Hipper Than Thou?

What in the world is Keith Jarrett bitching about?

Anything that gets more straight-ahead jazz into the forefront has value. Jazz cannot be regarded as just a style of music for the past or present. To those of us who care, jazz must continually be perpetuated, and if “The Tonight Show” helps do the job, so be it.

Anything to develop another generation of jazz artists and listeners is worth it, whether by personally reproducing them (thank you, Ellis Marsalis) or through their exposure to the medium (even on television).

If Jarrett is so unhappy with the familiar and commercial, perhaps he might want to remove his “Standards, Volumes 1-1,000” from the shelves.

Just think, Keith, it could have been worse. Leno could have chosen Kenny G or the Yellowjackets, and listeners would have thought, “Boy, that’s great jazz!”

PHYLLIS SHANO

Encino