Mondo Jazz

CHE COS'E' IL JAZZ. RISPONDONO 37 MUSICISTI

Nate Wooley, trombettista fresco reduce dal Festival di Bergamo, ha inviato ad un centinaio di musicisti un semplice questionario composto da due domande.

Ha ricevuto in varie forme 37 risposte ed ha deciso di aprire un sito dove pubblicare gli interventi di ciascun musicista.

Lettura tutt'altro che scontata, spesso molto interessante e incisiva. Pubblico le risposte telegrafiche ma significative di Nicole Mitchell e invito gli interessati a leggere il restante materiale su http://soundamerican.org/

Sound American: What one thing HAS to be present (musically, socially, historically, whatever), in your mind, to constitute “jazz”?

Nicole Mitchell: That’s difficult to put as “one thing”! I actually cannot answer that question with one thing. Innovation, individuality (soul), community and improvisation combined with a touch of African aesthetics makes a good recipe for jazz. We have such diversity in the 21st century in the ways that jazz can be expressed, but I believe these elements are present in any form of jazz.

SA: Thinking in the same broad terms, what one thing CANNOT be present in “jazz”?

NM: What cannot be present in jazz is totalitarianism. We have historically had a balance and tension between tradition and innovation, but if there is a totally controlled force in the music, there is no way for it to survive.

Foto by Kristi Sutton Ellis