Is Laufey jazz?
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- Опубліковано 21 лис 2024
- Laufey is the world's most famous living jazz musician (according to Spotify streams). What does that mean for jazz?
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![[Playlist] Best of Laufey's Jazz Cover Compilation | Classic Jazz Standards by the Greats](/img/n.gif)
Laufey is actually Norwegian death metal but you guys aren't ready for that conversation.
I would love to hear that take though tbh
The facts.
frfr
teellagrammz gitz 2 winn U az a prieze
finally someone who tells it like it is. I m sick of people trying to dodge the obvious.
To me Laufey is pop with a lot of jazz influences--similar to how Japanese Citypop isn't R&B or funk, but sure as hell sounds like it on first listen. She's a gateway drug for lots of young people to the world of jazz without being pedantic or too technical and I think it's a win. While she isn't necessarily jazz, she is jazzy and will make millions more look into the genre and even explore other jazz adjacent genres, and that is frankly a win for all music.
I think someting verry similar happened a few years ago in the world of punk music with MGK and Olivia Rodrigo. They used genre blending to appeal to people my age and lets them have a gateway to other bands and adjacent genres near punk. Its really interesting seeing this happen again in the world of jazz with Laufey and I am curious to see who/what will be the next genere that people my age will lach on to. Either way its all a win for music and it keeps things fresh and exciting.
Laufey being a jazz savior so called is the same thing as Taylor swift in her early yrs being called a country saviour because it's majority pop especially looking at speak now her album the country part is not prominent. Just slight influences.
The root of the problem really is all the new generations me included don't like pure country, pure jazz. So ofc new singers incorporate pop. Th problem is not they are doing wrongly it's about how people don't want them to do it correctly.
you nailed the description. great commentary.
The comparison to city pop is spot on! I've been listening to Tatsuro Yamashita, and a lot of hard bop so this comment kind of hits a niche for me
As someone who attempts to make nuanced video essays about music, I know just how difficult it is to present complicated topics like this clearly and intelligently, whilst at the same time showing such empathy and respect - that's why I've always admired your work Adam.
Love you DBruce. Currently Studying music and my professor named your blog posts on arranging as a great resource. I checked it out and damn that shit helped me out so much thx
Well said David! Your videos definitely come across as thoughtful and nuanced as well.
This is the first video where he has completely lost me. Just 100%.
Even composing a succinct comment congratulating what Adam splendidly did in this video can be difficult; luckily we have David Bruce to show us the way for that.
And many of us admire your work @DBruce as well as Adam's for exactly that - respect, nuance and refusing to settle for easily digestable half-truths, even (or especially!) if they're popular. So thank you!
Whatever gets younger people more into Jazz is a thumbs up from me, Laufey is a wonderful artist that scratches the itch that I’ve been looking for when it comes to orchestral or Jazzy feelings
Did you even watch the video
@@عائشة-ض7صwhat is that supposed to mean in context of my original comment? I literally just said “I’m glad that young people are getting into jazz/orchestral stuff because of Laufey” because it’s an objectively true statement. Yes I did watch the video
But will any of those fans go on to listen to MD's Birth of the Cool or Thelonious Monk playing with Pee Wee Russell at Newport in '63? (the year after I was born.) I certainly hope so but I'm not holding my breath.
@@lucaswickmansoundThe creator explained why the issue isn't that simple and why that statement doesn't ring totally true. It's not an objectively true statement it's just your own opinion
@@mcrumph Probably not, but there’s always those looking for the origins of music genres, so don’t discredit those who do.
Ironically, it’s this exact attitude of a “real jazz fan” that causes new fans to stray from the community. No other music community is like this. There’s a reason that jazz fans and musicians can be seen as pretentious.
I think ppl that don't know jazz shouldn't call her the savior of jazz, but she also is able to link ppl to discovering the culture. If jazz wants ppl to discover it, that is
please stop abbreviating "people" with "ppl", it's gross. Thank you.
@@infinitedurr stop calling out people that uses abbreviated words, it's gross
@@pain8061 lame fucking comeback
The culture people are discovering is American (and Brazilian) mid-20th-century classic songs and vocal recordings. It just so happens a lot of jazz is built around the same songs. Some of her fans will go on to explore and enjoy those.
Agreed, in all honesty I haven't been into jazz in awhile after listening to it since a kid so I do thank Laufey for linking me back to it for sure!
As a jazz musician, Laufey has saved pop music for me.
Underrated comment
That too
that is actually very true. Like Norah Jones back then
And now she is getting hate (racial biased)... fuck elitist man.... a true jazz musician wouldn't lose time trying to "make layfey jazz", it would improv over the damn thing.
This is the way
Maybe the real Jazz was the friends we made along the way.
🥺
I don't know what that means?
@@thomasdequincey5811 a joke about pirates who couldn't find any treasure after travelling so much, "maybe the real treasure was the friends we made along the way." adjusted neatly lol
@@thomasdequincey5811it’s a play on the trope in children’s media that “the thing we were chasing was never real, but the real treasure was friendship”
The story ended, and we're Just Friends
I'm 50, and my 17 year old son played Bewitched for me a few days ago, and I was blown away.
It was an absolutely delightful surprise. I am becoming a fast fan.
I'm 60 and came across her. Yes, Bewitched is something, isn't it? That's a song that cries out for a video with classic dancing, complete with twirls. Watching/listening to Dreamer and I'm thinking of Dad playing music HE listened to as a young kid--songs from the 40s. She sounds similar, a soft, romantic jazz.
Too me last year 2023. My list album best this year and album jazz year
now listen to bewitched by candlemass
Now check out Goddess. Just released. So good
Me too and I’m 74 . My 16 year old granddaughter is a huge fan and has got me listening too . She is lucky to be seeing her in September at the Sydney Opera house .
Laufey herself describes her music as a mix of pop, jazz and classical music, so saying that she's jazz's «savior» may be an overreaction to her success, but the passion she shows for this genre definitely can be a bridge to jazz for gen z people (as a Laufey fan who started listening to Chet Baker and Elle Fitzgerald regularly thanks to her). it's more about who is listening to her
Most sensible comment including the video so far
@@IrateRaccoonthat’s what jazz was originally, too. A trend in popular music that burned out and left a bunch of splinter genres for the obsessives.
I see jazz rather as an approach to compose rather than specific genre.
Thank you for quoting her
@@jakubporowski3314Jazz is too nuanced to be deemed a certain way that Is why I think there is this discourse of what is Jazz and what is not happens many times.
As a young college musician who listens to pop, classical, and jazz music. I think the best way to explain it is "jazz-influenced." You can most definitely see her love and admiration for it in her music. And while the world that covers her may be disconnected from jazz, I know firsthand that young jazz musicians appreciate her music, myself included. And while it may not be "jazz," it's a welcomed take on it.
Who cares. You like it. Dig it. Don't worry about it and don't fall in line with thinking that makes you doubt who you dig. This kind of thinking ruined a lot of jazz musicians not too long ago. Stay out of it.
@@J3unG Facts
@@J3unG ...nobody is "worried" about what other people think. You're completely missing the point of talking about such things.
(I mean obviously some people _are_ worried about what other people think. However, that's not why people talk about things such as the topic of the video)
@@J3unG if you like the music, then YOU care. Talking about something you like isn't a bad thing. Doing the opposite just proves you don't care at all which is no fun.
Like CHON it`s progressive rock, but they use jazz as base
god this video was perfect. love how subconsciously there’s not one diss to her as a TALENT. because that’s clearly obvious. But wow, the topics you touched on and painting a perspective on how easy it is to throw around genre titles just because it “sounds like this” is very eye opening. I can totally see how it comes off as gatekeeping and a bit pretentious, but it’s kind of like you can’t call Gatorade, water, just because it contains water. same goes for sports, occupations, etc.
In the end though, Laufey is an extremely refreshing sound for the pop world. period.
exactly! was basically bouta leave this exact comment xD
Fr
What does "love how subconsciously there's not one diss to her as a talent" actually mean?
@@thomasdequincey5811 i think what's trying to be said is that no one is every going to deny Laufey's talent as a musician, and that the point of the video isn't to bring her down, but rather to shed light on what the jazz community in 2023 really looks like
this right here, well put LLusion ☝
As someone who was in vocal jazz ensembles for 5 years, I hate the phrase "jazz is dying" so much. If you aren't hearing jazz, it's because you aren't listening. It also just seems like a placeholder for real issues we SHOULD be discussing, like cuts to arts programs within secondary education, and the seemingly forced ubiquity of modern pop in a largely post-radio world.
Amen. Just because it isn't everywhere doesn't mean its dying
i totally agree but i do think adam was being sarcastic when he said that. he's making fun of the same people
@@hazardousjazzgasm129 My comment is in agreement with Adam's sentiments.
The secret message is majority white population don't support classic Black art form
I never thought jazz was dying tbh. Its just changing.
Yeah as all music does
It's just on the down-low or being slept on in Western pop-media. Still going just fine in places like Japan (must be doing good to make a handful of anime intros/closers recently) or South America. Could just be a sub-genre thing too, where it's not always as clear.
plus all the stuff coming out of the UK is so intresting and its coming from young folk. Alot of highlife and afrobeat influnce from children of nigerien immigrants. Bands like Kokoroko and Ezra Collective are really pushing that sound in intresting ways.
Tigran Hamasyan is jazz? I think. And he's been doing amazing shit for years. Nothing ever dies in music. It just changes and evolves. Theres more good music now than there ever was. It's just a diamonds in the rough kinda landscape.
@@jorge.world222 the london scene is absoutely saving jazz. Also, put some respect on my man shabaka hutchings for his amazing contributions to the london jazz scene, despite not even making "jazz" music himself.
I think something worth looking into is Laufey’s curated Spotify playlists. She has one entitled “jazz” with 30,000 saves. This really helps to contextualize the lens of jazz that she holds. It’s definitely not contemporary; it’s an old-midcentury, bossa nova, Disney princess style that you e hit the nail on the head describing! Well done and good luck on your upcoming tour.
I can’t find that playlist
I wasn't familiar with her music and the first thing I thought of was old animated Disney movies when I heard her music.
That's not a jab at her at all, mind you. I think she sings really well, managing to sound grand but still incredibly expressive.
I also totally understand that she's not being considered jazz. I think the problem is that her music being seen as Jazz is considered a matter of quality instead of accuracy.
That mid century Disney music was good 😂
@@whatabouttheearth no one ever said it wasnt...
I think another big part of Laufey’s appeal with Gen Z is the romanticism of her music. Everything she does evokes a true and whole romance that feels out of reach in the modern world/dating arena, which is (I think) why she talks longingly about the ambiance of being in a jazz club a few decades ago when that still exists today. A lot of younger people are searching for something deeper and the nostalgia and romanticism of the past provide that outlet. In that sense, it’s not so much about jazz as it is the vibe, hence the disconnect between Laufey and fans with the thriving jazz scene that already exists right now. As a hopeless romantic myself, that’s the biggest allure to her music for me, and she does an excellent job of tapping into something that feels missing in the modern world.
Great comment. I was so surpised a few years ago when my youngest son made himself a Spotify list of 50s crooners (the music of his grandparents!) to sing along and harmonise with while doing homework. It was just so much more appealing to hin than mainstream pop. We are all avid jazz fans (especiall The Consouls vgm jazz covers) but my kids love the old melodies too.
Most modern music is very cynical by comparison
this comment HITS
And it’s interesting, because ACTUAL jazz does provide an avenue to fulfill that longing. It happened to me when I started in NYC’s Lindy Hop scene, which is positively steeped in modern jazz culture. I had the luck to have a dance background, so I didn’t have to waffle with the basics, so it CLICKED HARD when I only had a few moves under my belt. The possibilities were endless, the opportunities sparkling and I felt like I had an outlet to express myself. It was a wonderful microcosm of life itself.
Yes, nostalgia and romanticism play a huge role in her popularity, unfortunately, that was not being disputed. Talking longingly about 'the bygone days of a jazz club' writes off the extraordinary work being done in the jazz clubs to this day. You can see how talking about a jazz club as if it's no longer a thing is incredibly detrimental to jazz. And consider mostly, that for many MANY people, Laufey is the only voice for jazz, so for her to talk about it like it's a dead art form is awful. The spokesperson of an art form talking about the art form as if they are the only one creating it? And I'd challenge you to ask yourself, why do you feel that these things are missing from the modern world? Consider that the reason most people associate jazz and its sound with the past and nostalgia is because they aren't thinking of jazz as it persists into the modern age, they're remembering Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald and not Fred Hersch. It's only nostalgic if you ignore the fact that it's still part of the present. Modern jazz exists.
I am a fan of Laufey's music but I've loved jazz before discovering her. I feel like her music can lead her fans to branching out to more artists who do traditional jazz or have a jazz sound. I probably wouldn't have found this video if Laufey's name wasn't in it, but I'm really glad I did watch this. I learned a lot more about history the of Jazz and more artists I can now listen to. I appreciate the time and effort you put into this and the respect you have towards the culture.
so her music is like vanilla jazz
same here!
Sungazer should record laufey songs and keep the jazz tradition alive.
@Adamneely This would be cool
fantastic idea
genius
Exactly what I was thinking I hope Laufey gets into this world or invited, but also, I think jazz musicians can start to create new standards out of their tunes and recreate the feeling of the 50s were standards were actually very popular music, and where you could appreciate more how improve and voicing can take a song to a very different place.
Jazz isn’t dying, it’s just not playing on radio nor dominating movies. Jazz is the underground music that will forever live
underground does not mean living, all dead things go underground lol 😂
@@body187j3x1 alright bud
@@body187j3x1 why are you here then
@@body187j3x1 nah, it's about the rule breaking culture. It's the freedom to play music how you want when you want. Freeing yourself of the classical chains of Bach and Mozart.
And yet, jazz obviously went through its most creatively fertile and diverse period when mainstream attention latched onto it, which is fair to say about a lot of styles of music.
How can Laufey save jazz, when Ryan Gosling already saved it?
Your comment made my day 😂😂
Genius 😂
fucking facts. Ken saves the day again.
And again it was actually more musical theater. Funny how that goes
If Ryan Gosling has already saved jazz music, then Clown Core will bring it back to its roots.
an interesting point is that she doesn’t even consider herself jazz! when she talks about her music she calls it pop. a quote from her genius video of from the start is “it’s infused with a bosonova jazzier sound that you don’t hear much in pop”
"It's not jazz unless it comes from New Orleans, otherwise its just sparkling blues" is such a great line
Truly! This line alone makes this video worth watching.
I had to pause the video because I was laughing so hard.
just realized this was a joke about Champaigne, lol
this
If I ever get a tattoo, this is what it will say!
I *_REALLY_* enjoy her Bossa Nova influences, I always wished there was more of that genre in modern music. Maybe it will happen now :)
i have trouble getting into a lot of older bossa nova because despite loving the sound, the random sexism and even racism in the lyrics can make it hard to enjoy (hell a song i liked as a kid i looked up the lyrics and he outright says "spic" which rlly hurt me as a chicana, and many other songs i realized were about 40+ year old men lusting for teenage girls) so finding a newer artist whos also a woman and ethnic minority made me so happy. its all the beautiful sounds from bossa nova without the lyrics that aged like milk
Hey! I make Bossa-nova jazz music! I'll be coming out with an EP early next year - stay tuned on my channel if you wanna listen! (:
@@echo8844 can you gimme some examples of these songs with thistype of lyrics? bc i hear a lot of bossa nova (in portuguese, im brazilian) and i've never noticed the milk-outta-frigde lyrics
@@bukoze girl from ipanema is probaby the most famous bossa nova song, and the girl was 17 being leered at by a 40 yr old if i remember correctly. (not saying its a terrible song, but it seems like theres a lot of songs [in any genre honestly] where young girls and women are objectified by older men). the song with the slur in it probably wasnt "true" bossa nova because it was some album from 2013 and all the lyrics were in english. it seems to be an issue almost exclusive to white american interpretations of bossa nova (not saying all white americans who are influenced by bossa nova have these issues). i actually love bossa nova from brazil 😄
Don't worry dude, today i opened tiktok and heard a bossa nova cover of Smells Like Teen Spirit. It changed my brainwaves
People need to rebuke the idea that "a music form being alive" is the same statement as "a music form is making certain record execs or streaming services a LOT of money." Jazz is thriving. I was lucky enough to see James Carter recently and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life, and I'm 22.
compared to like, 50 years ago, it sure has died down
@@toonyandfriends1915 Maybe in popularity, but there's an insane amount of jazz talent these days.
Yes, James Carter is a „Monster“.
@@toonyandfriends1915 That's fair. I wasn't around 50 years ago so I don't know what the heyday of jazz was like, but I'm lucky enough to live in nyc and there's still enough jazz here to go around
@@erikheddergott5514 ripped a 4 minute solo while circular breathing the entire time
BROTHER YOU'RE THE SUNGAZER BASSIST!? DUDE! I've been listening to sungazer since highschool when my mate introduced me, and I've randomly come across your channel now. I'm a huge fan of your band, and a huge lover of Jazz, so I'm absolutely dropping a sub. You guys are incredible, love your work man.
She uses jazz to spice up her music, which is much needed since pop music has become so formulaic.
Pop is probably in its best state currently. It is anything but formulaic. There songs that are definitely formulaic, but pop as a whole just keep pushing boundaries
@@mocapcow2933 Could you give some examples? I have very little exposure to pop music so I have no idea where it's at nowadays.
@@Wenasd I mean idk what type of pop you would like. Jockstrap is making some interesting pop music, Kero Kero Bonito and Magdalena Bay are making great pop more conventional pop music. Japanese Breakfast and Porter Robinsons last album were amazing, charli XCX, the whole PC Music and hyper pop wave have been interesting. Snail mail, indigo de Souza, men I trust. There are so many interesting pop artists
@@mocapcow2933 I'll check them out. My last exposure to pop was back in the late 90s when Backstreet boys was the shit, after that I moved over to electric guitar centric music
@@mocapcow2933 Pretty sure they're talking about music you hear often on the radio. Most of Megan Trainer, Taylor Swift, and other big pop stars that appear (at least on my local radio) kind of sound the same. Those bands you mentioned are awesome though, and deserve so much attention from the general public. I'm a huge fan of Kero Kero Bonito and Porter Robinson myself!
Some people in these comments clearly didn't watch the whole video; its great that Laufey's reintroducing the work of 20th century Jazz musicians to a younger audience. The point Adam is making, however, is that because Laufey herself, and the people who listen to her, are so disconnected from jazz culture the modern, young, jazz culture of today is being treated like it doesn't exist. Jazz isn't dying when Emmett Cohen's living room is thriving with young performers every week, or Samara Joy is winning Grammy awards. And its misleading for Laufey to say that, but her comments probably come from not being aware that this scene exists because she was never steeped in jazz culture. She still makes great music -- clearly influenced by jazz vocabulary in many respects, but she's not reviving a genre/cultural scene that never died in the first place.
As an aside: Laufey's classical background combined with her love of jazz is probably what creates that musical theatre sound. Its very Rogers and Hammerstein. MGM musical. Lovely, wonderful music. Rich and lush, but the performances are definitely informed by her classical orchestra background, so it wasn't surprising to hear that she's never been to a jazz bar before.
Seeing her live in March before anyone tries to jump on my neck and say I'm a hater btw
Thank you for explaining the Adam's thesis.
Didn't watch it all? To the TikTok generation a three minute video is long this video is nearly 34 minutes
You make an excellent point about the fusion of Laufey's classical background and her love of jazz resulting in her musical theatre-esque sound which I think is only more enhanced by her presence on TikTok which in my opinion "favours" a more theatrical approach to music what with the way music is consumed and interpreted on it.
@@dg-hughes 💀can't argue with that.
@@lukasschmitz9030 I agree. The orchestration in California and Me, for example, makes the song play out like a scene in a movie. It has that classical structure combined with narrative lyrics ornamented by jazz vocab. I can imagine the likes of Lana Turner nursing a brandy whilst looking out at the ocean, at her Malibu beach house, as it plays. Its kind of like what Lana Del Rey was doing on the Born To Die album; she was also very influenced by a combination of mid-century pop and sixties rock. Especially on that record. There was also a wave of nostalgia for the 60s Americana culture when she debuted, similar to how TikTok Gen Z'ers are being nostalgic for a (misunderstanding) of jazz history.
I'm Gen Z myself, but was raised on the MGM musical, which was the first thing that came to mind when I listened to Laufey.
I had no idea the close voices of the 40s got a boost from a general strike. Shows how much we get taught about the history of labour...
When Adam said there was a special reason why this was popular, I expected it to be the recording equipment of the time that was exacltly as crappy as today's phone speakers 😂
At least reddit told me that the low recording quality was a reason for the transatlantic accest actors used during that time. Higher pitched and emphatic and clearly enounced, it was easier to understand for the audience.
!!!!!!
Yup that blew my mind
I'm amazed how often I talk to people who don't know about the Bread and Roses strike or even the Triangle Shirt Waist Factory fire.
Also, TIL that The Andrews Sisters were scabs.
I am blown away by how clear, objective, based on evidence, acknowledging her talent and respectful you are all at the same time.
Great video Adam! I was actually friends with Laufey at Berklee, we were in Orchestra together our first year. It’s so amazing to see the success of my colleagues. It’s interesting you mention the disconnect between jazz culture, when we were at school she always seemed more comfortable in classical circles. She would even joke to me about how she wanted to switch to voice principal but Berklee, would take away her scholarship since she auditioned on cello. Its amazing to see something that started as her branching out in to something she wasnt as comfortable with turn in to such a huge success for her! I think overall what comes with being thrust in to large popularity at a young age and being associated with a genre you’re new to comes with a set of challenges. It’s a learning experience and i’m excited and so proud of what she has in store for the future!
Ai Patrick is the one saving the jazz genre!
fr fr
I’ve actually been listening to more Sinatra because of all the AI covers on here.
@@ArxxWyvnClawno cap
Best take.
@@colin-nekritz**skull emoji**
so Laufey needs more jazz friends, to make jazzier jazz with
BANGGGGGG ONNNNNNNN
bwhahahahahahahahahahah
She needs more blues and swing to be jazz. it don’t mean a thing if its aint got that swing
@@bjornicjonisson3362 it don't mean a thing all you gotta do is swing
@@thorealparis8959 doo wa doo wa doo wa doo wa doo wa doo wa
She needs djent friends, to make djazz with.
OK 75-year-old weighing in: I was there and personally experienced some of the greats in the 1960s. I have not seen such excitement for a performer since the Beatles. I am not a Taylor Swift fan so without wishing to diss her I have to say I’ve never been to one of her concerts and appreciate that she is much loved.
I am absolutely bewitched by Laufeys music,call it whatever you choose. I appreciate the guy who put this analysis together and tend to agree that Laufeys body of work is kind of mid 50s pop - white people jazz. It is such a high end substitute for the mediocrity that has been served to Gen Z so far.
I flew to Phoenix just to see her about 10 days ago and was delighted to see all these 15-year-old kids as excited as if they were in a Beatles concert in 1965. I’ve begun to try to play some of her music on the guitar and find she uses some extremely sophisticated jazz chords, call iLaufey music what you will there’s no doubt in my mind that she will be considered one of the greats of the 21st century.
I wrote the arrangement of I wish you love for Laufey and the symphony, nice to hear that it has reached the ears of so many. ❤
amazing work on the arrangement!!!! you're incredible
sigggggggggggg!
omg i love that song, you did such an amazing job
I didn't listen to the whole thing yet, but it sounds like a beautiful setting for her voice. Thank you!
Icelandic username checks out 😉. Nicely done.
as a longtime jazz enjoyer, i believe that new musicians like samara joy are extremely important to the genre, but we cannot fully rely on them to keep jazz fresh and popular, especially among younger generations. this has happened in rock before with bands like 5sos who incorporated a few elements of the genre into their otherwise pop sound, and doing so they generated curiosity in young teenagers which made them delve deeper into the rock genre (i'm a perfect example of this). taylor swift and her country-pop thrilled me as a child, and now i'm a huge fan of jimmie rodgers and hank williams, just to name a few. we NEED these young artists to form connections between an extremely pop-oriented young audience and these older, more "sophisticated" genres which seem unaccessible to many youngsters otherwise. there's no need to put laufey's music into a box, neither there is one to precisely classify her as an artist. she's clearly on a league of her own, and both pop and jazz artists can appreciate her for this very reason.
wow. this was so beautifully writen and i think this needs to be said more to people on the extreme ends of the "old vs. new music" debate. as someone who never knows where to come down on it i think you explained my thoughts perfectly :)
Adam specifically addresses this in the video. Laufey may very well bring kids into jazz, and thats awesome. She incorporates elements of it very well, and she's an amazing artist. But its important to make the distinction here, because jazz and its culture are still around. And there's a disconnect between Laufey, jazz, and its culture. Self admittedly, she states the scene is foreign to her. Its not right to champion her as the savior of jazz just because she draws from it, and she's more popular. It might seem pedantic, but the differences are important. Thats why music has so many genres and subgenres. Their differences exist, and should be recognized and appreciated for what they are and where they come from.
Its not about putting people in boxes. 18:47 "If you're gonna ask the question 'Why can't this be Jazz?', why does it HAVE to be jazz?"
But why does it matter whether or not we revive a certain genre? What's the point? Music is always changing and will never be the same. "Fresh" jazz will NEVER be pure jazz because it will never be free of other influences that have been around since it's creation. There's always going to be a blend of genres in new music. It would be boring if genres stayed the same forever.
@@abstract5249 great point, I always wonder so as well. The best modern music is the one capable of offering something fresh and original without completely cutting off its old roots. Laufey’s nostalgic touch is nice, but also creates a little subgenre able to stand on itself. Isn’t that the magic of art? It’s just an endless conversation among creative beings, thriving off of endless influences from past discussions. Let the kids listen to whatever they like, and if they find older music that resembles what they’re enjoying now, that’s even better!
@@onightlysplendor Laufey may not "jazz" per se, so I can understand how calling her that could be a disservice to true jazz musicians who've dedicated their life to their craft. But she definitely has jazz influences and her music touches the heart and soul. Isn't that what music is all about at the end of the day?
From a casual jazz fan perspective I wouldn't say jazz is dying. It's taking some new paths for sure, one of which Laufey is following, but there are also many others. We have pretty strong jazz traditions in Poland and some interesting gen z jazz bands. Most notably Immortal Onion, which I highly recommend to check out if you haven't. Cheers!
Bro, I just checked that band. Holy smokes, do they rock!
Thanks to this comment I looked up Immortal Onion and HOLY SHIT! This RIPS!
Great rec! Cool band, followed
noted!! I really want to get into jazz
I'd say immortal onion sounds more math rock to me if anything as the chords aren't really "jazzy" per se.
I do agree with how people should accept that jazz is evolving to an extent. Personally I'd just considered every song nowadays fusions with hints of some genres of music. It is almost impossible to categorize them concretely.
I found this a really helpful, inspiring video Adam- it lands like a wonderful recap of modern music history, wrapped around a context rich interpretation of Laufey’s own art.
The fact that vocalists weren't a part of the musicians union in the 1940's is hilarious
To this day, singers have their own union
Lol
They were not considered musicians. I know it sounds like the punchline to a bad musician's joke, but it's true. And they were not considered "stars." They were just another member of the band. Back in the day, records would often say "with vocal refrain" and not even name the singer. I don't think any of the records featuring Bing Crosby's singing that were made by the Paul Whiteman orchestra listed him by name as the vocalist. The only label attribution he would get is if he was singing as part of The Rhythm Boys.
Singers didn't become "stars" until the 1942-1944 AFM strike. Record labels had to make money, so they started promoting singers as solo acts. But before that, they were just faces in the crowd.
ooo.. don't get me started about AFM or, especially, Local 47...
ah, yes... jazz CULTURE. This is what is new the children. They drink in undercover situations, not at jazz clubs... yet...
Still true now. I sing in the chorus of a large opera company and our orchestra is unionized but we are not. And we don’t have nearly as stable work, as a female singer there are some operas where I have been hired to sing in where the treble voices are paid less because we are featured far less in the work, and we are hired less since there is such an abundance of treble voices and not enough spots for all of us. Some seasons I’m waitlisted or not even used at all. It’s frustrating. I don’t see this happening as often for instrumentalists, they seem to always be able to find stable work. Plus with singing there’s a weird aspect to it where you sometimes feel like you’re hired not just for your musicianship but other hidden factors - your looks, how you perform onstage, ability to dance, your personality - and sometimes those qualities seem higher favored in the decision making of hiring and why we don’t have as stable of work as instrumentalists in our same spaces. We definitely should unionize tho…
I’ve listened to laufey for a while and I never thought of her as a jazz artist until someone said it. Like obviously when she sang standards I understood that it was a jazz song, but I think she had such a unique sound to her music that I always just considered it “Laufey.”
Yeah, I feel the same about artists like Bill Wurtz. Like, people talk about how Bill uses jazz chord progressions and whatever, and I'm sure he's influenced by a deep knowledge of jazz. But when I hear his music, I really can't think of that as anything other than "Bill Wurtz".
Agreed with this!!
Agree with your take.
Me too
What I'm always saying - there is no "jazz songs". ANY song can be played as a jazz song and the opposite - If you're not a jazz musician you can play a "jazz standart" but it's not a jazz anymore, it's just another melody. Jazz ir the way you playing not the song you playing.
I love Laufey’s music, and the “saving jazz” narrative still kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I’ve seen a lot of skilled young jazz musicians and singers who haven’t gotten that level of attention for some reason. Still, I first saw her cello videos and was really impressed! I hope this tide lifts all boats!
She's extremely charming and has a good handle on social media. I think that's a HUGE part of it.
@@2WheelsGood.01 this. great marketing from her and around her. someone else mentioned lana del rey who had the same thing going on and i couldn't agree more
@@2WheelsGood.01 she's a decent looking white/light skinned woman- let's be honest, that is a HUGE part of it.
Similar to when white women go missing, its all hands on deck, 24/7 news coverage. Vs when a woman of color goes missing, it doesn't get a peep of coverage.
@@aliali-ce3yf she's Chinese+Icelandic. I personally don't think skin color has anything to do with it in this case. She's just good at captivating an audience.
@@2WheelsGood.01 I have a bridge to sell to you
"Classical Music" is a multi loaded term that covers different time spans based on which meaning is loaded into it. I appreciate this video for getting into the specifics of an older use of the term "Jazz"
CORRECTIONS/CLARIFICATIONS (will update)
1. In an earlier edit, I call Ella Fitzgerald Lady Day, for some reason. Lady Day was Billie Holiday. Whoops! I edited this line out using the UA-cam editor, just FYI.
2. Sarah Vaughan's name was misspelled.
3. The gig in Tallinn 🇪🇪 is on Nov. 14th, not Nov. 13
4. I used the term "British Isles" when in reality I meant Scotland and Ireland. I apologize, the very last thing I want to do is aggrandize the English.
5. They weren't bowler hats, they were trilby hats, apparently.
Please keep leaving my errors in the comments, it feeds the algorithm.
No probs bro
On it
As long as you do it out of honest mistake and not engagement baiting.
those are also porkpie hats not bowlers
@@marcovpvhonest mistake, but please keep engaging
Jazz or not, the girl can deliver.
This is the first I've seen or heard of her, but GODD DDAMM, she has a voice to die for.
Agreed.
She’s cracked. i really like Lovesick. It’s a really good Mitsky-esq driving tune
Not only a voice, she's a great composer
Really? I think it's okay. The side by side comparison to Natalie Cole really showed me what Laufey is missing
@@warrenszewczyk5513I mean she can’t be exactly like natalie cole and I think comparisons are useless anyways
As an Icelander I must say: Excellent pronunciation of her name! Those double vowels are trixy, well done Adam 🙏
now if he could only learn to say 'new orleans' correctly [as a native would] (;
@@DanielBoonelight (as a person raised in the pnw, with a mother who grew up in alabama/louisiana) tbh, he doesn't even have to say it like a native. "oarlins" is easy enough to say as a northerner, and isn't nearly as jarring to the ear
@@blarghblargh noo-arrlins IS how a native does. i don't know what else you're referring to, but i hope you don't mean this goofy 'nawlins' which is even more touristy.
Annar Íslendingur!
@@wormy5935 Hahahah sannarlega!
What ever her music is, it sounds fantastic.
As a fan of Laufey, I've been wondering whether her genre is really jazz since I have never listened to any jazz music before. I have to say this video has answered all my questions from a professional perspective. That's exactly what we need.
@@adamluhring2482wow, many thanks for providing so many important and useful facts I've missed. I also found some of Neely's critiques a little bit biased, especially the way he interpreted the word “transport” used by Laufey… I appreciate your meticulous explanations a lot, and I believe now I have more reason to conduct some research myself before I come to any conclusion❤😊
Agree, same thoughts@@adamluhring2482
@@adamluhring2482
That's a very wilful misrepresentation of what Adam said and falling directly into the trap of thinking that he's criticizing Laufey just because he said that what she plays isn't really jazz.
I disagree with him, for the record, but he's basically just saying that Laufey isn't part of the cultural context of jazz. She doesn't play in places where jazz flourishes nowadays, she doesn't create music like a jazz musician would (i.e., usually referencing previous pieces from the shared vocabulary), she's not part of the scene, she doesn't hang out with other jazz musicians, her audience isn't composed of jazz fans, and she caught the eye of pop critics, not jazz critics. All those things are very obviously true.
Its clearly still pop, but it also clearly has jazz influences and elements. It’s jazz pop. I don’t know why it has to be ONLY pop or ONLY jazz.
@@adamluhring2482It helps if you listen to the actual video and not what you want to think about it. The video clearly states 3 points why Laufey is not jazz: lack of swing, lack of blues, lack of improvisation. Laufey is not jazz just like a classic orchestra playing Rhapsody in Blue by the score is not jazz either. It is jazz for those who have no idea about jazz, and 99.99999% of the kids she's targeting don't, but if somebody, who likes Laufey, most likely will not like actual jazz, because it's a different language. Therefore Laufey is actually bad for jazz, because she's misleading people. And what she does is really dated and nostalgic.
As a young musician pretty deeply embedded in the culture of Appalachian string music, you’ve articulated the exact feeling I had when Oliver Anthony went viral. It wasn’t that i disliked him or the music. It did feel real, authentic.
It was the reaction that scared me… the commenters declaring that a dying music form has somehow been authentically preserved by this one man who plays solo in front of a camera. “Old time” music, also communal in nature and reliant on influence of blues, African rhythm, and immigrant experience, doesn’t necessarily need “saving.” Exposure is good, but what’s the cost when that exposure is disconnected from much of the actual culture. It creates a sort of collective narrative, a story, a romanticism… when the “real thing” is and has been readily available.
This is super interesting to me. As a bluegrass musician I reconize some of the discourse here from our own communities.
Flamenco here. Yes, exactly.
They say jazz is dead, but a “jazz” band just won best album of the year for the mercury prize in the UK. The London jazz scene is on fire atm
Not popular though
@@mcbill7352 yeah not as popular as Laufey. But still doing fairly well for example Ezra collective has nearly 800k monthly listeners and Yussef Dayes has over 1mill. I do think that’s not that bad for living “jazz” musicians
@@mcbill7352 good music hasn't meant popular for about 50 years though
amen, i mainly follow uk jazz and it’s just bursting with life
@@deez9761 very close minded statement
I’ve seen several of your videos and you consistently do a great job. I think you did a very fair and intelligent analysis of Laufey. I had never heard of her before.I started playing drums in second grade, and in my early teens I decided that the most demanding music for drum set was jazz, so I started studying jazz drummers and reading some jazz history. I went chronologically from Baby Dodds on up to guys like Billy Hart. I went to college as a music major. My very first class was “Scope and Methods of Afro-American Music”. It was 1976 and I was in a New Jersey college. The professor, the first Black instructor I’d ever had, walked into the room. He said nothing, but dropped the needle on a record of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit”. I had heard the song before, but hearing it in this context gut punched me. I felt like “OK, I’m a skinny white kid from the woods” . “I’ve got no business playing this music.” The other jazz professor was a white guy, had played with Benny Goodman, successful in NYC. He taught the history of jazz and ran the jazz performance classes. I saw that he was respected by many Black musicians, and the whole color thing was apparently no big deal. I've approached some Black drummers from time to time about my uneasiness. Their response was “You’re treating the history and the music with respect. Play” and “The music is in the air; it belongs to everybody”. I think demonstrating the knowledge and respect for the history and the inequities that formed the music is important. Without that, it’s a parody, a mimicry. I’d like to hear that Laufey has been able to articulate her intent. If one intends to play music informed by mid century pop, they need to be informed about mid century pop. If someone intends to perform in the jazz tradition, they should be informed about the jazz tradition. I sometimes think of Shel Silverstein's Folk Singer's Blues. Shel didn’t have an answer there either.
That explains it! Thank you so much. I always thought she was a pop version of Jazz like Taylor Swift is a pop version of Country. But this also reaaaally shows how knowledgeable Laufey is about music history and techniques that she is using to her advantage in reaching more audiences to get into jazz like she intended.
Exactly!!!
Jazz is not dying. It just smells this way.
like a phrase about the peruvian creole music, roughly translated as "Creole music has not died, nor will it continue to die"
Yeah, I mean, I never hear people worry that death metal is dying.
@@Dowlphin I think there's plenty of great death metal these days, but there are definitely people who would tell you that there were no death metal albums after the mid-90s. Look under your seat, genres! Elitists under every chair!!
Zappa
is it just me or nobody picked the Frank Zappa quotation?
Ooh, this is a VERY complicated discussion - genres, labeling, cultures, history, media, industry, gatekeeping, all that...! But as a fellow professional musician I love that you don't shy away from this kind of complex stuff and from looking at music in a philosophical and societal context! And you don't "only" get lost in the chords, polyrhythms and "music theory" of it all! 🙃 Keep it up!
As someone who has recently become a big fan and enjoyer of Laufey, I came into this video with skepticism. But given how refreshing her fusion of influences (e.g. jazz, classical/orchestral, pop, bossa nova, etc.), I knew there was merit to questioning "How jazzy is Laufey?"
This was a very well thought-out, researched, and respectful take on where her current sound falls genre-wise. I really appreciate the later piece of the video about jazz culture-artists and scenes-that are alive *and* thriving. Especially given jazz's Black-American roots, I agree it's reeeally important for Laufey to actually participate in the culture if my generation, the music industry, and even herself are pushing her as an ambassador.
Much love and appreciation to Laufey! And same to you and your band!
I'm personally a big fan of Laufey and I agree that her music isn't truly jazz. I love jazz and that's partly why I appreciate her songs so much, which sounds contradictory, but her music is inspired by jazz and uses styles that originate from that genre. Her music isn't jazz, but it's related enough that it's a nice hybrid of modern alternative/pop and jazz because classic jazz doesn't appeal to many people anymore, unfortunately. So credit to her for her branding. It's introducing jazz ideas to pop music, which is something especially teens are much more familiar with and will more easily accept and enjoy.
its pop with a jazz accent
or pop speaking jazz language
When it comes to introducing jazz ideas to pop music, that's what jazz musicians did everyday with the creation of the "jazz standard." Most jazz standards are just pop/musical tunes AKA "mid-century pop". Postmodern jukebox is doing it too.
But yes, introducing jazz ideas to pop music is a great way to make it accessible.
My first exposure to jazz music was a show on PBS that would show live jazz bands playing club sets. I was about 8 and I had no idea what jazz was. The sound was so complicated, but I could tap my foot to it. Seeing those guys look at one another, moving their hands so fast but seeing their faces slowly light up and knowingly smile at one another has put me on the path to become the man I am today - the guy nobody wants to let pick songs for party playlists.
I'll gladly listen to your song choices. Care to recommend me a few? :))
@@tabor503 listen to "Symphonic Raps" by Louis Armstrong.
You know this new "jazz" thing is becoming really famous!
Nobody listens to jazz anymore, it's too popular.
You may not have heard of it. This thing I found from viral social media posts is really underground.
Thanks, Adam! This review of Laufey's music is informative and educational in a larger sense of modern music history. I just discovered Laufey's music and songs. I am impressed with her musicianship and ability to sing beautifully and play multiple instruments. I am 72 and grew up with pop music. For me, Laufey is no Joni Mitchell, but then, of course, she does not have to be, because she is refreshingly herself. As a young artist with tremendous skill and musicality, she will evolve and deepen and that is the calling of every real artist in my view.
I have a lot I would like to say, but there isn't enough space. She is introducing music to the next generation that is more than the same four chords. So hats off to her. They will find Ella and Chet soon enough now that she has pointed out the rabbit hole.
I like what you're saying here. I am not the Jazz police but I do agree with Adam (and always have even though he hadn't said it yet) there there is a big difference between Jazz and mid-century popular music and I agree with Adam that she is the latter not the former... SO FAR.
But if she can get young people to ask, "Well, what is this 'Jazz' that you speak of?", then the World already is better off.
@@honeychilerider but that's less likely to happen if she is held as the standard of Jazz. For many fans of pop-culture, the response to opposition is doubling down on their defense without doing a lot of leg work. Maybe that's a generalization, and if it is, then I'll gladly stand corrected, because it would prove that modern fans aren't just social media zombies, but care about details and history.
@@captainbmo6629 I don't know, you may be right, but for me the gateway to Jazz was hearing something Jazz-LIKE that I liked. Then the transition was much easier than it had been. But also she does name-check a lot of great Jazz singers and musicians and fans can be pretty obsessive about these sorts of things, so maybe they actually go LISTEN to some of these influences she cites.
@@honeychilerider good point. I guess I tend to be a pessimist when it comes to popculture lol. Glad to hear about your experience though--I'm curious who was your gateway to Jazz?
I mean, from the start has 5 chords...
i have heard this kind of jazz/pop/bossa from japanese bands (e.g. lamp) and honestly i'm quite happy that it's making its way to the rest of the world
having said this, this is a great video about what defines a (musical) culture.
LAMP yessss
idk if lamp is under or overrated but their music really suits my taste (esp the tokyo utopia album)
Their a part of in my opinion children of city pop. At least what I’d call them. They came from city pop influences and with Brazilian influences became what they are. Which I believe is quite definitely partially jazz. Jazz is not one genre. It’s so sooo wide.
@connormcateer7125 i agree, they definitely come from a citypop tradition, but they end up having a similar "light bossa" sound, since citypop and japanese jazz in general was already heavily influenced by brazilian music.
jazz is as wide of a spectrum as one wants it to be, depending on one's definitions and requirements, and this is mostly what mr. neely addresses here.
I love how Adam slowly changes his pronunciation of Laufey from the original way to say it in the Icelandic way to almost saying Levy at the end.
according to laufey, it's pronounced "lay-vay"
She sacrificed... THE TRADITION!!!
now that u mentioned it, cannot unhear that
holy sht its adam levy
This is such fantastic commentary on this subject, very enlightening. Thank you for this
Thanks for making this video for people like me who are in the real professional jazz space but feel super lost about Laufey's presence in the musical world. I was going to make a video about this, but I can't reach the level of thorough that you are with research lol. Answers a lot of questions I had and also gives me inspiration for my inevitable follow-up/personal commentary on this subject soon. Great video man.
Also - THANK YOU for talking about Samara...
I would really appreciate watching a video from you talking about Laufey and her music/work
Adam Neely is so cool I wish music was real :(
same bro same
*Illuminati theme*
@@mrgreenskypiano I wish it were that simple :(((
4dalore
Every day I wonder what the world would be like if music was real, and birds were real too.
Context - I am a lifelong musician - though not a professional one anymore. Couldn't pay the bills playing fretless electric bass for some reason. But it's interesting - I had not heard of Laufey before this take down, now I can't get enough of her. I believe she is an innocent prodigy, full of talent. And if she is guilty of anything, it is letting her press agent get carried away with the whole saving jazz nonsense. All that said, she is an amazing talent, and a joy to listen to. And I think it's nice that she doesn't take herself or Jazz too seriously.
This is not a takedown though, it's context.
Well said, brother. I think that Adam has lots of knowledge, and is amazing, but I think that he has a bit of a competitive spirit, and that shows up in his assessment of her music being described as jazz. Interestingly, I've been trying to save jazz for years but so far, only my cat seems to be overly enthusiastic, and even that is beginning to be suspect. I think that he's secretly using me to get food. I tried playing it for some homeless people but they told me that I'd have to supply them with some marijuana, before they consent to listen. So far, I'm having a hard time saving jazz. But there's always tomorrow !! I hope that you're chucking by now, Here's a home grown tune (Seriously, I've played my original jazz at wineries in Northern California. It's a beautiful environment to gig in.) ua-cam.com/video/Lf-PaS5-Em4/v-deo.html
@@KenTeeleh. I don't think he needs to compete. He has an audience that he's cultivated. An actively touring band.
Pretty sure this is just a perspective of what jazz is and how it's used. But maybe I'm wrong.
Good luck with your own music though.
I’m with you. And I don’t buy this young man’s dismissal of her music as somehow “not jazz”. At one level, I don’t care. On another, his argument is pedantic and annoying. Her music isn’t jazz *because* she’s young and writing innocent lyrics that appeal to gen X kids? That makes no sense to me. (By the way, I was never a fan of the Ken Burns Wynton choices of what “qualifies” as jazz.)
@@jysmtl Adam says in this video that he doesn't agree with that either. The point he makes is in fact not that at all, it's that she's not doing jazz because she's not participating in the culture of jazz.
Laufey is the perfect stepping stone for my 7 year old who may not be quite ready for the heaviness of the history of jazz and that I’m thankful for.
Laufey is like a arrow sign spelling "Jazz-land". Some of us who already knows the way will look at it and realise that her music is pointing us in the right direction, while others will walk up to it, read it, and think that they're already in Jazz-land.
Poignant.
You're exactly right
eh, I'd disagree with that. Laufey is to Jazz like what Taylor Swift was to Country music
Swift was never real Country, she was pop music with hints of country twang --- even though she is from Pennsylvania and comes from a wealthy family so there was never any real authentic "country" connection. And to your point, I don't think any of her fans moved on to the real "Country-Land".
I have a feeling many of Taylor fan's overlap with Laufey's fans.
And similar to Swift, Laufy has no real connection to jazz - a uniquely american art form - a black american art form born out of impoverished areas , and she is icelandic-chinese , seemingly from a well off background as well.
It all seems inauthentic, phony.
Laufey is like the neighborhood off of the highway that people stop by on road trips when they're not visiting the city for longer than a few hours. And that neighborhood has some really good shops, but they're not the ones that locals are going to on a daily basis.
@@aliali-ce3yfhere you are being racist again…
her music is influenced by jazz yes but i don't think it's right to limit her style inside the "jazz box", i don't even think that's what she would've wanted, she has many influences from different genres and i think it's amazing how she managed to build her own style, you won't find any other artist that has the same sound as her out there, she is her own genre.
A couple of years ago, I was in the Blue Note at a performance of Robert Glasper and Esparza Spalding. They blew my mind. On one tune Esperanza improvised a killer vocal solo with lyrics she made up on the spot and she did this while playing the bass, improvised of course. The place was packed. Jazz doesn't need saving.
Amen!!
Yup, just wanna bump this up 👍
Esperanza Spalding is one of the best musicians to come out of Portland, but nobody talks about her here :/
Terminally online zoomers think jazz need saving because they think Spotify metrics are the basis of empirical reality. Jazz exists perfectly fine out in the real world.
@@An0xymoron127 Her bass playing is fantastic, but I don't like her vocals. I don't like the majority of musicians who play instruments mainly and then double up as a vocalist. Most of them are not good at singing. She has one song (Ponta De Areia) that is just so fun and she sounds great on that one.
Clicked on the video ready to fight you in the comment but left learning so much and feeling humbled. Thanks for an awesome educational video essay!
If you can get a room full of people to sing along to "Misty," you're doing something right. It's like Norah Jones 20 years ago. As for the whole "Jazz is Dying" thing, people have been saying that since Charlie Parker. Hasn't happened yet.
Also, highly surprised that Laufey never went to Wally's Cafe while at Berklee. I didn't attend Berklee, but I lived in Boston, and it's a great club.
Thank you for this. I love Laufey.
As for the angry viewer, I don't think Adam Neely is hating on Laufey; he is just trying to push back against the narrative that says Laufey is the savior of jazz, which is misleading.
Yeah but he clearly oesn't blame enough the media that tried to push it for clicks and blames it way too much on her with typical jazz gatekeepy arguments. It's far from adam's best video.
@@ivyssauro123 It's facile to play the "blame the media" card. Especially when given social media, the media is substantially each and every one of us. Is the narrative really "being pushed" by powerful central actors, or is it just bubbling up and spreading?
It's a tough break for jazz purists that they don't own the word as much as they believe they should. There's no way they can win the argument any time soon, but in 20 or 30 years when it's down to dust, victory is assured.
@@ivyssauro123 She's gonna be okay.
@@ThisSteveGuy oh clearly, I don't think she cares at all what Neely thinks she's swimming in money. I just find it kinda pathetic.
@@ivyssauro123I mean, he did go after a couple different publishings and misleading UA-cam shorts/videos that indicated exactly what the issue is. Her music is fantastic so I don't want to come off as disingenuous or anything like that.. Laufey is fantastic and as a guitar player myself, I think her phrasing is very tight and I can only hope to play as well as her one day.
I can see how potentially his and others' respect for black American music might overshadow more broader issues of social justice in music and that can come off as gatekeeping a genre. On the other hand he tackles that as well when he discussed exactly the type of gatekeeping from jazz musicians of the time about halfway through the video when they brought up the 3 criteria of what makes a song "jazz". This is one of the issues that exists in the larger discussion of what makes a song a specific genre, when you're trying to provide clarity, you often come off as harsh and abrasive.
Its so fucking weird seeing the attention around Laufey from the perspective of being an Icelander. Here in Iceland she is relatively unknown and i only learned of her a few weeks ago. She is currently the biggest Icelandic artist (judging by spotify mothly listeners)
What about Björk?
@@youtubeuserdan4017she’s definitely bigger than björk. As for people in Iceland knowing her, I’m assuming björk is more well known since she spent more time in Iceland and actually speaks the language as well.
@@youtubeuserdan4017 Funny Iceland's 2 biggest artists are women who look asian.
@@patrickponce4838 Laufey speaks Icelandic too...
Yes, even bigger than OMAM and Bjork, it seems
Came here to express my thanks to this video, he presented me with emmets place and after mora than a year of listening it, I can say that it's one of the best channels and places to listen to jazz
That "jazz is dying" thing is exactly like "rock is dead" mantra. I hear this since my first ever conscious interaction with rock music in 2000. I hear thousands of great albums a year to this day, and people nagging about "rock\metal is dead". It annoys the hell out of me
a lot of people lack the object permanence to understand that things keep existing even when they look away
Yeah
It never died
Don't forget the game publishers who kept announcing for decades that single player games are dead.
I really just think people mean those genres not exactly "mainstream" anymore and that mainstream songs that incorporate those genres are derivative, not that that kind of music isn't being made at all. It was a lot easier to hear a great rock song back in the 70s, whereas now you have to look a bit deeper if you want the real deal and not something that's simply inspired.
@@clem.3894 I actually like modern stuff more, even in old genres most of the times (not always so). Stoner\psychedelic rock does 70's music better than in 70's and you can go to the local gig and feel the full experience of the show. And I love 70's music by the way. But in SOME of the genres it's better today.
It doesn't need to be mainstream to thrive.
As somebody who 1) is a jazz musician, 2) worked for years at one of the major record labels (which tend to be overly concerned with classifying music, often using criteria that make little sense), and 3) is a newly minted fanboy of Laufey's, I started watching this video wanting to hate it - however, Adam really did a great job of addressing every protest I had to his arguments and definitely won me over. I highly recommend watching the entire thing - great job, Adam.
As a Laufey fan, the recent narrative that Laufey is a jazz musician really caught me off guard. I think this video was sorely needed
Very much the same here. I didn't associate her music with jazz until the "saving jazz" video got recommended to me and i didnt click on it for days because it felt like a pretty removed thing.
100% agree. I regularly enjoy listening to jazz and when I heard one of her songs and then found out it’s jazz I was “huh”. But I think what also threw me off because it didn’t have the specific sound and style I associate with jazz.
Likewise. Seeing the title of this video was like a "Wait what? People think Laufey is Jazz?" I like Laufey A LOT. I came across her a year ago or so here on UA-cam from a George Collier music meme video, and was immediately taken in. But I don't think she's a jazz artist. Like Adam says, she definitely takes a lot of inspiration from jazz. But that doesn't mean she's a jazz artist.
But if she wants to think of herself as one, and other fans want to as well...well, I can't imagine it'll hurt any. Maybe we'll start seeing younger people listen to more jazz.
Haven't been myself in a couple years. Started therapy last month, and I've been writing like crazy and socializing way more. Tonight i was pleasantly surprised by my mind to be like "damn, i need Adam Neely in my life again. I was thriving when i was at this channel every few days" 🌻💛
I really like her pushing complex, delicious chords BACK into the pop world. A lot of music creation lately has been made accessible by computers, which though cool, also means that the cheap stuff is easier than ever to make, and young minds raised on pablum don’t easily welcome the more musical stuff. Laufey is helping them welcome deliciousness again, and for my songwriting self, I’m grateful, just like Silk Sonic and Young Gun Silver Fox “rediscovering” respectively soul and blue-eyed soulish yacht rock. They pave the way for younger ears to enjoy deliciousness (which hopefully means that music as a whole gets more listenable again).
idk man... idk how you're defining what you think young people are listening to, but if we ignore the radio and the top 10 or top 100 lists (obviously), and just use youtube or a music streaming service and surf the algorithms, I've honestly never seen more diversity and uniqueness of style, and talent in music than I'm seeing lately. personally I've always mostly listened to my large music collection I have on my computer that's largely made up of stuff I listened to 15-20 years ago, as well as the odd new thing I've found and added since then... but i listen to the stuff I know I like. But lately, I'll find or look up one song I like on youtube, and then the suggested videos algorithm seems to be consistently serving up some crazy good and diverse and unique stuff... it's kind of amazing. not a jazz fan btw but it even served me up Laufey, hence why I'm here!
while we still have some big bands and big acts, you know the taylor swifts and stuff (who has some amazing music btw - get into the deeper cuts), I think streaming and the lack of music ownership, and people's general musical ADD, has made it so that in fact young people are listening to far more diverse and niche things. it used to be everyone listened to say blink 182 or eminem or nsync, or pick whatever popular music... but now I'm seeing less cultural cohesion and shared experience, and more atomization, for better and for worse, and this certainly includes people's music playlists. MOST new music, and most of the best new music IMO, aren't bands that most have heard of or who have sold millions of records, but who's more popular songs have racked up significant views/listens regardless, but will never be mentioned in the mainstream entertainment world or be heard in your local supermarket. but as always, there remain exceptions, those things that are very popular and mainstream and yet very good, think billie eilish or something. and we're also in the era of bigger artists featuring more niche artists... not the kind of features where some industry label people are trying to "create" the next big thing artificially, but simply featuring already established but more niche artists... like taylor swift and Bon Iver for example.
The pop music being promoted by airplay and record labels, 4 chord dance tracks.
The last quarter of this video was so fking REAL!!!! The algorithm has been throwing Laufey at me a lot and it’s great that u highlight the cultural context. Thank you for talking about Esperanza and Samara, People who are carrying the torch
As a metal listener (and its sub-genres,) I am delighted to see LITERALLY ANY OTHER GENRE at the center of the "this artist isn't [blank]" argument.
i agree as a punk listener
Lmaoooo yeah
I feel this as a fan of several obscure subgenres and bands with tenuous connections to genres so I have to explain what they sound like.
yesssss
"WELL ACTUALLY IT'S NOT GORENOISE ITS BLACKENED POWER ELECTRONICS"
Right? I'm still amazed
Brilliant discussion, very carefully and skillfully handled. I really hope Laufey watched and heard your (gentle) call to action.
"There is a living breathing Jazz culture that's worth talking about, and the world's most famous living Jazz musician isn't really part of it"
It took me until that quote for your point to click to me, Adam. As a GenZ Jazz listener previously who just found and loved Laufey, I appreciate and applaud you making such a hard video to make!
“How powerfully people can be themselves and be a collective at the same time” love this!
If Laufey gets people into jazz, more power to her. That's a great thing. I want people to explore the genre and see all it has to offer. Jazz is a world treasure.
She’s a copycat and shill not much to say 😂😂😂
Excellent excellent excellent summarizes my life of 82 years of jazz music. Thank you so much.
Thank you for deconstructing this, when I heard about Laufey topping Jazz charts, i immediately was like "this is...not jazz". Love her music and style tho!
I played jazz for many in New Orleans & elsewhere. I'm really excited to see artists like Laufey incorporate jazz melodies & harmonies in there music. I hope musicians going forward are not afraid to enjoy the great tradition of jazz music but rather they embrace it, learn about it & enjoy it. Jazz is nothing to fear, you can get started just playing a blues form & learning swing rhythm..it's easy & fun!
Side note: the video editing in this essay is masterful. Visual matches like the arms behind the back at 5:39 are so powerful in driving the story along visually, and it takes a lot of skill to find these things and put them together. IDK if Adam is still doing everything or if there's a team now, but the production value of this channel has come really far and I think that's great!
it's so good. loved all the casual demonstrations of that chromatic cadenza thing.
Thanks for pointing this out!
Holy cow, great observation!
you've done a great ambassador for Jazz, saved all the recommendations. Came from listening to laufey to listening to random jazz playlists to now having acc modern artists to listen to + a whole live stream. Your respect to music is commendable
"It's not exclusive, but inclusive, which is the whole spirit of jazz." - Herbie Hancock
It's not improvised
Exactly! I dont know why people like Neely has to define and confine Jazz in their own Bubble!
There are still things that are not examples though.
@jomacron1106 well one thing it ain't is creative musically...good marketing though
@@jomacron1106everything has a definition, that does not confine anyone or anything, but helps in understanding in the larger context of the world, and understanding is never a bad thing
Very educational video! You covered a lot of ground in 33:49 minutes. Laufey blends jazz, bossa nova, classical, orchestra, and mid-century pop. Is Laufey jazz? Sometimes. The point is that she has a young audience that loves her music without knowing where it came from. That is refreshing and bodes well for the evolution of popular music. They will hear jazz greats such as Ella Fitzgerald and John Coltrane when they stream "Laufey and similar artists”, as well as contemporary jazz artists. Laufey writes real songs with good lyrics that people relate to. She is in the jazz category, but she appeals to a broader audience. Thanks for including Samara Joy, Emmet Cohen, and "the culture from which you draw your art" in your video.
Fun fact: my daughter is a millennial, and I didn't cultivate her musical interests much, but she surprised me when she told me she was listening to Ella Fitzgerald around when she was in high school or college. But she also said she was listening to Judy Garland around the same time.
It's the peak of patronizing to think that us Gen Zers need some watered down, half version of jazz in order for us to want to hear it. Songs by Bill Evans and Chet Baker are already going viral on TikTok, actual jazz musicians are already doing numbers on social media. It might not be as huge as 90s IDM revivalism right now, but I think it's still gaining steam.
@@davidwave4 As a gen z person, I can confirm that a lot of people go absolutely crazy for Chet Baker
I hope you don't think I was being patronizing in my comment. I am just happy that younger people (I'm 68) are being introduced to jazz through Laufey and like it. I go to jazz clubs in New York City where I live and am encouraged to see people in their 20s not only in the audience but on the stage. There are outstanding young musicians around here playing great music and I'm grateful for that.@@davidwave4
That's interesting and good to hear. Chet Baker was great and his music still is.@@benitosandovalhere
I'd love to watch Adam making a case for hip-hop as a form of jazz.
Yes
Absolutely.
But why do people want to see Hip Hop as jazz? The only discernable connection is that blacks are its originators, is that it?
@@deetee4403 I mean, loaded as that statement is and really probably also could be misconstrued as malicious (far be it from me to ascribe intent to a seemingly innocuous YT comment) or at the very least ill-informed, that is a factor yes but also not even close to 'the only discernible connection' as you put it. I think this is a fault in vantage point contributing to what you are able to 'discern'. Anywho a simple google search will give you the answers you seek young padawan...
@@chuckyb_ Not malicious at all 😉
This is such a cool educational video, really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. Thank you!!
“Sparkling blues” made me laugh heartily out loud.
I remember this exact discussion occurring when John Batiste was nominated for a “Best Contemporary Classical Composition” for a great song that wasn’t classical.
Having listened to Laufey for the years before her rise-up/stardom from From The Start, I never could find her "genre" so when I saw Jazz, I was slightly like "okay" but not entirely agreeing somehow. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. FOR YEARS I HAVE LOVED IT. AND WILL STILL LOVE IT!!!!
I've been watching your videos for almost half a decade now and while I'm no closer to fully comprehending half the stuff you talk about through no fault of yours, you present it in an entertaining and digestible way. Love your stuff.
Along with Samara Joy, I’d urge everyone to check out Cecile McLorin Salvant and Caity Gyorgy - a few of my favorite jazz vocalists right now. And Sullivan Fortner who is a pianist who collaborates often with Cecile, to me is our generation’s Art Tatum, a pure unreal kind of talent. Also I really enjoy Laufey and if she wants to call herself jazz, I personally don’t mind even if it’s more mid-century pop/musical theatre at times, but I appreciate what she’s doing as like a gateway to new audiences to dig further into jazz through the standards she sings and her jazz-inspired original music. I’m here for it!
I also love Martina dasilva, she was in Adam’s the girl from ipanema video
Love me some Cecile. I also enjoy Diana Krall.
Jon Batiste too!
First time i'm coming back to a comment recommendation, just saw the Tiny desk concert of Salvant & Fortner and I'm mindblown
I love Laufey and think she's an AMAZING musician, but thank you for articulating the way I've been feeling about her jazz hype.
Exactly, she could just stole some songs from the past, and just change some words, call it jazz, and still is an AMAZING artist. She could be the one of the fews of people who don't write anything, and be called AMAZING at jazz
It is absolutely incredible that people making such incredibly nuanced music content for free on UA-cam.
Wow this was a terrific video that helped me understand music just a tiny bit better. I super appreciate that Adam isn't being a gatekeeper but he's still talking about real traditions and shared culture.