Qualche giorno fa ho parlato dell'articolo "satirico" del New Yorker che attribuiva frasi e concetti del tutto in controtendenza rispetto al pensiero di Sonny Rollins.La reazione comune è stata di fastidio verso un tentativo assai misero di fare satira, meglio sarebbe dire goliardia, su uno dei grandi patriarchi del jazz ancora viventi.Ma ecco che, dopo il primo tweet di smentita ad opera dello stesso Rollins, Bret Primack mette in rete due brevi spezzoni con il commento del protagonista involontario.Alcuni musicisti hanno poi postato il loro commento all'accaduto e sotto segnalo i link per la lettura. C'è anche una lettera aperta al New Yorker del pianista Spike Wilner che nella sua brevità merita di essere riportata: Sirs:As a professional jazz musician and owner/manager of Smalls Jazz Club here in Greenwich Village I was appalled by the satire “Sonny Rollins: In His Own Words” by Django Gold (July 31st issue). Not only was it not funny but also vague enough to be construed that it was actually “his own words”. Mr. Rollins is one of the most beloved figures in jazz, renown for his uncompromising artistic integrity.Why at age 83 after a lifetime dedicated to the music he loves and champions he needs to be the subject of ridicule in your magazine is beyond me. Instead, the New Yorker should publish a profile celebrating the life and accomplishments of this great American artist. Jazz is already a much maligned and misunderstood art form. An article like this does a great disservice to the music and the musicians who spend their lives playing it and is beneath the stature of your magazine.Spike WilnerSmalls Jazz ClubNew York City
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Nicholas PaytonMarc MyersHoward Mandel