CNN Ideas Series: What Is Jazz?

     I came upon a tweet by All About Jazz entitled What Is Jazz?, by Jonathan Batiste, Special to CNN (12/28/12). In the on-line article on CNN Opinion, Jonathan Batiste says "jazz is the musical language used to state our deepest, truest feelings". Batiste says "jazz is subtle, emotional and accommodating. It is intellectual and sometimes even scientific. Most genres of music are not nearly as multidimensional, which in part is why the art form has such a small audience." Batiste goes on to say the challenge for jazz artist is to make the subtle and complex art of jazz more palatable to the general public.

     As you read further Batiste has a reason for his words. I think Batiste is on target with his affective view of jazz audiences, but I cannot fully agree with Batiste on jazz artist needing to make jazz more palatable to the general public.  Jazz musicians need to continue being an artist. There are many genres under the jazz umbrella, and yes, I think Batiste is correct that Soft Jazz musicians are performing in a genre where they can be palatable, and attract a large general public into their tent, and they should. Jazz artist performing Bebop, Post-Bop,  Avant Garde Jazz, and other jazz forms are typically focused on maintaining the artistry and integrity of that music.

     Jazz is complex. Batiste says "it`s complex and traditional but also contemporary". Batiste says jazz is traditional and contemporary, is that a contradiction? No. Jazz is traditional, and it has to be. Jazz is an established art form with a history and tradition that begins with 19th Century African-American musicians from New Orleans. Practitioners today perform music of those early pioneers, while others specialize in jazz styles such as, swing, bop, and other jazz styles. In other words, jazz musicians are culture bearers that keep alive our jazz history. Jazz is also contemporary, with young and innovative musicians creating new and popular forms of jazz, and introducing new audiences to jazz. However, those young and innovative jazz musicians learn the artistic language from those historical pioneers of jazz.

     What is the Jazz Tradition? Batiste goes on to point-out that being in the jazz tradition, you are apart of a lineage of musicians who contribute to world history by transforming people with the sounds of our instruments. Batiste also says we are challenged to swing, and contribute to a body of work already established by great jazz artist.

     Does the CNN article answer the question - What Is Jazz? No. Kind of what Louis Armstrong said - "If you have to ask, you`ll never know." The question is not answered for that reason, and Jonathan Batiste gives no definitive answers either, but instead he goes on to promote his "Stay Human Movement". Batiste`s Stay Human Movement is about experiencing music. Batiste says music you can feel on the "subway and streets". Expanding and shifting the jazz experience to uplift humanity. What is the jazz experience? The jazz experience is about the moment. As Batiste firmly believes, we as jazz artist have to create that unforgettable experience for our audience.

     Check-out the article for yourself by going to www.cnn.com/2012/12/26/opinion/batiste-what-is-jazz/index.html.