[Yesspaz]

As for the "influence on progressive rock" argument I'm sure is to come up, I refute this too. Yes, jazz had a big influence on a lot of progressive rock, as did classical. Some would say they should be represented for this reason. I think this logic is weak (at best). For instance, let me use the analogy of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

First, it is the ROCK AND ROLL hall of fame, yet look at this cut and paste of Jelly Roll Morton's entry:


Inductee: Jell Roll Morton (piano, vocals; born 10/20/1890, died 7/10/41)
Jelly Roll Morton is a seminal figure in the birth and development of jazz in the early decades of this century. A multi-talented pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader, he has been called "one of the handful of Atlases upon whose shoulders rests the entire structure of our music" by jazz historian Orrin Keepnews.


I like Jelly Roll Morton; have two of his songs on my computer. But look at his death date: 1941. Rock was born at the earliest in 1952. Jelly Roll Morton in the ROCK AND ROLL hall of fame? I don't get it. Yes, he's in the "early influences" section, but I still don't get it. I like Jelly Roll Morton. Put him in the JAZZ hall of fame. One day I'm sure there will be a Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. Should Aerosmith get in it because they were an influence on Run-DMC? Of course not.



So, analogy over, back to jazz on AM. AM is, as far as the front page says, "The Net's Progressive Rock Garden." Two key words: "Progressive," and "Rock." Coltrane and others like him are not Rock, and you can't really call him progressive either (although I'm the first to jump on the "art" bandwagon. Still he's not "art-rock).


Well, I'm sure I'll be blasted for this, but now I'll hobble off to bed (hobbling because I've been on my high-horse for a while now).

Yesspaz out.