I am currently in China doing a semester of teaching with Tom Smith - http://thsmith.com/ (not to be confused with the Scottish saxophonist Tommy Smith) the guy who started longstanding jazz education programs in Romania, Serbia and many Afican countries. Now he's here starting the first college jazz major program in the mainland. He has a different perspective seeing all of his work as this newer attempt of cultural bridge building. He likes to say things like why engage in flying bullets and political skullduggery when a culturally integrated combo using a couple of real books (with the right changes) can do a much better job? Personally I think he's right. I also respect the fact he does all this with much of his own bread. So he certainly walks the walk because he's by no means a rich man.
Tom told some students the other day that when he first started all this the students (especially in Eastern Europe) just wanted to sound American. Now as the years pass those same students, a decade or so removed, want a jazz music in their own language and their own way. Yeah, they'll always have their Charlie Parker heroes just like Americans. But now they additionally emulate their own guys and see as well as feel, a better part of the whole America perspective on their own terms. So the greater part of this now is less about cloning and more about growing the tree. In my estimation the lion's share of the cloning today comes from the young American musicians. These Chinese players for example want a Chinese jazz if that's possible.
A while back I used to think all this international altrustic pursuit of jazz was a load of hype. Now I get it. Often we see what we do as this one niche when reality dictates that jazz can be and is a whole lot more. Now you want to consider a perspective jazz audience? Imagine even 10% of a country with a billion and a half people getting turned on to jazz. The potential is mind boggling.
Россия тут видно отдыхает в стороне- в отличие от азиатских коллег...Статистика: Добавлено Инженер — Вт окт 18, 2011 17:01
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