If pop music indeed has a “rebound,” the major qualification of swing music, then how does pop differ from jazz? Ask any smooth jazz artist. I never have listened to smooth jazz. Why would I want to? After being reared only on the best jazz/fusion, why would I resort to listening to a derivative product? It is the same question. Smooth jazz arose in the late l990’s as an adult contemporary alternative to the intellectually demanding and sometimes spiritually yearning genre of mainstream jazz. Because the blues are a major component of mainstream jazz, the “blues” feeling often is present in the realization of jazz music. Pop music is different because, although it does “rebound” like swing, it does not possess a similar underlying feeling. Instead pop music attempts to create an artificial euphoric feeling that substitutes for what normally would be a deeper message in the music. Erroneously this superimposed feeling of glee is construed to originate from the instrumental performance. In reality it emanates from the “Pop Artist.” It is the perfect vehicle for their self-indulgence. The instrumental accompaniment intends to be superficial, patronizing, and vain. Therefore pop music is not about the music. It is about the performers and their audience. This insincerity never will place the genre of pop and consequently smooth jazz in the artistic realm. The underlying feeling of pop is the glorification of us. It is a show. It is “Showbiz.” Pop never will be a platform for moving a consensus of spiritual, social, or philosophical ideas. Technically why is pop impotent? In addition to an underlying feeling not being present, there is no rhythmic clave. The pop groove, emanating from the casual strumming of an acoustic guitar, contains no rhythmic pattern of note. When theoretically analyzed this strumming pattern is nothing more than a repetitive serialization of 8th notes played both ahead and behind the beat. Can two 8th notes pulled toward one another over the pulse be considered a rhythmic clave? The answer is no. It does create a tension, a stroke and a rebound, but it is not a rhythmic pattern indicative of other more tradition styles of music. Popular dance forms, i.e., a rhythmic pattern that coincides with dance steps, are better examples of “clave.” In Latin music “clave” often is restricted to a definition of a 2/3 or 3/2 rhythmic pattern in salsa music. I use “clave” in a broader sense to define a rhythmic pattern of any origin. The verbal incantation of the dance the Cha Cha, “One, Two, Cha, Cha, Cha,” probably is the most recognizable. There are many. Understandably pop music is not dance music, and that is why it fails in any more demanding venues. For music to stand the test of time and persevere, its content must be substantial enough to move listeners on its on. When the performer is dead, who then will carry the torch?
