Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Miles in the Rock Hall of Fame

Well, Miles just got inducted into the rock hall of fame. I'm not sure if I agree. Miles is certainly a major jazz figure and was important in the importation of rock into jazz but I'm not so sure there was much influence in the reverse direction. At the same time as jazz fusion (rock in jazz) was popular rock did have some bands that brought some jazz into their music, primarily Chicago and Blood Sweat and Tears. Rock imported fall less jazz than jazz imported rock. Ultimately jazz rejected the fusion movement and returned to a more traditional bebop format.

Earlier jazz musicians like Armstrong, Dinah Washington and Billie Hoiday were inducted into the rock hall of fame for the influence they had on early rock. I can see that much better than Miles' influence on rock. Perhaps Miles is properly inducted for expanding the rock frontier into the jazz scene. I can buy that.

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