EDUCATION
Just posting a quick note to share a recent observation.
Your Head Geek and Host of Jazz on the Rocks® continues to witness that parents and grandparents who currently have college-age children, well, they don't appear to have done what previous generations of parents and grandparents seemed to always do just naturally . . . and that's "pass down" much of the knowledge of people and events from their respective generations to the new generations.
Case in point. On countless occasions, when Head Geek was asked what he does, or about the LIVE events we've produced, the otherwise very smart, very sharp college students become blank-faced dolts, unable to even define or identify what "jazz" is. Additionally, mention famous, no, iconic names from eras past, and they become even more clueless.
Try this experiment for yourself. In just a casual conversation, mention jazz and see what kind of a response you get. Then mention Sinatra, Duke, Ella, Dizzy, and see where that takes you. Forget about others. Maynard Ferguson would be borderline obscure, relegated to the junk heap losers of an evening with Trivial Pursuit.
All of that great music.
All of those significant, creative accomplishments.
All of those lyrical lessons about life. (Even thought of using Sammy Cahn's "High Hopes" as the title of this post, but reconsidered with the possibility it could have been misconstrued as drug-related.)
What a shame.
Consolation. Their responses to the music when I have the opportunity to play the greats themselves.
It ain't dead.
It is cool.
And provides us with yet another very cool reason for Jazz on the Rocks® to do what others have failed to do. Present a modern-day look, feel, enjoyment and passionate relevance for this great, wonderful, incredible music called American Jazz.
My personal thanks to the great musicians that currently comprise the Jazz on the Rocks® Trio (and our guests) for helping me do just that.
