John Coltrane – One of the greatest
Some people ask if there will ever be another like him. The answer is no. The answer is no with Miles Davis. The answer is no with Herbie Hancock. And his music is still alive, though John passed away in 1967.
People just don’t have the kind of passion for jazz that Coltrane had. He came from a different era, when the music spoke volumes. People play around with jazz right now, but most of it is secular.
No bands sound like Coltrane’s. No one is doing the 8-minute drum solo. No one is playing the trumpet with the kind of madman fury that made jazz come alive. Only Coltrane had that in him. He did it with great ease.
Today, more jazz musicians revert to vocalists and smooth sounds to get a larger following. This has been the case for many years. People don’t have the same zest for jazz music anymore. Many people loved John Coltrane and his jazz movement during that era. He will not be replaced, though. No one can fill his legendary shoes.
Why America doesn’t appreciate the blues like Europe does
Europe has long appreciated niche musical genres, especially American jazz and blues. To an extent, earlier generations’ travels fed that appreciation. Jazz and blues musicians began seeking new venues much like American literary figures and artists did when they moved to Paris during the 1920s and 1930s as “the lost generation.” American and European creative figures from that era similarly appreciated the Harlem Renaissance. Regardless of origin, love for jazz and blues took root in Europe and has endured.
People have always been drawn to what is foreign to us, whether it’s the idea of vacationing in distant places, the huge surge in popularity of the “British Invasion” in the early 1960s, or even the cross-attraction for American and European brands. Of course, American jazz and blues musicians didn’t travel to Europe based on abstract longing. They went to play receptive audiences and earn a living.
Jazz and blues have always been personal and provocative, and they don’t necessarily appeal to audiences enamored with what is immediately popular and accessible. The blues in America saw a crossover resurgence in the late 1960s and early 1970s, as British rock musicians collaborated with blues legends on albums such as “Howlin Wolf Sessions in London” and “Fleetwood Mac’s Blues Jam in Chicago”.
Despite popularity cycles in the U.S., the connection to American blues music and its origins continues abroad, where the arts in general retain validity and historical significance.
Has the blues run its course?
The blues are still around, but it has somewhat run its course. Much of this has to do with the artists that are no longer alive.
Johnnie Taylor and Marvin Sease were big players in the blues industry. Both could sing the alphabet and get people running to them. They are both deceased now, however, and no one has really stepped up to fill their shoes.
Much of this comes down to longevity. Johnnie Taylor had a long career rooted in gospel music. Marvin Sease has decades in the business with many albums and hit singles. Some industry veterans, like B.B. King, are still around to carry the torch.
The problem is that B.B. King is no longer with us. His health was pretty bad, and the number of new albums released was getting more and more spaced out. As with all older artists, he lost momentum as he grew older. People will still remember him for live performances, but he’s not around anymore to dominate the charts in album sales
It’s up to the new kids on the block like Keb Mo, a true legend in the making. The blues is old news. Rap and pop have people spending their money, but that is honestly about it in music.