Why do humans like jazz?

[pablolie]

Fascinating clip investigating human evolution, the physics of neurons, information theory, and thermodynamics to explain why some humans enjoy dissonances and complex forms of music:

It's a silly video. There is a lot of variety within jazz. And there are several "jazz" songs that are pretty much universally liked.

And the neuron discussion goes for any music genre. Much babble about nothing.

 

[Down South]

With both Intermezzo and Stingray you get all kinds of Jazz, from the past up to the present. Just about every Jazz festival get's presented as well. A lot of the jazz bands of today don't do it for me, it's 'intellectual jamming' something they should be doing in their own time. It's a jazz version of the classical 'look how clever I think I am'. Some may get off on it, I don't.

In the 90s back in Hove, Sussex there is a park where all the lads from that part of Hove used to call home. St.Anne's Well Park. One summer the local ass. put on a Jazz in the Park gig. Lots of people turned up with friends, family, food and drink. Most knew nothing about Jazz.There was a trio and they started out playing some really good relaxed straight ahead jazz and everyone was getting off on it including the kids. They finished the first set and when they came back they were selfishly jamming and you could see straight off that no one liked it. I got up, went directly to the stage and into the mike said "your not being paid to please yourselves, stop jamming and connect with your audience. A big cheer went up in agreement. The trio got back with their audience and the rest of the gig was very good.

But in amongst this crowd are some jewels (IMO) EST / Avishai Cohen Trio to name two. Without these two music channels I would never have heard of them.I get these channels free with my TV/landline/i/net package. Even if you have to pay to get them, they are worth it, check them out.

 

[theREALdotnet]

A lot of the jazz bands of today don't do it for me, it's 'intellectual jamming' something they should be doing in their own time. It's a jazz version of the classical 'look how clever I think I am'. Some may get off on it, I don't.

I know what you’re saying, but this may turn out to be a somewhat ahistoric view. Some of the towering classic masterpieces of jazz may have started just like that. I think Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” was seen by many as a prime example of ”look how clever I think I am” when it came out

 

[Platypus20]

Not a huge jazz fan, I own numerous Coltrane, Davis and other albums, but I seriously hate mindless noodling. But I’m not a fan of some of the material by the Grateful Dead, Phish or other bands that think nothing of 20-30 minute jams of some of their songs. I’m not a fan of 10-15 minute guitar solos. I don’t need to hear every note or chord you know in every song you do.

 

[theREALdotnet]

Not a huge jazz fan, I own numerous Coltrane, Davis and other albums, but I seriously hate mindless noodling.

Sure, but everything sounds like mindless noodling until it clicks. Some things just click easier than others. With some things you can kind of guess where they’re going with it, but you’re not sure it has really clicked.

This is a piece I love, but I have no idea whether I understand it or not. But I’m working on it

 

[Duke]

One of my bass player friends said to me, "If you play a wrong note, it's a mistake. If you play that wrong note again, it's jazz."

Maybe I'm hoping the mistakes in life that I've repeated somehow add up to jazz.

 

[Descartes]

Never been a fan of Jazz except for

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7gp579CMkT8Bx7wrlczLUZ-AZApsyFUk&si=O1uifBz2crbyo7_u

 

[theREALdotnet]

Maybe I'm hoping the mistakes in life that I've repeated somehow add up to jazz.

With liberal use of jazz hands they just might

 

[pablolie]

Billboard number 2 anyone? Jazz. It is really idiotically ignorant of the genre to claim jazz is all about off notes and sh*t. There are a hundred other examples, for goodness sake.

 

[Platypus20]

Sure, but everything sounds like mindless noodling until it clicks. Some things just click easier than others. With some things you can kind of guess where they’re going with it, but you’re not sure it has really clicked.

This is a piece I love, but I have no idea whether I understand it or not. But I’m working on it

Different, interesting, definitely not what I was expecting

 

[pablolie]

Better than the original anyone?

Mesmerizing?

Stop this jazz is supposed to have no melody crap, please.

 

[pseudoid]

Topic: "Why do humans like jazz?"
Phew! I dodged that question.

 

[Platypus20]

I liked both of them, I did not like the Tears For Fears version of the first one

 

[ahofer]

One of my bass player friends said to me, "If you play a wrong note, it's a mistake. If you play that wrong note again, it's jazz."

Maybe I'm hoping the mistakes in life that I've repeated somehow add up to jazz.

Miles said you are never more than a half step away from a right note.

 

[stalepie2]

Topic: "Why do humans like jazz?"
Phew! I dodged that question.

we've found him, guys! Set phasers to stun.

 

[Emlin]

Jazz is the bin that people put the music that they don't understand in.

 

[Down South]

I know what you’re saying, but this may turn out to be a somewhat ahistoric view. Some of the towering classic masterpieces of jazz may have started just like that. I think Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” was seen by many as a prime example of ”look how clever I think I am” when it came out

Giant Steps - no but Concert in Japan, supposedly 'spiritual Coltrane' - meditation surely can't be a 'shared' experience. BTW the artwork on that double LP is amazing. Sadly the expression 'you can choose your friends but not your family' is true for me. My sister stole the artwork for that LP. I would like to find a top notch graffiti artist of which there are many in Toulouse to recreate the artwork on my music room walls.

 

[Platypus20]

I rewatched the attached videos, they have opened my eyes to music i would normally ignore.

My daughter gave me a cd for my birthday, again not my usual type, but I find it very interesting. It’s Blackmore’s Night, with Richie Blackmore, ex Deep Purple, ex Rainbow guitarist and his wife, Candice Night. It’s a modern take on Renaissance style music. Again different and interesting

 

[EJ3]

Never been a fan of Jazz except for

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7gp579CMkT8Bx7wrlczLUZ-AZApsyFUk&si=O1uifBz2crbyo7_u

Well, I like some jazz & that is one that I like.

 

[anli]

Jazz (mostly of 50-60) is one of the main (Classical is the next) my favorite genre. And complicated harmony isn't that factor attracting me (as we see in video). I'd say a rhythm (soloist dancing around main bit) is the most attractive, and notes intonation is the next.