All That Jazz

I have always loved music. Not all kinds – but definitely most. Some things I don’t call music – early “rap” for instance is not really music. Hip Hop can be music but I don’t like a lot of it. “White and Nerdy” by Weird Al Yankovic is my favorite – is that Hip Hop? I also like “My Humps” by the Black Eyed Peas.

Most of my young adult years consisted of Rock – Tom Petty, Styx, REO Speed Wagon, Benatar, Doobie Brothers, Elton John, Deep Purple, Nugent, The Cars, Knack, Stray Cats, and many more. Sometime there was the occasional country rock band like Charlie Daniels, Marshall Tucker, or Lynyrd Skynrd. Oldies include Elvis, Beach Boys, Louis Armstrong, and Frank Sinatra.

I even have light stuff like Little River Band, Mammas and the Pappas, Peter, Paul and Mary. There is really only one band I hate: The Rolling Stones. I have one vinyl – and yes, it is pretty good – but the majority I just don’t like.

Pink Floyd, Blue Oyster Cult, Bob Marley, Moody Blues, McCartney and Wings, Lennon are all in my collection. Did I mention Enya or Norah Jones?

One time when we still lived in Renton (we moved when I was 9) I made the comment “I like Jazz!” Dad said “You don’t even know what Jazz is.” “Yes I do!” I ran through some of my parents’ favorites like Benny Goodman (with his licorice stick) or Glenn Miller. I couldn’t decide which one to reply with – so I chose my favorite: The Beatles.

Dad said “that’s not Jazz.” It was to me!

- Craig