http://www.musicafter50.com/2009/11/the-truth-about-understanding-jazz/ Learning and playing music in your 50s, 60s and beyond Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:18:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.musicafter50.com/2009/11/the-truth-about-understanding-jazz/comment-page-1/#comment-315 Carol Reynolds Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:29:53 +0000 http://www.musicafter50.com/?p=3028#comment-315 Your comments on "understanding" jazz remind me of the wonderful approach to poetry from Bob Falls and the great folks at Poetry Alive! Asheville, NC. www.poetryalive.com. So often kids are introduced to poetry by being told that a poet is a great writer, and then asked: "What do you think the poet was trying to say?" If the poet is such a great writer, why should a kid be presented with a (completely misleading) task of deciphering the poem? Poetry taught that way will put a kid off from poetry for life. And Jazz is presented falsely that way all too often, too. You're so right! Good art communicates ideas immediately, without hurdles. Your comments on “understanding” jazz remind me of the wonderful approach to poetry from Bob Falls and the great folks at Poetry Alive! Asheville, NC. http://www.poetryalive.com. So often kids are introduced to poetry by being told that a poet is a great writer, and then asked: “What do you think the poet was trying to say?” If the poet is such a great writer, why should a kid be presented with a (completely misleading) task of deciphering the poem? Poetry taught that way will put a kid off from poetry for life. And Jazz is presented falsely that way all too often, too. You’re so right! Good art communicates ideas immediately, without hurdles.

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