Great music will live on forever

With regard to the letter, “Demise of Jazz?”: Yes, Only a few off-key notes left, 1/3 I’m reminded of the famous quote by Mark Twain “The reports of my death (demise) have been greatly exaggerated.” Please allow me to offer a sincere and heartfelt reply to a baseless and erroneous assumption of an impending jazz funeral.

When all the aging jazz greats kick their respective buckets, jazz will not go into sweet oblivion, as the letter writer states. According to him, jazz is a discordant (inharmonious state), cacophony (harsh sound), hateful (exciting animosity) to the ear. He further states that “Its practitioners have been a motley sort (heterogeneous, often discordant collection): drunkards, addicts, philanderers (to make love to a woman without having serious intentions) and shameless debauchers (excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures) of young women.” New Webster’s Dictionary of the English Language defines jazz as a kind of music, improvised or arranged and marked by it’s rhythmic emphasis, syncopation and harmonic and melodic variations. It originated among New Orleans’ black musicians. The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy 2nd Edition Revised and Updated further states that “Jazz is generally considered a major contribution of the U.S. to the world of music.”

In closing, the writer states that “Yes, jazz music is indeed dying out. I just hope no one tries to pull a resuscitation.” In my opinion, nothing can be further from the truth. Yes, the reality is that the legendary jazz giants (Armstrong, Coltrane, Miles, Mingus, Monk, Parker and Ella) are dead and gone but the art of jazz is alive and well! Jazz is an art form which is immortal and the contributions of the pantheon of great jazz musicians will live forever in the hearts of souls of people worldwide. We who love, appreciate and understand truly great music both honor and salute the great jazz musicians (past and present) and their music will live on forever.

Faheem Siddiq

Everett