I can't seem to make heads or tails out of the songs they play. Then you here one recording of a song, and you listen to another, and they are completely different songs. What's up with that? Do Jazz musicians just need to lay off the peace pipe?
2006-12-17 08:39:44 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music
I concur!!!!! I let my kittens run up and down the piano - and joked that it was jazz. I've never been able to get the attraction to the scattered noise they call jazz - it's all over the place!
2006-12-17 08:43:34 · answer #1 · answered by Bondgirl 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I don't believe you understand the complexity of jazz. I am not a huge fan myself, but as a student of music, I must say it is one of the top 3 most difficult types of compositions to perform. The thing about jazz is that, yes, a lot of it is improvisation. The musicians play off eachother because jazz is based on heart and soul. If you feel it, you play it. Not many musicians can improv a song, and make it sound good nonetheless. This is why there are so little famous jazz musicians. You hear about the late-greats, but you don't hear anything about the new-er trends. Try checking out the New Orleans jazz band called the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. They are a "Dixieland" style of jazz (old school parade type stuff). I was able to see them live, and they put on an incredible show. Their banjo player can play faster than Jimi Hendrix and SRV, and he was doing this not looking while singing in French. It was incredible. If you can't appreciate jazz for what it is, you have to at least appreciate the fact that the musicians can have completely different improvisational styles, and yet, pull a song together.
2006-12-17 17:19:45 · answer #2 · answered by youdontneedtoknowme 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it depends on how far out the improvising is. A song is usually started out with the melody so the listener knows what the song is. Then the musicians start improvising or varying the notes in the melody, still staying within the chord progression, maybe using suitable substitute chords though. I think if someone is really into music, especially an experienced musician, he will understand what is going on in a jazz song a little more than a non-musician. That is just my opinion. Usually toward the end of the song, the melody will show up again and they eventually end the song. This doesn't apply to every single song, but seems to be the norm to my ears.
2006-12-17 16:51:00 · answer #3 · answered by Nightflyer 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you think that way, then sadly jazz is not the music for you. The hallmark of jazz is improvisation. Everyone has different interpretation of a particular song. And those interpretations differ depending on the person's mood. It's this "differentness" that makes jazz such a great music. Would you like to hear 50 different musicians do the exact same cover of Stairway to Heaven? And as a musican myself, I can tell you, those jazz musicians are very knowledgeable about music theory and really "know" what they are playing. They are all incredible musicians.
2006-12-18 02:51:12 · answer #4 · answered by rb_1989226 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you understood anything about music theory, you would know that for each chord in a progression, there is a set of notes that fit correctly. The jazz musician must know how to take those notes (which vary at each chord change) and create a melody or a harmony to whoever else is leading at the time all the while keeping the progression of the key being played.
Even though the majority of people do not appreciate jazz music, musicians do.
2006-12-17 16:59:10 · answer #5 · answered by ©2009 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That's the beautiful thing about music, it is a personal preference based totally on our individual likes and dislikes. I don't have to like your music and you don't have to like mine. I think jazz is more a musician's music. If you play a musical instrument, you may have a better understanding of it, whether you like it or not.
2006-12-17 16:59:47 · answer #6 · answered by Jerry T 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i personally have never been a fan of jazz because i have never understood it but after that explanation i do now. jazz is a bunch of guys having a smoke playing all different songs at the same time. thanks. i might go have a listen now.
2006-12-17 16:43:06 · answer #7 · answered by burn 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
nah...you just described EVERY grateful dead album ever released...jazz music it just way too cool for most people...
2006-12-17 17:09:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
lmao you really hit this one.
2006-12-17 16:42:44 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋