Why i jazz..

Why i jazz is a mash up title of the article ‘Why I Blog’ written by Andrew Sullivan and a song called ‘talking all that jazz’, by Stetsasonic.

PARDON MY FRENCH

First of all something about the ‘i’. I don’t mean ‘myself’, but the word i. It seems to me that the use of the capital I is a bit of an ego thing, so i let it go a long time ago. Just so you know, i’m happy with a little i. Get used to it. And second, if you think my English is bad, wait until you hear my French!

Now, Andrew Sullivan wrote an article about blogging, bloggers and the blogosphere. The point is that there’s a huge distinction between ‘traditional writing’ as an art or profession, and blogging, also as an art or profession. Blogging, he says, is like writing out loud, discussing a topic while it’s still hot. In musical terms, it’s the distinction between classical music, and in some ways classical pop music, on the one hand, and jazz, or funk, on the other.

FINISHED BEFORE IT STARTED

While classical (pop) music, classical writing is composed and finished before it’s presented, jazz works more directly, sometimes it’s invented (improvised) in direct interaction with the audience. It might not be perfect, but it’s alive. It’s raw, unpolished, and might contain some unexpected naughty hooks. Some people might not like that. They prefer stability, security, insurance, formats, safety. Well, there’s ample places to find just that. But not in the world of jazz, not in the blogosphere.

“The traditional method involves a journalist searching for key sources, nurturing them, and sequestering them from his rivals,” Sullivan says. “A blogger splashes gamely into a subject and dares the sources to come to him.” End quote.

Why do i make this comparison? Well, actually the distinction between composed, formal music and jazz is made in the original article. But i would like to demonstrate this with an example. Don’t be offended.

PLAY IT AGAIN SABAM

What’s the most popular band in Belgium, as far as sales records are concerned? Right, it’s Clouseau. The writers of their music are very professional, they make no mistakes, they know when the song needs a bridge, or a solo, or whatever, because they’ve learned it. It's very scientific to them. So if they release anything new, it’s ready-to-eat. Goes straight to the top.

Well, sorry if you’re a fan, but to be quite frank, it’s also born dead. Boring as hell. Why? Anything that might be original, interesting or renovating, is left out completely. It has to fit. It is never bad-ass or dangerous. Nicely between the lines set forth by the "industry". And all the Money Sabam (or is it Saddam?) generates gets nicely divided between Koen and Kris Wauters. Good luck to'em.

FREE YOUR MIND…

But i don’t want music to fit all the time. I don’t want it to be perfect, i like mistakes. They make you grow, they often make you better. Like the Italians say: “Si non è vero, è ben trovato!” Later we can change our minds, nothing wrong with that, but let’s try something interesting first. Jazz it up a little, make it funky. Free your mind and your ass will follow.

That’s what jazz is, that’s what funk means to me. These words have the same origin. They meant ‘something bad’. Not Michael Jackson Bad, but dirty as Dirty Diana.

ONLINE DISC JOCKEY

Back to the article Sullivan wrote. “Jazz hasn’t replaced composed, formal music; and no jazz musician would ever claim that it could. It merely demands a different way of playing and listening, just as blogging requires a different mode of writing and reading.”
A blogger, he states, sometimes feels less like a writer than an online disc jockey, mixing samples of tunes and generating new melodies through mashups while also making his own music. Both artist and producer – and the beat goes on…

This sure sounds like music to me. This is where i’d like to step in. As Mauro from Evil Superstars once said: “Refuse to moderate, join the curse club, surgically lower your eyebrows.” The name of that song: Stay Angry. Another word for Staying focussed. Staying Alive. I feel a Bee Gees song coming up.

Being a former DJ myself, i like that funky attitude, you never know what to expect. That’s what makes it interesting. So blogging could be an interesting alternative. See what happens, see how people react. If they don’t dance, change my tune a bit. Constantly keep on moving, improving. Mash it up, mix it up, wrap it up a little bit. And for all those that do not like it, there’s plenty of other parties around.

Zeg dat Zigi het gezegd heeft!