by Patrick Jarenwattananon

In New Orleans, you can run a Jazz Half Marathon. (I smell an "In Soviet Russia" obverse joke coming on.)

—Another Student Complains About Jazz Education: Marc Myers at JazzWax recently received an e-mail from a music student who lamented his experience at "a rather prestigious university in New York with a world-class jazz program." The student was concerned that his teachers were pushing him toward modern music, and that his fellow students weren't interested in learning, say, Erroll Garner or Oscar Peterson. He also says that his peers are hesitant to discuss the role of emotion, and prize that which is somehow emotionlessly "interesting" instead. (A similar point is made by this guy, whose rant I wrote about here.)

The way this student writes makes it seem like being interested in modern, somewhat free improvisation is diametrically opposed to studying classic recordings, which house the true heart of emotion in jazz. That's a patently absurd dichotomy. Now, if teachers really are pushing only one "bag" — like, a specific toolkit of techniques — that truly is lamentable. Teachers should be exposing people to lots of different sounds. But the music educator's job isn't to teach taste and emotion, which are well-nigh unteachable. It's to teach skills to 19-year-olds who have comparatively piddling experience in the real world of professional musicianship. It's up to those kids who actually are good enough to hack it as career musicians to take their skills and follow their own muses. And judging from recordings I've heard this year alone, there are plenty of music school graduates who have found affecting things to say in all different directions.

I don't think the anonymous student really means to say everything I've ascribed to him. This is really more of an illustrative straw man I've set up. Here's one of the growing pains of this field of ours, stuck as it is between the need to live in the present and the need to keep the past alive. And for better or for worse, we're saddled with jazz education to help us navigate that balance. (Further suggested reading: Ronan Guilfoyle defends jazz education.)

Anyway, Marc's post is also worth noting because it mentions that Herbie Hancock bought a really expensive convertible with his royalties from "Watermelon Man." Think on that for a minute. At one time, a 22-year-old jazz musician earned enough money from just one song to buy a sports car.

—Opening Bands In Jazz: Darcy James Argue went to a lot of CMJ Music Marathon shows — and even played in one — last week. And in his summary comments, he brings up the idea that there should be more opening acts or double bills in jazz programming. (Further commentary from David Ryshpan.) Frankly, I'd love to see much more of this when artists go on tour in the U.S. Rather than two sets, why not one long set plus one or two openers (which could be interesting local bands)? But as Argue notes, it's of course a (lack of) money issue. It's the Catch-22 of jazz: it needs more "here, you might like this" to a mass audience. It also can't afford to do that.

—iRealBook, The iPhone App: It exists! And it was developed by a serious jazz musician too — you may know bassist Massimo Biolcati from Lionel Loueke's band (or the more collaborative Gilfema+2 offshoot), or from his own debut record Persona.

—50 Great Voices: Woo! Flash interactive! Vote for jazz singers! And other singers too!