[Harp-L] creativity

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Creativity" is over-rated.

Oscar Peterson, Clark Terry and others were chastised for their  
"middle of the road" styles for much of their careers, while others  
were praised for their "creativity".  Neither was right.  There is a  
lot to be admired, appreciated and even loved about playing very well  
within a specific style and genre without trying to push the  
boundaries.  There is also a lot to be admired, appreciated and even  
loved about those who do push the boundaries.  But, in the end, music  
is not a contest judged and graded on a "creativity" scale.

I often see people praised for being "creative" in many media, and I  
either fail to see what is creative about it or it simply does not  
move me.  And then I see others who are panned as being "old hat" or  
"MOR" and they move me.  I used to look for creativity, instrumental  
prowess, musical trickery or the like as the main criteria for  
worthiness in music.  Then I turned 14.   The way to judge music is  
whether you like it or not.  And I usually do love when someone does  
something really new, fresh and creative, but that doesn't effect my  
ability to appreciate that which is simply very good at being what it  
is.

I saw a zydeco band last weekend.  Nothing which could be described  
as "creative" or at all outside of the genre the entire night.  It  
was just a good show was all.  There is much worth in that, and I  
must say that I am getting rather tired of seeing such demeaned on a  
fairly regular basis.




 ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
()  ()   & Snuffy, too:)
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