Re: Jazz Festival

Dan huwa artiklu li deher fuq it-times.

U jien weġibtu hekk. L-ittra qatt ma ġiet ippubblikata:

I refer to Herman Grech’s article (Weekender July 23, 2005) on this year’s edition of the Jazz Festival. Mr.Grech’s callow criticisms regarding the festival’s artistic policies prompted me to write this letter.
First of all, I find it very puerile to evaluate the festival’s artistic merits on something as arbitrary and subjective as “the melodic content” of the artists’ music. Personally I find John Zorn’s music to be highly melodic, although I can understand that people who are less exposed to jazz might find it alienating. Being a jazz musician, I might have a different kind of sensibility, because I understand the mechanisms behind improvisation. Though I would gladly introduce Mr.Grech to people who are not musicians, and who are avid John Zorn fans. Mr.Grech should understand that possessing a musical baggage is not necessary to appreciate even the most inaccessible of jazz. All one needs is a bit of curiosity and enthusiasm. And in accusing jazz musicians of “self-indulgence” Mr.Grech clearly demonstrates that he is quite oblivious to what jazz is all about.
Dividing the public into the two separate factions of the musically erudite and the plebeian is a big mistake. It creates a false hierarchy, which leads to unnecessary snobbery, common amongst certain jazz circles. The only problem is that Maltese people are not exposed enough to jazz. The Malta jazz festival is the only major jazz event of the year. I have been introduced to jazz through the Malta jazz festival and others have followed suit. And I cannot but not stress the role the jazz festival has played in creating an ever-increasing interest in this art form amongst Maltese audiences.
Though I recognize the fact that there is a huge section of the audience who consider the jazz festival to be a mere social event, and Mr.Grech seems to have succumbed to this. I hold nothing against it, though it would be ridiculous to base the festival’s artistic policy on such people.
Sacrificing a festival’s integrity for a larger commercial appeal is a mistake events like the Montreux Jazz Festival have done. Let’s all hope such a thing does not happen to our own jazz festival. I found this year’s festival to be well balanced in terms of accessibility. The audiences have increased. In fact, I would even say it was one of the best jazz festivals I have attended in years.
Mr.Grech’s views exposed in his article reek of complacent philistinism and are harmful to the Maltese cultural landscape.


Sandro Zerafa,
RABAT