[Tradjazz] Hokum - And the Audience

[Steve Barbone]

Speaking about Hokum, note the following quote from Branford Marsalis. From
a NY Times article about his musical likes/dislikes. They had just finishing
listening to some of his favorite records which included: Fats Waller and of
course, Louis Armstrong. He loved their antics as "audience connectors".

Said Branford after discussing their audience appeal:

³Jazz Musicians are always talking about, ŒWhy isn¹t jazz popular.¹ But jazz
musicians today are completely devoid of charisma. People never really liked
the music in the first place. So now you have musicians who are proficient
at playing instruments, and people sit there, and it¹s just boring to them ‹
because they¹re trying to see something, or feel it.²

Oh my, how true is that? Folks listen with their eyes as well as their ears.
The Rock & Rollers (fireworks, smoke, no shirts) or Madonna (hanging from a
cross, or in her rocket ship bra), understand that a lot better then we do.

Cheers,
Steve