The sad, unspoken truth is that those of us who love jazz don’t always do a good job of selling it to the public at large. We journalists and critics can be overly solemn, not to say pompous at times, and there is always that temptation to talk about the music as if it is a branch of quantum physics. Some of us still can’t resist losing ourselves in the endless labyrinth of vintage catalogue numbers and alternative takes. Still, it’s little wonder, though, that outsiders find the whole business intimidating and austere. Getting access to the great recordings has never been easier — a hundred years of music is nestling on your smartphone — yet

Source: The Times April 29, 2021 22:52 UTC