Modern Jazz

I’m sorry, but modern jazz leaves me absolutely cold. When I listen to it, I just hear noise, and when I see film or video of modern jazz musicians, my overriding impression is how smug they like to appear – all those not-so-quiet smiles as they toss off yet another (to my ears) totally tuneless riff.

 

I’m sure that this is my problem.

 

I’m sure, for example,  that I should roll over in ecstasy over Codebook from saxophonist Rudresh Mananthappa. After all, he’s using cryptography and number theory as his inspiration. And this gushing review in Wired clearly has Alexander Gelfand practically coming over the keyboard. Well, sorry, but give me Bach any day. Still, since someone out there probably thinks this sort of stuff is wonderful, here’s the link…