I LOVE JAZZ MUSIC, BUT....

Jazz music, in my mind, is the ultimate music out there. Like I said—my mind—I am not trying to make that decision for anyone else. You do what you do and like what you like—it's all good.

In addition to enjoying the music immensely, I also have a great respect for the sensibilities of the musicians who put so much of their life into creating this music. Some musicians live this music 24/7 and show a dedication to it that musicians of other genres often do not when it comes to their craft.

BUT...one thing I don't care for is the way that some musicians are viewed by the “mainstream” cats. Also, the way they get overlooked by the major jazz press. What I am specifically talking about is jazz music that is mostly associated with “free jazz” or “avant garde” jazz.

We all know who the mainstream musicians are whom get all the attention...some obvious names include Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Sonny Rollins, etc., not to mention musicians who are no longer with us...you know the names..........

What got me to thinking about this? I was listening to a recording that features whom I consider to be one the the great bassists to play jazz music—Fred Hopkins (October 10, 1947 - January 7, 1999). Fred Hopkins mainly performed with bands associated with the avant garde movement, most prominent in the Henry Threadgill-led group “Air”, for which he performed on 11 recordings between 1975 and 1986. Other musicians that he became associated with include David Murray, Oliver Lake and Muhal Richard Abrams. Hopkins' sound is most characterized by a “thick” and “woodsy” sound (if that makes any sense). Typical of a bassist, he kept time as well as provided a sound foundation for the soloists and other lead musicians to follow, but unlike many bass players, had a very prominent voice such that his playing often moved to the forefront—while never getting in the way.

Don't get me wrong....I LOVE the music of those aforementioned “mainstreamers”, but I believe that the music of Hopkins and some of the others need to be given greater attention and respect. Maybe it's self-preservation, but the more mainstream musicians tend to not give credit to the likes of Hopkins, Threadgill, Murray, Arthur Blythe, etc. Possibly the finest flute player on the scene today is someone I'm sure most jazz fans have never heard of—Nicole Mitchell...why is she so relatively unknown? Again, she is not part of the mainstream; she is “out” as some would call it, but her music is no less valid than those who play “in”.

Adding to this attitude is jazz radio. Just turn on your typical jazz station in AnyCity, USA, and you're not likely to hear this “out” music. Or, if it's heard, it's most likely going to be at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, when few are listening. Ironically, the stations I have heard that are most likely to play this music are the NON-JAZZ stations, typically university stations that set aside a block of time dedicated to jazz, such as WREK here in Atlanta, GA, the station of Georgia Tech University. It's kind of strange to see that a station like this is more diverse than stations that call themselves “jazz” stations (such as WCLK, Clark Atlanta University, which almost NEVER plays “out” music).

So, next time you're in the mood for some jazz music, if you can, skip the mainstream. Seek out some of these names: Henry Threadgill, David Murray, Roscoe Mitchell, Nicole Mitchell, Arthur Blythe, Amina Claudine Myers, Cecil Taylor and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. I promise you, if you give it a chance—approach the music with an open mind, you WILL be rewarded. 

(A little Fred Hopkins anecdote—back in the late 80's I had the good fortune to see the David Murray Octet at a club in NYC's Greenwich Village, and Fred Hopkins was on bass...in between sets I got up to go to the restroom and happened to pass by Mr. Hopkins...I said “what's up man” and he told me “man you were making me nervous!” I asked why and he said “the way you were paying attention to my playing, I was afraid to mess up!”...we laughed about it, but I walked away, feeling that in some small way, I was part of the music of these great musicians...a moment I'll never forget!)