Teaching jazz is a daunting task. I happen to think it’s impossible. Teaching 40 some high school kids jazz is much more difficult than a more traditional subject like English, history, math, etc. However, for a genre who’s greats were trailblazingly original and who's fought against the grain with every song, every solo and every note, it is a little surprising to see the effort that Mr. Galli and Mr. Fey go to in order to crush any hint of individuality in the students at the Monta Vista jazz combo(s).

 

 Personally, I think that jazz should be learned as opposed to taught, but regardless of what I think, for music that showcases personal styles and supposedly incorporates the players feeling into every solo, the rules our esteemed maestros have placed on the class have been rather restricting. Kids come in, perhaps (alright, definitely) not the best players around. Some of them, however, show hints of a developing original style and an individual approach to their instrument. Instead of embracing and nurturing these stylistic quirks (as I happen to think a teacher should) Mr. Galli and Mr. Fey make huge efforts to tell you 'listen to this,' 'do it like him,' and so on and so forth, grating on the player, so that eventually the initial spark is dimmed and extinguished.

 

 In my dumb youth I am far from open minded. I'm fairly certain that I know what I like and know for sure what I don’t like. I had come into the jazz class with a general indifference, but I had certainly not written off the music, as I do respect the musicians who are brave enough to improvise every night (nor should anyone write off any style of music). However in my year and half in jazz band i've grown a sizable resentment for the genre in general, or at least..., the way that jazz is presented in the in this stifling and inhuman environment. I feel like because of the way that the class was handled, this type of music was closed off to me, and that I could not easily approach it with a good attitude and an open mind.
 

 In conclusion fuck school. Fuck Galli. Fuck Fey.

 

 And if that’s what a musician is...fuck musicians.