Bake’s Blog: In The Pocket

What is Jazz?

Jazz means many different things to many different people. For some, the idea of what of jazz music is can be a vague, often mysterious and sometimes intimidating proposition. There is no one “definition” for what jazz is.  In fact, that definition could and would vary significantly depending on what musician, jazz enthusiast or other interested party you were to ask. However, we would like to share with you what our understanding of this great musical genre is and how that understanding is reflected in the kind of artists that we book here at Bake’s Place.

In our view, jazz is a common language, which is shared among jazz musicians throughout the world. It is based on specific harmonic and rhythmic theories that are standard to the art form and practiced universally. In kind, you can assemble a group of jazz musicians that have never met each other or played together before and utilizing this common language, they are collectively able perform a wonderful evening of outstanding music. The listener does not have to understand the language on a technical level in order to enjoy and appreciate the music. The magic is in witnessing what jazz musicians are able to create together, using the common denominator of jazz. In order to accomplish this, jazz musicians must be able to play with a high level of proficiency and authority. It could be said that jazz tunes are like snowflakes, and that no jazz song is ever performed the same way twice. Top-tier jazz musicians have such a depth of understanding of the music, that they can take a familiar song and present it in a way that is fresh and new, yet still recognizable. Thusly, there is an immediacy to jazz that combines with the artistry and skill of the musicians to create a listening experience that is unique, engaging and truly amazing. In this way, jazz differentiates itself from other genres of music.

Although we present all kinds of music here at Bake’s, our primary focus is on vocal jazz. Vocal jazz was the popular music of the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s and comprises what we know of today as “The Great American Songbook.”  Vocal jazz typically has a readily recognizable melody line as well as lyrics that speak directly to the heart and soul of the listener. Like instrumental jazz musicians, vocal jazz musicians push beyond the envelope of the established form to create something that again is new yet familiar. In a sense, they redefine what we know of as “the standards.” Jazz vocalists share the universal language of jazz with their instrumental colleagues and can also create knockout performances with musicians they’ve not previously played with. We believe that vocal jazz is accessible and enjoyable for all audiences and that it is especially intriguing for people that are unfamiliar with jazz and might be attending a jazz performance for the very first time.

We strongly believe that music is meditation; it gives us the opportunity to take a break from the chatter of our busy lives, slow down and replenish and restore. Defining jazz is not nearly as important as experiencing the joy of the music and allowing it to lift your spirit and speak to your heart. Simply put, jazz is to be enjoyed. We hope you will join us soon and see and hear for yourself.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 9th, 2009 at 10:33 am and is filed under Craig, In The Pocket, Vocal Jazz, Bake's Place, Jazz. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.