Sometimes I receive packages addressed to me as “jazz writer” here at the office. While that is a much cooler title than my pedestrian marketing position, “jazz blogger” would be more apt. The two are not necessarily the same.
Blogging certainly involves writing in the literal sense, but I would argue at its finest writing is an art, whereas blogging by necessity is merely a talent. Writing compares to blogging as fencing compares to ultimate fighting. Both are combative, but for the former, finesse and style are paramount, whereas with the latter, endurance and brute force count for a lot more.
There are of course, literary precursors for blogging. Like J.J. Hunsecker in the Sweet Smell of Success (which featured a great jazz soundtrack from Chico Hamilton’s group with Fred Katz), columnists have long faced daily deadlines, turning out pithy, pointed prose for their loyal readers. H.L. Mencken was dashing off columns nearly every day of his professional life, and that they are still read and collected in book form is simply unearthly.
It seems like a lot of bloggers take themselves too seriously, deigning themselves the only ones competent to anoint the next president, for instance. They need to take a step back and get some perspective.
