Posted by Bruce Jacobs on February 03, 2001 at 14:31:30:
I hope this doesn't sound like a defense of Ken Burns, That's not why I'm writing.
My main musical interest is classical. My exposure to jazz growing up was pretty limited as you can imagine being in Northern Minnesota. My dad had take five and time out, and that was about it.
Over the years, I've heard lots of jazz I liked, and managed to pick up some recordings. But watching this show was like realizing I didn't know anything about Bach. And I don't know anybody who manages to like 20th century music without some other classical music underpinnings.
I'm sure I've heard some Monk, but never connected the name with the music and never found myself in a record store thinking, "I need to go to the Jazz section and look under the M's"
So I'm kindof dumbfounded when I hear that a good chunk of jazz folks think this show did harm. It's like saying that a person should never write a history book, because the persective of any one book always is limited. Or worse, it's like saying that any one book of history can ever be done "perfectly". It's clear to me, at least, watching a wonderful show like this that it is one little view of the subject, like any TV show, and there is a whole world of JAzz beyond it ready for me to discover. I was captivated, educated, excited, and motivated to be ready to hear more!