Ep17. Critique of criticisms of jazz
Contents
Discussion[edit]
Critique of criticisms of jazz[edit]
What is a critique?[edit]
Criticisms made of jazz[edit]
“Just nine days later (July, 2014), the Washington Post ran a caustic article that began with three memorable sentences: “Jazz is boring. Jazz is overrated. Jazz is washed up.” This article might also have been satire, or perhaps it represented the author’s actual opinion—in either case, it was a clumsy affair.”[1] (bold not in original)
Assessments of criticisms made of jazz[edit]
Why jazz is boring[edit]
Why jazz is not boring[edit]
Conclusions regarding the boringness of jazz[edit]
Why jazz is overrated[edit]
Oxford Dictionaries provide an excellent definiens for the verb "overrate" as follows:
“o·ver·rate: VERB. overrated (past tense) · overrated (past participle). have a higher opinion of (someone or something) than is deserved. Synonyms include: assess too highly · overestimate · overvalue · rate/prize too highly · think too much of · exaggerate the worth of · attach too much importance to · praise too highly · exaggerate the merits of · over-praise · oversell · glorify · magnify · blow up · over-prize.”</ref>
Anyone who claims that jazz is over rated has all of these synonyms in mind so it is a strong claim to make and have to defend.
Notice first that the critic here already concedes that jazz is "well rated" for were it not already to be by this very critic then it would be impossible to be over-rated. Were we to ask the critic if she or he or they knows how jazz came to get these high regard that they must presume to voice their original criticism would this critic have much to say on this score? Does the critic know and appreciate the struggle that people of color have gone through in committing their lives to keeping the music alive? Does the critic know about having to overcome segregated music unions, only allowed to enter from the rear 'servant' doors of hotels, having to deal with police as Miles Davis did when he got sapped by a N.Y. cop while escorting a women to a taxi and then smoking a cigarette outside. His name was on the marquee sign at the sidewalk. Didn't make any difference to these two thug cops.
The critic is going to be yelling by now, that's not jazz, that's about racism so it doesn't count towards giving jazz a high value. Will this reasoning really standup under questioning? Can we separate the jazz from the lives of the jazz musicians when we go to value the music?
Why jazz is not overrated[edit]
Conclusions regarding the overratedness of jazz[edit]
Why jazz is washed up[edit]
Why jazz is not washed up[edit]
Conclusions regarding the washedupedness of jazz[edit]
NOTES[edit]
- ↑ "What's With This Surge in Jazz Bashing?," Ted Gioia, The Daily Beast," fourth paragraph, November 2, 2014.