album and makes it a cohesive whole; many have added that it really deserves to be considered as much a Bill Evan's album as a Miles' album. I might agree with that too. But there are thousands of amazing jazz albums out there. What really makes this one so special? My response to this question is it speaks volumes to a lot of different people in a lot of different ways. I can only tell you that my particular love for one song on Kind of Blue pretty much seals it's reputation as a masterpiece. The song Blue in Green, which I don't hesitate to confess that I usually skip halfway through the album to get to most of the time, conveys the depth and dimension of being in love as being anything but a black and white emotion. The constant pile of conflicting emotions and feelings, the introspection, the need to draw closer coupled with the spontaneous urges to draw away. The vulnerability beneath the surface of joy and passion. It's all in there in all of it's subtle glory. Even the title of the song implies the complexity inherent in the piece. Again, with this song Bill Evans adds something so essential to the texture and dimension of the piece. I can hint at with words what this song means to me, but I can't tell you what Miles is saying. I know what he's saying, constantly I know, but...If you have to ask, well...