The State of Jazz

Can't think of many recent pop hits that I would classify as Jazz.

Popularity of Jazz overall has seemed to be on the decline for a number of years now.

I suppose its all relative....

Interesting question!

I'd say times change, including the standards.

Jazz sought new directions and largely wandered away from those standards years ago. Meandered away might be a better term, towards a lot of jamming to demonstrate a groups ability to work together and play off each other.

"Standards" always originate with popular songs. Those still come about these days but in a different form than in past years that produced modern day standards. SOme of that, the ones that are most accessible to the most, will continue to be popular I suspect. Unfotunately, I can't think of any single artist since The Beatles perhaps that produce a large portion of the times standards.

I think the internet and information age changes the game forever, making it increasingly harder for any single act to dominate on a large scale, like say The Beatles last did years ago.

Standards (ie song standards) serve a purpose for jazz and other musicians I would think, but few originate in the world of Jazz anymore.

The purpose is to have a well known or "standard" point of reference for different artist's to tackle and do their unique thing with that people can recognize and compare with other interpretations.

A lot of jazz focuses on improvising around a main theme, like that which a well known "standard" tune provides. Improvisation is probably most inherent in Jazz compared to other genres. So standards play a particularly important role in the world of JAzz, but one that other genres share as well, but perhaps usually to a much lesser degree.

Don't even ask how many cover versions of Round Midnight I
have in my collection. I'm guessing a few dozen. And each
has something unique to offer and enjoy.

Vocal jazz and of covers in particular get a lot of airtime
in my system. I often queue up 2, 3 or more different
covers of a song on my music server just to be able to soak
something in from multiple perspectives in rapid sequence,
compare and contrast, etc. The variety of interpretation
extends the utility of the composition further each time,
making the whole greater than the sum of the parts.

Like it or not, Diana Krall is generally categorized as a jazz artist and is one of the most popular and best selling as well I believe, so its hard to argue that she has nothing to do with the state of jazz.

Jazz light is still Jazz. SO what happens there does have something to do with Jazz, even if it may not be every jazz fans cup of tea.

Ella Fitzgerald sang "A Tisket A Tasket" and has sold a lot of records. Pretty light! Does that make her not a jazz artist?

Diana Krall plays piano as well. Ella just sang.

BTW, I consider Ella Fitzgerald to be one of the all time greats and my personal favorite female jazz vocalist, along with Dinah Washington (also pretty light at times) and Billy Holiday (not as light overall perhaps). I'm just pointing these things out to help balance out the argument.

Wait a minute are we talking about

1) the state of teh art as in what is happening in the art, or

2) state of the art as in who/what is setting the highest standards for others to surpass artistically?

Diana Krall is clearly significant in context of 1) in my mind.

2) is far more debatable and I would probably not go there myself, though her records I have heard do seem to have good sound quality and she herself would seem to have the "it" factor needed to be a star these days compared to many.

"Contrary to opinion, Rok2id and I can agree."

Nice to help bring you two together! :^)