What is Music Part: 2

So, in the last blog, I was talking about the concept of free jazz, and speculating on whether or not I would find a new love for it by the time the past week was out, and I would say that...it has changed somewhat.

However, what has changed is what free form jazz is to me, or what one would consider to be free form jazz. You see, originally, I thought this was free form jazz:

Which, in my opinion, is still just a collaboration of sound merely thrown together for the sake of producing something that sounds completely irrelevant and devoid of any artistic prowess (now ask my opinion on so called 'modern' art).

On the other hand, I was introduced to several artists that are considered free form jazz, but I happened to find their styles more adhere and sensible.

Ornette Coleman's, 'Lonely Woman' introduced me to a form of free jazz that I had not yet encountered. I think it quite nicely encompasses the realm of emotions and feelings that Coleman is trying to portray through his music, but with a good solid foundation that the drums are providing for it. Which brings me to my conclusion about most free form jazz pieces; I am alright with them, as long as there's a beat.

The beat is something that is so basic to music, that to me it is like going through an entire week without drinking water. You just can't do it. You need hydration, just as much as music needs a beat. Now, it doesn't have to be one that is constant, or even there all of the time, but at least kick of with that. You can't jump off to something new unless you have something to jump off OF.

Even in Sun Ra's 'Space Is the Place' it at least starts off somewhat normal in the night club, then it goes all crazy and leads us into a rather strange world full of new sounds and the like, but again, it still has a starting point of familiarity. We must be reminded what is old before we can appreciate what is new. You don't just dive in to the deep end of the pool before you learn how to swim.

Yet, on the other hand, I am very happy that my knowledge and acceptance of other forms of music has been widened. But I have also found my limit to it, at the same time. Maybe in the years to come I will widen it further, but at the moment, I cam quite content as to where it is.