[JazzItUp]

I am a seventeen year old high school student, I play the saxophone and I am in the school's band. My school is a hip hop based school so everyone likes Rap & Hip Hop, so the band director only plays Hip Hop based songs (ugh) for the band and most of us are begginers (I started about 6 months ago).

I love listening to Jazz! Any kind really! Cool Jazz, Big Band, Smooth Jazz or Contemporary Jazz being my favorite, but for some reason this is weird to people! People ask me all the time, "why do you listen to jazz? nobody listens to that! Jazz is whack and blah blah blah!" I'm getting sick of it. And although it does seem like I am the only one who listens to it, I don't care! I love it! Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, Richard Elliot, Boney James, John Coltrane I listen to it all!

Is it wrong to listen to Jazz? if I hear someone say "I hate Jazz!" I will explode!! :shock:

 

[hakukani]

If it's wrong, I don't wanna be right.

Hey, that would be a good song!!!

Seriously, don't get mad if someone doesn't like jazz, just pity them. Many young folks don't know or care about their roots.

They'll mature....or not.

 

[Agent27]

Ummmmm, the vast majority of us here love jazz so I don't know what answer you're expecting to get.

 

[3 Olives]

If it's wrong, I don't wanna be right.

Hey, that would be a good song!!!

Seriously, don't get mad if someone doesn't like jazz, just pity them. Many young folks don't know or care about their roots.

They'll mature....or not.

My 12 yr. old son listens to it with me in my car, though he prefers the CD's over what is usually on the radio. He's fortunate to be in one of the few middle school jazz bands in NC, as they are the last act and steal the show at the school concerts. They played 2 concerts at the Wachovia Center on Monday and were treated like royalty. He knows Jazz Rocks!

 

[newtenorsax]

Jazz is great it sounds like the band director picks Hip hop music to keep you guys interested in playing. He most likely figures that most of his students never listen to Jazz. Try playing some smooth jazz type songs to get them to listen to (Gerald Albright, Boney James,Euge Groove). Later on you might try something more traditional (John Coltrane,Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter). Explain to them that the Hip hop music they listen to has roots to Jazz music. See if there are any Jazz concerts in your area that you might be able to take a field trip to see.

 

[Jonathan C.]

I am a seventeen year old high school student, I play the saxophone and I am in the school's band. My school is a hip hop based school so everyone likes Rap & Hip Hop, so the band director only plays Hip Hop based songs (ugh) for the band and most of us are begginers (I started about 6 months ago).

I love listening to Jazz! Any kind really! Cool Jazz, Big Band, Smooth Jazz or Contemporary Jazz being my favorite, but for some reason this is weird to people! People ask me all the time, "why do you listen to jazz? nobody listens to that! Jazz is whack and blah blah blah!" I'm getting sick of it. And although it does seem like I am the only one who listens to it, I don't care! I love it! Gerald Albright, Kirk Whalum, Richard Elliot, Boney James, John Coltrane I listen to it all!

Is it wrong to listen to Jazz? if I hear someone say "I hate Jazz!" I will explode!! :shock:

I am the same age, and went though the same thing. I would honestly suggest growing some thick skin, eventually it will pass, and people will forget what kind of music you enjoy. Just don't shove into their face. And let Summer take it's course. They should forget about it by next year. Or two

 

[alsdiego]

I think the main thing is what the kids are exposed to............ I came home from work one night, and caught my 19 yo watching "Bird"............. I almost fainted...... so you never know!

 

[deftones]

I guess I'm in the same boat. I go to a large school and there are one or two other people that appreciate jazz, but not as much as I do. I could talk about this stuff for hours but no one else my age seems quite as interested around here.

 

[Eulipion2]

When I was in high school, you had the people who listened to country, those who preferred rock/alternative/metal, and those rare few who thought they were "straight out da hood" (usually the rich, preppy white kids) who loved rap. Then there was me. Even my girlfriend at the time was annoyed by my love of the music. Trust me, once you hit college it'll be a lot easier to find people who are just as much in love with jazz as you are.

Then you'll wish you could find friends who knew nothing about music so you could talk about something else.:evil:

 

[aircap]

Watch out the big corporations, aka "The Musical Industrial Complex" doesn't see this they'll figure out you were absent the day the chips were implanted!:shock:

 

[JazzItUp]

Watch out the big corporations, aka "The Musical Industrial Complex" doesn't see this they'll figure out you were absent the day the chips were implanted!:shock:

haha.. is that your theory? let me in on it.... im waiting....

 

[JazzItUp]

I guess I'm in the same boat. I go to a large school and there are one or two other people that appreciate jazz, but not as much as I do. I could talk about this stuff for hours but no one else my age seems quite as interested around here.

wow we got to hang out

 

[JL]

JazzItUp, let me tell you something. Way back when I was in high school in the late 60's, jazz was not popular with the high school crowd. Back then everyone was listening to rock. Blues was somewhat popular among a certain crowd, but most kids didn't get the subtleties of blues & jazz. Thank your lucky stars you have ears and can hear! I couldn't believe that others weren't hearing what I was hearing. It really gave me a lot of strength me when I realized I didn't need to go with the crowd and could trust my own mind and go my own way. You will discover that almost everything of real value is not popular and in the "mainstream." Live & let live. Keep your own senses open and don't be too heavily influenced by the "masses," and you'll do fine. All the best to you; you're on the right track!

 

[rabbit]

JazzItUp,

Congratulations!

+1 what JL said.

Let me add: Give the ancient greats of Trad. Jazz & Blues a listen.
Go back in time, way back. Add these to what you've already
discovered and your head might explode.
Or at least I hope so.

Enjoy!

rabbit

P.S.: If you're interested in my suggestion but need
asssistance, P.M. me.

 

[asaxman]

Listen to the masters A LOT!!! Bird, Trane, Stitt, Woods, Cannonball, and all the rest! You have something the others don't have- taste! Good luck!

 

[RootyTootoot]

Hey. From what I remember, labels seem pretty important when you're seventeen. When I was at secondary school (ie High School in the States) it was OK to be a a "punk" or a "new romantic". Being into jazz would have been just tooo weird! So I'd say I couldn't even really hear jazz as music until I was 22 or 23!! You're a more positive case. You've got a strong, independent feeling about music, you know what you like. That's impressive. If you go deep into the history of the music you'll find that in a way everything is connected and that your hip-hop friends and you aren't all that far apart, musically speaking. For the moment though enjoy the fact that you're an independent, that you don't just follow the crowd.

 

[heath]

Get used to being alone when it comes to your taste in music. **** you should get used to being alone period.....your one of us now.

Jazz addicts and weirdos are one in the same. Learn to accept it and you'll be fine.

 

[jmm1713]

I went through the same thing when i was your age ... eventually it will not matter but , you would be surprised that more people than you think like jazz - alot of people in high school try to hide it to " fit in " with the others, but as I got older I realized that some of the people that you would never think like jazz actually do ( this happened to me on many occasions ) -- just listen to whatever you enjoy and don't worry about what others think -- but one piece of advise -- don't shove it in other peoples faces

 

[Jon B. Bop]

Instead of thinking of yourself as burdened by liking Jazz, you should consider yourself blessed. It is a sophisticated music that most people either "get" or don't. The fact that you get it will enrich your life for years and years in a way that your Hip-Hop peers will never experience.
My guess is that over the years you will turn many of your friends on to Jazz, and they will thank you for it.

 

[jrvinson45]

I think that maybe people who are tone deaf might think hip hop is musical.