By Matt Lavelle
Everyone that plays,listens,and is a part of Jazz,.has their own version of what the music is,what is important to them in the music,and especially,.the music they like and don't like.That's true across the board in all music,and life,.but in Jazz I feel we are ever more particular.I don't think there are even 2 people that would both agree across the board on what Jazz is,and gravitate towards the exact same sources.There's just too many variables,.and too many unexpected inspiration sources.Being honest with yourself and others is paramount to developing your own place,and or position in the Jazz world.It's like when I asked Giuseppi Logan if he liked Chet Baker,.expecting him to slay Chet,.when he suddenly responded,."Ï LOVED Chet Baker man,.I LOVE him,.."
(huh?)I'm one of those people who is always looking for something in music that I can like,.something I can AGREE with in a way.When I can't find ANYTHING at all,.I feel let down,even cheated on some level,.as I hope to find something I'm feeling in music from everybody,.which of course is never going to happen.Real honesty is called for when I apply what I'm talking about to my own music from an outsider's listening perspective...In other words,.There can be no doubt that there are people and musicians both who simply aren't hearing me,.or feeling my music.
Maybe,.some people feel let down when they make the effort to listen to me,.because I'm not giving them what THEY need.Such is life,.and at 40 years old in 2010,.I have to accept that a lot of people that Love music,.love what has been cast as Jazz,.simply may not feel what I'm saying.Some very popular and successful Jazz musicians today are playing music that I just cant relate to.I've tried.That's not a judgment on them,.it's just the way it is.
Indeed,.I'm not nearly as successful as these folks and cant help but wonder,."Are the important people in the so called jazz world just not hearing me? Is my music something that will never reach a wider audience simply because I don't have anything new to say? Big questions,.with the only answer that a musician has to REALLY believe in himself these days.The flip side,.the dark side,.is that with enough money in 2010 I think you can almost BUY the people,.and just convince them your the thing to listen to with the dark and creepy power of the MEDIA.Monk said,."Play the way you want to play,.even if it takes the public 20 years to catch on."That was THEN though.What if you have to wait until your at the end of your career,.like a Joe Maneri? What if the people NEVER hear you? Just keep playing? I've been playing 20 years with most people I play with having played 35 plus years.Just keep going,.no matter what? 20 years might not seem like a long time,.but by now I think what's coming out of me is at least some what close to my natural thing.
I cant change myself at the core in hope of reaching a wider audience or trying for more business success.At this point I have to accept,.from listeners and musicians alike:Either your feeling me or your not.It's also possible that folks haven't heard what I have to say as they haven't been around when I said what they may or may not have heard.Many times we judge each other based on what limited amount of music we have heard from each other,.when in fact many of us are a lot deeper than what you may hear on one album or in one particular context.
Sometimes people make assessments like that that and never give the musician another chance.The way I play today is VERY different than the way I played just 2 or 3 years ago.Some folks might not like the way I play now.Some folks might not like the way I played then.I think we also type-cast and categorize each other to a degree.I do this to everybody I listen to,.living or dead.My ever present example,.John Coltrane.Trane lost a big part of his audience the more out he went.I have friends who saw him live with FIVE people in the audience..FIVE PEOPLE? TO SEE TRANE? People walked out in the middle of his shows at times,.by eye-witness accounts.Now THAT has to be musical courage.To Have a big audience,.and then follow your heart no matter what,.even risking losing them.(whew!)
My other ever present example,.Paul Gonsalves.Type-cast as the Newport blues swing king,.Paul was called on by Duke himself to play long blues solos again and again.But Duke also knew that he had one of the tenors premier ballad players,.and would set Paul up to play ballads that would leave many folks floored.Many musicians will also agree,.HEAR SOMEBODY LIVE TO REALLY HEAR THEIR SOUND.Seek me out to see my videotape of Paul and Duke at the university of Wisconsin about a year before they left earth.Their duo on Happy Reunion is T I M E L E S S.
Oh well,..I'm resigned to the fact that I simply have to pursue my own path no matter what.I'm accepting in my own music that I don't really fit in any camp.No matter what I play I leave something out that makes me an official part of any style.I'm a free Jazz cat that loves melody,.but my lyricism and ideas don't cut it for some folks.I like them though.I like when improv sounds like songs.I like when over the top free jazz bombastic testifying has a melodic sense to it.I like when folks sing and speak through the horn.I treasure honest emotion,.no matter what it is,.or how extreme.I'll just keep trying to grow.Every day,.in all ways.I just hope that the growing pains in Jazz don't last until the very last note I ever play...
MATTLAVELLE.ORG
Everyone that plays,listens,and is a part of Jazz,.has their own version of what the music is,what is important to them in the music,and especially,.the music they like and don't like.That's true across the board in all music,and life,.but in Jazz I feel we are ever more particular.I don't think there are even 2 people that would both agree across the board on what Jazz is,and gravitate towards the exact same sources.There's just too many variables,.and too many unexpected inspiration sources.Being honest with yourself and others is paramount to developing your own place,and or position in the Jazz world.It's like when I asked Giuseppi Logan if he liked Chet Baker,.expecting him to slay Chet,.when he suddenly responded,."Ï LOVED Chet Baker man,.I LOVE him,.."
(huh?)I'm one of those people who is always looking for something in music that I can like,.something I can AGREE with in a way.When I can't find ANYTHING at all,.I feel let down,even cheated on some level,.as I hope to find something I'm feeling in music from everybody,.which of course is never going to happen.Real honesty is called for when I apply what I'm talking about to my own music from an outsider's listening perspective...In other words,.There can be no doubt that there are people and musicians both who simply aren't hearing me,.or feeling my music.
Maybe,.some people feel let down when they make the effort to listen to me,.because I'm not giving them what THEY need.Such is life,.and at 40 years old in 2010,.I have to accept that a lot of people that Love music,.love what has been cast as Jazz,.simply may not feel what I'm saying.Some very popular and successful Jazz musicians today are playing music that I just cant relate to.I've tried.That's not a judgment on them,.it's just the way it is.
Indeed,.I'm not nearly as successful as these folks and cant help but wonder,."Are the important people in the so called jazz world just not hearing me? Is my music something that will never reach a wider audience simply because I don't have anything new to say? Big questions,.with the only answer that a musician has to REALLY believe in himself these days.The flip side,.the dark side,.is that with enough money in 2010 I think you can almost BUY the people,.and just convince them your the thing to listen to with the dark and creepy power of the MEDIA.Monk said,."Play the way you want to play,.even if it takes the public 20 years to catch on."That was THEN though.What if you have to wait until your at the end of your career,.like a Joe Maneri? What if the people NEVER hear you? Just keep playing? I've been playing 20 years with most people I play with having played 35 plus years.Just keep going,.no matter what? 20 years might not seem like a long time,.but by now I think what's coming out of me is at least some what close to my natural thing.
I cant change myself at the core in hope of reaching a wider audience or trying for more business success.At this point I have to accept,.from listeners and musicians alike:Either your feeling me or your not.It's also possible that folks haven't heard what I have to say as they haven't been around when I said what they may or may not have heard.Many times we judge each other based on what limited amount of music we have heard from each other,.when in fact many of us are a lot deeper than what you may hear on one album or in one particular context.
Sometimes people make assessments like that that and never give the musician another chance.The way I play today is VERY different than the way I played just 2 or 3 years ago.Some folks might not like the way I play now.Some folks might not like the way I played then.I think we also type-cast and categorize each other to a degree.I do this to everybody I listen to,.living or dead.My ever present example,.John Coltrane.Trane lost a big part of his audience the more out he went.I have friends who saw him live with FIVE people in the audience..FIVE PEOPLE? TO SEE TRANE? People walked out in the middle of his shows at times,.by eye-witness accounts.Now THAT has to be musical courage.To Have a big audience,.and then follow your heart no matter what,.even risking losing them.(whew!)
My other ever present example,.Paul Gonsalves.Type-cast as the Newport blues swing king,.Paul was called on by Duke himself to play long blues solos again and again.But Duke also knew that he had one of the tenors premier ballad players,.and would set Paul up to play ballads that would leave many folks floored.Many musicians will also agree,.HEAR SOMEBODY LIVE TO REALLY HEAR THEIR SOUND.Seek me out to see my videotape of Paul and Duke at the university of Wisconsin about a year before they left earth.Their duo on Happy Reunion is T I M E L E S S.
Oh well,..I'm resigned to the fact that I simply have to pursue my own path no matter what.I'm accepting in my own music that I don't really fit in any camp.No matter what I play I leave something out that makes me an official part of any style.I'm a free Jazz cat that loves melody,.but my lyricism and ideas don't cut it for some folks.I like them though.I like when improv sounds like songs.I like when over the top free jazz bombastic testifying has a melodic sense to it.I like when folks sing and speak through the horn.I treasure honest emotion,.no matter what it is,.or how extreme.I'll just keep trying to grow.Every day,.in all ways.I just hope that the growing pains in Jazz don't last until the very last note I ever play...
MATTLAVELLE.ORG
