Jazz and All That

I like to think I’ve got an open mind when talking music.  Well, open if you take heavy metal out of the mix; and maybe country (but that whole ‘my girl left, my dog died, my trailer burnt down just isn’t me…)  And it’s not as though those rules are steadfast.

Jaaz – for me, is Sunday brunch over the papers; the Squeeze cooking bacon and eggs and Billie Holiday playing on a record player (because it just sounds better… Real).  I can go so far as to squeeze Ella Fitzgerald over dinner in here and there.  What I absolutely can’t do is that crap they call jazz, which is really just a bunch of crappy instruments all just vying for attention!  I feel like it is the musical version of the freaking yellow pages ad!  “Look at me, look at me, look at me!”

For me, that style of jazz is ‘finger nails down a blackboard’.  On the odd times I’ve been forced to listen to it (with my writer girlfriend in a club or the Squeeze – whenever he can get away with it) I try my hardest not to say anything, because in music, we all have our peccadillos – but I can only hold out for so long.

There have been times I’ve come out of the bedroom and screeched “Turn that off before I stab myself to death, just to be free of it!” – And yes, it really is that bad.

These days I have an ipods (actually, I have about 4 so I can reach one at any time.)  They are scattered all over the place, so I can just slip one on in times of desperation - and shut down “Look at me, look at me, look at me!”

Now it’s not as though I’m unaware of my own annoying little musical habits…

For example, when a new song sinks into my brain, I am consumed by it.  Somewhat annoyingly, I play it over and over and over – determinedly memorising the words – and singing loudly (not caring that I’ve an ipod in).  It’s usually loud (and depending on wine consumption) possibly off key; and let’s not forget…  I’m learning the words, so have to do that weirdo muttering change of word half way through… but hey, it’s a learning process and if you ask me, it sounds no worse than ‘jazz’.

This week has been “Somebody that I Used to Know” week.  

The Squeeze has taken a rather strange dislike to it.

Sometimes I just have to revel in the fact that we are different…  

I have style; he is the yellow pages…