Why Do People So Often Fear Jazz?

         I know people who will say they don't like certain foods and then I'll ask them if they've tried them and they'll say no.  If they haven't tried something how do they know they won't like it?  Jazz is often like that.  Or perhaps someone is enjoying something like spinach dip at a party.  You might go up to them and ask if they like spinach and they might answer that they've hated spinach since they were a kid.  Curious, you might inquire if they like the spinach dip they seem to be savoring.  They might be somewhat surprised that they are enjoying something they thought they hated.  Jazz is also something like that.

Why do people often have such a negative perception toward jazz?

          As in the examples about food, I think it often comes down to negative preconceptions based on what they have heard said by others.  Often we formulate our opinions based on how others feel.  For some reason, over the past several decades jazz has become associated with "old" music or music for geeky types.  It has gained an unsavory reputation with many people that continues to this day.  

         Perhaps the advent of rock and roll displaced the jazz which was the rebel music of its time.  Jazz became associated with older generations and was not cool to younger people.  The "jazz" label developed a stigma which has remained up to the present time.  However, jazz continued to be recognized by musicians who continued to incorporate the sounds into their music.  Pop music fans were hearing jazziness and actual jazz without really associating the sounds with jazz.

            Now many parts of the country have "smooth jazz" FM radio stations that play jazzy music that would often fit the category of adult contemporary soft rock.  There are also the mellow jazz sounds of instrumentalists like Kenny G, George Benson, or David Sanborn.  This form of jazz is melodic and easy to listen to.  This is the music that also might be piped into business establishments.  The label of "jazz" is de-emphasized, probably to the relief of harder core jazz fans who look down on this jazz lite.

            The sounds of jazz permeate the listening of most of us, though we are often unaware of this.  Therefore most of us have our music tastes categorized into labeled listening that does not include the terminology of jazz so that when we are presented with something labeled as jazz we tend to shun that music.  Jazz is mistakenly been portrayed to always be either old or something enigmatic, void of melody and filled with runs of notes, discord, and harsh sounds.

           I believe that if people were educated about the history of jazz, the artists involved, the types of jazz, and the influence of jazz, then they would be more readily open to listening to jazz in its various forms.  Allowing oneself to become accustomed to the sounds and have the ability to identify the styles would demystify the music for the casual listener.  One should really taste the food before deciding whether or not one likes it.

             What intimidates you about jazz?  Have you ever really set out to listen to jazz and opened your ears and mind to it?   Will you be more receptive to the idea of listening to jazz in the future?