Changing Everything

SOURCE: JAZZWAX BY MARC MYERS,Published: 2011-09-30 I'm often asked where I think jazz is headed and which jazz musicians are pushing the envelope without boring the listener. My answer to the first question is, 'I don't know.' Until jazz artists start integrating the language of today's diverse music buyers, and jazz fans allow the music to move beyond lighthouse status, the art form may simply languish as live performances of what we've already heard on recordings-only not as good. My answer to the second questions is easier. One exciting new artist who is trying new things is Joe Blessett. SOURCE: Jeff Wanser Joe Blessett makes an interesting case for going into the studio and doing your own thing. His sixth release as a solo artist has him everywhere, laying down music tracks on several instruments, voicing over for effect, mixing, and even marketing his own product. The result is a pastiche of music that runs from smooth to funk, and tracks that run in and out like a fever dream. He's certainly an individualist, and has his own take on creating music. Classifying his music is pointless, because he eclectically combines several styles as the mood suits him. He describes it as 'a private library of music,' a sort of personal soundtrack from his head. Some tracks sound very much along the lines of smooth jazz, while others are more funky, with electronics and vocals making a case. In a few places, he is closer to dance music, going heavy on the electronic side with a strong beat. Whichever way he turns, he quickly changes his direction, flowing from mood to mood. The overall effect is of the artist searching for something, a restless, ethereal quality that some may find intriguing.