Great read Niki and I do appreciate particulars of what was stated by Boomer about how a new generation of listeners was developing. As Boomer quoted;"Some of the comments from the kids have been a little surprising," Billy laughs. He's actually been asked if drummers with names like Chambers, Phillips, and Beauford--players Cobham has so obviously inspired--are big influences of his. "I get that all the time," he says. "Guys like Dennis and Simon have kept a higher profile in the States, so I can't blame the kids coming up today for not knowing about me. Maybe I should be flattered; here I am, fifty-four years old, and people think I'm younger than those guys!"
The issue is a callous conscience:
If youth today would be that interested in drummers or music like that (JID-Jazz Is Dead) the probability of what's being played and heard may be different today in terms of what is acceptable listening within the social mainstream of music.
I've always held this position in regards to JID (Jazz is Dead) and Boomer's involvement in it's musical composition produced the kind of quality in mainstream rock which I think could've survived. That was a pivotal point in time by which music was making a turn. Jazz is Dead and Paradox was more than what we may have thought of being. What am I saying here? Well, considering Boomer's musical background and his contribution into fusing with a band like the Dead the final results goes beyond just having a generation liking it but be enlightened by it! This at the time I would think was refreshing. I feel that what this generation is exposed or bombarded with is totally insensitive, and at times, outright vulgar and is a strong deterrent towards the furthering of music on a much higher level. The appreciation for music being the artform that it was is now triggered by an over-dubbing (misuse) of samplings (beats, vocals etc.) and often fallen short in defining what we once new as being a community of collaborative talent and sharing of giftedness. Instead we're getting the world's fastest drum contests, a person on stage lip synching along a sampled track and am sure you can continue that list. I personally think that Jazz is Dead would do well today if it's market for it was sustained. But we know things are transient and are influenced by what is appreciated whether that be good or on a personal note most unfortunate.
I'm lead to believe, by what's happening, is that we have loss an appreciative generation that no longer exists. A generation that has been seared (numb) in developing interest and appreciation for music that is progressively unique in it's collaborative efforts to expressing it's self. That is why I favored Boomer's entrance into developing countries where the openness of mind still exist and the infusion of educating concepts are received into their musical communal settings. And this is not to be confused with indoctrinating here but rather simply the sharing of giftedness with other people groups. In my understanding, in our indulgences of materialism and capitalized country, we have lost our intelligenta and have succumbed into the oblivion of delusions to our perceptions of social mediums - one being music.
rac