Why jazz musicians are cool

casper leblanc

Jazz musicians are cool for several reasons, of course. I've had the pleasure of interviewing a few Belgian ones - and a French one, and what strikes me, is that even though they don't get the media attention rock and pop musicians get, the people they meet, the jams they do and the places they've been are way, and I mean WAY cooler than in pop or rock.

But it's also because of their unique and cool view on things - though they don't seem to realize that themselves. Yesterday I interviewed a jazz pianist. Overhere he's somewhat known as a cult musician and he's absolutely amazing on Fender Rhodes. Yet he's incredibly modest.

So anyway, I do my interview and afterwards we chat a bit. He asks me if I play music and I say I mess around on the guitar, just for my own pleasure, nothing ambitious at all. And I tell him how I went to jam with my friend the drummer and how I felt like I didn't 'know' my instrument well enough to get away with it.

So he - and he's known for his improvisation skills - goes:
'I'll let you in on a secret: that feeling of not knowing you instrument well enough? It never goes away. But in the end, that's not what it's about. It's not about what you can't do. It's about what you can do, and what you do with that, how you use that.'

So I just thought I'd share that with my fellow, struggling musicians here. It actually reminded me of Ed. The man doesn't have a lot of skills - he's no Mike or Stone - but he uses what he has in the most creative and beautiful way to write gorgeous songs.

So yeah, that was my moral post of the day. Carry on.

Spook Fish

So he - and he's known for his improvisation skills - goes:
'I'll let you in on a secret: that feeling of not knowing you instrument well enough? It never goes away. But in the end, that's not what it's about. It's not about what you can't do. It's about what you can do, and what you do with that, how you use that.'

So I just thought I'd share that with my fellow, struggling musicians here. It actually reminded me of Ed. The man doesn't have a lot of skills - he's no Mike or Stone - but he uses what he has in the most creative and beautiful way to write gorgeous songs.

So yeah, that was my moral post of the day. Carry on.[/quote]


*Dam right. I'm no SRV impressionist by a long shot, but i like to think i have a little style.
it is about what you can do with what you've got, and using that to propel your own sonic identity.

nick1977

Yes, jazz musicians are the coolest. He is right on the money. I had a feeling for years about not being good enough to play in public because I constantly compared myself to others. It was only when I quit comparing myself to others and just played what I knew that I had much fun playing and did not get frustrated.

Pearl Jam and toast

i'm having a great night and that just boosted it.

thank you