Jazz junkies released

[cecilyrhys]

Haha, Wikipedia. Also? That's not the origins of jazz. That's a small part of the evolution that came afterwards. While jazz is not all for dancers all the time, dancers are still the reason why it exists in the first place. The things you are quoting are all talking about a move away from dancers, which means that's where it started. And honestly, whether those actually succeeded in making a non-danceable form of music is contestable. I'd have zero issues dancing to Bird or Dizzy with a lead who knows what they're doing.

[cecilyrhys]

Actually, I just pulled up some Bird because I haven't listened to him in a while, and yeah I wouldn't even need a particularly experience lead for a fair amount, and when you get to the really fast stuff just pull out some balboa.

[kamiblue]

The point is I'm not talking about the origins of Jazz---although, Wikipedia does have very little to say to back up yourstory(your history) it does say this:

In the early 19th century an increasing number of black musicians learned to play European instruments, particularly the violin, which they used to parody European dance music in their own cakewalk dances

Dancers are not the reason Jazz exists.

And honestly, whether those actually succeeded in making a non-danceable form of music is contestable.

The point here I think is they wanted you to listen instead of swing dance.

And Daniel:

side note, my college minor was in american music history with a pretty strong emphasis on jazz. which by the way has been COMPLETELY useless. its fucking jazz, it has no place in academia.

I have no idea why any Art form, especially the one that is considered uniquely American, wouldn't have a place in academia.

[cecilyrhys]

Oh, yes, because Wikipedia doesn't talk about it it can't possibly be true. There were a lot of different influences leading up to what became jazz, but when it coalesced it did so in conjunction with dancers, and was directly influenced by it. You also cannot discount the origins of something - even if it was moving away from something, it still requires the existence of something to move away from. And I am going to completely stop here, because it is clear to me that you're one of the people me, Dan, and Daniel were talking about, and I want nothing to do with those people. The fact that you are locking out a jazz-lover because they experience jazz through movement is totally ridiculous to me. Honestly, talking about listening and dancing as if they are mutually exclusive is the most ridiculous thing of all, because in order to dance to something well, you have to listen to it very, very carefully.

Also, speaking entirely as a swing dancer, I am so completely down with parodying European dance music. That sounds like so much fun.

[ImJustRickG]

Um, wait. She's citing hard bop and she makes a Lady Day poster?

[cecilyrhys]

Um, wait. She's citing hard bop and she makes a Lady Day poster?

I KNOW. I was going to bring that up, but I forgot because I was mad at the existence of jazz elitism.

[kamiblue]

even if it was moving away from something, it still requires the existence of something to move away from.

It was attempting to move away from the bastardization of Jazz...which found expression in your beloved swing dance.

Christ, do I even need to reply to rickG?

Um, wait. She's citing hard bop and she makes a Lady Day poster?

I don't think Billie Holiday would appreciate you dancing to "Strange Fruit". I know, I know, she wouldn't appreciate my prints either...BEAT you to it. Oh, and I was citing Bebop not Hard bop.

[cecilyrhys]

It was attempting to move away from the bastardization of Jazz...which found expression in your beloved swing dance.

How the fuck is finding joy in something and expressing it through movement a bastardization?

[ImJustRickG]

[cecilyrhys]

I don't think Billie Holiday would appreciate you dancing to "Strange Fruit". I know, I know, she wouldn't appreciate my prints either...BEAT you to it.

So because she has one song that would be inappropriate for dancing (and no one would try to dance to that, I assure you), she totally despises dancers and she would never want anyone to dance to her songs ever? How on earth did you make that leap?

Honestly, I'm still hung up on this being offended by people dancing to music thing. Oh no! Someone likes your music and is so moved to show their appreciation they have to enthusiastically dance to it! Only what they didn't know is they just ruined your life! Because they liked your music so much they physically responded to it! The horror!