The Mod Generation

The Society of Cool!

Mods, Blues and Jazz!

Clearly many of the early bands liked by Mods were lovers of the Blues. Playing covers of Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, The three KIngs and J L Hooker. Certainly The Stones, Kinks, Who and Animals did. Im sure others such as Georgie Fame were more into the Jazz scene. So how do members feel about Jazz and Blues today?

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Permalink Reply by Kai Ahland on May 7, 2012 at 9:02

It´s a pity that Jazz has been so "intellectualized", mainly by whites, recently. It used to be more fun in the past certainly; just getting on the floor to Lee Morgan or Blue Mitchell and dance your arse off. Certainly the label aesthetics of Blue Note, Impulse! etc helped forming the image of Mod as we know it. I used to listen to contemporary Jazz, too, but stopped for above mentioned reasons. Jazz of today seems firmly in the hands of (white) pseudo-intellectual Scandinavians or people having spent years at university to study playing "groovy" to a seated audience. So something´s gone wrong here with Jazz´ initial intentions, hahaha! For me Jazz of the 50s/60s, even 70s definitely; but not what´s become of it in the 21st Century.

As for Blues I have to admit I prefer the versions of Downliner Sect, Pretty Things or Stones to the originals. Shame on me, I know! But that´s the sound I intend to create with my own band, basically. 

Permalink Reply by The Snow Runner on May 7, 2012 at 12:45

Well said Kai it has all become a bit over done. "intellecualized" sums it up very well. Ther are some great tunes from the 50s and 60s and i think the Blues is the basis for most popular music!

Its all about personal taste and having fun with it.

Permalink Reply by The Snow Runner on May 7, 2012 at 14:11

This is really very good, thanks for putting it up Toni.

Permalink Reply by Kai Ahland on May 7, 2012 at 14:43

Yes, it´s not bad Toni! But you get my drift, look at any kind of jazz charts they´re full to the brim with white, mostly european artists. That´s like the Japanese completely taking over Italian Opera (Come to think of it- they certainly already have, hahaha!) And a lot of them seem to lack any sense of humour. speaking of which, I´d HIGHLY recommend Dizzy Gillespies album JAMBO CARRIBE to everyone who takes his jazz not too seriously. Pure fun!!!

Another thing I do love with all my heart are Donald Byrd´s 70´s fusion records which at the time were condemned by the jazz critics as "disco", but which, in truth, are as Funky as it can get! And once I´m on that subject: shame on my fellow germans who let Fred Wesley play to an audience of about 40-50 people last week! (Great evening nevertheless, thanks to Fred and his boys!)

Permalink Reply by Carlos Perez (Mod Male) on May 7, 2012 at 15:52

Yeah, Kai, but remember, not everyone was happy with Dizzy's humour. Saw this quote last week on another blog:

“I love Dizzy, but I hated that clowning s*** he did for them white folks … I decided … when people came to hear me they were going to be coming to hear my music, only.”

- Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece (Ashley Kahn)

For me, doesn't matter who's playing the jazz, so long as it's good!

Permalink Reply by Kai Ahland on May 7, 2012 at 18:28

Yes, Carlos, I don´t believe Dizzy did his clowning to please the whites but because it was in his blood. Miles liked to pose as the oppressed black, while it´s a well known fact that he was the spoilt son of a well off dentist. 

Permalink Reply by Carlos Perez (Mod Male) on May 7, 2012 at 18:31

Kai, have you seen the Ken Burns "Jazz" documentary series? I missed it the first time around, and very lately, my dad has been highly recommending it to me. Supposed to be a good, pretty thorough, examination of the history.

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/

 

Permalink Reply by Kai Ahland on May 7, 2012 at 18:51

Yes, saw it. Quite a while ago, though. There is an excellent film from the late 90s about the Blue Note label, too. It´s by a german director, his surname was Benedikt or something... (no, not the pope of course...:-) )

Permalink Reply by Carlos Perez (Mod Male) on May 7, 2012 at 14:27

There's been a lot of good jazz out lately! Timo Lassy, the Five Corners Quintet, the Filthy Six, and the Hi-Fly Orchestra have done a great job in using those '50s/'60s influences and bringing them forward.

Also, although in a different 'genre', is anyone else into Koop?

Permalink Reply by PETER HEED on May 24, 2012 at 18:51

Nice message, like what you like not what someone tells you to like. I love early George Benson when he only played guitar not singing, check out his CTI recordings

Permalink Reply by Kai Ahland on May 24, 2012 at 20:25

CTI, great label!

Permalink Reply by Cluekid on December 18, 2012 at 17:27

This isn't true at all!

Jazz is listening music,It can be danced to but it is in a separate box.A lot of the old big bands would play to seated audiences.

To say white people have intellectualized it is a silly comment.Jazz has always been a technically demanding music and requires great understanding.Jazz was intellectual back in the 50's and 60's,Miles Davis,John Coltrane,Charlie Parker,Max Roach to name a few,all black artists and you can't say there music isn't intellectual.

I know nowadays  there a lot more white people playing but this shouldn't be a problem,music is the one language where race and colour are invisible.

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