Dan, I have numerous albums by Chris Botti. I love his style, but realize that there must be some great recording tricks in many of his tracks. That said the tone and the sparse notation give me a great experience.

All music is affected to each individual based on their listening experience and background.

This means kids into heavy metal will not be pleased with smooth jazz, and vice is versa (2?). Add and a von and a two an a tree...

So I have certain tastes that might go against the grain.

My wife and I went to the Jazz at the Lincoln Centre show, and there was great virtuosity. The virtuosity got in the way of the heart of the music, it was more a show off thing for each of the 15 members. I left with an overall ambivalent attitude. Yes they could play, and it was packed full of complicated runs and motifs. But it was hard to recognize the actual piece, at times it was buried so deep it was impossible to say which thing they were even playing. This statement from them is astounding. Jazz equals Democracy? That's presumptuous in the extreme.

"We believe that Jazz is a metaphor for Democracy. Because jazz is improvisational, it celebrates personal freedom and promotes individual expression. Because jazz is swinging, it dedicates that freedom to finding and maintaining common ground with others. And because jazz is rooted in the blues, it inspires us to face adversity with persistent optimism."

Who we are is interpretive.

At the end of the day, each phrase in an improvisation should have meaning, and be expressive on it's own, standing as a statement, articulated by the author, and interpreted by the listener as intended when it was played. Thus the musician must understand the audience and use their instrument to inspire. That becomes a very complicated matter. Three octaves on a trumpet over a 3rd minor diminished means what??? I'm often unsure. And what if the listener has a very limited history and scope?? Another can of the proverbial fish bait.

All that said, I love sparse. Play 2 bars, make it sparkle. Leave it hang, and then feed me again.

Wow, the thyroid medications have lifted a huge fog that hung over me for 3 years. I can read again. I can be complex and play inside. Now if only I found the time to get out the EWI in lieu of the Euphonium or Piano(s)/Organs and progress with it, trumpet fingerings only...

Have at it, play every phrase with the weight on your shoulders, but I'm not sure you'll communicate Democracy in an election year. Perhaps RE-publish-can-ism?

Perhaps I should interpret the Musical Joke...M. Mozart might like it.

Play in the key of life, or B natural.

John Conley
Musica est vita