Ha Ha! Well, Tony, jazz is certainly an acquired taste, especially progressive jazz. I like it, and I do play it, but it's only one of the genres of music I enjoy. I feel the same about Celtic (fiddle) and Bluegrass. There are those who are aficionados for these genres, but I ain't one of them. I prefer variety in the music I play, and would be bored silly playing (or listening to) any particular style too frequently.

The Beatles, in my estimation, changed the way we look at pop music, and a lot of their tunes, especially the later ones, were quite sophisticated and expertly arranged, using strings, brass, electronic instruments to great effect. Some of their music has even been embraced by such diverse groups as jazz players, and classical orchestras.

To me, music is like food...variety, but always fine quality, competent preparation, and outstanding presentation.

Ian

Eddie at least you and I got an honorable mention from our old buddy Don.:)

Ye Gods, Ian, you sure know how to live dangerously. That's just about heresy for a Caper not to be into Celtic fiddle music, isn't it? How have you survived so far. No wonder you're selling the house. :-)

Ah, well, what can I say, 124, especially with a surname MacNeill. I do enjoy Celtic music as one of the genres I listen to and play, but I really have no actual favorite style of music. Some days I just like one kind over another, and being a demonstrator I am required to play many different genres with some kind of proficiency.

My birth Mum was French and played fiddle-she was from Acadian stock, my adopted Mum, who I lost in car accident on Christmas Eve.(along with my adopted Dad) also played violin (I still have it-it's a Ruggeri-very old, and in terrific shape) and I remember hearing her play some Celtic tunes, although she tended to favor a more swing/jazz style reminiscent of Grappelli...I was only very young when she passed.

There was always music at my home, even the folks who raised me (aunts and uncles) were musicians, and they played a wide variety of styles, so I guess that's where I picked up a love for so many genres of music.

I really love the older country music, like Webb Pierce and Hank Williams, and, of course, tried to mimic Floyd Cramer as much as I could when playing piano, and although I played Celtic stuff at kitchen parties, I really didn't favor it over other styles, like many Capers seemed to do.

Natalie MacMaster and Ashley MacIsaac are my favorite fiddlers, with the latter having a real edginess to his playing-both are exceptional world class violinists.

What about you? Aside from jazz, do you favor any style more than others?

Ian

Doo wop

REM:

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Not really, I like a lot of things - anything that falls easily on my ear. I can't pretend to appreciate jazz as much as some, as I don't have what seems to be the requisite musical knowledge. Nonetheless, I enjoy the genre greatly, and I'm not sure that the 'requisite musical knowledge' is absolutely essential. I can get into a 'groove' with ease. To be honest, the technicalities don't really interest me, it's more what it does to my gut. If I can't feel it, then I turn off.

Like yourself, my childhood, and I'm sorry to hear yours was so tragic, was in a very musical environment. Dad was a first tenor with the London Welsh Male Voice Choir. His sister, my aunt, was a soprano with the Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden for 30 years, and sometimes garnered supporting roles alongside some greats of her era, Maria Callas among them. A cousin was principal organist at Handsworth Cathedral in Birmingham, so there's a bit of pedigree.

I never did take any formal musical training myself. A combination of a bit of a headstrong character, very fast ears, and parents who, in retrospect, didn't push me enough. I did start piano at a community college at the age of 26, but my ears got the better of me and I didn't stick with it for more than a couple of weeks. Some regrets in that regard now, but I don't view it as a serious impediment. I've spent a lifetime 'in the trenches', to borrow a phrase from Donny, and it's made an awful lot of people happy. So I'm good with that. Best regards, 124.

124, I hope I didn't imply that one could not enjoy/appreciate 'jazz' without a certain 'requisite musical knowledge' (although I DO believe that helps). Ian used the term 'progressive jazz' and THAT is the specific form that I was referring to.......and therein lies the problem. The term 'JAZZ' has so many forms, from Dixieland to Swing to Bebop, and beyond, that it's hard to make ANY statement about jazz that would apply to all forms of it. Certainly the less complex forms are easier to digest than say a Ornette Coleman/Don Cherry 'free jazz' performance (even Miles had a hard time 'getting it' in the beginning). If any one thing unites all of the various forms, I would say it would be IMPROVISATION. The person that loves Dixieland may 'hate' some of the more 'so-called' progressive forms of jazz (and vice versa). But in my mind that is no different than in other types of music, as I'm sure that there are many who 'love' one type of Country music but 'hate' another. In the end, you're absolutely correct; it's whatever is pleasing to the ear that is important. Personally, I feel that cultural influences, early (and heavy) exposure, combined with an 'ear' for all the subtle nuances that seperate music from just noise, also go to shape our perception of what does and does not sound good.

Again, no elitism or jazz snobbery intended in my previous comments and I assure you that I love most musical forms IF the quality is good.

chas

No, of course not, Chas. I saw no elitism in your earlier comments - you're much broader than that, I know. As you allude to, there definitely is, unfortunately, some elitism/snobbery in jazz, just as there is in many other forms, and it irks me to no end. We've all run into it from time to time.

I think that many of the elitist bunch, who wouldn't know an E from their elbow, actually miss out on the kernel of what jazz, in all its forms, is about. The soul. Just like any other art form, jazz should reach into you at a much deeper level than just at the entrance - the ears. It has to have that healin' feelin'.

I'm very much with you in that it really doesn't matter what the genre is, as long as the quality is there plus, PLUS, a certain honesty on the part of the musician. I believe the huge majority of jazzers are honest - nobody got into jazz to get rich. ;-)

Man, it's a bit early in the day, but I've just got to go play some blues now. Be well.

I will first say that I am not into hip-hop or rap ... while some of the artists are no doubt talented, I just cannot bring myself to listen to those genres ... just personal taste ...
My iPOD has Playlists for just about EVERY other genre of music ... the buttons on the radio - not into sirius - in both cars and truck are set for Classical, C/W, classic Rock, Doo Wop, sports talk out of New York (AM), a local AM station that broadcasts NY Yankees games ... and a small jazz station out of Newport RI that has limited broadcast range ...
Just my 2 pennies worth ...