RE: Renaming the List--ass-id (all that!) jazz

Tony Reid (t-bird@salata.com)
15 Oct 96 13:38:52 -0800


el> the near future, the genre would be known as "Urban
> Alternative" music. While I personally like this name this better than
> "acid jazz", I really don't think the list needs to change it's name. I

el> Aaaargh! Not the "A" word!!!

el> That means "Alternative" would then have to be called "Suburban
el> Alternative"...

the other problem w/that term is that "urban" is code for "black music" in the
us. a more accurate example of "urban alternative" would be the wu-tang
stuff.

el> I got an idea, instead of this renaming mumbo jumbo, let's try to
el> "redefine" or give the term "Acid Jazz" new meaning. For example -

el> "Acid" - pronounced "Ass-id," as in shaking one's ass + "Jazz" =
el> Ass-Shakin' Jazz

el> or

el> "Acid" - a melting, a mesh, of "Jazz" (as in 'all that jazz') = a
el> melting of stuff (i.e. the various groove-base genres).

i feel a lot better about this. redefine the term (or more accurately,
*define* the term) to encompass our tastes. after all these years, if you
were to ask an aficianado "what is jazz?" they would more likely refer to
artists and recordings than say "it is a, b, c...". my definition of jazz
is quite elastic (it must include 2 or more items from a list of about 4 or
5), as is my definition of acid jazz (jazz incorporating elements of dance
music, or dance music incorporating elements of jazz). it's ok to be
slightly vague (this coming from mr. nit-pick), just use it to your advantage!

t-bird

... what it has surely will last, but is that jazz?-gil scott-heron