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From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Arthur Pewtey)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Re: It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that undefinable
Message-ID: <1058@pyuxd.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Jun-85 23:04:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxd.1058
Posted: Wed Jun  5 23:04:14 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Jun-85 07:13:27 EDT
References: <340@mhuxr.UUCP>
Organization: The Chartered Accountants Who Want to Be Lion Tamers Association
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>>Swing isn't JUST rhythm.  Swing is undefinable.  Try defining it some time.
>>(Maybe Ellington's taste has the same musical emphasis that yours has.  And
>>maybe that's why you like him.)  And where did I say that the essence of jazz
>>is improvisation?
>>	Rich Rosen    ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr

> Do you make such statements just to provoke discussion? I hope so.

Me?  Make statements on the net just to provoke discussion?  Surely you
jest. :-)

> Do you
> mean swing as a musical quality or as the jazz sub-genre that reached its peak
> in the period between the rise of Louis Armstrong and that of Charlie Parker?
> The latter has best been defined by Count Basie who said "Give me four hard
> beats, and no cheating", clearly rhythmic attributes.

The definition itself is hardly "definitive", in that it applies to marches
as much as swing.  The fact that people resort to definitions like that
tells me that it is infact undefineable.

> I would be proud to have Ellington's taste agree with mine (or more
> accurately, have my taste agree with his.) He is only the greatest composer
> America has ever produced. His words carry far more weight than your
> pronouncements.

Everyone is always "proud" to have something in common with those they admire.
Your calling Ellington the greatest composer America has ever produced is as
much a "fact" as your saying rhythm is THE most important element of music.
That's what your taste tells you.  But that doesn't make it absolute fact.
Your personal tastes tell you that to you rhythm is the most important
component of music and Ellington is the greatest ever American composer.
-- 
Anything's possible, but only a few things actually happen.
					Rich Rosen    pyuxd!rlr