What I Learned Listening to Jazz

I could rattle off some jazz names, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Ahmad Jamal, Christian McBride. I could rattle off some titles, and maybe even a record label. I could tell you that one of my favorite things is to listen to jazz on my computer when WRTI plays it at 6pm every night.

I could tell you my daughters like Billie Holiday singing ign Dem Der Eyes, and I like Cherokee and Take the A Train. 

But don't ask me about composition or to even tell the difference between a saxophone and a clarinet 100% of the time. Don's ask me who influenced who or who is playing what by just hearing them play. I really like jazz, but I really don't know much.

And I think I will keep it that way. If I just like listening then there is no pressure to remember anything, I can float away on the music without wracking my poor brain to pass a self -imposed quiz about the music. Jazz can be a hobby that is fun not serious and I can feel whatever I want to feel, because I don't know what I'm supposed to feel.

I have developed no critical capacity and have no grading scale for jazz. In this case ignorance is pretty close to bliss. The music speaks to me. Depending on the piece it makes me sad, happy, thrilled, amazed, nostalgic. It can make me want to dance or sing or cry. I have a good time with it and I think that's where I'm going to keep it. So play on and I'm smile and listen and not worry about my expertise.