To Be Or Not To Bop
Spanish fan calls police over saxophone band who were just not jazzy enough
Festival-goer claims it was 'psychologically inadvisable' for him to hear Larry Ochs Sax and Drumming Core perform
Writes Giles Tremlett, Guardian Newspaper correspondant
Jazzman Larry Ochs has seen many things during 40 years playing his saxophone around the world but, until this week, nobody had ever called the police on him.
That changed on Monday night however, when's Spain's pistol-carrying Civil Guard police force descended on the Sigüenza Jazz festival to investigate allegations that Ochs's music was not, well, jazz.
Police decided to investigate after an angry jazz buff complained that the Larry Ochs Sax and Drumming Core group was on the wrong side of a line dividing jazz from contemporary music.
The jazz purist claimed his doctor had warned it was "psychologically inadvisable" for him to listen to anything that could be mistaken for mere contemporary music.
According to a report in El País newspaper yesterday, the khaki-clad police officers listened to the saxophone-playing and drumming coming from the festival stage before agreeing that the purist might, indeed, have a case.
His complaint against the organisers, who refused to return his money, was duly registered and will be passed on to a judge.
"The gentleman said this was not jazz and that he wanted his money back," said the festival director, Ricardo Checa.
"He didn't get his money. After all, he knew exactly what group he was going to see, as their names were on the festival programme.
He added: "The question of what constitutes jazz and what does not is obviously a subjective one, but not everything is New Orleans funeral music.
"Larry Ochs plays contemporary, creative jazz. He is a fine musician and very well-renowned."
"I thought I had seen it all," Ochs, who reportedly suffered a momentary identity crisis, told El País. "I was obviously mistaken."
"After this I will at least have a story to tell my grandchildren," the California-based saxophonist added.
"The Guardian" UK
El oído de la Guardia Civil
Hubo lección de música en el último concierto del V Festival de Jazz de Sigüenza. Pero ocurrió fuera del escenario. Mientras Larry Ochs Sax & Drumming Core estaban tocando en la ermita de San Roque, un espectador enojado redactaba una denuncia por haber sido estafado. Había comprado una entrada para escuchar un concierto de jazz y, según manifestó, se encontró con que le ofrecían música contemporánea. Resulta que ese tipo de música no le va bien y los médicos se la tienen prohibida por motivos psicológicos, así lo explicó en la reclamación formal que redactó en el lugar, poco antes de realizar la denuncia.
El episodio ilustra a la perfección el excelente momento que atraviesa España en todos los órdenes. Sus ciudadanos, en primer lugar, ya no se dejan engatusar para sucumbir fácilmente a las modas extranjeras. Y se atreven a dar la cara: ¡no, señor, esto no es jazz, que me devuelvan el dinero! Luego están esos médicos que, con extrema sutileza, detectan en sus pacientes lo que puede alterarles, y se lo prohíben. Y, en último término, la propia Guardia Civil puede enorgullecerse de que entre sus miembros haya alguno con un oído que le permite trazar con tiralíneas las fronteras entre los distintos géneros musicales. Es una pena que ya no puedan servirse de su magisterio ni Miles Davis ni Charles Mingus, que con tanta osadía mezclaron sonidos de procedencias distintas.
Ochs quedó deslumbrado. Lleva desde 1978 tocando jazz con distintas agrupaciones y sólo ahora, en Sigüenza y gracias a un espectador enojado y a un número de la Guardia Civil, ha sabido por fin que lo suyo es música contemporánea. Enhorabuena a todos.
"El Pais"' Spain
11 Comments:
Priceless...
Esto es de lo mejor que leí en toda la semana.
Y pagaría por estar presente en el concierto.
Si alguna vez hubieses oido a Larry Ochs creo que vos tambien pedirias que te devuelvan la plata, Gustavo.
It was time someone had the balls to do it.
In complete agreement, Max!
Parece un episodio surrealista de Buñuel.
Cazate esta: http://www.radiovideotrad.com/finnish-tango/
There's a fantastic follow up to the story now!
http://bit.ly/8UZens
Yeah!..I read it last night, Max!
Si, Tapiales! Gracias por el link. Tengo discos de tango Finlandes y todo!..Un "tanguero" se llama Reijo Taipale, casi como vos!
Good bllog post
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