Know now why jazz began in obscurity
and why the players went on long hours
and played in places where sometimes
the audience wasn’t even paying attention.
Poets and artists can certainly relate. It often appears no one is paying attention…
And still we paint and write and play – for we must. We owe it to ourselves and to those who understand.
And your blues sing with joy…
Sometimes it takes a while for an audience to develop for something. In my own art, I enjoy a mixture of anonymity and support in a balance that is good. But there are those who labor away and feel like no one knows they’re there.
This commentary is more directed toward those folks, and just saying that the labor matters. Jazz is such a great, great form but when we listen to — especially older performances — sometimes you can hear people in the background (at a bar, say) just chatting away. Poor musicians playing above or in the midst of this noise.
The greatest among them made great music in the crucible. So that should encourage.
As for me, though I am singing the color blue which is joy indeed. Thanks for the comment, Patrice.
This is wonderful and Paul would have loved your words particularly 🙂
Aletha Kuschan's Weblog 
Poets and artists can certainly relate. It often appears no one is paying attention…
And still we paint and write and play – for we must. We owe it to ourselves and to those who understand.
And your blues sing with joy…
Sometimes it takes a while for an audience to develop for something. In my own art, I enjoy a mixture of anonymity and support in a balance that is good. But there are those who labor away and feel like no one knows they’re there.
This commentary is more directed toward those folks, and just saying that the labor matters. Jazz is such a great, great form but when we listen to — especially older performances — sometimes you can hear people in the background (at a bar, say) just chatting away. Poor musicians playing above or in the midst of this noise.
The greatest among them made great music in the crucible. So that should encourage.
As for me, though I am singing the color blue which is joy indeed. Thanks for the comment, Patrice.
This is wonderful and Paul would have loved your words particularly 🙂