Where is melody?

[Jeff Ludwig]

Where is this most precious element in jazz today? I have (on occasion) been pressured into playing jazz that seems to have abandoned this element, the one that draws us to the music in the first place. No matter what I seem to do I am always drawn back to Stan, Al, Zoot, Jim Hall and Bill Evans. There is a joy there we need so much in our musical language. Why is it that the darker the better today? Other than Joe Lovano, who else is out there? We need Stan more than ever.

[Peter]

In some ways jazz seems to be going the direction that "more technical/more complex" is better. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. The greatest contributors to the jazz language were and are more focused on telling a story than anything else. Though no one should be faulted for having strong technique, it's important to know how to use it! That is what draws me to Getz. No matter what, his playing always had a story-like quality. Anyone could find something to relate to in his music because it was so human.

[THEO URFF]

HELLO..WE HAD IN THE NETHERLANDS A JAZZ SCENE THAT WE CALLED " PIEP KNOR MUSIC" IT WAS VERY INTELECTUAL TO PLAY THAT WAY...NO MELODY AT ALL...ONLY UGLY SNEARING SOUNDS...BUT THAN...AT LAST THE MELODY IN JAZZ CAME BACK...NOW A WHOLE NEW GENERATION OF MUSICIANS PLAY WITH MELODY AGAIN....AND BELIEVE ME THEY REALLY KNOW WHO ....ALL THE GREAT TENORIST ARE...OR IN FACT ALL THOSE BEAUTIFULL PLAYING MUSICIANS FROM THEN AND NOW...JAZZ WILL NEVER DIE!!!! GEETINGS FROM HOLLAND EUROPE THEO URFF!

[Jeff Ludwig]

Thank you my friend. Music is telling stories. I am guilty of being a bluff old traditionalist, but I recognize melody might just be seconday to the tale. Does that make sense. Have I contradicted myself? I am but a flawed messenger, dig? I just had a marvelouse experience in these matters and have realized there is a time and a place for everything. And I agree-jazz will never die.


THEO URFF said:

HELLO..WE HAD IN THE NETHERLANDS A JAZZ SCENE THAT WE CALLED " PIEP KNOR MUSIC" IT WAS VERY INTELECTUAL TO PLAY THAT WAY...NO MELODY AT ALL...ONLY UGLY SNEARING SOUNDS...BUT THAN...AT LAST THE MELODY IN JAZZ CAME BACK...NOW A WHOLE NEW GENERATION OF MUSICIANS PLAY WITH MELODY AGAIN....AND BELIEVE ME THEY REALLY KNOW WHO ....ALL THE GREAT TENORIST ARE...OR IN FACT ALL THOSE BEAUTIFULL PLAYING MUSICIANS FROM THEN AND NOW...JAZZ WILL NEVER DIE!!!! GEETINGS FROM HOLLAND EUROPE THEO URFF!