Jazz

Jazz is different things to different people. It has birthed many styles within the genre and from those styles all other forms of Western music have developed. For me, when Jazz is played at its highest levels, it invokes certain spiritual sensabilities. Jazz is a dialogue; Jazz is stylish; Jazz is intellectual; Jazz is ghetto; Jazz is inspiration; Jazz is walking in the rain with someone you love; Jazz is every shade of blue; Jazz is a storyteller; Jazz is a healer...

I am a purist of sorts. My listening tastes tend to lean toward the likes of Miles, Monk and Mingus - not necessarily in this order, I just dig the alliterative, rhymthic value of the names together - I'm always swingin! But my first jazz musical hero was David Sanborn. When jazz, true to its nature, was searching for new directions, he along with Ronnie Laws and the great Grover Washington, Jr. with his infamous ‘Mr. Magic’ captured my attention and my love for the music and its history. Even Miles stepped into the contemporary arena. If you’ve never heard ‘Tutu’ or ‘Amandla’ then you need to hit the record store immediately.

While I choose to listen mostly to swing, I’m not beyond listening to and enjoying some contemporar-ians with what I call traditionalist vibes. My love for Sanborn et al. encouraged me to search for their predecesors. There, I discovered a new love for Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea fresh out of their stints with Miles and discovering what synthisizers could do for Jazz sonically.

Here is where I'll write about the music I love. Dialogue with the people who too love the music. And share...That is what Jazz was meant to do.