Hi Pat,

You described me and my approach in almost the exact words I would have used - maybe better. True, I've always liked bending the rules in everything (and I could tell you lots about the trouble it's gotten me into); I am looking for things that will "fly" in this Forum; at the same time I have a great deal of respect for the members who are making musical contributions and feel the etiquette dilemma personally and deeply.

The issue of whether music is an intellectual or emotional or aesthetic experience could form a blockbuster discussion all by itself. But I wouldn't take part, for reasons that follow.

It is moot from my point of view, because everything personal - and I mean every single thing - your thoughts, dreams, regrets, hopes, guitar licks, tickles, itches, pains, plans, etc. - issues from the squishy gray lump sitting inside your skull. Music is brain output of a certain type. Poetry, philosophy, mathematics are brain output. Charles Darwin said that the brain "secretes [these things] like the liver secretes bile."

Both Albert Einstein and Wes Montgomery are called geniuses. Einstein lived in an obscure world of mental objects; Wes was no man of intellect, but he also lived in a world of mental objects - his melodic ideas, which, like a virus, went on to infect thousands of future musicians. I'm one of them.

Now, no one shouts out "yeah!" during a Physics lecture, but they do at a Jazz club. Are the people at the Jazz club agreeing with something when they shout, "yeah!"? Or is it just another word for "good!", in which case, what is it that was good at that particular moment?

I'm not much interested in the question whether music is an intellectual or emotional or aesthetic experience because, to me, all are brain output with complicated cross-talk between the three experiences. Songs make people cry. The equations of modern physics do not. Why? Beats me.

In conclusion Pat, your reflections are always revealing and never insulting. I'll be relying heavily on them when I write up the summary of the "Problem with Jazz" thread.

Aleck

PS I'll send you a PM on how to proceed once you're ready. No rush, obviously.